What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[Evolvd]

Okay, so far this is my list,I went through this thread and the black book. Ht the black book mentioned other soaps etc but the comment where said meguirs hyperwash so I will try that.
Images included of shopping carts since it's faster than getting links,
Soap, meguirs hyper wash
Drying towel, gauntlet.
Pad, cyclone pad+mitt
Drying aid, griots 3in1 ceramic
Buckets/gamma lids/grit guards, Adams polishing combo 3 of each.

Now onto to the questions,
Should I get just wash pad and big or small or keep the combo and use the mitt for cleaning the wheels so I have a a seperate tool for wheels and car so I don't use the same pad to wipe wheels or car.

If I foam would the meguirs work or is there a better but not ultra expensive alternative that would be a better bang for the buck? ATM not planning to foam yet.

When applying the drying aid after using a small leaf blower to get the bulk off (small handheld battery Milwaukee). Should the panel be dried and then drying aid applied to enhance shine and finish? Or spray it on a few squirts while the panels still wet and make sure I wipe the entire area to disperse it. And then come back and buff it off after I finish the rest of the car?

Brushes, any recommendations for quick and easy brush to clean the tires that won't harm the rim but can scrub real good? My tires usually turn brown after awhile. But I don't use any product. No shine or anything. But I plan to, And will the meguirs hyper wash work fine or do I need a dedicated wheel cleaning product like nv purge or p&s brake buster? Skipping the wheel coating stuff from blackbook since it's all a bit to pricey for my needs and I think krhe griots should work fine.
Checked blackbook, thinking of the armor supply tire+ spray.

Also have gauntlet in the smaller 12x12 size for the wheels.

Trim, I saw somewhere that the solution finish is only for restoring trim and 303 is short term protection so should I do solution finish then upkeep with 303 protectant?

Anything else I missing that I should look into? Planning to order Sunday at the latest to take advantage of these discounts.

Current shopping items ordering Sun waiting for feedback

You picked a good time to shop cause The Rag Company is having 20% almost everything for Labor Day.

For wheels I recommend a smaller mitt like the Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt. It’s perfectly sized to cover your hand but doesn’t have the bulk of a regular sponge letting you get into the spokes.

For tire brush I recommend the Detail Factory tire brush in the regular size. (They make an XL for large truck tires).

Wheel/Tire cleaning would best be served by P&S Brake Buster as it can handle both tasks and save you some money. How you dilute it (or don’t) will affect how much work you need it to do. I mix 3:1 for both applications. If you need a heavy duty tire stripper get the Stoners Bug and Tar remover. Walmart has this at cheap price. Spray it on a rag and wipe the tires down after you’ve washed them.

If you want a good tire sealant that last months, get the ADS Ghost. It’s not a dressing so it’ll last 1-3 months whereas the Tire+ will only last a week or two and washes off.

If your trim is faded the Solution Finish is good for medium term rejuvenating. If you want longer lasting protection I’d go with ADS Trim Coat. It’s also on sale at TRC. But if you really want Solution Finish then also pick up their Over the Top topper to seal it in and make it last longer.

As for drying aide, you can apply that wet or dry. ADS Amplify is a great option here. Or if you want an easier application go with ADS Beads, apply it on a wet panel and then spray off with a pressure washer. This will give you some short term protection and a slick surface.

If you wanna save some money you don’t need gamma lids and any Home Depot/Lowes bucket will work for cheap. Most 5 gallon buckets have the same dimensions so the Grit Guards will fit.

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[Free Spirit]

You picked a good time to shop cause The Rag Company is having 20% almost everything for Labor Day.

For wheels I recommend a smaller mitt like the Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt. It’s perfectly sized to cover your hand but doesn’t have the bulk of a regular sponge letting you get into the spokes.

For tire brush I recommend the Detail Factory tire brush in the regular size. (They make an XL for large truck tires).

Wheel/Tire cleaning would best be served by P&S Brake Buster as it can handle both tasks and save you some money. How you dilute it (or don’t) will affect how much work you need it to do. I mix 3:1 for both applications. If you need a heavy duty tire stripper get the Stoners Bug and Tar remover. Walmart has this at cheap price. Spray it on a rag and wipe the tires down after you’ve washed them.

If you want a good tire sealant that last months, get the ADS Ghost. It’s not a dressing so it’ll last 1-3 months whereas the Tire+ will only last a week or two and washes off.

If your trim is faded the Solution Finish is good for medium term rejuvenating. If you want longer lasting protection I’d go with ADS Trim Coat. It’s also on sale at TRC. But if you really want Solution Finish then also pick up their Over the Top topper to seal it in and make it last longer.

As for drying aide, you can apply that wet or dry. ADS Amplify is a great option here. Or if you want an easier application go with ADS Beads, apply it on a wet panel and then spray off with a pressure washer. This will give you some short term protection and a slick surface.

If you wanna save some money you don’t need gamma lids and any Home Depot/Lowes bucket will work for cheap. Most 5 gallon buckets have the same dimensions so the Grit Guards will fit.

I'm heading home from vacation. But I'll look into it more tonight. All of the things I listed I went with because they are listed in the black book and here as good products, as for drying aid that little bit I got from project farm who tested several and I picked the top winner for the money. I don't need gamma lids but with 25% off so 65ish$ for 3 buckets (quality buckets not junk home Depot ones) 3 lids, 3 grit guards I can't complain. 11$ for 3 stickers to make things neat from rag company I'm golden. Also I hate the orange color idk why but it irks me to no end. And I had no clue there was a smaller wheel cyclone mitt. I've been doing all my googling on the beach so it's hard to see in the sun sometimes lol. I think the normal mitt should be fine. I have the sve sp2 rims so no super tight spots to get into. I hated cleaning my performance pack rims I had before

 

[Evolvd]

I'm heading home from vacation. But I'll look into it more tonight. All of the things I listed I went with because they are listed in the black book and here as good products, as for drying aid that little bit I got from project farm who tested several and I picked the top winner for the money. I don't need gamma lids but with 25% off so 65ish$ for 3 buckets (quality buckets not junk home Depot ones) 3 lids, 3 grit guards I can't complain. 11$ for 3 stickers to make things neat from rag company I'm golden. Also I hate the orange color idk why but it irks me to no end. And I had no clue there was a smaller wheel cyclone mitt. I've been doing all my googling on the beach so it's hard to see in the sun sometimes lol. I think the normal mitt should be fine. I have the sve sp2 rims so no super tight spots to get into. I hated cleaning my performance pack rims I had before

Keep in mind you don’t want to use the same mitt on paint as you do on wheels. The cyclone mitt for wheels doesn’t have a foam core unlike the large wash mitt.

And to be truthful, buckets are made from HDPE or PFE. Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace, etc are HDPE just like the Adams buckets. Was just making recommendations to save you some money for things that make a difference like quality chemicals.

BTW, all those chemicals I listed are on @DFB5.0 short list of ones he’s highly recommends. But you can’t go wrong with any of his picks.

 

[Free Spirit]

Keep in mind you don’t want to use the same mitt on paint as you do on wheels. The cyclone mitt for wheels doesn’t have a foam core unlike the large wash mitt.

And to be truthful, buckets are made from HDPE or PFE. Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace, etc are HDPE just like the Adams buckets. Was just making recommendations to save you some money for things that make a difference like quality chemicals.

BTW, all those chemicals I listed are on @DFB5.0 short list of ones he’s highly recommends. But you can go wrong with any of his picks.

Oh I know, I did look at some of the armor detail stuff but most of it was a bit pricey. I don't want dirt cheap I'm looking for a mix of quality and budget. As for the buckets. It's more about color than anything. Would've gotten blue ones in Amazon but they were overpriced. But the first guard and kid combo is a pretty good deal. I also used to work at home Depot and it was a terrible time and I don't give them a fucking penny after the shit they pulled on me. I'm going to do more digging TMR and wait to see if dfb replies before I order anything

 

[Free Spirit]

You picked a good time to shop cause The Rag Company is having 20% almost everything for Labor Day.

For wheels I recommend a smaller mitt like the Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt. It’s perfectly sized to cover your hand but doesn’t have the bulk of a regular sponge letting you get into the spokes.

For tire brush I recommend the Detail Factory tire brush in the regular size. (They make an XL for large truck tires).

Wheel/Tire cleaning would best be served by P&S Brake Buster as it can handle both tasks and save you some money. How you dilute it (or don’t) will affect how much work you need it to do. I mix 3:1 for both applications. If you need a heavy duty tire stripper get the Stoners Bug and Tar remover. Walmart has this at cheap price. Spray it on a rag and wipe the tires down after you’ve washed them.

If you want a good tire sealant that last months, get the ADS Ghost. It’s not a dressing so it’ll last 1-3 months whereas the Tire+ will only last a week or two and washes off.

If your trim is faded the Solution Finish is good for medium term rejuvenating. If you want longer lasting protection I’d go with ADS Trim Coat. It’s also on sale at TRC. But if you really want Solution Finish then also pick up their Over the Top topper to seal it in and make it last longer.

As for drying aide, you can apply that wet or dry. ADS Amplify is a great option here. Or if you want an easier application go with ADS Beads, apply it on a wet panel and then spray off with a pressure washer. This will give you some short term protection and a slick surface.

If you wanna save some money you don’t need gamma lids and any Home Depot/Lowes bucket will work for cheap. Most 5 gallon buckets have the same dimensions so the Grit Guards will fit.

Edit, as for the gamma lids, since it's so cheap to add into the Adams buckets as the combo I figure I should get all 3 I only planned for 1 (will use the buckets to store all of the car wash supplies) with 3 I can separate mits and pads into one, bottles into another and idk what in the third maybe more bottles just to keep things together. Can't hurt to have em it beats them sitting in a toolbox drawer or on top of it collecting dust and debris to scratch the paint. Also should I be looking into a clay bar or ignore that and just let whoever paint corrects the car do that.

Just a current update, I looked at the ads stuff, it says the tire coating lasts a couple weeks which is fine, it'll be reapplied each time I clean the car and the actual coating was a bit pricey (I'm not against it but 14$ for the tire+ vs 29 for the coating, if the tire plus last a long enough that's fine, hell Ive never even put coatjng on before on my personal vehicle so anything is better than nothing. If I go through the tire plus bottle and I'm not happy I'll swap over to the ghost stuff.
Also grabbed 1 gallon and I'll get a home Depot spray bottle for the brake buster. Ideally I won't dilute it just for easy use and to cut through crud unless you think diluting it is worthwhile and what dilution rate to use? I also grabbed that progrip brush from the brand you mentioned, is it safe to use on the rim or avoid touching the rim with it? As for wash kids I figured the pad (not sure how flexible it is) could be tricky and a wash it could make around the wipers and vents more easy so I grabbed a blue one and a gray one, blue for wheels and gray to match the gray pad for the car. Gotta find the griots stuff on Amazon still. This is the only reason I'm interested in it. Not sure how it compares to the beads or amplify though. But the tests show it's good as a spray on with the other I think gtechniq being the best but not as easy to apply which defeats the purpose for what I'll be using it for. Anthing else I'm missing or should consider?

 

[DFB5.0]

Okay, so far this is my list,I went through this thread and the black book. Ht the black book mentioned other soaps etc but the comment where said meguirs hyperwash so I will try that.
Images included of shopping carts since it's faster than getting links,
Soap, meguirs hyper wash
Drying towel, gauntlet.
Pad, cyclone pad+mitt
Drying aid, griots 3in1 ceramic
Buckets/gamma lids/grit guards, Adams polishing combo 3 of each.

Now onto to the questions,

Should I get just wash pad and big or small or keep the combo and use the mitt for cleaning the wheels so I have a separate tool for wheels and car so I don't use the same pad to wipe wheels or car.

I prefer wash pads for paint, usually the 10x version, but some find those a little too big/heavy.

For wheels, I use a small finger mitt for wheels.

If I foam would the meguirs work or is there a better but not ultra expensive alternative that would be a better bang for the buck? ATM not planning to foam yet.

Meguiar's Hyper Wash will do everything you need, be that as a bucket wash or in a foam cannon. An alternative would be Adam's Mega Foam, but Hyper Wash has more cleaning ability.

When applying the drying aid after using a small leaf blower to get the bulk off (small handheld battery Milwaukee). Should the panel be dried and then drying aid applied to enhance shine and finish? Or spray it on a few squirts while the panels still wet and make sure I wipe the entire area to disperse it. And then come back and buff it off after I finish the rest of the car?

The idea of a drying aid is provide lubrication while using a towel, the side benefit is more gloss/slickness/protection. The blower will remove most of the water, the towel finishes that off. So, apply a few sprays onto the paint or into the towel and wipe to distribute and remove the remaining water.

Brushes, any recommendations for quick and easy brush to clean the tires that won't harm the rim but can scrub real good? My tires usually turn brown after awhile. But I don't use any product.

Get the Detail Factory Tire Brush, the best there is! You wouldn't use this on wheels though. Team it with a dedicated tire cleaner, the Adam's and ADS ones are brilliant, or Brake Buster (use undiluted for tires).

And will the meguirs hyper wash work fine or do I need a dedicated wheel cleaning product like nv purge or p&s brake buster?

Hyper wash can absolutely be used to clean wheels, its a slightly stronger soap than most. If you do want to add a dedicated wheel cleaner for when needed, stick with Brake Buster as that can double as your tire cleaner.

Trim, I saw somewhere that the solution finish is only for restoring trim and 303 is short term protection so should I do solution finish then upkeep with 303 protectant?

Skip Solution Finish if the trim is in ok conditions. You can then dress it with 303, just know it won't last very long, basically until it rains or gets washed.

I use Carpro Reload on trim as it lasts longer, is less messy to apply and provides the necessary UV protection. You could use any spray sealant, but Reload has a certain oil solvent in it that helps darken the trim without making it glossy. Reload can then be used on the paint and wheels if you so choose.

 

[DFB5.0]

Oh I know, I did look at some of the armor detail stuff but most of it was a bit pricey. I don't want dirt cheap I'm looking for a mix of quality and budget. As for the buckets. It's more about color than anything. Would've gotten blue ones in Amazon but they were overpriced. But the first guard and kid combo is a pretty good deal. I also used to work at home Depot and it was a terrible time and I don't give them a fucking penny after the shit they pulled on me. I'm going to do more digging TMR and wait to see if dfb replies before I order anything

The Adam's line of products are great bang for your buck. Not dirt cheap, but not expensive either. And in most cases, the products are super easy to use and without compromising on the quality of the end result.

 

[skinnyb]

The Adam's line of products are great bang for your buck. Not dirt cheap, but not expensive either. And in most cases, the products are super easy to use and without compromising on the quality of the end result.

Agreed, Adams makes some great stuff top to bottom.. They are a bit gimmicky at times having 5 different things that do the same thing (like Chemical Guys)... Their soaps are great, even just the plain old blue soap.

 

[MrMike]

I see wheel brush discussion, I have to pop in about when DFB told me to buy this guy:

https://theragcompany.com/collections/exterior-brushes/products/detail-factory-wheel-brush-kit

It makes it so easy to get the rubber chunks off my wheels after the track.

 

[Free Spirit]

I see wheel brush discussion, I have to pop in about when DFB told me to buy this guy:

https://theragcompany.com/collections/exterior-brushes/products/detail-factory-wheel-brush-kit

It makes it so easy to get the rubber chunks off my wheels after the track.

Yup I've got that in my cart already

 

[Free Spirit]

I prefer wash pads for paint, usually the 10x version, but some find those a little too big/heavy.

For wheels, I use a small finger mitt for wheels.



Meguiar's Hyper Wash will do everything you need, be that as a bucket wash or in a foam cannon. An alternative would be Adam's Mega Foam, but Hyper Wash has more cleaning ability.



The idea of a drying aid is provide lubrication while using a towel, the side benefit is more gloss/slickness/protection. The blower will remove most of the water, the towel finishes that off. So, apply a few sprays onto the paint or into the towel and wipe to distribute and remove the remaining water.



Get the Detail Factory Tire Brush, the best there is! You wouldn't use this on wheels though. Team it with a dedicated tire cleaner, the Adam's and ADS ones are brilliant, or Brake Buster (use undiluted for tires).



Hyper wash can absolutely be used to clean wheels, its a slightly stronger soap than most. If you do want to add a dedicated wheel cleaner for when needed, stick with Brake Buster as that can double as your tire cleaner.



Skip Solution Finish if the trim is in ok conditions. You can then dress it with 303, just know it won't last very long, basically until it rains or gets washed.

I use Carpro Reload on trim as it lasts longer, is less messy to apply and provides the necessary UV protection. You could use any spray sealant, but Reload has a certain oil solvent in it that helps darken the trim without making it glossy. Reload can then be used on the paint and wheels if you so choose.

Awesome, I'll check out the reload, and skip solution finish for now as my grills are new, rear diffuser is only a year or 2 old (oem replacement) and the front splitter is new (also OEM). The only trim in bad condition is the quarter windows but that's peeling off the car, no fix unless I replace those windows which isn't worth it. Got the tire brush already and I'll probably keep the bigger wash mitt for the wheels (mine don't have any super tight spots to get into so I don't need a really small one). And I'll swap the wash pad to the 10x one. Anything else to grab?

 

[Free Spirit]

I prefer wash pads for paint, usually the 10x version, but some find those a little too big/heavy.

For wheels, I use a small finger mitt for wheels.



Meguiar's Hyper Wash will do everything you need, be that as a bucket wash or in a foam cannon. An alternative would be Adam's Mega Foam, but Hyper Wash has more cleaning ability.



The idea of a drying aid is provide lubrication while using a towel, the side benefit is more gloss/slickness/protection. The blower will remove most of the water, the towel finishes that off. So, apply a few sprays onto the paint or into the towel and wipe to distribute and remove the remaining water.



Get the Detail Factory Tire Brush, the best there is! You wouldn't use this on wheels though. Team it with a dedicated tire cleaner, the Adam's and ADS ones are brilliant, or Brake Buster (use undiluted for tires).



Hyper wash can absolutely be used to clean wheels, its a slightly stronger soap than most. If you do want to add a dedicated wheel cleaner for when needed, stick with Brake Buster as that can double as your tire cleaner.



Skip Solution Finish if the trim is in ok conditions. You can then dress it with 303, just know it won't last very long, basically until it rains or gets washed.

I use Carpro Reload on trim as it lasts longer, is less messy to apply and provides the necessary UV protection. You could use any spray sealant, but Reload has a certain oil solvent in it that helps darken the trim without making it glossy. Reload can then be used on the paint and wheels if you so choose.

Which tire cleaner works best for tires and wheels. I prices are all similar for 1 gallon so should I do brake buster, Adams or ads?.
I also just went through and kept 1 bigger wash mitt for the car, got the 2 pack of cyclone wheel mitts for the wheels, a synthetic brush long handle to do the badges and around the hood vent crevace. These images are my final haul before I order. I'll order more later on but this will be the majority.

Also carpro reload or reload 2.0?

It's what's in the 3 images from rag company ( might also throw in the Wolfpack microfibers since it's heavily discounted and should work fine for random spot cleaning and interior cleaning or are they too fluffy?)
+ Amazon car - meguirrs hyper wash and griots 3-1
+ Adams - 3 buckets with gamma lids and grit guards, stickers from rag company to label buckets.

Anything else I might need to start washing my car properly instead of scratching the crap outta it?

 

[skinnyb]

New project showed up tonight in the middle of a thunderstorm LOL.. . So it is inside for the night, gonna hopefully start on it first thing in the morning. A good bath, deep clean the wheels, synthetic clay and some ceramic sealant, then a good going over the interior... Can't wait to see how it turns out...

 

[skinnyb]

Which tire cleaner works best for tires and wheels. I prices are all similar for 1 gallon so should I do brake buster, Adams or ads?.
I also just went through and kept 1 bigger wash mitt for the car, got the 2 pack of cyclone wheel mitts for the wheels, a synthetic brush long handle to do the badges and around the hood vent crevace. These images are my final haul before I order. I'll order more later on but this will be the majority.

Also carpro reload or reload 2.0?

It's what's in the 3 images from rag company ( might also throw in the Wolfpack microfibers since it's heavily discounted and should work fine for random spot cleaning and interior cleaning or are they too fluffy?)
+ Amazon car - meguirrs hyper wash
+ Adams - 3 buckets with gamma lids and grit guards, stickers from rag company to label buckets.

Anything else I might need to start washing my car properly instead of scratching the crap outta it?

I REALLY like the ADS tire cleaner. It is really strong though, I mix it at the very least 50/50 so you make 2 gallons. You need to use Brake Buster full strength to get that kind of cleaning power. Adams is good too, pretty potent. And Reload 2.0 is the most up to date formula... I keep it ironically for treating black plastic trim. It is magical on trim, works great on paint too...

 

[Evolvd]

Which tire cleaner works best for tires and wheels. I prices are all similar for 1 gallon so should I do brake buster, Adams or ads?.
I also just went through and kept 1 bigger wash mitt for the car, got the 2 pack of cyclone wheel mitts for the wheels, a synthetic brush long handle to do the badges and around the hood vent crevace. These images are my final haul before I order. I'll order more later on but this will be the majority.

Also carpro reload or reload 2.0?

It's what's in the 3 images from rag company ( might also throw in the Wolfpack microfibers since it's heavily discounted and should work fine for random spot cleaning and interior cleaning or are they too fluffy?)
+ Amazon car - meguirrs hyper wash
+ Adams - 3 buckets with gamma lids and grit guards, stickers from rag company to label buckets.

Anything else I might need to start washing my car properly instead of scratching the crap outta it?

Reload 2.0 would be the one you want for trim. Brake Buster is tried and true and works great. If you run it straight it’s a sledgehammer and if you just need some weekly maintenance you can dilute it 3:1 or 5:1 for mild cleaning. You shouldn’t strip your tires often as that browning is actually the anti-ozone protecting that keeps the rubber from breaking down and drying out in the sun.

The Wolfpack towels are good for final wipe downs or buffing after you’ve added a drying aid. Honestly I’d get a box of the TRC ultra Rip n Rags. They are perfect for just about every job and you can either wash and reuse them or throw them out if they get too soiled. While I’m thinking about it, also get yourself a bottle of Rags To Riches microfiber wash. It’s great for cleaning your towels and won’t ruin the fibers like regular detergent will.

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