[ChicagoMalibu2009]

There is increasing activity on here about detailing, and I had mentioned listing/providing my car washing method. I've also been wanting to know what everyone uses to keep THEIR cars clean!

When i was thinking about it, I realized that I really rely more on the specific car I'm going to detail, or if it's mine then what condition it's in/been through since the last wash, so there isn't really a cut and dry laundry list of "15 steps" or something I could list. So, I'll list out some of my favorite methods(and a few products) for each job, because I choose based on what I have supply-wise keeping the above condition in mind.

Hopefully you'll pick up some things along the way, share what I may have missed, and it'll help narrow down your own personal method as well as mine. Advice I've gotten, and hopefully will get here, always opens my eyes to some new tricks and shifts how I go about things...


A Normal Car Wash:
Pre-Rinse --
Hose down the entire car, bottom to top with a light stream or no nozzle. If the car has gone a long while between washings, spray on Optimum No Rinse(ONR) Car Wash in 32:1 dilution via a spray bottle to start to loosen/lubricate the dirt. (Hint: If you're in the sun and it's unavoidable, give the car a much longer rinse at first to cool the paint a bit.)

Wash --
I use a Gilmour Foam Gun with Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash and foam the car down. Then I use a bucket with 2oz. ONR and 3 Gallons of Water with a ProLine(Lowe's) Grout Sponge to wash the paint, flipping the sponge halfway through each panel, and washing/squeezing out the sponge after each panel.


Rinse --
After a solid rinse with a medium spray from the hose, use a nozzle for your hose that can put out a solid stream without air bubbles, or if you don't have one then use the hose without a nozzle and rinse the car in "sheets", starting high on a panel and work down from there. Another method, after the main rinse at medium strength, is to buy a garden sprayer (i use a 3gal) and fill with distilled water. Final rinse with this and you will get no water spots (though drying is still preferred) and use about a gallon a car (80 cents or so a gallon)

Dry --
I use a waffle weave towel for drying in warm weather. It is efficient, and with my wash method it does not get dirty. Dont use a waffle weave if your car has been touchless washed. It will get filthy and you'll be sad. You can still wash waffle weave towels but they don't cycle as much as cotton or non-filled microfiber towels IMO. Otherwise, use 2 cotton towels. One to dry, and then one to redry. Panel by Panel. Drying is the most "lightbulb"(realization/cool) moment for some people -- When you aren't washing correctly your drying towel actually gets DIRTY! That is basically telling you that a. Your car is not clean b. You are dragging dirt around without any soap/lubricity and c. You would be best off NOT drying your car if this is the best wash you can perform (maybe on a trip at a wash bay) currently with the tools and/or time available.

Cold Weather --
In Cold weather, I do everything slightly different, and all in one set of steps most of the time. 25-50 degrees is not an unsafe time to wash your car in my opinion. Below 25 degrees, it is. I use 4 oz. of ONR with 4 Gallons of Warm (not hot) water in a 5 gallon bucket, and put that bucket inside a rubbermaid mop bucket with wheels(see pics). I then fill around the 5 gal bucket with clean water (rinse water). This way it has wheels to roll around the car, and I use 2 Microfiber towels and a cotton towel. One Microfiber wash, one rinse. Go panel by panel and wash the panel, then rinse it, then wring out the rinse towel and wipe the panel again, then use your cotton towel to final dry it. Stick this in your back pocket between uses. You're going panel by panel wash, rinse, and dry...

Windows --
Windows are tricky. It never seems like you can get them clean, but with some elbow grease (yes on windows) you can. First, the worst thing to use is Windex or any ammonia based cleaner on auto glass as has been discussed a bit and is MAINLY for the rubber surrounding the windows which is a long term thing, but also for window film and really, non-ammonia cleaners work better to avoid smudging. Keeping this in mind, the same concept as paint comes into play on windows. Get the "big stuff off," then polish(not in the traditional sense, if needed), then finish(not in the traditional sense, if needed).

First, clean the windows as normal with an appropriate cleaner and either a microfiber glass towel, or a paper towel. For cleaning solution Mother's now makes one and invisible glass is a staple here as well.

Second, To "polish"(i.e. remove water spots) them, you can use a clay bar esp. one designed for windows (Griot's Garage makes one) or use a NEW piece of paint bar. Else, you can use a window stripper made by permatex (available on amazon). This is the one area I haven't yet found a cheap solution that is safe to do. Invisible glass gets alot done, you might not need this step.

Finally, Finish with Rain-X (cheapest) or Aquapel (Best). And maintain with Rain-X wipes if you'd like fresh glass all the time. Aquapel is supposedly the best for results, but i've found that it's main benefit is how long it lasts for: months versus weeks.

Plastic -- I use Plexus to clean, protect, and finish all Plastics. I've use Sonus products to correct plastic items, but went through them and you can use fine grit sanding or polishing agents too, just take care, if applicable, to wipe clean right when done. Dry formula on plastic can leave discoloration. "Try in an inconspicuous/unimportant area first." Plexus is pretty impressive on lamps overall and makes those surfaces look impressive in a noticable fashion for a while.

Interior -- For the glass, an appropriate Cleaner (invisible glass for example) should be enough. No extra caution or steps needed.
For seats and carpets, this could really get lengthy so I will leave to you. Also, YMMV on many products out there so test on a hidden area, and keep in mind your own materials and their condition. Some products I will note: Mequiar's Carpet Foam, Lexol Leather Products, Plexus, Scotchgard for Auto's(be careful to have windows rolled down and the doors open. This is an "overspray"ish potential problem situation for windows), 303 aerospace products.
For vents and detail work, use Q-tips and canned air along with a fresh towel.

 

[ChicagoMalibu2009]

Special Tasks: If you have a Random Orbital Buffer (RO), then things become somewhat easier physically but more difficult in terms of a beginner's gameplan. By hand, the key is working with good towels and changing sides frequently. This often means more product is used by hand with the job taking longer. By hand, however, can also be more precise, cheaper equipment wise, and less "dangerous" to your paint. By and large, RO usage is safe when done with some care (Unlike a rotary, which I won't get into by which a minor [read, short amount of time] mistake can cause large negative results. Worst case results on a rotary buffer would require a repaint of the car. This would rarely occur with an RO and I haven't heard of it happening either.)

Prep for any correction or special task: I always prepare the car in this manner regardless of which "special task" I'm going to perform, even if just one. All of them are BEST done with a clean slate. Thats what I aim to do here.
First, I do a full car Wash as above. I then do a, b, or c. a. Rewash with mild agitation with a fairly soapy (2oz of soap) bath of dawn detergent(This is the inexpensive route) b. Use a 50/50 isopropyl alcohol/distilled water mix in a spray bottle, and spray panel by panel, wiping with a towel to remove the wax. (Just as inexpensive, but more work) c. Use P21S Total Auto Wash in a spray bottle and agitate gently, then rinse (expensive and the best/easiest method. A rare time in detailing where money actually improves quality and speed and ease while still being safe) IMO, the ideal and unnecessary method would be c. then a. and this is overkill. Do this if you just drove your Maserati through something nasty and no less.

Clay Barring -- This is probably the most discussed "special" task on the forum so far. My most important personal advice would be cut the clay bar into four pieces. (roughly 30 gram pieces, however that works out based on the "bar size" you have. They always tell you.) Ideally you would use a larger piece, but the key is that you WILL drop clay without the right (read: unneccessary) clay barring tools. For a lube I use 1:16 ONR, and thoroughly wash the car first. I the go panel by panel, and make sure that I'm lubing the area enough. It is critical to lube the area enough to prevent surface marring. Knead the clay and throw out once it gets a shade or two darker than it originally was or looks dirty. Clay barring should always be followed by at least a wax or sealant.

Compound/Polish -- The main thing that must be remembered with polishing compounds, is that the verbiage on bottles is more and more inconsistent as detailing becomes more mainstream. Compound would typically denote a more powerful polishing agent, whereas polish would be a baseline in the middle, and glazes lighter still(very safe and for light swirl marks only). All are varying level of aggressiveness with regards to paint correction. Nowadays, however, these terms can be used more lightly and there are many "combo" products (most commonly cleaner wax) that I attempt to stay away from even though they do tend to appear to work wonders. It makes more sense to me to use a polish with one set of towels or pads, those becoming caked with the removed paint, contamination, dust and overspray. Then, with a new set of towels or pad apply a paint protectant (wax or sealant). IMO, the "wonders" work at the expense of rubbing the grit around on your paint and some inevitably must be left behind. I've yet to read any proof that Cleaner Wax cleans THEN waxes. It just cleans AS it waxes and you can't escape the reality that dirt is being picked up and rubbed around while wax is being distributed, and thats the best case scenario I can imagine.

Another main point is that paint correction products are most often appropriate for use when keeping a car that is already in fairly good to excellent shape staying that way. Haze, streaks, rail dust marks, swirls, are all able to be corrected with the right tools. If you see base metal of any sort, you would require a repaint to fully correct. That is not to say you can't touch it up to very quality results, but it can't be solved solely by "treating" color, clearcoat, etc... that is already there.

When polishing, it's most important to go panel by panel and be careful not to get any product on windows, plastics, etc... because it is very difficult to remove. Feel free to use masking tape on the car as needed (not the yellowish brown, but rather the green automotive or blue painter variety are best) It's incredibly difficult to remove dried product, and is easier to just be cautious and prep properly.

Product by product, just use the directions on the bottle -- keeping the above things in mind. When going panel by panel, make sure that include all steps that they discuss. Most of the time they may be 5 to 6 "steps," but are really easy to switch between. Just dont lay your towels on the ground between steps! There are so many products out there, I can't discuss every one, but the main thing when choosing a product is to think about how aggressive you want to be, and how aggressive you need to be. The answer to both should be as little as possible, and if you think you'll need compound, start with a polish or glaze and move up from there. Also, start on one of the rear quarter panel if you refuse to test on the interior of the trunk or somewhere out of sight somewhat. It's the least visible (if thats even possible) of the exterior panels. I advise, as usual, taking the extra time to try on hidden paint which the malibu has on the inside of each door (enough in the lower corners to even fit a smaller orbital if you tape aside the gasket temporarily).

Wax/Sealing -- The most enjoyable part of detailing IMO. You can take your time -- and time/care is rewarded -- and see the results of your final product almost panel by panel. Waxing also has many many options but two families are the first split decision. Classic "Wax" or "High-Tech" Sealant. Most distinctions made between these classes are only slightly correct from my experience and have major major rebuttals. An example would be saying that sealants last 3 months, and waxes only last one; Where Collinite Doublecoat lasts about 6 months and is a carnauba wax with no cleaners whatsoever. Not important to go further than that, but it's just worth pointing out that timelines aren't cut and dry for a whole grouping.

The main thing in this category is that you get rewarded for the time you take on the car on this step instantly. As usual, the harder way is both more expensive and "better". And the easiest way is cheapest and worst. Again, its a steep decision to invest $30 in a tin of good wax so you can spend twice as long using it.

Easiest: Use Cotton Towels, and a Liquid Wax from a chain. Apply to the entire car, and then wipe off the entire car. It would take about 20 minutes and cost about $1 a car over time (including towels).

Easy: Use Cotton Towels, and a Polymer Sealant from a chain. Apply Panel by Panel, and follow directions closely. It would take about 30 minutes, and cost about $1.50 a car over time (including towels)

Medium: Apply a paste wax by hand with an applicator and buff with cotton towels. Go Panel by Panel. It would take about 75 minutes, and cost about $1.50 a car over time (including towels).

Hard: Medium, but apply with bare hands and use a microfiber towel. Change sides and go over the car with a fresh one once finished overall. Panel by Panel. It would take about 90 minutes, and cost about $2 a car over time (including towels).

Hardest: Easy, wait a week, then Hard. Will cost about $3.50 a car over time (including towels).

Never apply a wax AND a sealant to a car on the same day. Keep Reading. BUT, you can end up with both in a sane way "Hardest" above and it is best of both worlds (Deep and shiny). The problem is, Sealants take time to cure. Read: 12-14 hours on average. So, if you'd like to layer apply the sealant as part of your detail, then after the next wash apply the wax of your choice. Earliest, the next day. The Sealant is under the wax -- Not the other way around. Think of it this way, the marketing is always "nano" and "bonds to paint," etc... the whole point of sealant is to seal the paint itself, not top something else. It works on the minor imperfections and makes the car look fabulous. Then, a week later when you add the wax, it gives that perfect sealed paint some depth. The other way around, you're applying sealant on a layer of wax and it will just "slide right off." The wax is not as stable or even close to how stable the paint is, and there is no benefit to sealing a wax job... just makes it harder to remove IF any is even left.

 

[ChicagoMalibu2009]

Equipment:

Towels --
Costco Cotton Towels are very cost effective and work well. Always wash bulk pack towels before using them and empty the lint tray on the dryer about 4 times during the dry cycle. And filter the waste water from the washer. Unless you don't own whatever machine you're washing them in.

Microfiber towels are preferred -- and make sure that you buy good ones. IMO bad cotton towels are better than bad microfiber towels. Bad microfiber towels shed forever. You can't wash them and then go... they keep shedding. Cobra is a good brand at a good price, and the site that owns the brand, autogeek, has so many specials. If you arent getting something free, sign up for their newsletter and be patient for a few weeks. Free Shipping, goodie bags, etc... are common.
To dry the car, Waffle Weave towels are excellent, and then the standard issue light duty ones work well in quantity. Their deep pile "shamrock" towel is great for buffing wax.

Buckets --
Use a grit guard in your wash bucket. Also, I have a mop bucket on wheels that I use to roll the bucket and then fill around the bucket. Its one bucket that acts as two and is convenient. See pics below.

Applicators --
I use Foam Applicators, or Microfiber covered applicators... WHEN i use applicators which isn't too often. I also use my hand to apply paste wax. The main thing for these is to make sure you clean them between washings appropriately. You may need to buy a foam applicator cleaning solution. SO, if you don't want to, consider applying by hand or via a fresh towel. Applicators may seem perfect but in practice they feel small and can't be "turned" to a new quarter of the applicator like you can with a towel. A towel can have 8 "sides," an applicator can have 2. For the Orbital buffer I use the lightest ones for waxes, always apply sealant by hand, use the medium one for all polish or compound use. The wool and hardest pads are just more agressive than what I find is useful for MOST all work, especially a newer car. It would be so rare that damage would be too much for a good medium pad with the right compound, but not enough to require a repaint. The most common causes that would incur that sort damage are time-related.

Tools --
My most common tools: Wheel Brushes, Tooth Brushes, A Random Orbital Buffer, A Looped Brake Dust Brush, and then a "Bucket" alternative is using garden sprayers (the pump ones are cheap and work well) and also using a hose powered foam gun. Gilmour is a good brand for repurposing garden equipment.

Tools to try and avoid IMO would be squeegees(especially to dry the car!) and Brushes intended for use on the paint.


Thanks for reading and I had a good time putting this down on paper for everyone/myself. I realize there is alot to be said about detailing and washing at large, so instead of touching on the obvious I tried to share my own insights and little hints.

So, perhaps the most important part of all of this, is part Two!
Is anyone willing to share their favorite products and collection? Any thoughts and your collections/ideas on what is best for what? As always, include pics if you can... here is my set:

 

[ChicagoMalibu2009]

 

[Silver LTZ]

Great write-up, and I thought I had alot of detailing crap!

I'm gonna make this a sticky!

 

[Malo83]

Agree! i'm constantly working on the LTZ, I give her weekly washes and wax once a month. in between she's wiped down with a spray detailer or spray wax, quik and easy. microfiber towels are all I use to wipe down the paint as well as a MF wash mitt and MF waffle weave towel to dry, wife thinks i'm crazy but I get a lot of enjoyment working on the car lots of good info CM 2009 this is my modest collection.


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[DrivenDaily]

That is an awesome write-up! Thank you for taking the time to help all of us out here that really don't know what to do. I speak from my own experience, or actually lack thereof! You shared a lot of good sense.

 

[elcompaLalo]

Great write up ChicagoMalibu2009! Very detailed and informative.

 

[Screechymon]

Man I thought I had OCD, Well I kind do with my car but your more organized.

I have This stuff from "Sprayway" No 990 auto care vinyl/leather cleaner "with oil of mink" so it says.. I use it on everything but the middle of the seats, even the screen in my dash. it works amazing much better than armor all or black magic, in which I used before. This stuff is what the FBI gets their cars detailed with in Albany NY.

I also believe ChicagoMalibu2009 has one of those tooth brushes to maybe clean the vents? I use a sort of paint brush, but am thinking about is tearing up a swiffer dry pad to make it quicker.? It would still be hard to reach those intimate places of your car, but the brush has worked well for me so far.

 

[ChicagoMalibu2009]

I also believe ChicagoMalibu2009 has one of those tooth brushes to maybe clean the vents? I use a sort of paint brush, but am thinking about is tearing up a swiffer dry pad to make it quicker.? It would still be hard to reach those intimate places of your car, but the brush has worked well for me so far.

I only use the toothbrushes on the exterior, for emblems and plastic "chrome" mostly. Also, to get behind the door handles.

For cleaning the interior I have any experience with that product but what I can say to lend some help with vents, etc... is Canned Air. Though expensive one can at a time, Costco, Sams Club, Farm and Fleet even sometimes have 6 pakcs for about 9 dollars. This is the best bet for tough spots like the vent. Spray those areas first, though, so you arent blowing dust last and having it land on the screen, seats, dash you just cleaned! Laying a bead of canned air around all the seams will uncover clouds of dust sometimes. Dust that would otherwise both sit there forever and cake up, and jostle loose making the car dirtier, quicker, after you cleaned it. That is the worst case, since the level of satisfaction with a detail staying high for as long as possible makes the whole "worth it" sensation stick around.

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply, and yes I do stay organized

 

[Screechymon]

I only use the toothbrushes on the exterior, for emblems and plastic "chrome" mostly. Also, to get behind the door handles.

For cleaning the interior I have any experience with that product but what I can say to lend some help with vents, etc... is Canned Air. Though expensive one can at a time, Costco, Sams Club, Farm and Fleet even sometimes have 6 pakcs for about 9 dollars. This is the best bet for tough spots like the vent. Spray those areas first, though, so you arent blowing dust last and having it land on the screen, seats, dash you just cleaned! Laying a bead of canned air around all the seams will uncover clouds of dust sometimes. Dust that would otherwise both sit there forever and cake up, and jostle loose making the car dirtier, quicker, after you cleaned it. That is the worst case, since the level of satisfaction with a detail staying high for as long as possible makes the whole "worth it" sensation stick around.

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply, and yes I do stay organized

Thanks for taking the time to write it

Yeah I picked up your Q-tip & canned air for the vents, but now know what the tooth brush is for I really like the idea of the canned air, I will start using it on the car, I've only used it on electronics before. I have however used compressed air to clean/continue to keep clean the engine compartment.

 

[Sandhopper]

After reading this sticky I feel unworthy for just conditioning the leather and clay barring tonight... LOL

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[BeautiBU]

if i missed when someone mentioned it i apologize but since out malibus have "ultra suede" or whatever its called. does anyone know how to clean in? i wear a black belt and my seat is turning black in some areas. (sorry if this is creating the same topic posted some where else) but i would really appreciate if someone knew how to clean it.

 

[Oncewasarental]

Great tips people, thanks for all the ideas!!

 

[dc2009]

While I always clean up any bird droppings, tree sap, road tar, large or high number of bug splats, spilled food or drink etc as soon as possible when they appear on the vehicle. I definitely make sure they are taken care of before a formal washing of the vehicle using separate cleaning solutions and towels.

 

[ChicagoMalibu2009]

While I always clean up any bird droppings, tree sap, road tar, large or high number of bug splats, spilled food or drink etc as soon as possible when they appear on the vehicle. I definitely make sure they are taken care of before a formal washing of the vehicle using separate cleaning solutions and towels.

Try to use a no rinse car wash when you do... sometimes you can actually salvage something like this not only before it soaks in but also leave on the protectant. In a pinch though, anything (including stripping the wax with dish soap) is better than leaving acidic droppings on the paint...

 

[Aztek]

wow... i like that organization haha... and i love the color of ur Malibu i was hoping to get that color but i ended up getting imperial blue.. so the darker colors u can see swirls more haha so i need to go take my car to get pampered.. mani-pedi haha

Great write up though i love it! im bookmarking this page haha

 

[Drunken Elvis]

Here are a few hints I found in the local paper.

 

[ChicagoMalibu2009]

Here are a few hints I found in the local paper.

I couldn't agree more with the 303, that stuff is amazing. One thing to be careful with in articles like this is due to a lack of space, sometimes where to use the solvents is left out. One thing I noticed is his mention of rubbing alcohol at large, whereas certain materials would not like that at all. On a vinyl steering wheel sure but on a leather one? I can think of safer cleaners...

Definitely a good catchall article, but as always try on an inconspicuous location if you don't want to be punching yourself ever time you sit in the car!

Thanks for posting this, its curious to see detailing writeups in papers, but it is about time for the once a year spring rush to get everyone ready for the summer and get the salt/sand off the paint

 

[detailman]

nice write up i have been detailing trucks for about 15 years and i still learned a few things from it! i got one to do this evening that should be interesting i have detailed it before so the owner could take it to the show but this time its got some white over spray all over it for some reason. its a black 1943 Plymouth original paint so hopefully i can use a clay bar on it then buff it out we will see tonight lol