How to detail your car for real.

[Buster]

I get alot of questions about how to properly detail a car. Ive been in the business just under 5 years and I consider myself good at what I do. Cleaing your car isnt a once a month thing, it takes proper matainence often, using the right tools, and proper prep. This isnt a read on how to be a professional detailer, but more a good guide on how to keep your ride presentable.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/ScoobyKeith205/DSCN0293.jpg

First and most importantly, The car wash, touch free wash or dusting will not clean your car...in fact you are just adding to the daily pain your cars paint is so helplessly trying to fight.

Go to a Pepboys, Autozone, general store dealing in car "stuffs" you will find the basic tools. A great start is: (and these are what I have been using for years)Car wash, Good Hard Carnuba, Wax Applicators, Bucket, Wash Mitten, Terry Towels, Microfiber Towels, Shammy, Shop Towels, Stoners Invisible Glass Cleaner, Wheel brush, Eagle One Quick detail spray, and the California duster.

Always remember to pre soak your car before washing!!!!

Car wash: (look at the soap, if its thick and slimy thats your soap) You dont want anything with super detergents or teflon or whatever flashy things they want to advertise, Dish soap is also a no no. Reason being, Too harsh a soap and you will eat away at everything you put on, thus deteriorating what is protecting your paint and your finish. Pour enough to put a layer about half an inch thick along the bottom of your bucket and make it sudsy.

Wash Mitt: Any wash mit will do, one with a seperate side for bug removal is also great. Should always be soaking wet during use, if not the fibers WILL damage your paint.

Carnuba wax: (I recommend a hard carnuba paste) you will find this in a tin can about 5 inches in diameter. Liquid carnuba will make your car soft but lacks staying ability. Generally the harder the wax is to get off the better it is. Eagle1, Black Magic, Mothers, Turtle Wax, 3M are all great choices as long as it is a hard carnuba. Carnuba is also a cleaner wax so as you remove it from your cars paint you will also be taking off other contaminants that washing doesnt. So using a wax applicator found in the same general area that your products will be, dampen your applicator and spread over paint, small swirling motions and excess force will damage paint. A little wax will go a long way so spread your wax in long wipes gently. To remove the wax, you can use a soft terry towel like one you would find in your bathroom or a MICROFIBER towel which can also be purchased at the same stores, make long swipes the same way you applied the wax. Again carefully or you will damage your paint. Be sure to do this in proper light or you will look dumb with wax on your car.

Window Cleaner: (this is the tricky part) I cannot stress this part enough. Choosing the right method to do your windows will make or break your detail. I only only only use a product called "Stoners Invisible Glass" It comes in aerosol form or spray form. You also need two towels for this job. (shop towels, News paper, anything thin and absorbant. Terry is a bad choice) Spray a light spray in the middle of the window and wipe the glass spreading as much as needed, use your one towel to wipe the window cleaner off and the other to follow up. This is called the wet and dry method. Also remember to roll windows down a little to get the top two inches. Subie owners just open your doors lazy.

Tire dressing: Again any tire dressing is great in moderation. If you use too much it will be all over, use too little and it will be gone before you finish. This is trial and error, all people have differnt size tires so making generalizations wont be good for anyone.

Wheel Cleaner: Honestly if you let the brake dust build enough to make your wheels black... you shouldnt be reading this. Most cases a wheel brush and some soapy water work fine. For the people who spend less time washing and more time driving you probably will need a wheel acid and should let some one else clean them for you.

Vaccuming. This is where most people make their biggest mistake. A quick run through with the vac will not solve anything. You need to move your seats, get inbetween them and pull the mats out and really really vac them.

Dash and trim treatment: Armorall is a great product... for show cars. Its not a good idea to use it on a daily driver. It is a thick oily residue thats left on surfaces that WILL attract more dust that is even harder to remove. So the best method is a lightly dampend towel. Wipe and dust where needed, try not to leave anything wet.

Now if you have used all of these products when you have washed, quess what, unless its poured rain, or snowed or you have gone off road. More than likely (i make no promises) you will only need to use your quick detail spray and a micro fiber to get ready for the next Tristate meet.

Feel free to ask questions.

[99SL2_Modder]

Nice.

Now if only I had time and a place to do this.

[USARARE1]

Excellent THREAD! You could of not said it any better! THAT'S A VERY CLEAN CAR! Thankyou for the input! :thumbup:

[99SL2_Modder]

Any tips on how to clean the backs of mirrors well? I kinda have 1 new mirror to put on, but it's uber shiny compared to the other side...

[Buster]

A glaze with an applicator will work good but probably wont be as nice as the new one, is it painted or gloss black?

[99SL2_Modder]

A glaze with an applicator will work good but probably wont be as nice as the new one, is it painted or gloss black?

Gloss.

So basically, deposit this money and get another one for the other side. :rotfl:

Ever hear of removal of the "Objects blah blah blah" badge on the mirror? Is it possible, since you may have come across it once or twice in your detailing experience.

[Buster]

I beleive thats etched into the mirror itself, i could be mistaken.
If the mirror wasnt expensive I would grab another, But since its gloss I would try and glaze it with a stage two polish and see what happens.

[Zeropistonz]

Great Thread! Thanks for sharing and taking the time to write it all up. You sir are what helps makes this forum better than others. 50 forum bux for you!

[05Accent]

nicee!! yea all i need is time to do it..

[wgknestrick]

Where is the clay bar?

One of the best car products, and you don't even mention it. Removes tar spots/bugs in a heartbeat.

Canuba wax is good for a short time, but loses out for people who drive a lot, or don't wax frequently. Canuba does have more luster and is better for shows, however.

Zaino is probably the best of both worlds with respect to waxing, but you have to mail-order the stuff.

Good write up

[Buster]

At the risk of sounding ignorant, the claybar isnt the best product for most people. In fact I deal with more cars in my shop on account of improper use of the product. The claybar is also Not good for tar removal, or bugs. And for the sake of costs not very cost efficent. The claybar I use personally cost about $20 a pop.

But this is how I expain it to the newbies:

The claybar is a hard putty like block, It picks up the surface contaiminants that the washing and waxing alone cannot. It works best after the intial wash when the surface is semi clean.

To use it first make up a solution of water and carwash and dilute it 10-1. Spray it on the surface and slide the bar gently, then wipe clean with a micro fiber. This should be done one panel at a time. As you work the surface be sure to knead the bar as it will become dirtier and dirtier.

The clay bar is natually only good for one or two uses and should not be used if it becomes excessively dirty or is dropped on the ground.

As far as Zaino is concerned, some like it others dont. My policy has always been that if it sounds easy or is... its not working.

Detailing your car is not something that should be taken easy. Your car for most people is the most expensive thing they own and should be treated with respect.

[2000MRDC2]

keith how much would u charge for a detail if you would be willing to do it? I'm too lazy to do it to tell you the truth? this prob wouldnt be for a little while but lemme know if ud be willing

[TROLL]

thanks for the writeup, now i'll move it to the appropriate forum, exterior/interior...

[Driven]

Great write up.

What do you recommend for drying the car? I know you said to buy a shammy but is that all that you use? If it is, what kind do you generally buy?

Thanks.

[pearl]

I've been detailing for 3+ years, heres some tips i learned:

always put tire shine on before you wax your car.
wash microfibers with micofibers, NOTHING else.
Armorall cracks dashes, don't use it.

[pearl]

I dry my car with the same towel's I dry myself off of when I get out of the shower.

[TROLL]

i heard that normal towels are not good for cars... i mean i use them but i'm just stating what i heard. microfiber and terrycloth only for your car.
and i hear a lot that armorall isnt good for interior, but what is? i've heard the 303 stuff is good?
bryan

[pearl]

Atleast at the detail shop I work/worked at, we used regular towels. Never had any problems with them.

You could be right though.

[cburwell]

What are your thoughts on those "three step" waxes?

I have a set from Meguires (paint cleaner, some wax, and final/carnuba wax), which I have used since I got my car, but truthfully it is a PITA to do the full three steps.

I like the sounds of your process better!

[BlackBulletTSi]

Very nice right up :) I like it indeed.

[Buster]

Like I had said before, if its a pain in the butt, then its working properly. Meguiars is a great product and have been in the business for a long time so I would trust what you are using. The way I do my own car is a simple set of steps and pretty much comes out the same everytime.

[Cabra]

you have a pm

[peteyturbo]

I think I will add to this because it really has not been explained in detail and it's that time of year that most people want to get all the crud from the winter off of their paint and have their car looking lik new again.The previous write up was excellent and I'm not knocking but but rather adding to it. I will share my experiences as far as paint cleaning and protection are concerned.There is alot to explain about every aspect of your car but this is probably the most important.This process will take most of the day depending on what condition your clear coat is in.

First, wash the car with DAWN dish soap (only do this if you are planning to follow the rest of the steps). DAWN has a high PH level that will eat away all remaining wax on your car.It will not damage your clear coat in any way and it will make the next step alot easier. Make sure you rinse off well.

Next, after you have washed and dried your car with the dish soap it's time to get down to buisness.

The first thing I do is go over the entire car with a clay bar and meguier's quick detailer, this part is very easy and will take about one hour. You will be amazed at the difference, and the amount of crap that was in your clearcoat. You want to use a high quality clay bar but the 15 dollar mothers clay bar from autozone works ok too. Do one small section at a time making sure it is always lubricated with quick detailer, and you can feel when the contaminants have been removed, then wipe dry and make sure your car is clean for the next step.

Next, after you've clay bar'd your entire car it's time to start working, and believe me this step is alot easier after you have clay bar'd the car. You are going to need a potent cleaner to get your clearcoat as smooth as possible for shine and durability. I use meguiers paint cleaner or I think fine cut- cleaner is about the same, it's about 9 bux a bottle. This type of product you will want to keep off of all of your trim, ect. You will need to take about 2 hours to go over your entire car the right way. Working a small section at a time until you will be able to tell that the spot you just did is as smooth as a baby's butt. The product will come off in a different way then it would if the clearcoat still had contaminants in it so it's not that hard to tell which areas need it more and which need less.This product works excellent for paint stained by your exhaust, small scratches, faded paint,ect. After you have applied and removed your clear coat cleaner to the entire car (as per directions on the bottle) it's time to go on to the next step, POLISH.

Polishing will fill in all of the tiny little abrasions caused by the contaminants and the slightly abrasive nature of cleaning your clear coat. This is the most important step to get the most shine out of your paint so you may want to do it twice. I use meguiers reflections for this. Basicly you want to transfer as much polish to your car as possible so with most polishes you want to let it sit on your car for awhile before removing it. Polish contains alot of oils to give your car the wet look and really brings out the color while in the meantime it bonds to your virgin clearcoat filling in all of those fine scratches and swirl marks.

The next step is of course the WAX. Caranuba is best, I prefer ZYMOL Japon, which was made for the type of clearcoats used in japanese cars, but if you have the $$ get Zymol concours. If you use concourse you will need to apply it with your fingertips which is fun but it works unlike anything I have ever used before. FYI a jar of concourse is about 150 lol. Any caranuba wax will do but in this dept you get what you pay for. Typicly one coat of wax will suffice but some people like to do two just to ensure all of that work they've spent all day doing will last a long time. The job of the wax is to seal in the properties of the polish for as long as possible and provide protection to your clearcoat, so its a good idea to use a spray wax after you wash your car to keep that layer of wax protected and keep from diminishing for as long as possible.

Ziano is a whole other ball game as it is a synthetic polymer and is much thinner then caranuba,ect. Ziano will typicly yeild more shine then a traditional wax because of how thin it is but takes more effort to keep it in pristine condition for an extended period of time regardless of what they advertise. Ziano is an excellent product but its pretty much for the hardcore detailers out there.

That about wraps it up, just wanted to shed some light on this since no one really explained what everything does. I'm not a car show nut or anything, but I have renewed many of cars over the years and thout I'd share my experiences..Hopefully someone will a get a use out of this since it took me 20min. to type :-p .

[Buster]

Some good tips, It's Keiths Uncle. I've been doing this since Blue Coral was the best on the market, That's a long time ago.

Some of you may want to consider the first approach to getting the car clean. Separate buckets for wheels and tires, lower panels and one for the top. Wheels and tires always first, Open all jambs use a light cleaner like a fine mix of simple green to get the door jamb oils and grime out, plus the trunk and if you decide a quick clean under the hood that should be all that's needed cause most of you are touching up the engine alot. Sponge out all the jambs including underneath the bottoms of the doors, close hose them down, move to the lower of the car. Rinsing isn't enough, a sponge is needed to get rid of loose particles that you don't want to drag to the top of the car. front and rear lowers get the same. All the lips of the wheel wells get a good wipe as you're going along too. Resoak the car and with a fresh bucket, begin from the top down. "NEVER IN THE SUN" Some of the points in the above post are very good, but Dawn is wayyy too strong and will remove the wax as said but also it will etch the clear and remove needed solvents in the paint that keep it shining with normal care. Step down to a standard wash, you're going to be doing the polishing or clay bar which does the same but without the harsh detergents.

Since you now have the car clean and soaking wet, time to dry, but there are a couple of things you may want to do before running a towel or shammy over it. A spray is going to still leave a ton of water so rinse with a stream, more water less spots. At this point you grab your can of pledge yes pledge once the car is dried and the jambs are slightly wet, spray well and wipe out the jambs of the pledge. It will protect and keep the grime from setting back with each wash. You'll go back to this later.

You're ready to polish. Don't be afraid to mask off rubber trim or sharp edges, with a rotary polisher, orbitals are less strain on edges. Polishing / waxing techniques have been covered above.

Your car is now smooth and waxed with whatever you plan to use. I prefer to stay away from "white" waxes, and use the liquids more. Zymol is expensive but leaves no white residue on black trim. I also don't let the wax dry, you can rub it in and rub it off, drying wax does nothing to make it last longer. The average life of wax is 3% loss per day outside.

Assuming the tires were dressed well before you began polishing you'll be left with some residual dust in the jambs or the edges of the trunk and hood. You already prepped them so they just need a quick wipe. A good test to see how well you did when done, but you're not so you'll have to wait till the next paragraph is to run the clear plastic covering from a cigarette pack over your finished work. It should not grab or cling to a small spot on the car. A before and after meaning after the wash will show you the major difference in how smooth it is now.

Glass, Glass, Glass !! Nothing is clean until the windows are sparkling. During the wash you have the option of running steel wool #0000 over all your glass with soap, or doing it now with window cleaner no heavy presure is needed, use a razor blade to scrape excess grime from the edges of the glass.

Finish off the glass properly and the car will now have a full gleam to every part.

I saw this thread and just wanted to add. My nephew is pretty darn good at this stuff and I was at one time. Too old and tired to do this again, thanks for listening

[silver05bullet]

you guys know i got some fine scratches on my rear passenger window dunno where they came from but is there something i can do about them? You cant really see them unless your at the right angle.

[turbotool]

Any tips on how to clean the backs of mirrors well? I kinda have 1 new mirror to put on, but it's uber shiny compared to the other side...

A high speed buffer/polisher will make that mirror look just as good as the new one. You'll need to use polish or wax with the buffer, of course.

[peteyturbo]

Some of the points in the above post are very good, but Dawn is wayyy too strong and will remove the wax as said but also it will etch the clear and remove needed solvents in the paint that keep it shining with normal care
I have had nothing but great results.Granted I dilute the dawn to a reasonable level. Dawn has a high alkalidity level but is not acidic. It's main purpose really is to strip the clear down to its bare chemical makeup, and start from a clean slate without keeping your old solvents (polish) on the surface. This makes for a surface thats easier for the next steps to bond to..

Excellent write-up and there are alot of good tips in there, glad you could share.

[Buster]

If you want your car detailed I would prefer to do it on my work time. Come to Reedman-Toll and go to the appropriate service center. A full detail comes to just about $150.00. This includes full wash, buffing, clay, wheels, engine degreased, carpets and floors extracted, and a full wax. For the price its pretty good.

There are four guys on the full details and I am one of them. If you come in ask them to write on the car that you are a TST member and I will have your car directed to me. I can give no discounts. I will consider side jobs in the spring. Its honestly too cold to spend my only day off in the cold.

[Cabra]

k thanks....btw I was no try to get you to do it outside of work

[Cabra]

where is Reedman-Toll?

address?

[bluengoldsti]

1700 east lincoln highway (business rt 1) langhorne, pa 19047.

[Buster]

haha I bet you bought your STi there didnt you?

In the summer I will be a little more inclined to doing outside work, but with the weather and all I would like to work in a warm place.

[Cabra]

1700 east lincoln highway (business rt 1) langhorne, pa 19047.

thanks

[wgb113]

GREAT info here guys! I clean my car more than anyone in my neighborhood. I am "that guy". A clean car, inside and out, says a lot about a person IMO.

Last year it was microfiber towels to wash, white bath towels to dry. McGuire's NXT wash liquid, liquid wax, and quick detailer. Black Magic's tire gel, Eagle 1's window cleaner. Properly diluted Simple Green for the interior. McGuire's Gold Class tire and wheel brushes. Nu-finish Scratch Doctor. Craftsman Wet/Dry with detailing attachments.

All of that was on my silver '04 Impreza which, let's face it, hides a lot. This year I decided to take it to the next level for my black '06 Impreza. After doing some research on various websites and talking to some other Subie owners I've decided to go with the following:

Menzerna Auto Shampoo
Menzerna Final Polish II
Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze
Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket
Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield
California Exterior duster and dash duster
303 Aerospace Cleaner
303 Aerospace Protectant
Classic Motoring's Best Microfiber Towel Kit
Classic Motoring's Big Blue II Drying Towel
Griots Garage Wheelwell brush
Wheel Wax
Wheel Wax's Tire Shine
Stoner's Invisible Glass

Can't wait until it all arrives and I get a nice weekend. Some good sites for more info:

www.autopia.org
www.properautocare.com
www.griotsgarage.com

Bill

[SexyDSM95]

Keith
I think I asked you about this before. My wheels are horrendous! I have scum/buildup on them that do not come off with wheel cleaner and brushing. I tried a Nylon brush, but I would be there forever scrubbing. I have been asking around about the wheel cleaner with acid in it?

Just wondering if you could get me more info or suggest something else.

[james_ls]

Do you do this as a service?

If so...can you send me more information??

[the mike]

Is there a commercially available wheel cleaner with acid in it? I know our detail dept uses an acid cleaner, but I don't like dealing with those guys....

[Buster]

Eagle One has a wire wheel cleaner that is fairly aggressive, you can use it on any wheel but do one at a time and very quickly or it will haze your finish, Your boys probably use ardex. If they do that stuff is great but again you have to use it one at a time and very quickly.

[2slowMX5]

Is there a commercially available wheel cleaner with acid in it? I know our detail dept uses an acid cleaner, but I don't like dealing with those guys....


When I worked at a dealer, we used chemicals and supplies from Ardex. They make a brake dust remover called "buster". It is VERY acidic. If you get some on your skin and dont remove it right away it starts to itch and burn! Its meant for a quick removal of brake dust, like for use in a dealer, when you dont have much time to spend on the wheels.

Anyway... I gripped up some before I left. I usually spray water on my wheels first BEFORE spraying the buster, to dilute it. Go full force if the wheels are real bad.

[CHAOS]

here is a question, my windows appear to have permanent water spots.... ive hit them with stoners, hit em with windex basically any glass cleaner i can find and nothing works... the previous owner lived near a nuclear power plant in Limerick so that leads me to believe they are acid etched... anything to fix this short of getting new glass?

[Buster]

Try soapy water and a fine grade steel wool. or bring it to a meet and let me know I have a product that WILL fix it but it isnt on the market yet. My cell number is in my profile. gimme a call if it doesnt work.
BTW dont apply pressure to the wool either it will scratch if you arent careul.

[RayArroyo]

i have a better easier one step detailing process, call keith ( buster) and pay him to do

[Snoozie]

i have a better easier one step detailing process, call keith ( buster) and pay him to do

Yes that is a good idea too! We hungry

[markley02]

Ardex is no joke when it comes to wheels! I would never use it! If you want to see what happens to a set of BBS wheels that have been cleaned with Ardex I will be at FW tonight. It is not pretty.

[RyanG]

here is a question, my windows appear to have permanent water spots.... ive hit them with stoners, hit em with windex basically any glass cleaner i can find and nothing works... the previous owner lived near a nuclear power plant in Limerick so that leads me to believe they are acid etched... anything to fix this short of getting new glass?

I have the perfect thing for that. its called Bon-Ami.
you can pick it up at any grocery store in the "cleaners" section. mist the window wet, sprinkle this stuff on it, take a wash towel and GENTLY go over the window while keeping it wet.
then hose off the car and wash (that stuff gets everywhere) :)

[JSeoul]

***Warning***
Just to let you all know so you don't make the same mistake I did. Watch the outside tempatures when using ArmorAll Cleaning & Protectent wipes(Yellow&Purple Bottles). I happen to use it on my cluster on my last car and the heat scraped the shinny gloss right off. It left a horrible residue & fade on it. After hours of looking at online forums, the best thing I found was to "Bake It" or get a lens curer. I didn't do the first one but yeah, needlesstosay, the lens curer only worked until the chemical dried. hahaha. It was probably 80 degrees in the shade where I had my car. Not sure about the other brands, but just be careful. Hope I save someone from ruining their Cluster shield. The shields are a B**ch to replace by themselves.

[Spocknasty]

.6, 49...spray wax it and send it down!! a-heh!

[2slowMX5]

Ardex is no joke when it comes to wheels! I would never use it! If you want to see what happens to a set of BBS wheels that have been cleaned with Ardex I will be at FW tonight. It is not pretty.

Do your BBS wheels have a clearcoat finish to them? I ruined a set of wheels with the stuff. It ate the clear right off.:bigeek:

[drew]

my passanger side view mirror is foggy, i cant get it clear with anything i try, any ideas?

[Buster]

Foggy as in theres a film or foggy as in it gets foggy. If its a film, try cleaning with rubbing alcohol and fine steel wool. and then using a window cleaner.

[drew]

Foggy as in theres a film or foggy as in it gets foggy. If its a film, try cleaning with rubbing alcohol and fine steel wool. and then using a window cleaner.

film, it's foggy 24/7

[IntegrasAreBest]

i just followed all your steps and my car looks badass! taking pics tomorrow! thanks buster!

[CleanNeon98]

Any tips for working with a random orbital buffer? I use Mother's PowerPolish and PowerWax. Also, what bonnets are best, and what bonnet is used to apply and which is to remove? Any tips for removing gum? I have some on the passanger fender on the bottom.

[Buster]

Orbitals dont do anything your hand cant. And bonnets eventually will ruin your paint. Foam pads work best for polishing apps.

[CleanNeon98]

Orbitals dont do anything your hand cant. And bonnets eventually will ruin your paint. Foam pads work best for polishing apps.

Guess I gotta get some foam pads. Are they available for the 10 inch buffers?

[tjf]

how about i give you some $$$ and you clean my engine please, it really needs it lol

[Snoozie]

^Seriously, he will. He does a good job too. You shouldve seen mine before he cleaned it. It was full of pine needles and crap.

/shameless plug

[sleepersatty99]

you have a shop around? that i can stop by and get a price for a full detail of the outside and inside and possably the engine

[Snatchback]

if any of you need a good detail job, let me know. i like doing it for fun.

[1988 Olds]

if any of you need a good detail job, let me know. i like doing it for fun.

Come over when ever you want.

[BlackLS]

Do you have to wait at all between polishing and waxing for the polish to cure or anything or can you just start waxing as soon as your done polishing

[Buster]

okay. Polishing doesnt really require a curing time. Especially if you plan on waxing over. Your wax is your sealer so allow 15 minutes if you really are concerned. I would reccomend after applying your coat go ahead and do your rims and tires or do your windows before removal. This is how we do it as an industry standard, saves time and allows your product to work effectively.

Plz, if you guys are going to post in here, dont drown out the help with usless conversations.

[cranshinibon]

As far as detailing and keeping it clean i've tried all of these except for the jopon and i have to say these are amazing tips, though im wondering as far as keeping it looking good what can you do to make it easier to keep bird poo off of your car, its really starting to become a pain for me because il rainx and stoner my windows and carnuba my entire car only to find bird poo dried on the windshield and hood from the sun.

[CHAOS]

the best way to defend against that is to carry a small amount of products/rags with you in the car... and as soon as u see it.... get rid of it.

[Animsteve]

Very nice. Now I just need to find some shade to wash my car in because it always dries out too damn fast at my house. That makes this all so much more annoying.

[kennwrx]

I looked thu the pages and may have missed it but... where do you get the stoners windshield stuff

[the mike]

Any auto parts store should carry Invisible glass. Use newspaper to clean the windows.

[Buster]

what is this center city mike, we dont use newspaper!!! you can if you want. im kidding. Stoners will definately be in the auto care isle at pepboys. its in a tall can with a yellow cap. Its an aerosol window cleaner. possibly the easiest to work with.

[the mike]

Man, I have had the best results with newsprint. That or the brown rolls of paper towels that are in some restrooms(we use it at work). Totally lint free.

[Z3R0]

blue shop towels FTW...Waxin, washing, polishing, and detailing in a circular motion FTL

[Buster]

how do you base your comment about "detailing" in a circular motion. what would you suggest then?

[lownslow95]

Is there any real way to get grease stains out of carpeting? I am only asking because my truck was once used as a parts truck for a local gas station, but it doesn't have that crappy vinyl like interior that you see on most parts trucks now-a-days. I have tried some product that my mom bought at home depot, but it really didn't work. God who knows why she bought it there. But anyways, is there anything that will really work to get those set in stains out? I have tried almost everything and at this point i have given up, almost.

[The01Cav]

Hey I got a couple questions for you, I have a bunch of crap all over the black window trim well mainly wax spots, whats the best way to get that to come off or clean up and also have 1 faded piece of black trim. Another thing is liquid glass what are your thoughts on it. I am thinking about going to that and using it on my car. My cousin used to use it and his truck always looked great.

[Buster]

Is there any real way to get grease stains out of carpeting? I am only asking because my truck was once used as a parts truck for a local gas station, but it doesn't have that crappy vinyl like interior that you see on most parts trucks now-a-days. I have tried some product that my mom bought at home depot, but it really didn't work. God who knows why she bought it there. But anyways, is there anything that will really work to get those set in stains out? I have tried almost everything and at this point i have given up, almost.

Honestly it really depends on how bad it is. It may not even be worth trying anything. One way is to use simple green uncut. Its super strong. Try it in one spot with clear light on it. Use one rag soaked in it to scrub and then another to rub it back out that is dry. If that doesnt work. Put some uncut into a spray bottle take it to a carwash with outside power washers and go to town on it.

[Buster]

Hey I got a couple questions for you, I have a bunch of crap all over the black window trim well mainly wax spots, whats the best way to get that to come off or clean up and also have 1 faded piece of black trim. Another thing is liquid glass what are your thoughts on it. I am thinking about going to that and using it on my car. My cousin used to use it and his truck always looked great.


Wax is a bitch once its gotten old. Wax on trim that has become white most often has bleached the trim. Little things you can try is A. Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. B. Soapy Water and a rough rag and some elbow grease or C. Flat Black paint on a rag. It sounds crude but it works wonders on %99.9 of used cars on any lot. About the liquid glass. I say if it works it works. Almost anything you find in a store is a copy of something else. They all work fine, most dont have much lasting power, but neither do the high claimed expensive stuff. The key to making any product work is consistancy. I work off Walmarts shelf, come see my car and tell me it doesnt work lol.

[The01Cav]

haha, I know that liquid glass has been around for years and when I last looked a container of it was right around $21 a bottle. I was wondering if back to black would work on the trim or not.

[Buster]

back to black works okay, its just very dull. all it really is is black paint. It also fades fairly quickly. expect to do it at least 2x a year.

[The01Cav]

I just want to give some attention to "detail" if you know what I mean. I am gonna drop it off to a local friend that has a detail shop and he's gonna buff it for me. I had some body work done a while back and the shop buffed the area and got some very nasty swirls that he's gonna take care of. I would just like to keep the rest of the car looking as well as possible. What would you suggest for wheel treatment? should they get polished and waxed like the car?

[lownslow95]

Honestly it really depends on how bad it is. It may not even be worth trying anything. One way is to use simple green uncut. Its super strong. Try it in one spot with clear light on it. Use one rag soaked in it to scrub and then another to rub it back out that is dry. If that doesnt work. Put some uncut into a spray bottle take it to a carwash with outside power washers and go to town on it.

thanks i will give it a try and see how it comes out

[marshallpre1]

I like this thread. Can you please give me pointers on how to properly apply and remove wax? Do I just spread it evenly going one direction, or both or light swirls? Do I remove it the same way?

Thanks!

[Buster]

I like this thread. Can you please give me pointers on how to properly apply and remove wax? Do I just spread it evenly going one direction, or both or light swirls? Do I remove it the same way?

Thanks!


Do it in 2x2' sections. put it on light unless you are using a cheaper carnuba. A little bit goes a long way. You can go straight up down left right circular. Whatever way you are comfortable doing it, just remove it in the same direction or motion. And since alot of people don't think of it. Keep a bottle of quick detail handy for when yo are removing wax for the hard stuff. It wont hurt anything and wont remove wax being that 90% of quick details are ment to keep the wax's luster longer.

[marshallpre1]

Do it in 2x2' sections. put it on light unless you are using a cheaper carnuba. A little bit goes a long way. You can go straight up down left right circular. Whatever way you are comfortable doing it, just remove it in the same direction or motion. And since alot of people don't think of it. Keep a bottle of quick detail handy for when yo are removing wax for the hard stuff. It wont hurt anything and wont remove wax being that 90% of quick details are ment to keep the wax's luster longer.

Thanks!

[silent_dc]

what's your take on the new scratch doctor stuff? its a wax for small scratches that don't get through clear coat. but i hear it works alright

[Buster]

with light scratches its okay to use, but anything that still shows after a coat of wax will be left after. Scratch Doctor is a very very light compound so you could try to work it in but dont expect world class results.

I am and have always been a firm believer that if it sounds easy, it probably doesn't work. Don't be afraid to spend a little money to benefit your car.

[Bobcat]

Knowledge is power, and like someone pointed out - autopia.org, and I'd suggest truthindetailing.com are 2 very good sources of detailing information. I've been detailing part time for 5 years and I can honestly say that things do change a lot over time. The products available now work better, faster and lasts longer. I could write volumns about detailing - but instead, I'd suggest visiting these detail only sites and do a little reading, remember, there put 10 detailers in a room and you usually have 10 opinions about how it should be done.

[Oakes]

Knowledge is power, and like someone pointed out - autopia.org, and I'd suggest truthindetailing.com are 2 very good sources of detailing information. I've been detailing part time for 5 years and I can honestly say that things do change a lot over time. The products available now work better, faster and lasts longer. I could write volumns about detailing - but instead, I'd suggest visiting these detail only sites and do a little reading, remember, there put 10 detailers in a room and you usually have 10 opinions about how it should be done.

I agree with this man. No process is the same, and in the same light, every process works. A huge part of the detailing world and its products/applications/processes are preference based. One product works for one, and another works for the other, both accomplishing the same task. So with that said, every detailer can have a different opinion.

[Bobcat]

Thanks, and with that said, my opinion (after trying every product I could get my hands on) is that I'm getting back to very minimum detailing products. Take the time to really learn the techniques to use what I have. One thing about dedicated detail forums is that no matter what you have or if you get issues - there's always someone to help you out. BTW - detailing does NOT have to be hard work, I like products that are easy on, easy off and lasts!

[O2SpecV]

old ass thread but what about clay barring the car?

[LightningTeg]

I didnt sift through the information here but clay barring is one of the most important steps in detailing IMO. Removing the junk you cant get by washing (waxing does not remove contaminants btw) will allow a fresh surface for wax's and sealants to adhere to which will allow them to last longer and shine better. It also keeps those contaminants from being ground into the paint if it is buffed.

This is probably beyond the scope of most people but you can completely change the way a car looks with a orbital polishing done the right way.

I've been doing mobile detailing for a good 2.5 years now and still learning obviously. Autopia and Autogeek are great sites