wash car techniques

So what do everyone prefer jetwash or good old bucket and mitten wash I prefer bucket as its a lot better

Both for me

Decent jet wash to shift the crap, snowfoam it if I have the time. Always two bucket method (1 x wash, 1 x rinse) with a really good mit, never a sponge and good drying towel. Always do the shuts + glass whether I have time or not, then resin polish and wax if I have the time or detail spray if I dont. Even if you dont do the alloys in great detail, dress the tyres and it looks tonnes better ;-)

Snow foam, jet wash off then 2 bucket method wash with a microfibre wash mit, then dry off with microfibre towel, then clean all windows with rain-x glass cleaner, wax if have time if not, quick spray detailer, job done  

I generally use a petrol station jetwash (but not the brush!) if I just need to give it a quick clean, especially in the winter! Does the job and gets the crap off, but doesn't really compare to doing a proper job.

When I have time I prefer to give it a proper going over at home with a mitt/bucket and then a good waxing. Totally agree on dressing the tyres, small thing that makes a huge difference.

Thread moved to Detailing Section  

This is my current regime which is for maintenance washing only - it assumes your car has already been machine polished waxed/sealed and the alloys have also been waxed/sealed - if they haven't then I use a different regime and different products and am happy to write an overview if people want. Everyone will have their own favourite prooducts that work for them and give the best results on their particular colour of car. the ones I mention below are the ones I use on my Black hawk.

1. Rinse first with a pressure washer making sure to start with the roof and always keeping the lance at a 45 degree angle to the panels - if you spray straight on with a pressure washer all you are doing is ingraining the dirt further into the paint work

2. If you have time use a decent Ph neutral snow foam and leave to dwell for the recommended amount of time (I currently use Chemical Guys No Touch Snow Foam)

3. Rinse the snow foam off with pressure washer

4. Use the 2 bucket method (1 shampoo & 1 clean water) with a decent shampoo ( I currently use Dodo Juice Supernatural or Dodo Juice Born to be Mild - but there are loads of other good ones). I use a pure lambswool mitt (Meguiars or Dodo Juice "Wookies Fist") for the roof and upper bodywork and a microfibre noodle mitt for the lower bodywork. The lower half of the car is where most of the dirt will be and I wouldn't use a good lambswool mitt on that. Microfibre noodle mitts are ideal for this area of the car.

5. Dependent on weather conditions you can either rinse each panel after shampoo or if it isn't too hot and sunny then you can usually get away with shampooing top half of car first and rinsing and then bottom half of car and rinsing.

6. Wash & dry door shuts, etc

7. Hand dry car with plush microfibre towels

8. Clean windows inside & out (currently use RainX)

9. With 2 fresh buckets of shampoo & clean water use a set of wheel woolies to wash each alloy wheel, rinsing the wheel woolies in the clean water frequently

10. Hand dry each alloy with microfibre cloths

11. Assuming your car has already had a decent wax/sealant applied there is no need to re-wax/seal every time you wash. I have had a couple of coats of good wax which should last me through the winter. I apply a decent quick detailing spray (currently using Sonax Xtreme Brilliant Shine Detailer which has carnauba wax as an ingredient and water beads brilliantly) rubbing in with one deep pile microfibre cloth and buffing off with another - currently using  Eurow Shagpile Double Density Buffing/Detailing Towels, which are amazing cloths - got 10 for £23 delivered in a group buy on Detailing World - details at the bottom of this post.

12. I then dress my tyres with a decent tyre dress - there are boatloads of them out there so the choices are huge!

13. I use Aerospace 303 protectant spray on the mudflaps, splitter and any other vinyl, rubber, plastics

If you are really inetrested in detailing and want to find out/research more there is an excellent forum that I am  amember of and there are also some cracking group buys they run for certain detailing products. Free to join and well worth it if you are seriously into cleaning/detailing

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Hope this helps

Cheers bud I am thinking of getting a machine polish from lain and john then try keeping on top of it

SG03RRZ wrote:

Cheers bud I am thinking of getting a machine polish from lain and john then try keeping on top of it

well worth it mate they do an amazing job  

I use a hose pipe to wet the car, VXR Dan said jet washes are bad for the paintwork full stop.

StickT wrote:

I use a hose pipe to wet the car, VXR Dan said jet washes are bad for the paintwork full stop.

It's because most people don't realise the power is enough to take paint off mate especially where dirt is stuck to the paintwork and they think blasting it up really close will get the piece of dirt off, when all it does is take the paint with it. That's why I always use it at an angle and never straight on and at a decent distance to reduce the power. Not really a problem if you know how to do it properly  

Yeah, since then, hose pipe and buckets. Love a good car clean to be honest.

StickT wrote:

Yeah, since then, hose pipe and buckets. Love a good car clean to be honest.

Me too mate - you're at TOTB on Sunday aren't you?

Be better when it gets its paintowkr sorted then it can be well pampered.

TOTB - Yes, think i'll be meeting up with all you's at Bowburn,

Cool mate, see you Sunday