*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

[Blackhawk47]

Need to sort the steering wheel out as over the past year it just seems to attract oil of your hands. I don't know if its a normal thing for BMW leather steering wheels but when you look at a brand new car in the showroom they look completely matt. So trying to bring it back, think I need to be a bit more aggressive when I try next time, maybe try agitating with a brush but this has helped a little.

Before:

What I used:

After, only one pass and a small amount of product, but it looks a little better:

 

[Havana_UK]

I normally find a little well diluted APC and a damp microfibre do a decent job of it. It's back to looking shiny in about one week mind you.

 

[Amos91]

Still look pretty shiny to me? Maybe it's the camera -

 

[GinG]

For leather I can highly recommend this stuff...great for steering wheels also! Think I paid about £1 for this.

 

[nam]

These are always good - Dr Leather Advanced Cleaner & Conditioner Wipes
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DU7LZN6/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_pvm8EbK94AYFD via @AmazonUK

 

[Merlin5]

Pressed reply button too early by mistake. Will post in a minute.

 

[Merlin5]

Not sure how to go about cleaning my car today. Shall I first spray water on car with pressure washer, then spray on my karcher car shampoo, then use a mitt to scrub that shampoo over the bodywork, rinse and dry?

Or spray water on, then just pour shampoo into a bucket, scrub with mitt, rinse and dry?

Should I use a separate mitt for the wheels? Halfords has a massive queue so it's difficult to go and buy a bucket and gritguard and mitts.
I've got a bucket but it's not circular.
I can pick up mitts for £2 each at Tesco though. Do I really need a gritguard?

I found a lot of old cleaning gear. Not sure if I should use or throw and replace. Which of these shampoos should I use, does it matter? What about drying, do I need something more substantial than these microfibre cloths? They're l not that big and quite thin. How about that big synthetic chamois, any good?

 

[Temujin]

First time i cleaned my leather with just a microfibre and Gyeon clean / condition stuff I was a bit nonplussed by the result, however I got a little gyeon leather brush and that's made a heck of a difference!

This is with 17 year old MX5 seats, so YMMV but the steering wheel went from shiny back to matte again. Worth a try!

 

[ShiWarrior]

Not sure how to go about cleaning my car today. Shall I first spray water on car with pressure washer, then spray on my karcher car shampoo, then use a mitt to scrub that shampoo over the bodywork, rinse and dry?

Or spray water on, then just pour shampoo into a bucket, scrub with mitt, rinse and dry?

Should I use a separate mitt for the wheels? Halfords has a massive queue so it's difficult to go and buy a bucket and gritguard and mitts.
I've got a bucket but it's not circular.
I can pick up mitts for £2 each at Tesco though. Do I really need a gritguard?

I found a lot of old cleaning gear. Not sure if I should use or throw and replace. Which of these shampoos should I use, does it matter? What about drying, do I need something more substantial than these microfibre cloths? They're l not that big and quite thin. How about that big synthetic chamois, any good?

you dont have snow foam, so i would

use pressure washer on its own to get the looseish off

wash car
Dry

2 buckets required, both with grit guards in, one to rinse mitt (dont use the sponge)

you dont "need" a grit guard, but u should get one (i dont use one, but im going to be getting one at some point!)

 

[Merlin5]

you dont have snow foam, so i would

use pressure washer on its own to get the looseish off

wash car
Dry

2 buckets required, both with grit guards in, one to rinse mitt (dont use the sponge)

you dont "need" a grit guard, but u should get one (i dont use one, but im going to be getting one at some point!)

Do you normally use cold water from hose to fill bucket (with shampoo) or warm/hot water?

If I sprayed shampoo on with pressure washer, scrubbed with mitt and kept rinsing mitt with the pressure washer, that would saveneeding buckets and gritguards, no? Or do you get a better wash with shampoo in a bucket?

 

[ShiWarrior]

warm water in both buckets



i dont use pressure washer, but id imagine you wouldnt want to use pressure washer like that

good for "rinse" and applying "snow foam"

 

[Merlin5]

Well I've just been into Halfords expecting to buy a couple of buckets and gritguards and come out with these bits.

The bloke in the shop said with the Autoglym pre-wash snow foam, main wash foam and protector kit used from my pressure washer, that I won't need a mitt on the car at all except wheels. Sounds good to me, less work. I really won't need to wash the body with a mitt?

edit: Just read that I will need to agitate the main wash foam so I'll buy a second mitt.

 

[Blackhawk47]

Well I've just been into Halfords expecting to buy a couple of buckets and gritguards and come out with these bits.


The bloke in the shop said with the Autoglym pre-wash snow foam, main wash foam and protector kit used from my pressure washer, that I won't need a mitt on the car at all except wheels. Sounds good to me, less work. I really won't need to wash the body with a mitt?

edit: Just read that I will need to agitate the main wash foam so I'll buy a second mitt.

Yes you will still need to use a mitt with the main wash. The autoglym polar range is really good though.

I know some people on here get away with just pressure wash and snow foam. But I can never bring myself to do this, even in winter. I cringe thinking about the water spots it would cause on the paint.

 

[Merlin5]

Yes you will still need to use a mitt with the main wash. The autoglym polar range is really good though.

I know some people on here get away with just pressure wash and snow foam. But I can never bring myself to do this, even in winter. I cringe thinking about the water spots it would cause not the paint.

I'm wondering if the polar blast or the polar wash could be used as an effective degreaser for agitating my tyres with to fully clean the rubber before dressing them?

 

[Blackhawk47]

I'm wondering if the polar blast or the polar wash could be used as an effective degreaser for agitating my tyres with to fully clean the rubber before dressing them?

Won't do any harm. I use the polar blast as a snow foam and it cleans well but still benefit from using a proper tyre cleaner if that's what is required. Depends how bad they are really.

 

[Merlin5]

Won't do any harm. I use the polar blast as a snow foam and it cleans well but still benefit from using a proper tyre cleaner if that's what is required. Depends how bad they are really.

Thanks Blackhawk. I've got a Nilfisk pressure washer with a regular detergent dispenser bottle. I read that I need a proper foam gun though, or do you think the dispenser bottle and lance is good enough? I've used my Karcher car shampoo with the Nilfisk and it seemed fine but I've not used snow foam yet.

 

[Blackhawk47]

Thanks Blackhawk. I've got a Nilfisk pressure washer with a regular detergent dispenser bottle. I read that I need a proper foam gun though, or do you think the dispenser bottle and lance is good enough? I've used my Karcher car shampoo with the Nilfisk and it seemed fine but I've not used snow foam yet.

I’m sure it will be fine with the pressure washer dispenser bottle but yeah I highly recommend getting the Autobrite snow foam lance one day. Certainly sounds like you’ve got enough stuff to give the car a good clean at the moment.

 

[KillBoY_UK]

Well I brought my first proper car back in January at the ripe old age of 34 a 2017 Seat Leon FR 1.4L with 28k on the clock . Only just hit the 1st full year of driving. So while not as nice or powerful as some of the cars here it was a nice upgrade over my £500 Rust bucket Ford Focus 1.6 Desire with 100k on the clock.

Anyways I gave the car it first proper wash, clay cloth and then spray wax. Quite happy with the results

 

[Merlin5]

I’m sure it will be fine with the pressure washer dispenser bottle but yeah I highly recommend getting the Autobrite snow foam lance one day. Certainly sounds like you’ve got enough stuff to give the car a good clean at the moment.

Indeed I have. I want to start washing it now but not sure it's a good idea in this sun. It's blazing hot where I am, soap and water would probably dry too fast. Maybe I should wait till later. Do you recommend washing the wheels and tyres first or last?

 

[ShiWarrior]

i think (my Autoglym does i think) specifically says do not wash in direct sunlight or something, but in winter, and its sunny , your still going to wash it lol
but in summer and direct sunlight, washing car shouldn't really be done