[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yponMLIyFcI"]How to Wash Your Car Properly - YouTube[/ame]

I would stay away from Windex on your car windows if you have a tint, because of the ammonia. Find a glass cleaner without ammonia to be safe.

my car will be driven during the day only, nights sparingly, never under trees, every day when i get home, get a duster and lift dust off car(i got a pretty big duster) wash once a months unless it rains on the car or i take it drifting, withing i year i should have an extra set of painter body panels in case i scrub another driver at the local track(it happens :/ tire goes boom, ect)

wax after each wash in my garage under florescent light, did that forever on my celica and kept it swirl free for 2 years, then deemed it the beater and for to-from job transportation, groceries, occasional fucking around... and now i leave it outside. mechanically i keep it in pristine condition

FR-S will take its position in my garage next to my 2010 camry :P

There was a time when I used to wash and wax my cars obsessively, but i hated doing it. I find it to be a chore, like cutting the grass. There are those of you that feel it's therapeutic, but for me it's punishment. I go to the (water only spraying) car wash now and I've never had any scratches. More power to those of you who enjoy it and do a good job, but I for one say I wish the car would clean itself.

I guess I wasn't born with the male gene that allows me to enjoy washing and waxing my car. sorry for the rant.

When I did use to obsessively wash my cars this is the process I would use:

1) make sure the cars in the shade and it's not hot to touch
2) spray it down really well with water to remove and loosen all the dirt and crap before soaping it up
3) start washing the roof and the hood and work your way down constantly rinsing off your washing cloth to remove dirt as you go ( or just buy one of those soaker sprayers)
4) when you get to the point of washing the lower body and rocker panels use a different washcloth and bucket of soapy water since there's a lot more dirt and grime and you don't want to get it on your other washcloth that you use for the upper body
5) lastly clean the rims with a fine bristle brush.
6) hopefully you've been rinsing the car down as you go, don't leave the soap on for too long.
7) finally use the Mr. clean spot free rinse cartridges to fully rinse off the car. But note that this will leave chalky watermarks on the rims if they're brushed alloy. Make sure to rinse the rims with regular water after rinsing off the car, then dry the rims with a clean cloth. You can also apply wheel wax if you want afterwards it makes the rims look shiny and keeps them from accumulating dirt and brake dust between washes.
8) let the car air dry and then clean all your windows with some spot free window cleaner
9) lastly I would spray on some quick wax spray like Mcguires liquid glass shine (I think that's what it was called) and it would give it a smooth slippery glass coating that would last between full waxings of the car, which I did twice a year. I still have a few clay bars but ive never used them to this day I'm sure if I did my cars would look much better.
10) I never did much on the interior because I would usually keep the car spotless inside which bothered my wife because her vehicles always look like a dumpster exploded in her car. Periodically I would clean out her car too, and I would be amazed at the amount of stuff she could accumulate in her car in such a short time.

Anyhow, I didn't list too many references towards any brands for polishes so much as describing how I wash the cars because I thought that was important on how the car was washed and believe me my cars stayed clean, spotless, swirl free & scratch free. As good as the cars looked when I was finished I still hated the process and received no enjoyment out of it. I'm guessing that there are a few of you that will feel the same way I do after reading my post. Lol

I use this:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

It's a fertilizer siphon. The black hose goes in a bucket of soapy water and gets sucked up into the water stream. I use an OXO brush and douse the area I'm cleaning. Dirt removed by the brush is immediately washed away by a deluge of soapy water eliminating the chance of dragging dirt across with sponges, rags, or a brush alone. I've had good results using this system on a red Civic Si. If you work quickly, it doesn't use too much water.

Anyone ever use a foam gun? Any thoughts, reviews, or recommendations?

We have a cam spray we use for details. Works great

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...01863757_n.jpg

two bucket, one filled with soap and other filled with just water
i rinse all sponges, towels, and brushes prior to using
rinse car down from top to bottom, make sure all loose dirt falls off
start with hood, wash all windows, rinse, wash front side, rinse, was left side or right side and rinse, wash rear and rinse,
change sponges; wash rims with sponge only and use tire brush for tire only
was around edges of and fenders, bumpers, and exhaust tips...
dry windows first with squeegee, then i use a "sponge towel" to dry car...
details interior such as, removing floor mats and dusting off, vacuum car, wipe interior down with armoral cleaning wipes, wipe windows with invisible glass and microfiber towel
use turtle wax foam for tires, not too big on the "super shinny" wheels... i just like them to look new..
i have yet to see swirls on my wife's white 2011 corolla... i have not clay barred or waxed since purchase in may 2011... looking forward to doing it soon, hopefully its not too late. =/
couple of side notes: try to wash within two weeks, never take it to the car wash unless they hand wash it... and even then its a little sketchy...
Motto: if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself
Bonus: wash your woman's car and it will only make things better...

I have a Gilmour 75QGFMR foam gun. It attaches to the hose and works fairly well, but it doesn't make fine foam like a foam cannon, which uses a pressure washer, does. I like using it for the initial soaping.

It is also quite good for cleaning wheels. Spray the wheel, clean with a wheel brush, and then rinse.

I find Stoner Invisible Glass to be great on tinted windows. No ammonia.

Subscribing to remind myself to read up this later tonight. This will be first new car, so I want it to look the best it for as long as I own it!

Foam Gun Hack
 

During a late night musing of my week old FRS and moderate OCD (I've only washed and waxed the car twice in the first week of ownership) I came up with a brilliant foam gun hack, but admittedly a bit ghetto. Not wanting to spend inordinate amounts of money on a gun sprayer I took an unused Miracle Grow lawn feeder, put about 5 ounces of Meguiar's Ultimate Car wash, and sprayed it on the car after hosing it down. I then did my usual 2 microfiber mitt wash down. It worked great! And for only $10. :happyanim:

I can hear you total OCD types screaming from here!:party0030:

Hey, at least you wont have any weeds growing out of her.

I have noticed that water tends to get between the rear tail lights and the seal. I've found that if I use a leaf blower (more good garden equipment) that it blows the water out. Any others notice this issue

Excellent idea! I love ghetto stuff that works! I'm going to have to try this myself.

I used to use the Armorall Wash Gel and it was awesome since you never needed a bucket. Then they discontinued it. My G8 went through the autowash a lot and the paint looks like crap. Cleaning and detailing it is like cleaning/detailing a yacht. Its huge. I want to get back into the proper method. Any suggestions on products? Is Griots good or overrated?

Griots is good but overpriced.

I use Meguires car wash soap if the car is really dirty. Otherwise I use Optimum No-Rinse wash:

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse.html

It has many uses (as shown in that link) and saves water too since you dont have to rinse the car off. Its great in the winter, just use warm water. I bought the 1 gallon bottle of it over a year ago and still haven't used all of it. I love the stuff. But if the car is really dirty (ie, not washed in over a week), a full car wash soap is better.

Cam Spray Pressure Washer, foaming attachment, Optimum Car Wash diluted 4:1

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e5...g?t=1338766124

Great stuff. Sell it at Lowes even. I think it leaves fewer streaks and evaporates faster thn Windex too.

Brett

I give the guy in my garage $20. The next time I go to drive, the car is clean. It's a good system. :)

I use Mr. Clean magic eraser and dawn dish soap........ NAH just kidding.

I spray the rims with iron deposit removers to remove brake dust, take 2 different brushes to clean the caliper, in the lug nuts, the rims, and the inner barrels.
Spray degreaser on the wheel well liners and scrub with another brush, and spray the same degreaser and use the brush to clean the tires.
Then I foam the car down with a pressure washer and a foam cannon, while the foam dwells I use a swissvax detailing brush to clean all the cracks and crevices, including the grills and beneath the gas door.
Then I rinse the remainder of the foam off, fill one bucket with soap and the other with clean water, both of grit guards in them, then I foam the car down one more time while washing the car via 2 bucket method with a natrural wool mitt.
Dry the car via a leaf blower, then dab dry the remainder of the water off with a waffle weave towel.
Clean the windows with ammonia free window cleaner.
Then I clean behind the doors and under the trunk.
Last but not least apply tire dressing.
It's approximately a 2 to 3 hours process, lol.

I tried using a leaf blower to dry my Supra once and it took so dang long that the water on the other side had dried and made a bunch of water spots... Is there a specific way you have to dry it or does my leaf blower just suck?

good shammy and shammy techniques to get 80-90% of the rinse water off..and a microfiber or terry cloth for a wipe down. Even The surface will not be completely dry, but the remaining water will evap quick. Compressed air with high pressure nozzles works much better IMO vs leaf blower to get rinse off. But id still do a final wipedown with a microfiber drying towel.

I usually do use a shammy and it always works well for me! I might try to find a nice attachment for my Air Compressor though, one that might get water off more efficiently than a leaf blower...

I have no idea which leaf blower you have,so no comment on the leaf blower.
I use a 6 speed toro leaf blower that blows a maximum of 235mph, and it gets the water off pretty quickly. I tend to start early in the morning, and with where I live (southern California), I've never had that problem. But then again my car always has a coat of durable wax on it, and it's easier to blow water off when it just beads.

That sounds fancy. I don't think my blower is nearly as powerful, which explains why the water doesn't come off as well.

I think I'll stick with shammies!

Shammies will put all kinds of swirl marks in the paint though. If the leaf blower doesn't work well for you. I'd recommend using these:

http://www.microfibertech.com/25-x-3...ack_p_253.html

Two of these should be more than enough to dry the car.

Microfiber needs it's own detergent as well so you'd need this:

http://www.microfibertech.com/Micro-...ent-_p_61.html

as a final rinse, try sheeting the water off with water running freely from the hose. most of the water should flow off together and leave you with a lot less work.

yes and no, many make the mistake of dragging a shammie (especially a dry shammie) across paint to get water out. In reality anything that touches paint can create scratchs or swirls. Anything that absorbs water, also absorbs dirt, and you have to inspect the surface of any cloth before going to dry the next section.

There are wet poly shammies that absorb tons of water or microfiber waffle weave that provide a good ultra-soft surface texture for drying but are not cost effective. Either way, you still need to know how to dry a car with technique if not using forced air to dry.

Some pro detailers iv seen use wet poly/cotton drying cloth/shammy to dry a car. Then a wipedown with a MF towel. and absolutely no scratches or swirls.

Unfortunately most people don't know how to use one correctly. So it's easier to use a waffle weave to dab dry, while using a QD to aid drying. The easiest way I've found is to use a leaf blower to get majority of the water off. Either a WW or a plush mf to dab drying while using QD to increase lubricity of the surface so it doesn't mar or put swirls back in.

Try doing this to a Dodge MegaCab, this car will be so small, washing it'll take me 10 minutes!

This works too if there is protection on the car, meaning a good coat of wax or sealant. I've seen people get majority of the car dry using a bottle with the water flowing out freely. I suppose a garden hose would work too.

I've got a water blade that I sometimes use... sometimes not(opinions?). I struggle with drying a lot, because I get bad water spots on my windows, even with scrubbing with a microfiber and glass cleaner. I've got some glass polish, but I don't want to break it out every wash...

I use Griots products, and I love em. A tad overpriced, yeah, but I like supporting local USA companies I guess, plus I like the owner. They do cool car shows for the community every weekend and give classes on how to clean properly. hey... maybe I need to go do that. haha.

Two bucket method with Meguiar's Gold Class soap. Dry with a leaf blower. Clay if needed. Then if the car needs some correction I'll get out the Griot's Garage polisher with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound or Polish and set to work, followed up with Meguiar's Ultimate Wax. They are absolutely wonderful stuff for OTC products. Stoner's Invisible Glass on the windows, followed up by RainX on the windshield.
I do want to get some GG polishes, but Meguiar's was easily obtainable and inexpensive for what it is.

NO!


Reg: Windows - try waxing them or using a RainX treatment on them. If you have hard water spots, try vinegar. If that doesnt work, you'll need something a bit stronger.

Re: Drying - I've switched to using my ShopVac on blow. The vacuum I have has a removable motor that is relatively light and easy to carry. Then I use the flexible hose with the pointy nozzle (the technical name escapes me) to blow the water off. Any residual water is removed using the waffle weave. I just place the waffle weave towel on the spots and it absorbs them quickly.

+1

I lay the chamois on top and let it absorb in sections (without pulling or wiping) with the flat areas first since they retain the water; hood, roof, trunk and bumper. When most of the car is dry, I'll use a mf to clean up the excess drips and then take the air compressor in the door jams, fender well, trunk jam etc .

Any progress on the tutorial? The more I read about proper wash and detailing the more I realize I honestly have a lot to learn!

Thai would be extremely helpful to me, and others I'm sure.

.....WOW. Lol what a waste..

Whatever it takes to keep marring and swirls off my car. You think that's wasteful, I have a wine cooler, but instead of keeping wines in it, I keep my waxes in it.

Leaf blower actually works well, especially with the grill. It would take a long "wasteful" time to dry the grill by hand.