* The Car Cleaning Thread *

CaptainRAVE · 29 Jul 2022 at 17:40

Both cars were filthy with dust. A couple of contactless washes with bilt hamber and there’s barely anything left on them. Amazing how that stuff lifts the grime. Too much grit to risk a contact wash for now and it’s going to be in a dusty car park this weekend anyway.

V_R · 29 Jul 2022 at 18:22

Maccy said:
Bird poo - bane of my life at the moment.

Best product to use to get rid of some stuck on black bits? I wondered about Autoglym tar remover as the black residue left on the car feels a bit like that, any other suggestions?

Poorboy’s World Bird Sh#t Remover (3 Sizes) - Poorboy's World

Poorboy’s World Bird Sh#t Remover is a spray that quickly removes bird droppings from your car. It safely removes bird muck, bugs, sap and fresh road tar.

www.poorboysworld.co.uk

Good stuff that is.

shaank · 30 Jul 2022 at 03:27

Cheers all for the wheel cleaner suggestions! I've been using Valet Pro Bilberry wheel cleaner for a while (5L bottle) but it's nearly out, and fancied something new. So, I've gone with 5L of BH Auto Wheel based on the comments (and reading reviews for ages!).

Also - RIP OP to this thread I guess, but what a useful thread it has been

ShiWarrior · 30 Jul 2022 at 21:43

chroniclard · 30 Jul 2022 at 21:48

Meh, thankless task keeping car clean, spotless yesterday, lovely, dusty as hell today. :mad:

Dis86 · 30 Jul 2022 at 23:24

chroniclard said:
Meh, thankless task keeping car clean, spotless yesterday, lovely, dusty as hell today.

Mines the same. What's more annoying is I have an empty garage but it's literally 5cm too long to put inside.

AWPC · 31 Jul 2022 at 07:05

chroniclard said:
Meh, thankless task keeping car clean, spotless yesterday, lovely, dusty as hell today.

Tell me about it!

I have to clean my car every weekend the aero sucks all the dust off the road producing immense downforce & grip but its a magnet so literally everything is just as dusty again :eek:

Mekrel · 31 Jul 2022 at 07:32

CaptainRAVE said:
Both cars were filthy with dust. A couple of contactless washes with bilt hamber and there’s barely anything left on them. Amazing how that stuff lifts the grime. Too much grit to risk a contact wash for now and it’s going to be in a dusty car park this weekend anyway.

Are you using DI water to rinse, or an air dryer to dry? Just wondering how you're managing to dry it if you're not wanting to make contact.

VaderDSL · 31 Jul 2022 at 08:34

I’ve gone back to the rinseless wash over summer, as always, to try to reduce water use.

Almost out of my meguirs express wash, might go back to ONR, but some posted in here and I can’t find it, about another ONR alternative, called mc something maybe?

anyone know what I’m thinking?

Mekrel · 31 Jul 2022 at 09:09

VaderDSL said:
I’ve gone back to the rinseless wash over summer, as always, to try to reduce water use.

Almost out of my meguirs express wash, might go back to ONR, but some posted in here and I can’t find it, about another ONR alternative, called mc something maybe?

anyone know what I’m thinking?

McKee's 37 N-914.

ShiWarrior · 31 Jul 2022 at 09:28

just to add, you can get it from In2detailing , dont buy it from amazon, its 4 times the price

CaptainRAVE · 31 Jul 2022 at 09:29

Mekrel said:
Are you using DI water to rinse, or an air dryer to dry? Just wondering how you're managing to dry it if you're not wanting to make contact.

Just leaving it air dry, don’t have anything else to use. I’ll get a blower at some point.

ShiWarrior · 31 Jul 2022 at 09:31

i want to have a go at Decontaminating my car, never done it before and quite nervous, so any tips appreciated

i think im going to use the chemical guys method

Neil777 · 31 Jul 2022 at 10:05

VaderDSL said:
I’ve gone back to the rinseless wash over summer, as always, to try to reduce water use.

Almost out of my meguirs express wash, might go back to ONR, but some posted in here and I can’t find it, about another ONR alternative, called mc something maybe?

anyone know what I’m thinking?

Clean and Shiny have the medium size bottles of ONR

Optimum No Rinse (ONR) - Rinseless Wash - V6

Beat any hosepipe ban and safely wash your car with Optimum No Rinse Version 6! Or maybe you don't have an outdoor tap or pressure washer? No matter your situation, ONR will get your car looking clean and shiny with its advanced polymer technology. How To Use: Add 30ml (1 oz.) of Optimum No...

www.cleanandshiny.co.uk

mjt · 31 Jul 2022 at 10:51

VaderDSL said:
I’ve gone back to the rinseless wash over summer, as always, to try to reduce water use.

Almost out of my meguirs express wash, might go back to ONR, but some posted in here and I can’t find it, about another ONR alternative, called mc something maybe?

anyone know what I’m thinking?

How do you avoid grinding all the dirt into the paint?

CaptainRAVE · 31 Jul 2022 at 10:54

ShiWarrior said:
i want to have a go at Decontaminating my car, never done it before and quite nervous, so any tips appreciated

i think im going to use the chemical guys method

Whilst I haven’t used their method, as with many things in life, lots of lube, be gentle

Just make sure the car is as clean as possible first.

I think I’ll wait until the autumn to do my paint prep, after the summer dust season is over and before the road grit season begins. I’m afraid to even touch my paint at the moment. I’ll give it to bilt hamber though, you can barely tell it didn’t have a contact wash. I doubt I’d get away with that in the winter though.

Mekrel · 31 Jul 2022 at 20:09

mjt said:
How do you avoid grinding all the dirt into the paint?

There are polymers in it that suspend dirt and reduce friction induced heat, and heat is needed for scratching. That's the theory behind it anyway.

I would be nervous about using it, but nothing evidential for me feeling that way. There's been a big uptake in rinseless washing from what I've read. There was a guy on another forum with a lovely new M4 using it as he's in France where you can't use water at home to clean the car at the moment.

If it really does work, it could save a lot of time, water and money. I guess it has some limitations, e.g. if you've got thick mud plastered around your wheel arches, or extremely neglected wheels with lots of brake dust etc.

I vote @ShiWarrior tries it out and reports back

ShiWarrior · 31 Jul 2022 at 20:21

I don't get many opportunities to clean my car
BUT i did buy CarPro Hydro2 Lite for waterless washing as i was hoping to do this at work early morning when nobody is around...
in a few years time when i buy my own place i will be able to do a lot of tests

i suppose, i could do want I was going to do is, use ONR (which i need to buy still , will buy 914 instead now) and the ultimate black sponge (which is actually cheaper than the older red version and the McKees Gold one) and cleaning it just with that
easier to do over summer as theres less mud, salt crap etc

i did watch a video , cover was caked in mud, and he used the waterless wash to clean it, with good results

VaderDSL · 31 Jul 2022 at 20:28

Cheers all for name of the ONR alternative.

I've used ONR / Meguiars Express wash for years. I only use it during the summer, and never on a filthy car. I'll tend to give it a good wash/wax before and after winter, then rinseless in summer (unless it is caked in mud etc.) It deals with regular dust/bugs just fine. It hasn't caused any scratches that I can see to my inexperienced eye, I have a spray bottle with some in to loosen up any tougher spots, light pressure and it all just lifts away. I just pat dry the car afterwards when using it, rather than dragging/wiping the paintwork.

To be honest, the only reason I use it is I'm lazy and it's easy. Pop 2 capful of ONR into a bucket, 8litres of water and that's all I'll tend to need.

ShiWarrior · 31 Jul 2022 at 20:29

here it is

also :

*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

* The Car Cleaning Thread *