Car wash tricks

[Phoenyx]

I meant, wash with wand, wash with brush/sponge, then rinse with wand

when using the wand do you say "abra kadabra" ?.....

Only when nobody is looking 8)

 

[bill]

......And something I remember my old auto body teacher telling me. He said he would choose a brush over a sponge. Because any dirt or grime the sponge picks up will stay right on the surface and can cause scratches.

This is true....but thats why you need to squeeze out the sponge in the bucket several times after using it on a section .. or you can use a carwash mitt, which is designed to release the dirt better. In the past, I have used auto carwash brushes and was disappointed to see very light scratches on the car.

 

[crash]

As a hobbyist detailer I am cringing at the thought of much going on in this thread :lol:

Never use a brush on your car, especially one you get from a local store or one from the car wash. No matter how clean they are, they WILL scratch your paint. Same thing with the "soft cloth" automated car washes, they trash your paint as well.


I use Meguiar's Gold Class car wash, have tried many other "boutique" car washes and you just can not beat the Gold Class for slickness and cleaning power. Power wash if you can first or just the jet setting on most hose nozzles to remove most of the dirt and road debris accumulated on the paint and in the wheel wells. Wheels, tires, and wheel wells get cleaned first - for nasty wheels I use a 4:1 ratio of Meguiar's Wheel Brightener and for relatively clean wheels I just use the Gold Class car wash. I prefer to use a wash mitt or a very thick napp microfiber towel to wash with and never ever scrub on the paint, only use just the weight of the wash media to do the work.

I always do my details in the sun, so I have a few tricks for that to avoid water spots. Keep the WHOLE car wet the entire time you are washing, wash the shaded side of the vehicle first and NEVER dip your mitt into the bottom of the bucket, keep it at the very top and swish it around, don't wring it out and get it back to the car fast to keep as much of the soapy water in it. Work your way to the top and other side of the car, and keep stopping to give the rest of the car a quick spray with the hose to keep it wet to avoid water spots.

When the whole car is done, it is time to dry. If you car isn't waxed and the water isn't beading on the paint, you are basically stuck with a microfiber drying towel, chamois, or water blade. NEVER use a bath towel!!!

If the car is waxed and the water is beading good, get a leaf blower. Use the leaf blower to blow the water off the car and you don't have to worry about scratching the paint when you touch it with a towel. Remember, the LESS you TOUCH the paint, the better off it will be.

If you are unsure if something in your arsenal will scratch your paint, try it out on a CD. If it scratches a CD it will scratch your paint :wink:

I can go on and on about polishing to remove defects in the paint, but I will save that for another day since this thread is only about washing :lol:

My typical detail (interior and exterior with one step paint correction) takes me about 8 hours and I have spent as much as 16 hours on one vehicle on the paint alone and over 20 hours on another that is still a work in progress.

 

[khan0165]

My typical detail (interior and exterior with one step paint correction) takes me about 8 hours and I have spent as much as 16 hours on one vehicle on the paint alone and over 20 hours on another that is still a work in progress.

I like the sound of this post. Seems like there's a bit of OCD in this man. No wonder your car looks so awesome!

 

[454muscle]

As a hobbyist detailer I am cringing at the thought of much going on in this thread :lol:

Never use a brush on your car, especially one you get from a local store or one from the car wash. No matter how clean they are, they WILL scratch your paint. Same thing with the "soft cloth" automated car washes, they trash your paint as well.

Yeah... it's common knowledge actually lol. I would NEVER do that to my GP. However, I do take my DD through the soft cloth car washes and also coin op ones, but I knew the risks. :wink:

 

[bill]

....I always do my details in the sun, so I have a few tricks for that to avoid water spots. Keep the WHOLE car wet the entire time you are washing, wash the shaded side of the vehicle first and NEVER dip your mitt into the bottom of the bucket, keep it at the very top and swish it around, don't wring it out and get it back to the car fast to keep as much of the soapy water in it. Work your way to the top and other side of the car, and keep stopping to give the rest of the car a quick spray with the hose to keep it wet to avoid water spots.

Sorry...but I dont see the point in washing/detailing a car in direct sunlight.... Water beads act like little magnifying glasses on your paint, and thats never good. Direct summer sunlight at 8pm is fine...but during the middle of the day, its too strong to risk the damage it can cause. I usually wash the car in the mornings or in the evenings, just so I wont have to worry about direct sunlight damage...JMO

 

[crash]

....I always do my details in the sun, so I have a few tricks for that to avoid water spots. Keep the WHOLE car wet the entire time you are washing, wash the shaded side of the vehicle first and NEVER dip your mitt into the bottom of the bucket, keep it at the very top and swish it around, don't wring it out and get it back to the car fast to keep as much of the soapy water in it. Work your way to the top and other side of the car, and keep stopping to give the rest of the car a quick spray with the hose to keep it wet to avoid water spots.

Sorry...but I dont see the point in washing/detailing a car in direct sunlight.... Water beads act like little magnifying glasses on your paint, and thats never good. Direct summer sunlight at 8pm is fine...but during the middle of the day, its too strong to risk the damage it can cause. I usually wash the car in the mornings or in the evenings, just so I wont have to worry about direct sunlight damage...JMO

It won't hurt your paint, the biggest risk you run is a greater chance of water spots. That is why you make sure to keep the car wet and cool the whole time. I do my details in the sun because I don't have a garage, not because I want to. When you spend the time I spend to professionally detail a car, you can't pick and choose only a couple hours of prime time light to do the work or it would take you two weeks to get it done.

Washing your car in the sunlight is no different then rain on a sunny day, and I bet you don't run right outside to dry the rain off :wink:

 

[pontiacgp]

On a real sunny day I apply this to my GP to protect the paint.. 8)

 

[khan0165]

 

[bill]

...It won't hurt your paint, the biggest risk you run is a greater chance of water spots. That is why you make sure to keep the car wet and cool the whole time.

Washing your car in the sunlight is no different then rain on a sunny day, and I bet you don't run right outside to dry the rain off :wink:

I prefer shade....a garage, a tree, a building....its not hard to find. Water spots are caused by sunlight and water droplets.....and keeping the paint wet and cool is a waste of water and almost impossible in direct sunlight...but you do it your way..and I'll do it mine.