*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hi all,

I am a car cleaning noob but would like to step up my game a bit :)

With my previous car (Panther black Mondeo) all I would do is use snow foam pre wash, rinse off, then wash with a cheapish turtle shampoo applied with a cheap £5 sheep mitt and a glossy black detailing spray with microfibre towels.

My new car is a Sea Gray colour and it's quite remarkably the first time I've ever had a car with alloys in 15+ years of driving!

So ... my snow foam is decent, from CYC.

Mitt wise... is this ok ...

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/php/i.../uploads/watermarked/X3002_microfibreMitt.jpg

or should I get a lambskin wash mitt like this..

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/php/i...=/images/uploads/watermarked/premium-mitt.jpg

Also, which detailing spray should I buy for once the car has been washed? And also if you could advise me on a good long lasting tyre finish and alloy cleaning I'd be very grateful.

** Please don't hotlink images **
 
Last edited by a moderator:
smr said:
Hi all,

I am a car cleaning noob but would like to step up my game a bit :)

With my previous car (Panther black Mondeo) all I would do is use snow foam pre wash, rinse off, then wash with a cheapish turtle shampoo applied with a cheap £5 sheep mitt and a glossy black detailing spray with microfibre towels.

My new car is a Sea Gray colour and it's quite remarkably the first time I've ever had a car with alloys in 15+ years of driving!

So ... my snow foam is decent, from CYC.

Mitt wise... is this ok ...

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/php/i.../uploads/watermarked/X3002_microfibreMitt.jpg

or should I get a lambskin wash mitt like this..

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/php/i...=/images/uploads/watermarked/premium-mitt.jpg

Also, which detailing spray should I buy for once the car has been washed? And also if you could advise me on a good long lasting tyre finish and alloy cleaning I'd be very grateful.
Click to expand...

Lambskin Mitt is the same I've got and it's great. Does the job brilliantly for me.

Tyre Dressing - Recently started using Meguiars High Gloss Tyre gel (http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/wheels-and-tyres/meguiars-high-gloss-tyre-gel/prod_103.html). Massively impressed with the results, it seems to last longer than others I've tried in the past. I apply mine with an applicator pad (http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/accessories/foam-wax-applicator/prod_89.html) although its not very black!

Alloy Cleaning - There are lots of good ones out there, but I would recommend getting a natural cleaner as the others that work well seem to eat into the paint after a while. I personally only have to use a cleaner once a months, or maybe less. I simply hose them, then use a soft brush with a constant water stream which gets them up nice and clean. I've seen others mention and recommend using a wheel sealant as well...
 
@smr - take the time to wax the alloys, it'll make cleaning them so much easier! Just use a high temp wax (i use FK1000P). Especially if the car is new the alloys are likely to have very little contaminants on them so you won't need to spend as much time as you would if they were a few years old, removing iron/brake dust desosits etc.
 
Matt-Page said:
Tyre Dressing - Recently started using Meguiars High Gloss Tyre gel (http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/wheels-and-tyres/meguiars-high-gloss-tyre-gel/prod_103.html). Massively impressed with the results, it seems to last longer than others I've tried in the past. I apply mine with an applicator pad (http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/accessories/foam-wax-applicator/prod_89.html) although its not very black!
Click to expand...

I would recommend these too. Usually lasts a good few weeks.
 
Ok thanks guys. I actually have that tyre gel, maybe I've not been applying it effectively enough.

I am a bit lost with all of these different products you can get though - clay bars, sealants, glazes etc.!

I would like to give the car a good polish and wax and would probably opt for machine polishing, which products would you recommend?

Also, where to sealants and glazes and clay bars come into it ? ie. what order does everything go in regards washing and how often does the polishing and waxing need to be done etc.?

My car does seem to attract quite a bit of tree dust, I might just trim one of the trees near my car which I think is the most responsible for the dust that seems to accumulate after 2/3 days post wash. I really noticed it on my black car, as you would I guess.
 


good choices? have valet ph neutral snow foam already along with megs tyre endurance gel. Also have a spray bottle of megs gold premium quick detailer but I think the sonax stuff will suit my new car better.

out of stock on Bilt Hamber - Auto Wheels so I'll order elsewhere.

Will read up more on clay, polish and waxing before ordering them.
 
Last edited:
Get rid of the Sonax detailer as it's a lot cheaper on ECP (£7 per bottle) and there may even be a further discount code flying about to as when I ordered some.

Also get rid of the Megs Applicators. Expensive!
Get either these: http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/acces...ft-edge-tri-applicators-pkg/3-/prod_1370.html or these: http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/accessories/foam-wax-applicator/prod_89.html

A certain auction site also has a lot of selection for foam applicators. I've had a pack of 10/12 for not much more than a £ or 2....
 
rhysduck said:
Get rid of the Sonax detailer as it's a lot cheaper on ECP (£7 per bottle) and there may even be a further discount code flying about to as when I ordered some.

Also get rid of the Megs Applicators. Expensive!
Get either these: http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/acces...ft-edge-tri-applicators-pkg/3-/prod_1370.html or these: http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/accessories/foam-wax-applicator/prod_89.html

A certain auction site also has a lot of selection for foam applicators. I've had a pack of 10/12 for not much more than a £ or 2....
Click to expand...

I noticed the price on ecp but it's out of stock :/

Will buy the other foam pads though, thanks.
 
 
good thing about these ag kits is they come with stuff that you will use later.

the custom wheel kit is good and those 2 brushes can be used all over the car for small areas inside and out.

the clay bar kit comes with the bar a detail spray that smells amazing. and a small bottle of srp to get you started along with a microfibre cloth.

the megs drying towel is decent for the price. just ring it out and it will keep drying.

you want to wash the car first. dont wory about drying. then clay bar it. some people will wash the car again. i would in your case if it is the first time you car has seen a clay bar.

dry the car then apply the super resin polish.

job done.

or is it.......

if you want to go further get a tin of fusso soft 99 wax sealant. then its just a case of keeping on top of the washing.
 
opstrat said:
do this.

you could spend a fortune on this stuff and might not get the results you expect.

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-tr...toglym-bodywork-shampoo-conditioner-2-5-litre

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-tr...ucts/autoglym-clay-surface-detailing-clay-kit

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-tr...ling-products/autoglym-custom-wheel-clean-kit

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-tr...meguiars-super-thick-microfibre-car-wash-mitt

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-tr...meguiars-water-magnet-microfiber-drying-towel

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-tr...is-brushes-buckets/halfords-heavy-duty-bucket

total price £73.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that! Very much appreciated. Looks like a lot more for less money. I already have two of those buckets and that megs microfibre towel, but I could do with a new one.
 
The best thing about Autoglym is their product names make sense. If it's shampoo it's called shampoo, they don't have 4 different types of Wax and all that nonsense either.

Buy the buckets separate as on 3 for 2 the cheapest items are free.
 
and theres me paying 16 quid for megs gold class in halfrauds today :p

Got all my kit though now, megs smooth clay bar detailing kit, purple monster microfibres, 1 litre of autoglm super resin, interior cleaner, lambswool mitt and sonus blue towel from cyc. giving myself the day off work tomoz :)
 
Very nice haul! Mine hasn't been cleaned in 3 weeks I've never ever seen it get so dirty but it still beads :D Can't wait to wash it just can't be bothered.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom