BEST CAR CLEANING PRODUCTS
Discussion
scorcher said:
And empty your wallet. Great site! I use Autobrite stuff, pretty impressed, not an expert though.
http://www.autobritedirect.co.uk/car-care-products
http://www.autobritedirect.co.uk/car-care-products
scorcher said:
Be careful, you could soon find yourself with shelves full of stuff, especially if you want to reach the levels of perfection that Alex_225 manages with his Merc collection. Having said that you can achieve 90%+ with a trip to Halfords and pick up some Autoglym SRP and HD wax, just depends how long you want to be committed to detailing
Primo Amigo will help you a lot on that car and a good synthetic wax. Detailingworld will see you right. I had a black R32 and did this before spending a small fortune with CleanYourCar.
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
Ex member of dw....
Used all sorts, but primarily carpro, dodo juice these days mixed in with some meguiars here and there.
Spent far too much in 10 years of detailing, now in my 11th year. Top of the "tree" is my full scale tub of Zymol Vintage (£2500), do not get me wrong sealants and coatings have there place but wax still feels better from a hobby point of view, and i have played with a number of coatings across my later years.
For many prior to getting into polishing learn to execute your pre wash, 2bm properly but more so your drying technique as one bad wash can be curtains for your finish.
For me basic level for protection:
Wheels and brushes etc: carpro ironx to get clean, tar remove and seal with something like carpro dlux or easier spray on like reload
Pre wash with snow foam bilt hamber autofoam
Rinse
Re snow
2bm with dodo juice born to be mild
Rinse
Open hose rinse
Tar remove
Iron remove
Clay
Rinse
Open hose and dry
Polish or fill defects (i do like as said above amigo). If using polish then i use carpro eraser to remove polishing oils.
Wax or sealant
Clean glass and seal (gtechniq G range or carpro's)
Dress tyres
Clean and seal exhausts
The mx5 has been taken far further with arch liners removed polishing underneath suspension etc. And yes wears Vintage....
Machine polisher wise i love my flex pe14 rotary...had a go with a rupes and still not much of a DA fan.
Used all sorts, but primarily carpro, dodo juice these days mixed in with some meguiars here and there.
Spent far too much in 10 years of detailing, now in my 11th year. Top of the "tree" is my full scale tub of Zymol Vintage (£2500), do not get me wrong sealants and coatings have there place but wax still feels better from a hobby point of view, and i have played with a number of coatings across my later years.
For many prior to getting into polishing learn to execute your pre wash, 2bm properly but more so your drying technique as one bad wash can be curtains for your finish.
For me basic level for protection:
Wheels and brushes etc: carpro ironx to get clean, tar remove and seal with something like carpro dlux or easier spray on like reload
Pre wash with snow foam bilt hamber autofoam
Rinse
Re snow
2bm with dodo juice born to be mild
Rinse
Open hose rinse
Tar remove
Iron remove
Clay
Rinse
Open hose and dry
Polish or fill defects (i do like as said above amigo). If using polish then i use carpro eraser to remove polishing oils.
Wax or sealant
Clean glass and seal (gtechniq G range or carpro's)
Dress tyres
Clean and seal exhausts
The mx5 has been taken far further with arch liners removed polishing underneath suspension etc. And yes wears Vintage....
Machine polisher wise i love my flex pe14 rotary...had a go with a rupes and still not much of a DA fan.
Edited by Ninja59 on Sunday 1st January 15:16
dandam said:
Be careful, you could soon find yourself with shelves full of stuff, especially if you want to reach the levels of perfection that Alex_225 manages with his Merc collection.
Having said that you can achieve 90%+ with a trip to Halfords and pick up some Autoglym SRP and HD wax, just depends how long you want to be committed to detailing
Thank you for the compliment mate. Having said that you can achieve 90%+ with a trip to Halfords and pick up some Autoglym SRP and HD wax, just depends how long you want to be committed to detailing
I totally agree too, as with many things there's a lot of snobbery. Having a well cared for car doesn't need expensive products or poncy brands.
You want a snow foam lance, two bucket method using a shampoo of your choice (mines MERS) using a proper mitt and then dry with drying towel...not a leather.
I use cleanyourcar.co.uk for most of my gear but also use EZ detailing products as well as Autobrite.
Its all personal choice really but id recommend Poorboys Black Hole pre wax sealant before applying Poorboys natty black wax.
I use cleanyourcar.co.uk for most of my gear but also use EZ detailing products as well as Autobrite.
Its all personal choice really but id recommend Poorboys Black Hole pre wax sealant before applying Poorboys natty black wax.
Ex DW member as well,
hardest thing is finding products that work well with you and give results you are happy with. Collinite is great for winter use.
For dark coloured cars I especially like this range
http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-...
hardest thing is finding products that work well with you and give results you are happy with. Collinite is great for winter use.
For dark coloured cars I especially like this range
http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-...
GTIAlex said:
You want a snow foam lance, two bucket method using a shampoo of your choice (mines MERS) using a proper mitt and then dry with drying towel...not a leather.
I know there are many fans of snow foam but I've never been convinced. I have a foam lance and Valet Pro PH Neutral foam but i never found it any more effective than a pressure washer on it own. I was recommended some Valet Pro Citrus Pe-Wash which I find eats into the road grime as I antiscipated foam would but never seemed to. All pretence though. Definitely two buckets, mits and drying towels though. Far safer than sponges and a chamois.
I use all manner of cleaning/protection products of varying levels of value/poncyness. Whatever fits best. I have the Gyeon Q2 quartz sealant on my clio for extra protection as i don't get to wash it for 2-3 months at a time, however all the cars get the 2 buckets with a top quality wool wash mitt. What i do do however which has served me well is to get a 5L bulk bottle of a average wash wax shampoo like simoiniz (£11 odd) and stick a push pump in it, alongside mixing a normal 10l bucket up pump some on the the mitt each time it goes back onto the car. Might seem excessive but its an cheap way of reducing scratch risks beyond the normal 2 bucket wash, and works for me
I dry my car with microfibre towels and spraying on greased lightning onto the wet car as a drying aid and carnuba wax coat and multiple passes with clean towels to buff off. Massive time saver and comes up well. It wont last as long as a proper wax though i'll admit that.
Autoglym products are generally the best all round for those not wanting to go mad, but not a fan on their low foam shampoo. Meguiars tyre gel is good and stops any fling.
Just replaced my Karcher with a Nilfisk 120 bar - the one on wheels and with various jets and a chassis cleaner nozzle. Brilliant kit.
I dry my car with microfibre towels and spraying on greased lightning onto the wet car as a drying aid and carnuba wax coat and multiple passes with clean towels to buff off. Massive time saver and comes up well. It wont last as long as a proper wax though i'll admit that.
Autoglym products are generally the best all round for those not wanting to go mad, but not a fan on their low foam shampoo. Meguiars tyre gel is good and stops any fling.
Just replaced my Karcher with a Nilfisk 120 bar - the one on wheels and with various jets and a chassis cleaner nozzle. Brilliant kit.
Edited by J-Tuner on Sunday 1st January 16:54
Alex_225 said:
I know there are many fans of snow foam but I've never been convinced. I have a foam lance and Valet Pro PH Neutral foam but i never found it any more effective than a pressure washer on it own. I was recommended some Valet Pro Citrus Pe-Wash which I find eats into the road grime as I antiscipated foam would but never seemed to. All pretence though.
Definitely two buckets, mits and drying towels though. Far safer than sponges and a chamois.
It depends what see you the process of a pre wash being critically. Definitely two buckets, mits and drying towels though. Far safer than sponges and a chamois.
I agree the citrus wash is more effective for cleaning ability than snow foam, flipside under certain conditions it can be too aggressive (equally so can certain snow foams that are more on the alkali side than ph neutral (even those claiming to be incorrectly used will produce something that will damage the lsp)).
I see snow foam in a different light, a mere product to provide a softening effect on the dirt, and as an additonal layer of lubrication protection when doing a 2bm, more so when dealing with soft finishes exhibited by some clearcoats.
In regards to using any form of drying aids, yes they provide more lubrication but on a well protected finish open hose rinsing should remove a lot of water and then you can use the pat or fully spread drying MF techniques without. Drying aids on unprotected finishes though well worth it.
Edited by Ninja59 on Sunday 1st January 17:08
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