*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

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norm said:
How many use grit guards with the two bucket method?
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Not me. But then I begrudge paying for a fancy bucket with one as it's not necessary :p I just dip my mitt into the 'dirty' bucket after each use and rub it clean with my hand. It's evident at the end of the clean by the dirty bucket's water being utterly gopping and the 'clean' bucket's water still clean :)
 
Howard said:
Not me. But then I begrudge paying for a fancy bucket with one as it's not necessary :p I just dip my mitt into the 'dirty' bucket after each use and rub it clean with my hand. It's evident at the end of the clean by the dirty bucket's water being utterly gopping and the 'clean' bucket's water still clean :)
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I don't bother with the two bucket method at all, just rinse with the hose before picking up some more water from the bucket. Saves the need to drag around two buckets, grit guards and guarantees the mitt is clean before moving onto the next area.
 
unrealrocks said:
I don't bother with the two bucket method at all, just rinse with the hose before picking up some more water from the bucket. Saves the need to drag around two buckets, grit guards and guarantees the mitt is clean before moving onto the next area.
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Personally I find it quicker , and you've got less chance of leaving debris on the mitt - I don't have a great deal of pressure from my hose. And you've still got to drag the hose around ;).
 
I don't even use 2 buckets most of the time tbh, mainly as I am incredibly lazy, bilberry on the wheels, then by the time ive sprayed the last one start with pressure washer, snow foam with some shampoo mixed then an actual quick wash, single bucket rinsing the mitt in between
 
Morning all, looking to make a purchase today wondering if there is any input on what to buy - needing everything. Anyone able to list what they think is the best at the moment?

Shampoo:

Wax/Sealants:

Wheel cleaner:

Leather cleaner/Conditioner:

Interior (dash/plastics):


I am after a shampoo that lathers well, I have used Meguiars, Turtle Wax which don't at all and I find it frustrating. Also question re: wheel cleaners. I've used Autoglym but heard that Sonax is better?

Also in a debate whether I should snow foam, or not - any lance recommendations?
 
Gangster said:
Morning all, looking to make a purchase today wondering if there is any input on what to buy - needing everything. Anyone able to list what they think is the best at the moment?

Shampoo:

Wax/Sealants:

Wheel cleaner:

Leather cleaner/Conditioner:

Interior (dash/plastics):


I am after a shampoo that lathers well, I have used Meguiars, Turtle Wax which don't at all and I find it frustrating. Also question re: wheel cleaners. I've used Autoglym but heard that Sonax is better?

Also in a debate whether I should snow foam, or not - any lance recommendations?
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Personally

Shampoo: Autoglym Bodywork shampoo and conditioner (not many bubbles but works a treat) or Autobrite Purple Velvet (lots of bubbles, great smell)

Wax/Sealants: Autoglym HD wax for longevity, apart from dusting like a pig, it gives great protection and shine for ages.

Wheel cleaner: Autobrite Very Cherry non acid or An Iron X fallout remover type cleaner (Dragons breath)

Leather cleaner/Conditioner: Gliptone leather cleaner and conditioner (Smells amazing)

Interior (dash/plastics): A cheap All purpose cleaner and a damp cloth to be honest. Or if it's a product you want to buy, AutoBrite Fab.

These are probably not 'The Best' out there, but it's just what uve ended up using.
 
Blackhawk47 said:
Interior (dash/plastics): Meguiars interior quick detailer is pretty good.
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+1 - its not great for any deep cleaning but excellent for day to day use, and dressing. Gives that nice matt finish and everything feels 'new'.

Shampoo: Chemical Guys MaxiSuds is pretty good, probably personally prefer Megs Gold Class but its significantly more expensive.

Wax/Sealants: Collinite 476s, cheap but great.

Wheel cleaner: Depends on the situation but Bilt-Hamber is excellent although unnecessary daily - it also smells horrific. Only wheel cleaner I found was terrible is the Autoglym one - literally does nothing.

Leather cleaner/Conditioner: Autoglym is decent here, although I've not come across a particularly bad one
 
Any body else use Optimum No Rinse? I absolutely love it!

Low water use and easy for a lazy **** like me.

I use the wax version http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/washing-and-drying/optimum-no-rinse-wash-wax/prod_1136.html

I use a 2 litre spray bottle with a cap and a half full as a pre wash, just a brief spray on, then I use 1 and a half caps to 4 litres in a single bucket with a grit guard and a wash mitt.

One panel at a time starting at the top of the car, spray on, leave for a few minutes, wash mitt slightly wringed out, but not dry to wash the dirt off. Then a micro fibre towel to dry and buff the carnuba wax.

It's probably not the best way and I sometimes use a second bucket to rinse if it's very dirty (like over winter) but it gets the job done quickly, with low water use and with O.K results.

Besides, my car does 70 miles a day, it's dirty and scratched from normal usage anyway so I'm not too fussed about getting it spotless.

The wax does not last long though, maybe 5 days tops unless it's dry in which case it lasts a little longer.

I would probably wax or seal my car but it has a lot of stone chips and some scratches that I need to sort first I think.
 
I ******* hate British weather so much. About 3PM, it's nice and sunny and the forecast says no rain until tonight. So I decide to give the car a full wash, clay, polish and wax.

Get started and literally just as I finish drying the car after the claying, it starts to pour with rain. Thanks. Waited until just after I'd stripped off the existing protection, but before I'd put a new coat of wax on, before raining.

So I retreat indoors for a brew, and now it's stopped raining and the sun is out again. But I'm too annoyed to dash out and dry the car again, because I know as soon as I do, it will probably rain again. So instead, I'm probably going to end up with a nice load of water marks that will require another wash before I can polish and wax.

Thanks, trollweather :/
 
Conscript said:
I ******* hate British weather so much. About 3PM, it's nice and sunny and the forecast says no rain until tonight. So I decide to give the car a full wash, clay, polish and wax.

Get started and literally just as I finish drying the car after the claying, it starts to pour with rain. Thanks. Waited until just after I'd stripped off the existing protection, but before I'd put a new coat of wax on, before raining.

So I retreat indoors for a brew, and now it's stopped raining and the sun is out again. But I'm too annoyed to dash out and dry the car again, because I know as soon as I do, it will probably rain again. So instead, I'm probably going to end up with a nice load of water marks that will require another wash before I can polish and wax.

Thanks, trollweather :/
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This has happened to me twice! Not a drop of rain until I'm about to wax and then rain! In fact it's happened to be 3 times, once about 3yrs ago too. Now I wax with collinite and a wet applicator lol
 
Lakeland said:
This has happened to me twice! Not a drop of rain until I'm about to wax and then rain! In fact it's happened to be 3 times, once about 3yrs ago too. Now I wax with collinite and a wet applicator lol
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After making that post, I looked out and it was sunny and clear again, so I dashed out, microfibre in hand, dried the car again and polished it. No time for Collonite now, it'll have to be EGP.

But guess what? As I'm in the process of applying EGP, huge black storm clouds roll up like "HI MATE, HOWS THE WASHING GOING LOL?"

Frantically, I go around the whole car applying EGP to every panel. You're meant to leave it at least 30 minutes to dry, but spots of rain begin to drop. I'm in a mad rush to get the EGP wiped off to give the car at least some protection before the heavens open.

Then, just as I finish giving the last panel a buff and stand back breathing heavily, the clouds are like "j/k lol" and it stops raining. Leaving me with a polished car with a not-properly-applied coat of wax.

**** it. I'm not going out again. I swear, the weather is sentient.
 
Would have thought leaving the car in the rain with no wax/freshly clayed would actually reduce the chance of water spots since the most of the water will sheet off eventually?
 
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