andypdbz

iTrader: (1)

upon a recent thread i have decided not to go to drive thru car washes as much. so i was wondering what kind of soap do you guys use to wash your car? what cloth material do you use to wash? do you wash it all at once or parts at a time?
any help is appreciated.

Sgt. Spuds

iTrader: (1)

Sheep skin mits

I tried the two bucket method, but find it dumb and unnessecary, both waters end up contaminated with debris, its not like im washing a black car lol. I used Armorall Car Wash soap, it was okay, sudded decent, now I have Mequires Crystal, and doesn't sud worth a ****... I use a LOT of soap, more the needed really, and NEVER swiral. I use the back of the mit to get things like bugs/**** off my car.

Wet car down * mist hose *
Sud it up with the mit
Wet car down * mist hose *
Dry

NightWindDriftr

iTrader: (4)

Drive-thru car washes = murder on the paint!

I'm fond of Meguiar's Gold Class car wash; smells great, lays on thick, and is quite sudsy. For your wash, stick to cottons - use terry cloths or especially chenile mitts. I personally try to avoid sheep skin stuff (chamois) because they are high-maintenance. They rot quickly and if washed improperly, they will start to tear. Furthermore, it's hard to dry with chamois because it tends to cling. They dry as good as an absorber, but are way slower than the usual terry cloths because the chamois "catches" a lot.

ZaneO

Basic Weekly Wash Supplies

Wash Mitts - Eurow genuine sheepskin mitt or a 100% cotton wash mitt.
Car Wash Soap - some popular ones are Eagle One Wet wash, 1Z Perls shampoo, Zaino Z7, and Wolfgang auto bathe.
Drying - Waffle Weave microfiber towels, electric leaf blower, and/or 100% white cotton towels, made in USA.

Washing, Drying and Waxing Tips

- Never use circular motions. Always wash, dry, and wax using front to back and top to bottom motions.
- Don't use the same mitt or bucket for wheels that you use on your paint. The brake dust, etc. from your wheels will cause scratches and swirls in your paint.
- Use two buckets for washing paint. One with a soapy mixture, the other with plain water to rinse the mitt between panels.

Caring for Mitts and Towels

- Wash on the Hot/Cold setting
- Use liquid detergent only w/ no bleach and NO fabric softener
- Add distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle for added softness and soil release
- Rinse twice
- Dry towels on low heat w/ no fabric sheets

SmokeySS

iTrader: (7)

ZaneO, what do you think about microfiber wash mitts? I was gonna splurge on some new detailing junk and I had that on my list. There's a few kinds, one of soft mf, and one with 'grabby' mf, then a dual sided one with both.

kws87

iTrader: (6)

I use Z7 and a chamois sponge I found at target for like $5, it's the sh*t.

Sgt. Spuds

iTrader: (1)

MF mits suck. They trap **** and drag it across the paint.

andypdbz

iTrader: (1)

hmm, well i have an absorber but i'll look into getting a wash cloth and soap, thanks for the advice

ZaneO

I've tried a few different MF mitts, and I don't really care for them much. Sheepskin and cotton are much thicker and seem to release dirt easier.

The Trans Am Kid

I work at Mike's Car Wash. I think they only have them in Indiana and Ohio. I don't go through the car wash itself, but they have bays where you can wash your car by hand and it has a spray gun that you can use. It is so easy to use and you never touch the car so no scratches! It has different setting like bug remover, grim remover, high power soap, clear coat wax finish, and then osmosis water which leaver a spot free shine. I use it about once a week and love it!

andypdbz

iTrader: (1)

what about those drive in car washes that you use quarters for?
would you guys use a high pressure spray/rinse from there?

mcG

iTrader: (1)

for just washing, this is my routine:

-try not to wash the car in bright sunlight, as this can dry the water quickly and leave some nasty water spots
-rinse the car off really well
-wash the car using zaino z7 car wash and the 2 bucket method with a 100% cotton white towel - i do a section at a time and rinse off right after
-keep rinsing the whole car everytime you rinse a section
-for the final rinse i take the nozzle off of the hose and let the water "sheet" off the car to lessen the chance of water spots
-give it a quick dry with the "absorber"
-dry with a big 100% cotton towel

of course you can get much more detailed than that. for instance, i usually claybar (every few months), do the wheels/tires/wheel wells, clean the glass, rain-x the glass, several coats of polish (z2, z5), vacuum interior, clean the dash and plastic interior trim, clean/condition the leather seats, etc etc etc

BlackHawk T/A

iTrader: (3)

My routine:

1. Spray car with nozzle (the adjustable kind) to blast off anything stuck to the car
2. Change nozzle to mist and get the whole car with it
3. Meguiar's NXT soap with their ultra plush mitt (its like synthetic wool, same properties only it won't fall apart so easy). Wash a section at a time starting from the top working down. Rinse mitt in 2nd bucket before moving on to next section. Do the wheels last.
4. Now here is my best trick - my girlfriend follows me around the car, rinsing the soap off as I go. This way we can wash the car directly in the sun when we have to and it won't bake onto the car. The soap is on, and off.
5. After the whole car is done, take the nozzle off and sheet the water off of the car (assuming its waxed or sealed in some way). This will make drying easier, and lessen the water spots. It also helps to keep the whole car wet until you are ready to dry.
6. Whip out the Toro leaf blower and blast water off the car and out of the cracks. Have girlfriend start drying with absorber behind you.
7. Use another towel to dry in the hatch area and around the inside of the doors where water sits and will run out. Don't forget the mirrors and lights where water likes to run out of.
8. Glass cleaner (I use Eagle One 20/20, works good but it won't remove water spots if you didn't get them dry in time). I use a microfiber towel to wipe off.
9. Wheel cleaner
10. Tire shine (I use NXT)
11. Ice quick detail spray with a microfiber towel. This will make the car look "just-waxed". IMO you are not done cleaning after you wash the car. A must for shows. "Just washed" is not good enough!

Optional - Scrub the tires with a brush.

After all is said and done, care for your towels/accessories as described by ZaneO.

Hope this helps.

davered00ss

iTrader: (4)

Meguairs has a web site with forums on detailing. www.meguiarsonline.com