Effective cleaning

londonbairn · 5 Jan 2012 at 10:18

So my girlfriend's A1 is arriving anyday soon, and we've decided we should keep it nice and clean, as you do.

What's the best apparatus we should purchase and what methodologies should we use? Do we need to get a polishing machine?

What about interior? It's leather, what products should we use?

Berger · 5 Jan 2012 at 10:30

Two buckets, wash mitt, hose or pressure washer with foam lance if you see the need.

Hoover for the inside, job done.

Wash and hoover it once a week and it will be better than 99% of the cars on the road.

NathWraith · 5 Jan 2012 at 10:33

Would advise against a polishing machine on such a new car.

I generally use:

Meguairs NXT shampoo
Autoglym Super resin polish
Meguairs Carnuba Wax

The for the other bits:

Autoglym Tyre shine
Autoglym Alloy Wheel Sealent
Autoglym glass polish
Autoglym Tyre dressing
Autoglym interior shampoo

+ plenty of microfibre cloths and sheepskin mitts etc

warmasice · 5 Jan 2012 at 10:35

There are many sites/forums that could advise you on this. So many products and techniques you could use!

Some people even polish a brand new car to get rid of 'orange peel'... but thats a whole different ball game.

Berger · 5 Jan 2012 at 10:35

NathWraith said:
Autoglym Super resin polish

SRP is mostly filler isn't it, wouldn't need to use it on a new car as there shouldn't be any swirl marks from poor washing technique?

NathWraith · 5 Jan 2012 at 10:48

Berger said:
SRP is mostly filler isn't it, wouldn't need to use it on a new car as there shouldn't be any swirl marks from poor washing technique?

Very true, in fairness I haven't polished my cupra with it yet but I did on my supra.

londonbairn · 5 Jan 2012 at 13:54

Thanks Nath, is that the order we should apply them in?

I would ask on other forums, but they seem into detailing etc more than I would like to be!

Django x2 · 5 Jan 2012 at 14:02

SRP is exactly that, it has little / no cut. It's a filler, hence the name "Resin"

NathWraith · 5 Jan 2012 at 14:02

rafster said:
Thanks Nath, is that the order we should apply them in?

I would ask on other forums, but they seem into detailing etc more than I would like to be!

There are loads of ways to wash your car mate.

I won't go into too much detail but a quick brief of a "normal" car wash for me is:

Car
- rinse
- wash with shampoo
- rinse off shampoo
- dry with drying cloth
- Polish glass

Wheels
- rinse
- apply wheel cleaner
- wash with shampoo
- rinse off
- apply tyre dressing

If I am going full monty on the car it would go like this:

Car
- rinse
- wash with shampoo
- rinse off shampoo
- dry with drying cloth
- apply polish
- apply wax
- polish glass
- interior shampoo + hoover

Wheels
- rinse
- apply wheel cleaner
- wash with shampoo
- rinse off
- apply allow wheel sealant
- apply tyre dressing

I've highlighted in yellow the extra things I have added to the list.

Hope this helps.

Brookert · 5 Jan 2012 at 14:35

NathWraith said:
There are loads of ways to wash your car mate.

I won't go into too much detail but a quick brief of a "normal" car wash for me is:

Car
- rinse
- wash with shampoo
- rinse off shampoo
- dry with drying cloth
- Polish glass

Wheels
- rinse
- apply wheel cleaner
- wash with shampoo
- rinse off
- apply tyre dressing

If I am going full monty on the car it would go like this:

Car
- rinse
- wash with shampoo
- rinse off shampoo
- dry with drying cloth
- apply polish
- apply wax
- polish glass
- interior shampoo + hoover

Wheels
- rinse
- apply wheel cleaner
- wash with shampoo
- rinse off
- apply allow wheel sealant
- apply tyre dressing

I've highlighted in yellow the extra things I have added to the list.

Hope this helps.

You make me feel like im abusing my car, i've only done one or two of those things

lordrobs · 5 Jan 2012 at 15:36

I'll probably be flamed by the detailers but I always give my cars a squirt of wax when drying them. Wax It Wet is my weapon of choice but if I find something cheap I'll use any brand I've heard of. Currently using Nano Tech Wax or something like that which I picked up for £2 a bottle.

I do this every wash and always get compliments on my car from 'normal' people but I'm sure the sort of person who owns a paint gauge wouldn't be impressed.

Once a year I give it the full wash, clay, polish, carnauba wax treatment.

Dogbreath · 5 Jan 2012 at 15:44

Lucero said:
SRP is exactly that, it has little / no cut. It's a filler, hence the name "Resin"

It is also a (very) mild abrasive hence the name "Polish".

If you use SRP on plain paint (i.e. no clearcoat) the rag turns the same colour as the paint so it must have some abrasive action.

sambos1234 · 5 Jan 2012 at 18:01

Drive through car wash.

I'm sorry

NathWraith · 5 Jan 2012 at 18:54

sambos1234 said:
Drive through car wash.

I'm sorry

heresy!

ecksmen · 5 Jan 2012 at 19:19

A new car, in theory should arrive with mint condition paint work, though this is sadly rarely the case. Dealers clean them with dirty sponges causing all manor of horrid swirls.

My next car, I think I'll treat it to something like -

Ceramishield by concours - http://www.concourscarcare.com/ceramishield. Gives a good protection which they say will last 18 months or so.

I'd then just do what the others say - two bucket washing, clay and wax blah blah blah.

www.detailingworld.co.uk - have a look over there, very friendly bunch...

Edit -

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=243738

Phil W · 6 Jan 2012 at 18:45

Some detailers are in this thread who will be able to offer some good advice (RussZS, is it?!).

Meguiars Cleaner wax is very easy to put on/off and gives a great shine.