*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***
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Decided to try a few new items from CYC. Also needed to replace the lambswool mitt as it no longer remained plush. This smoothie got great reviews, so went for it, along with washing machine detergent for MF cloths. Now I no longer need to handwash them which is a pain in the backside, especially the wooly mammoth!
Ridiculous price for car cleaning materials though, no wonder the average person CBA with cleaning their cars themselves
I've seen the microfibre wash stuff before but not purchased. Would be interested to hear feedback.
I just put all my clothes and polishing pads in the washing machine with a non bio liquid tablet.
Soldato
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For dust, the easiest way to get most of it off is with a pressure washer snow foam and rinse down
some people like to use the 2 bucket method, but I prefer to use the rinseless single bucket method where you put loads of plush microfibre cloths in to a bucket with rinseless wash, that way when you wipe the car with a cloth it captures dirt and you then fling the dirty cloth in to an empty bucket ready to go in the washing machine, you never risk putting a dirty object back on to the car - you fold each wiper in to quaters so you can use each one 4 times befire you discard it for washing
I use;
car pro snow foam (although as I only use this when the car is very dirty or dusty I think I will switch to bilt hamber for foam)
car pro ech2o (as rinseless, but can also be used as detail spray/clay lube when mixed up thicker)
hydro2 or hydrolite for wheels (same stuff but lite comes ready to use in a spray bottle)
synthetic clay cloth
lots of microfibres (at least 10)
noodle mit for wheels
car pro essence and car pro reload when doing a full strip and reseal
to get your car in to a good condition in the first place you will want to wash the car down, clay, polish (car pro essence is my favourite) and then seal (car pro reload), you can then use the rinseless wash and/or hydrofoam as maintenance, reload is shinier than hydro2/hydrofoam so you can use that every 3-6months as a top up aswell
polishing will go much quicker if you get an electric one - dual action is more difficult to make mistakes with but it is worth getting an old panel or something to practice on, you can do it by hand if the paint is not too bad but as I say it will just go much quicker with an electric
I have turned in to a massive car pro fan boy over the last 6 months, but their products are just so easy to use that they have cut my maintenance washes down to under an hour, typically 30-40 minutes including setting up and packing away and even a complete wash, clay, polish and reseal used to take me say 5 hours and I can now get it done in under 3 of actual work
if the wheels are in a bit of a state then you will want a wheel cleaner (I use sonax), but once you've hit it with hydro2 (or hydrolite comes ready to use) you will just need water and a noodle mit (I usually use the left over rinseless wash once all the microfibres have been used on the body)
For tyre black I use tac systems - really easy to use and reportedly has much better longevity than most, but I am still waiting to see as I only have one wash on it so far. Its also not glossy which I didnt like about most everything else Ive seen.
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Soldato
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The beauty of the carpro stuff is you can use it as a bucket wash too if you dont have access to a foam lance, but obviously it will be a bit quicker with one
Mix ratios are further down the page you linked to
Bucket? Na Thats Foam Lance looks the way forward for ease!
Do I need a specific one for my pressure washer?https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snow-Foam-Lance-Nilfisk-Compaitble/dp/B00DS5UCY8
This any good? To start me off with snow foaming?
It's 'ok' snow foam but don't expect amazing results, it's good for getting surface dirt up making it easier to clean but so will most snow foams.
Check out Bilt Hamber Auto Foam.. regarded as one of the best ones at getting dirt offThis any good? To start me off with snow foaming?
Man of Honour
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Renovo do a hood cleaner and protector that is usually well recommended
Soldato
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Bucket? Na Thats Foam Lance looks the way forward for ease!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snow-Foam-Lance-Nilfisk-Compaitble/dp/B00DS5UCY8
I have a nilfisk and that exact foam lance - it is "ok" but i find it wont go down low enough to work well with the carpro foams - i was going to try bilt hamber next as that suggests you dilute it in the bottle before sticking it in the foam lance so I was going to try it neat or less dilute with that lance
I'll have a look in to it
Pretty much all shampoos are the same.
Not really, I mean you want a shampoo that's ph neutral and wax free not one of those all in one.
Soldato
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Doesnt seem to get very good reviews, despite claiming very high dilution ratios it works out more expensive than any of the other well reviewed foams (bilt hamber, magifoam, valetpro, ultimate snow foam etc)
"pretty much all quality shampoos are the same"
Nope but I have ordered some Auto Wash so can report back on that soon..
Apparently you only need to use 5ml/teaspoon but then again Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo 2.5l also seems good value for money.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Car-Sham...982&sr=8-1&keywords=autoglym+bodywork+shampoo
This for a foam lance I've bought?
This for a foam lance I've bought?
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