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Associate
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Sunny Ayrshire, Scotland.
I would like to get into detailing but mainly for my own car, however have no idea where to start. Is there such a thing as a starter kit to n00bs?

Like most things these days, the market is flooded with products and advice.

My routine now is 2 bucket wash with a wash and wax product, bug removal spray for the tough bits and some tyre shine. Car was waxed when I bought it and water beads up nice but want to be able to do it myself when the time comes.
 
Associate
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What sort of budget are you thinking and can you name the products you’re currently using?

As with most things, you can spend a little or a lot. It depends how far you want to venture down the rabbit hole :)

Do you want a clean daily driver you wash and wax once a month or something more?
 
Soldato
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Newcastle, UK
Washed and waxed the car yesterday. Managed to get two quick coats of Finish Kare Pink Paste Wax on. Then it rained. lol. At least I saw some nice beading. :)

Wax-Beading.jpg
 
Soldato
Joined
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I would like to get into detailing but mainly for my own car, however have no idea where to start. Is there such a thing as a starter kit to n00bs?

Like most things these days, the market is flooded with products and advice.

My routine now is 2 bucket wash with a wash and wax product, bug removal spray for the tough bits and some tyre shine. Car was waxed when I bought it and water beads up nice but want to be able to do it myself when the time comes.
The basics
2 buckets
wash mitt (either MF or Lambswool)
Decent shampoo
Autoglym Super resin polish
Some sort of Wax, there are literally hundreds out there, some give better shine, some give better longevity (the stuff I use claims to last 6 months)

When you are ready to expand on the above you could buy
Claybar
Wheel cleaner
Wheel wax


You'll need basic things like MF cloths etc for applying your products.
You can buy a heck of a lot more than that but that is really the basics IMO
 
Caporegime
Joined
22 Oct 2002
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Location
Boston, Lincolnshire
Wheels refurbished and a full polish and wax on the daily runabout. Always do this before its M.O.T as it get abused 365 days a year with only snowfoam washes throughout. Good old fashioned Megs 205 followed by 105 then trusty collinite 476 on top. Black plastics, tyres and engine bay dressed in carpro perl. I also did the arch liners and refurbished the wheels. Onto the interior tomorrow!

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Just turned 15 this month.
 
Caporegime
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is it possible to clean car without using a mitt ?

im just thinking , this week ive had a bad back, so i cant wash my car, thought it might be easier to just do something like snowfoam ?

If a car has a decent wax on it. A snowfoam will do a basic job that is enough for say winter months. I have three cars so do not have the time to do a 3 hour wash every two weeks.
 
Underboss
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Oxfordshire / Bucks
If a car has a decent wax on it. A snowfoam will do a basic job that is enough for say winter months. I have three cars so do not have the time to do a 3 hour wash every two weeks.

Thanks Adam

I have a plan in my head,
which is , buy a portable pressure washer and take my car somewhere and "do it myself" rather than paying someone to do it
over winter is more difficult to find a car wash that isnt so busy, and also the fact that i dont wish to use water around home during freezing weather

so im looking at all possibilities, and my situation my change in a couple of years
 
Associate
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Location
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Gave it a quick 1 stage polish to remove all the old sealants etc. Then applied Infinity Synergy Ceramic coating, it's a light coating offering 1 year minimum and chose it as it cures quickly for application outside.

IMG-20200905-174820-01-01.jpg


It will be interesting to see the water behaviour when I can wash it after a week and see how it holds up over the coming months.
 
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Associate
Joined
16 Jan 2006
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I've started using Soft99 cleaning gear. Its really great stuff to use.

So far i've waxed with Kiwami Extreme Wax and I top up with Fusso Coat speed and barrier every other week. Also I wash the car with Kiwami Extreme shampoo with gloss enhancer and wax for constant shine and durable finish.

I have some more Soft99 stuff on the way... PH balanced Creamy shampoo and Fusso F7 liquid sealant - will use this as my base sealant then top off with the wax and then finish with Fusso speed coat spray.

Here she is at the seaside - Beautiful Burnham-on-Sea

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2 bucket wash, rinse with Di water then just a quick go around with Fusso coat using Sams red microfibre. Its a great combo for a nice finish.

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Fusso beading and overall long term protection is great. :)

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Caporegime
Joined
22 Oct 2002
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26,978
Location
Boston, Lincolnshire
been looking at the Worx Hydroshot cordless washer
(brushless model) @ 24 bar pressure, not expecting it to be much better than a hose pipe, just more convenient

Karcher do one , and are currently doing it 60% off on their website, but is it any better than the worx one ?

https://www.kaercher.com/uk/home-ga...andheld-cleaner/khb-5-multi-jet-13281030.html

Surely it would just be better to spend it on product and pay the money at a super market to use their jet wash? I haven't used one for donkeys years but my memory of them were they were not that bad.
 
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