Baby needs its first bath, lessons learned?

[SEERED]

Ok everyone, Loud-Mouth Lime needs its first bath and I have read that Kent had some extra fun and perhaps others too. Please share your best tricks and lessons learned from cleaning the GT500 and dealing with all the nooks and...crannies. List your favorite cleaning products.

Sponsored

 

[kilobravo]

Curtis: I'm a big fan of the concept..."wash or wipe off often." Consequently, for me, few cleaning supplies are required. Just a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a 5-gal bucket with a second bucket of clean water for rinsing the mitt.

I wash and dry with MF towels I get from an outfit in Hawaii and they are excellent. (Can't recall the name but if anyone wants the info, I'll check my records.) But "rags" are pretty important to avoid light scratches from crummy rags. :-)

Normally, I use Meguiar's "Last Touch" spray wax after washing.

Diluted Simple Green on the wheels and tires, then Chemical Guys "O High Shine" on the tires. Looks like they changed this product as it now has a different name.

For the black plastic, I use Aerospace 303. Good stuff.

Lots of polishing "gear" and I won't list my favorite supplies unless someone is interested.

Love the "dirty lime." <smile>

 

[Rapid Red]

3M car wash, found at NAPA, 2 0z and a gallon of water. When done put a coat of polish on the car.

Rinse the car off good before and after soaping it down. same goes for the wheels

Will not comment on what polish to use, probably could guess.
Types of polish, same old, what oil is best, discussions. Some believe the hyped TV brands, informed find what they need other ways.

Leaf blower makes a good first dry off, towel dry water left behind.

Dish washing soap is a huge NO do some reading, bad advise.

 

[kilobravo]

Pep: I'll look into it but, I've used this routine for over forty years and I daresay my vehicles look as good as most OCD'ers. :-)

For me, soft water is way more important than a few drops of detergent.

 

[Venomous Pony]

Not to push their product but Chemical guys website actually has some good educational videos last time I looked.

 

[jwhite]

Best $ spent was the small job site DeWalt 20v cordless blower. I’m not using it on the whole car but finning up around the door handles, mirrors, and around the front end headlights and grill piece s. Helps with all those hard to dry areas that water gets trapped in. Especially in trunk and taillights.

 

[Rapid Red]

KB,
I think you will find the dish soap for one removes polish. I was a dish soap user at first, but thru the years. Reading and just being around it gets a thumbs down from painters, for car care. I believe I've even see it cautioned in factory suggested car care literature .

Life is learning just do not want anyone to hurt the finish of the car.

 

[kilobravo]

Pep: I believe that it does remove some of the last spray wax but hey, that's just a good excuse to wax her again. <smiling>

You know, I have tried other "car washing detergents" but honestly, never noticed any major difference in the finish.

But, since you mentioned Chemical Guys and vids, I'll have a look and yep, I love learning new things...thanks.

 

[SEERED]

Of course thank you all for the info and what is the opinion on these post wash "detailers". I have used the same as KB mentioned above but am wondering about the vinyl stripes and the CF composite pieces. Any thoughts?

 

[kilobravo]

Curtis: IMO, the best way to take care of vinyl stripes is frequent waxing. Except for a nick or two here and there, the stripes on my '14 look as good as new and I've done nothing more than buff and wax them. (Be extra careful with a polisher around vinyl stripe edges unless they're filmed.)

As for the black composite plastic pieces, that Aerospace 303 is my go to stuff. I use the heck out of it on any exterior plastic, rubber, and vinyl (but not the stripes.)

I don't know about CF and I'm going to have to look into it but I'm gonna bet that the same stuff will work just fine on that, too.

Finally, I've never used a post-wash "detailer" product. To me, post-wash detailing means drying it thoroughly with MF towels, blowing out all the hidden water in body panels, wheels, and tires with compressed air, then spray waxing and tire shining.

I'd guess start to finish, wash to wax, takes me about ninety minutes on the new car, about fifteen minutes longer than the same thing on the other car.

 

[SEERED]

Thanks KB. Man I wish My green matched the one in your avatar. I think it was the pre-production color borrowed from the little RS?

 

[seth21w]

Just use any designed car wash soap, 5 gal bucket brand new wash mitt I use two mitts one for car one for wheels. Chamois dry i use turtle wax spray and dry every wash then twice a year I clay bar mother's and wax it mother's. The clay is important if it's the first cleaning lots of debris in the paint.

 

[SEERED]

I am definitely going with the blower idea FTW and am endorsing the California Duster to extend the clean look. Here in the desert, dust is considered a part of a balanced breakfast.

 

[kilobravo]

Curtis: I HATE dust and while it's not as bad as the desert down here but, with all the agriculture, there's always dirt in the air. It even builds up on the bottom of the dang seement pond, too! Grrrr... :-)

But I sure wouldn't use one of those California dusters because they hold particles of dirt that can scratch the clear coat the next time you dust.

My "in between" washes consist of a small bucket of warm water, a few drops of detergent, and and two MF towels, one wet to wipe off the dust and one to dry it after. But even this is risky and you need to be careful as well as rinse the wet rag frequently.

Seth brings up a good topic...clay baring. I assumed I would have to do the new car knowing it sat outside in Flat Rock but it was free of all industrial fallout as far as I could tell. But over time, it builds up and even if you keep it indoors and covered, you probably want to clay every three or four years I'd guess.

I don't think I can get more gloss out of my own car's clear coat than I have achieved so far. (hood photo here) Still haven't decided about PPF though but film can add another level of gloss although I personally prefer the look of polished paint over polished film.

 

[Rapid Red]

KP

Went out and found Aerospace 303, good stuff thanks for the tip. Noting that boat owners find it useful went searching, now a user.
Coming up from Miami I know that is a tuff environment for plastics & UV.

Learn new stuff every day

Cheers

https://www.totalcardiagnostics.com/learn/can-you-use-dish-soap-to-wash-a-car/

More
Advantages of Household Soaps for Car Washing
Laundry detergent, dish soap, and other household soaps can be good alternatives to car soaps. A particular advantage to household soaps is that they are very effective in cleaning because they de-grease and remove tough dirt.

Continue reading belowOur Video of the Day
Disadvantages of Household Soaps for Car Washing
Although household soaps and detergents are cheaper when compared with car soaps they degrade the wax coating that gives the shine to your car. This will make your car to look older sooner and remove a protective layer from the surface.

Conclusion
Each type of soap has a job to do. For example, dish soap is abrasive, which is why it does a good job on dishes. In contrast, car washing soap is milder so it wouldn't do a great job with dishes, but it does protect the waxy finish on car paint. If your car is older and you're not concerned about salvaging the sheen, go ahead and use household soap to get the job done. Otherwise, the commercial products are your best choice.

Coin has been flipped and in the air .............

Sponsored