How would you do it? From filthy to fantastic...

[Pommygranite]

I have a black aussie Ford Falcon that hasn't had a good clean in a little while. I am about to undertake a full by hand beginning to end all-weekend detail on it and wanted to get a view on if my process is correct and if there any views or comments from anyone.

Please note I don't have the budget for a machine polish or a snow foam lance/power washer - it'll just be a good old by hand process.

Will Buy:
Bug tar remover
2 buckets
Wash Mitt
Clay bar (meguiars)
Paint restorer (dodo lime)
Absorbent chamois
Polish (dodo)
Synthetic Sealant/Wax (tbc)

Process in order

1. Wheels
2. Rinse
3. Bug tar remover on sticky bits
4. Rinse
5. Wash/Clean
6. Dry
7.Clay
8.Paint Treat
9.polish
10.Wax

Would you agree with this order? Any thoughts on if any parts are missing or not required?

[belleair302]

Lose the absorbent chamois and get a decent drying towel. If the car is that dirty and you have the chance snowfoam it before pressure washing. What about cleaning the interior, glass and exterior plastics? Any tyre dressing? Otherwise you are nearly these.

[Nedzilla]

Maybe some iron x or similar on the wheels and bodywork if required.

[Chris_VRS]

Looks ok to me, maybe swap the chamois for a drying towel as someone else mentioned.
Enjoy & make sure you get some pics up of your efforts!

[greghm]

Hello, I have this similar 645 but this part here (in red) does look like it has mold or something whitish which is probably due to humidity... in short, how can I give it a good clean ?

[chilistrucker]

belleair302 said:

Lose the absorbent chamois and get a decent drying towel. If the car is that dirty and you have the chance snowfoam it before pressure washing. What about cleaning the interior, glass and exterior plastics? Any tyre dressing? Otherwise you are nearly these.

I've noticed a couple of people mention to lose the absorbent chamois. Why, can they be harmful? Is a decent drying towel a microfibre cloth or something else that I have missed?
I also have 1 leather seat in 1 of the cars I am doing that is very grubby, not stained as such but it looks like ground in dirt. The seat is cream leather so any thoughts on what is best to get it looking as good as the rest of the car again?
Got good info on here before, so TIA.

[Summit_Detailing]

greghm said:

Hello, I have this similar 645 but this part here (in red) does look like it has mold or something whitish which is probably due to humidity... in short, how can I give it a good clean ?

Some all purpose cleaner (tesco daisy e.g) and a nail brush or toothbrush and a couple of cloths should see you well.
spray, agitate, wipe with cloth - done.

cheers

Chris

[Summit_Detailing]

chilistrucker said:

I've noticed a couple of people mention to lose the absorbent chamois. Why, can they be harmful? Is a decent drying towel a microfibre cloth or something else that I have missed?
I also have 1 leather seat in 1 of the cars I am doing that is very grubby, not stained as such but it looks like ground in dirt. The seat is cream leather so any thoughts on what is best to get it looking as good as the rest of the car again?
Got good info on here before, so TIA.

A dedicated plush drying towel is in theory a safer choice - not only do they hold an obscene amount of water without the need to keep wringing it out like a chamois but because of the deep pile if for example it's a windy day you've washed your car, begin to dry it and you have a dusty driveway, tree pollen falling out of the sky or other air-bourne contaminants landing on the paint surface you may pick these up in the towel but because of the deep pile they have somewhere to go as opposed to a chamois where they'll sit on the surface and get dragged across the paintwork, potentially inflicting damage.

Obviously if the car in question has lots of swirls and other paint imperfections you aren't going to notice any additional ones added through using a chamois.
If however the paint is largely defect free you'll soon see the damage being inflicted.

Polished Bliss luxury drying towel is very good.
They also stock Dr Leather liquid cleaner which combined with a leather cleaning brush and a couple of microfibres should sort out your dirty seat. You may find you need to do all the other seats once you've done one

Cheers

Chris

[chilistrucker]

Thanks for the info 👍
I do get paranoid about picking random bits of dust and grit up especially as they are not my vehicles. I will have a look into those products you mentioned and give them a try, I do fully expect to end up cleaning all the seats again in the vehicle I mentioned 😀 You know what it's like, once you start one bit, you end up doing a whole lot more.

[zsdom]

You've got the list correct, I'd do it in a slightly different order though

Rinse
Wheels
Rinse
Wash/Clean
Rinse
Bug tar remover on sticky bits
Rinse
Clay
Wash again
Dry
Paint Treat
polish
Wax

I'd look to remove as much dirt as possible before touching any part of the car, so a thorough rinse first would be needed, I'd also clay whilst the cars still wet to add extra lubrication (No such thing as too much lube ) then wash again to remove all the contaminants the clay has pulled out of the paint

[greghm]

yonex said:

Hit it with your 'badass hammer' perhaps?

Most gangsters go valet service, ask your CO maybe?

But it does not look like a nail as the saying goes ... I actually need the hammer also for inserting that Torx screw in a stripped hexa bolt.

[greghm]

Summit_Detailing said:

Some all purpose cleaner (tesco daisy e.g) and a nail brush or toothbrush and a couple of cloths should see you well.
spray, agitate, wipe with cloth - done.

cheers

Chris

Will try, thanks. It does just look like really to have bitten in the plastic.