Detailing
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4,243 Posts
that foam brush at the carwash. I havent washed my car in at least a month and a half. =)
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745 Posts
Alright, here goes...
First I just hose the entire car off with a gentle spray to loosen all the dirt and get rid of the dust, then I use Mother's car wash gel and a wash mitt to wash the entire car, including inside the wheel wells and the wheels and tires. After rinsing the entire vehicle off, I dry it using a few of those leather chomoise towels. I then go to the front of the car and get all the water out from under the headlights, then I use paper towels to get all that water out of the sideview mirrors. Then I open all the doors and wipe the dust and excess water out of all of the door jambs and door handles. then I open the trunk and wipe all the water out of the drain. The rear valance also tends to hold alot of water as well as the license plate, so I dry those those thoroughly as well. After the entire car is dry I use Meguiar's Gold Class wax on all painted surfaces and buff it off using a 100% cotton terry cloth towel. On the windows I use Stoner's Invisible Glass inside and out. It may take a few applications, but Invisible Glass works very well. I also ctake the time to clean the sideview mirrors with Invisible Glass. I just use regular car wash on the wheels, but if I were to recommend a product it would be Meguiar's Hot Rims, it has worked well for me in the past. I use Eagle One Tire Wet on the tires, I spray it on a towel and wipe it on to the tires to prevent overspray onto the body. For any small scratches I find, I use Meguiar's Scratch-X, which I think works awesome.
As for the interior, I use Armor All, which is a classic, it works best and I haven't found anything better out there. On the plastic parts of the interior I usually just use soap and water. As for the seats, I just vacuum them, I'm afraid to scrub them.
These are my methods, for a quick-detail I use Meguair's Qwik Detailer, works great, gets rid of water marks or light dust.
-Jonathan
First I just hose the entire car off with a gentle spray to loosen all the dirt and get rid of the dust, then I use Mother's car wash gel and a wash mitt to wash the entire car, including inside the wheel wells and the wheels and tires. After rinsing the entire vehicle off, I dry it using a few of those leather chomoise towels. I then go to the front of the car and get all the water out from under the headlights, then I use paper towels to get all that water out of the sideview mirrors. Then I open all the doors and wipe the dust and excess water out of all of the door jambs and door handles. then I open the trunk and wipe all the water out of the drain. The rear valance also tends to hold alot of water as well as the license plate, so I dry those those thoroughly as well. After the entire car is dry I use Meguiar's Gold Class wax on all painted surfaces and buff it off using a 100% cotton terry cloth towel. On the windows I use Stoner's Invisible Glass inside and out. It may take a few applications, but Invisible Glass works very well. I also ctake the time to clean the sideview mirrors with Invisible Glass. I just use regular car wash on the wheels, but if I were to recommend a product it would be Meguiar's Hot Rims, it has worked well for me in the past. I use Eagle One Tire Wet on the tires, I spray it on a towel and wipe it on to the tires to prevent overspray onto the body. For any small scratches I find, I use Meguiar's Scratch-X, which I think works awesome.
As for the interior, I use Armor All, which is a classic, it works best and I haven't found anything better out there. On the plastic parts of the interior I usually just use soap and water. As for the seats, I just vacuum them, I'm afraid to scrub them.
These are my methods, for a quick-detail I use Meguair's Qwik Detailer, works great, gets rid of water marks or light dust.
-Jonathan
i posted a thread on this subject before . i got a lot of good responses. here you go:
http://www.b15sentra.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37005&highlight=show+winning+shine
-L
http://www.b15sentra.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37005&highlight=show+winning+shine
-L
I find that 2001 works well for me. The one in the green bottle for the interior and the one in the black bottle for the tires. The one in the black bottle is really gooey and should be avoided in the inside of the car. I only use it onthe tires because it lasts really long and shines like mad. I spray it onto a sponge applicator then spread it on the tire.
As for washing, I do the whole rinse down thing. I used to use Meguiar's gel but am now using Zymol. It foams up more and cleans better IMHO. When you rinse it off, the water sheets off of the car better too. As for drying, I use a shamy and dry the whole car, then proceed to the door jambs, trunk, gas tank door, hood, exhaust and finally wheels. When I do wax the car (I don't seem to have the time to do it as often as I'd like) I use Mother's Clay bar, Meguiar's Step 2 Polish and Meguiar's GOld Class wax. I think thats about it!
EDIT: ClearVue for windows, its tint safe!
As for washing, I do the whole rinse down thing. I used to use Meguiar's gel but am now using Zymol. It foams up more and cleans better IMHO. When you rinse it off, the water sheets off of the car better too. As for drying, I use a shamy and dry the whole car, then proceed to the door jambs, trunk, gas tank door, hood, exhaust and finally wheels. When I do wax the car (I don't seem to have the time to do it as often as I'd like) I use Mother's Clay bar, Meguiar's Step 2 Polish and Meguiar's GOld Class wax. I think thats about it!
EDIT: ClearVue for windows, its tint safe!
Rinse off car, wash with meguires gold class car wash, dry with the absorber and chamois, mothers clay bar for the front end and hard to get bugs everywhere else, meguires polish, Platnuim hardner for black cars, meguires gold class wax on top of the hardner, (all with a 10 electric buffer). Your car will love you. Just don't forget about the inside 
Meguires rubber&vinyal cleaner for the tires and the dashboard, Air hose to clean the carpets out before using a vacum, Normal windex for the windows. Never dull for the muffler. Makes the stainless shine
Meguires rubber&vinyal cleaner for the tires and the dashboard, Air hose to clean the carpets out before using a vacum, Normal windex for the windows. Never dull for the muffler. Makes the stainless shine One thing. For your final rinse, take off the hose nozzle and let the water just flow over the whole car. If your wax is still good, the water just sheets off for the most part and drying will be much easier. Everyone that I've told this to now makes it a part of their routine.
Check out this site for some professional detailing products and hard to find tools. www.topoftheline.com. Also has a help section to guide you through some detailing tips.
Check out this site for some professional detailing products and hard to find tools. www.topoftheline.com. Also has a help section to guide you through some detailing tips.
Duragloss car wash
My supervisor at work has an 02' Spec-V
and uses Duragloss . This **** is great .
Mother's car wash is just as good , but there is just something about the Duragloss stuff that really makes a car look nice . The Eagle One " Wax As You Dry " stuff is suprisingly pretty good for a quick wax in between regularly waxing .
And someone mentioned Meguire's Hot Rims , that stuff is also great for your ride .
My supervisor at work has an 02' Spec-V
and uses Duragloss . This **** is great .
Mother's car wash is just as good , but there is just something about the Duragloss stuff that really makes a car look nice . The Eagle One " Wax As You Dry " stuff is suprisingly pretty good for a quick wax in between regularly waxing .
And someone mentioned Meguire's Hot Rims , that stuff is also great for your ride .
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1,392 Posts
Re: Alright, here goes...
Any more opinions on what to use to clean the plastic mouldings? What about STP Son-Of-A-Gun?
Also, those of you with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, anything out there to use to maintain the leather without making the wheel slippery?
Thanks!
Nothing better than recycling an old thread!MyHooptieSpecV said:
Any more opinions on what to use to clean the plastic mouldings? What about STP Son-Of-A-Gun?
Also, those of you with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, anything out there to use to maintain the leather without making the wheel slippery?
Thanks!
1. go self service carwash.
2. soap spray car/clean foam brush
3. foam brush car
4. spray armor all wheel cleaner on wheels
5. use brush on rims
6. rinse
7. chamois dry
8. meguirs detailer on rims
9. drive
(meguirs cleaner and wax every 3 months)
you can look on the pics of my SIG my 91 Skyline looked as good as my 2001 Sentra paintjob...
2. soap spray car/clean foam brush
3. foam brush car
4. spray armor all wheel cleaner on wheels
5. use brush on rims
6. rinse
7. chamois dry
8. meguirs detailer on rims
9. drive
(meguirs cleaner and wax every 3 months)
you can look on the pics of my SIG my 91 Skyline looked as good as my 2001 Sentra paintjob...
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1,558 Posts
. Anyone else do this??
you know ive used armor all on every car that i have had and every car that my parents have had... ive never had any problems what so ever. but its to shiny for the interior so i use it on my tires as a base, then use tire silicon... the tires really shine after that
but like ive said, ive never had a problem with armor all
but like ive said, ive never had a problem with armor all
Tip: Never use armer all-they use oil in there products ex:waxes,interior wipes and detailing sprays it's very hard to get off. Except for Armer all tire and wheel spray.
Exterior:
1. Spray off at car wash
2. Come home and wash off with meguirs soap
3. Hit any tar spots or stubbern stains with tar and bug remover.
4. Use meguirs hot rim cleaner
5. Wash off car
6. shamie dry in the shade
7. Meguirs step one: paint cleaner
8. meguirs step two: gloss coat
9. Meguirs step three: yellow carnuba wax
10. Detail any trim with trim detailer from meguirs
11. shine up wheels and tires
Engine bay
1. spray off at local car wash
2. Next use simple green scrub tuff areas
3. hose off
4. take armarol tire and wheel cleaner spray down engine bay
*tip:when washing cover filter area
Interior
1. vaccum all of the carpet interior
2. remove mates and clean with tuff stuff carpet cleaner
3. hit dash with and center console with meguirs dash wipes
4. use detail brush for vents or some q-tips
this is the process that I've used to clean my car in the summer time just before car shows and to just go out and cruzin'. I know it's a long process but it works extremely well, I know because I've been detailing corvettes for a long time for shows and this stuff really works. Once it gets warmer out side in a few weeks I'll have some pic's up on my car domain site showing these steps.
Exterior:
1. Spray off at car wash
2. Come home and wash off with meguirs soap
3. Hit any tar spots or stubbern stains with tar and bug remover.
4. Use meguirs hot rim cleaner
5. Wash off car
6. shamie dry in the shade
7. Meguirs step one: paint cleaner
8. meguirs step two: gloss coat
9. Meguirs step three: yellow carnuba wax
10. Detail any trim with trim detailer from meguirs
11. shine up wheels and tires
Engine bay
1. spray off at local car wash
2. Next use simple green scrub tuff areas
3. hose off
4. take armarol tire and wheel cleaner spray down engine bay
*tip:when washing cover filter area
Interior
1. vaccum all of the carpet interior
2. remove mates and clean with tuff stuff carpet cleaner
3. hit dash with and center console with meguirs dash wipes
4. use detail brush for vents or some q-tips
this is the process that I've used to clean my car in the summer time just before car shows and to just go out and cruzin'. I know it's a long process but it works extremely well, I know because I've been detailing corvettes for a long time for shows and this stuff really works. Once it gets warmer out side in a few weeks I'll have some pic's up on my car domain site showing these steps.
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4,578 Posts
I usually do the same other than I use Zymol to wax the car and it works wonders.bjorkluv said:
You guys that use brushes to wash your car must be crazy! I would never ever let any bristle touch my paint. I DESPISE scratches and swirls. I don't care if its fine hair from a boars arse. I avoid as much abrasive contact with the paint as I can as to not create swirls.
1. Touchless car wash. (for now since its cold as hell here)
2. 100% cotton bath towels for the paint and microfiber towels.
3. Eagle One Wet Wipe-n-Shine quik detailer.
4. Lexol Vinylex for the tires.
5. Plexus plastic cleaner/polish for headlights/taillights
6. Eagle One 20/20 window cleaner
1. Touchless car wash. (for now since its cold as hell here)
2. 100% cotton bath towels for the paint and microfiber towels.
3. Eagle One Wet Wipe-n-Shine quik detailer.
4. Lexol Vinylex for the tires.
5. Plexus plastic cleaner/polish for headlights/taillights
6. Eagle One 20/20 window cleaner
Me personally or in general?shortyb said:
A good sheepskin or cotton chenile washmitt is preffered by detailers.
Check out www.properautocare.com
Great products and info there.
That link is great! Some of those products aren't all that expensive. I've known people to have long-term problems using Armor All on the interior, and the dressing doesn't seem to last. I know a guy who gets his Civic Si professionally detailed every year, and his interior vinyl stays new-looking for most of a year. I asked a guy at Ziebart this weekend what products they use, and he looked insulted when I mentioned Armor Allshortyb said:
He recommended that same above link, and said "If you can buy it at K-Mart, don't use it on your car." Extreme maybe, but I'd pony up for the pro stuff personally.Any opinions on the BEST stuff to use to make tires black again? I used Turtle Wax Tire Wax last year, and it looked great...for about 3 days. In dealerships you can run your finger across the tires on a showroom car, and your finger will come away black. Anyone know what that is?
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