*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

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Honest, simplest bits of kit are lambs wool or microfibre mitt, two buckets one for dirty one for clean (i use two different colours so i know which is which) and some decent shampoo - meguiars are a good start tbh. Oh and a microfibre drying towel.

From there however the sky's the limit.
 
Dis86 said:
Honest, simplest bits of kit are lambs wool or microfibre mitt, two buckets one for dirty one for clean (i use two different colours so i know which is which) and some decent shampoo - meguiars are a good start tbh. Oh and a microfibre drying towel.

From there however the sky's the limit.
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Speaking of which, these came today.

Unfortunately, the next 3 days's weather looks crap.

AwYSWFw.jpg
 
I've been trying out these today. First time using these products and very impressed. :)



The wheel cleaner is great, I just sprayed on, let it do its thing then pressure wash off. Didn't have to agitate.
 
Diagro said:
I dont.

I quickly blast my mitt whilst wearing it with the pressure washer to blast any dirt away. I do that after every wipe.

works great and I don't need to use a bucket to rinse. Just to supply soap water.
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Don't get me wrong, I do that now and again when if I can see the mitt getting dirty. I can see the point of two buckets if the car hasn't been washed in a month or more but for a weekly wash then maybe overkill?
 
Blackhawk47 said:
Don't get me wrong, I do that now and again when if I can see the mitt getting dirty. I can see the point of two buckets if the car hasn't been washed in a month or more but for a weekly wash then maybe overkill?
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I wash every week and only do 12 miles a day. Probably not as bad in the summer, but having only started using the two bucket method recently with the new car I was actually quite shocked at the chunks of grit in the bottom of the rinse bucket...from what looked like a pretty clean car! I wouldn't have thought it takes much dirt to scratch a car and introduce 'swirls'.
 
No grit guards for me as just don't see the point. Have always used the two bucket method even with a sponge with decent results, although have now moved to a noodle mitt which seems to work well.

Shame the weather is terrible for next few days, as waiting to try out my snow foam lance, srp and collinite 845 :)
 
Armageus said:
No grit guards for me as just don't see the point. Have always used the two bucket method even with a sponge with decent results, although have now moved to a noodle mitt which seems to work well.

Shame the weather is terrible for next few days, as waiting to try out my snow foam lance, srp and collinite 845 :)
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You don't need it if you never let the mitt sink to the bottom of the bucket.

But it's cheap, it pretty much stays there so it's no hassle at all.
 
DBT85 said:
The grit guard also acts like a baffle in the bucket and stops much from moving around while you dunk.
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Read as "while you're drunk" and wondered why you would be washing your car in that situation... :D

As an aside, I don't have a grit guard because its easy to make sure you don't touch the bottom of the bucket, but having one means you dont have to worry! :)

Using two large plastic buckets and a microfibre mitt here. :)
 
dk345 said:
Okay, I realise this question probably gets answered a lot, but I've been through the last 5 pages or so and can't find anything that helps.

I've recently bought a new car, a mid-2013 Z4 35iS. It's mineral white metallic (yes, I know, recession white) which I actually really like. In some lights it's obviously white, in others it's almost silver.

The paintwork seems in great condition, as is the whole car, and I'd like to keep it that way. I've never had a car I really cared about before and as such my method of washing has always been a bucket, some nondescript brand of shampoo in a 5l bottle and a 59p car sponge.

I've read about lambswool mitts, snow foam, shampoo, shampoo+wax, polish, two buckets, three buckets... I just don't know what to do.

Can you guys help me? A list of what I should go out and buy for not mega money to keep this car's paint in proper nick is what I'm after. The previous owner used Meguiar's products... I have no idea if this is good or bad.

Help me please :(
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Its a bit insidious - once you start it can mount up forever.

I go with what I think is the minimal set:

- 2 buckets
- lambs wool mitt for the paintwork and glass
- a cheap mitt for the wheels, undersills + wheel arches
- meg's wash & wax

I don't use the pressure washer, its all by hand and the hose pressure only.

Still using the free interior leather cleaner jag gave me with the car.

I probably need to get something for the wheels for the more persistent muck that's on there, but anything after that is getting into the more specialist level.
 
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