What is your hand wash routine & what products do you use?

[KCCG1219]

My last mustang ended up with light swirls in the paint and I’m not convinced it’s only from taking it to the car wash. I hand washed it 70% of the time but I still always felt like I was scratching the paint. I want to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen on my new mustang, so for those of you who hand wash your vehicles, I’d love to know what products you use (like what sponges, soap, towels, etc). and what your process is like. Do you re-use sponges and towels or do you use new ones for every wash? I ask this because I feel like I could never get my sponges 100% clean and free of debris after washing the car. I also wonder if washing the towels in my washer and dryer was enough to rid of any debris as well.

I’ve also seen a lot of talk about using leaf blowers to dry instead of towels. Is this actually a smart and effective idea?

This is the soap I’ve used.
Three sponges I’ve tried: This one, this one, and this one.
I can’t find the exact towels I’ve used, but they were green, made by Turtle Wax, and sold at target. Probably similar to this.

Are any of these actually good, safe products to use or would you advise against them?

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[skinnyb]

I use Adams products. 2 bucket (actually 3 buckets) and 2 micro fiber wash mits. I use 1 dedicated bucket for wheels and wheel wells, Adams Wheel and tire cleaner. Adams car wash shampoo for the body bucket, 1 mit for lower surfaces and bumpers, 1 mit for upper surfaces, hood, roof, trunk lid. After washed I spritz down with P&S Beadmaker then take a battery operated workshop blower and blow off as much water as possible. Door jambs, door handles, mirrors, wheels. All excess water I then use a Rag Company wooly towel. I usually do a pre wash spray with Iron X every third time or so and clay mit as needed. I also spray down the wheels every other time or so with Iron X, helps to remove the brake dust and contaminants off the brake components. Also I have really hard water that leaves water spots, I have an in line filter that removes a lot of the minerals and helps tremendously.

Edit: I just clicked your links. The foam sponges are not a great idea. The micro fiber towels look OK. THe wash mit with microfiber fingers is my go to. General rule of thumb the least amount of touching the paint is best and if you do touch, lots of soapy water for lubrication, and using a second bucket with clear water and a grit guard to rinse the dirt out of your mits between soaping.. I generally get all my supplies from Amazon. Rag Company is a great source to get towels. Adams is my go to soap and chemical supplier. Car Pro Iron X for the fallout remover.

 

[Livernois Motorsports]

The way I do it is first I get all my stuff ready, foam cannon, hook up the pressure washer, ETC

Then I will go over and start at the driver-side wheels and wash those before I start on the rest of the car.

I spray the car down with the pressure washer with a wide nozzle its like 45 degrees. After That, I will foam the car, and depending on how dusty it was or if it got caught in the rain I might rinse it off and then foam it again.

Wash mitt and 3 bucket method starting from the roof I work my way down to the lower parts of the car. I use white mitts so I can see if it starts to get contaminated.

Once she has been rubbed down I will rinse the car again and then do one final low-pressure rinse to get as much water to bead off as I can.

I use a drying towel again, starting from top to bottom. once the car is dry ill pop the trunk and hood and gets into all those nooks that water likes to drip out of and address those spots.

Once it's done I admire my clean car and crack open a beer, then I realize I need to wax it

So I'll put some Chem guys glaze on it and then use some hydroslick or butter wax, then I am done!

 

[Skye]

THE author to follow for detailing products and techniques is @DFB5.0 .

I use nothing but microfiber items when cleaning the car. I have different colors of towels for different purposes. For example, all purple towels are for polishing. Blue, for glass, etc.

When washing the car, I use the two bucket method. One with suds, the other just plain water. At the bottom of each bucket, I have a small, raised platform with vortices, to help keep the dirt in the bottom of the bucket.

The car is only washed when cool to the touch, early morning usually, with a cool hood, to help prevent spotting.

When I do wash, I use microfiber mitts. I have one (blue) for the body and one (black) for rims and wheels. Body first. Once the body is clean and dried, I do the rims/tires. Later, the interior. I also have a barrel cleaner for the rims (highly recommend one).

I wash from the top down, using a simple hose to rinse. People do use cannons and pressure washers and use them well. I care not to. I do a rinse overall first, to knock off anything, wash and then rinse again.

For drying, microfiber towels, different colors and types for body (orange) and wheels (black).

Interior, much of the same. Brown or yellow microfiber for leather, blue for glass.

For keeping all the cleaning pieces nice, everything is washed separate. So the body washing pieces are cleaned separate from the rim/tires, blue only with blue, etc. While the body and the rim-cleaning items are put in the washer after cleaning the car (two loads), all the other items pile up until I can do several at once, like six or seven blue towels in one load. I often just let the microfiber air dry, but have also used the delicate cycle in the dryer.

Total buy-in for the "kit" I use was probably $100-150. I have plenty of items for one car and they are all wearing well.

I use a common (simple) auto soap for the body, since I have decals. Many soaps contain "image enhancers" to make things appear better still, but they can have a negative impact on decals (sometimes, not always) and how ceramic coatings can perform.

I do not use a wax, but a paint sealer, applied by hand every few months.

Since June, this has been my process. It's worked well. It reads time-consuming, but it's not. It's just tedious.

The car does have PPF; I have experienced zero issues with. If you have PPF, like ceramic coatings, be mindful of how some products could impact these protectors.

Long-term, I'm considering getting ceramic coating on the rims, possibly this Winter while the car is in storage.

 

[MAGS1]

Stay away from sponges, get a good microfiber wash mitt. Adam’s makes a good one as mentioned above. For soap, you want some that has high lubricity. Adam’s (the blue one) is good as is Gyeon Bathe. Good drying towels (the Rag Company) and a spray detailer (again Adam’s is good) to use as a drying aid will help prevent scratches during the drying process.

 

[MAGS1]

Long-term, I'm considering getting ceramic coating on the rims, possibly this Winter while the car is in storage.

I just coated my summer wheels a few weeks ago. I did the faces and barrels. I used Gtechniq C5 Wheel Armor for reference. Easy application, like any coating prep is key. I got the 30ml bottle and I used +/- 85% of it on 20x10 wheels.

 

[skinnyb]

I just coated my summer wheels a few weeks ago. I did the faces and barrels. I used Gtechniq C5 Wheel Armor for reference. Easy application, like any coating prep is key. I got the 30ml bottle and I used +/- 85% of it on 20x10 wheels.

Coating on my wheels is my next project. Got the car paint done last weekend. I use the Adams Graphene spray. Really easy to use and all the reviews say it is pretty durable. I rarely take mine out of the garage on a wet weather day so I figure it should last a while..

 

[Livernois Motorsports]

AMMO NYC makes some really good videos on detailing and even how to polish/ buff a car and its all free so I do recommend taking a look at what he does, its very informative

 

[MAGS1]

Coating on my wheels is my next project. Got the car paint done last weekend. I use the Adams Graphene spray. Really easy to use and all the reviews say it is pretty durable. I rarely take mine out of the garage on a wet weather day so I figure it should last a while..

I’ve heard good things about their Graphene spray. Should last a good amount of time if you don’t expose it to the elements very often. The Graphene Advanced coating really good if you ever decide to go the full coating route.

 

[DRAGOON]

^^^ Good advice given above this reply ^^^
Don’t use sponges
2 bucket wash/rinse
Quality products
Microfiber towels, buy the best you can afford
Wash mitt for body, wash mitt for wheels, don’t mix them up
Getting a ceramic coat helps
Don’t wipe in circles to dry or wash, ONLY back & forth in 1 direction - front to back
Only wash a cool to the touch car in the shade
I use these products :

https://oberkcarcare.com/

 

[skinnyb]

I’ve heard good things about their Graphene spray. Should last a good amount of time if you don’t expose it to the elements very often. The Graphene Advanced coating really good if you ever decide to go the full coating route.

I heard good things about that too. Adams stuff is very easy to apply and the Advanced Graphene Spray has very high reviews on many websites I use. Supposed to last 18 months. The way I drive mine it will probably last no problem. Especially since I wipe down with Beadmaker after every wash... The Graphene is very hydrophobic but not that slick to the touch but Beadmaker is slicker than greased goose snot. It is amazing stuff even if it doesn't last very long

 

[skinnyb]

AMMO NYC makes some really good videos on detailing and even how to polish/ buff a car and its all free so I do recommend taking a look at what he does, its very informative

I agree. I like Chicago Auto Pros and Detail Geek too, very informative videos.

 

[Slopoke]

I try to knock off as much as I can using a gasoline pressure washer, with the "Delicate" nozzle, with water straight from the water softener. Next is a foam cannon and two wash mitts, rinsing the mitts after every body section, I.E fender, door half hood, etc. First rinse with power washer and soft water. Second rinse is with soft water run through a D.I resin filter. Sinc, e the D.I filter removes most of the TDS (total dissolved solids), I just use a leaf blower to knock off the water and no need to wipe down at all. I have a black car and it works for me.

 

[ay1820]

My hand wash routine? I turn on the sink, carefully wet my hands under warm running water, apply soap and gently rub my hands together working the soap in between each digit, rinse off the soap under the running water, and finally using a soft towel, gently dry the water off of my hands

 

[Fambreezy]

Two bucket method. Use mostly chemical guys products except for the Adams wheel cleaner. That’s stuff is great.

1. Spray the car down with the pressure washer to remove as much loose dirt as possible. Then I use Adams wheel cleaner on the wheels. I use a chemical guys brush and barrel brush to clean the wheels. Spray off the wheels and then move to the foam cannon. Foam the car down and let the soap sit and run off for 3-4 minutes. Re foam the car and then start with the hand wash.

2. I use two separate mitts. Once it comes off the car and into the bucket I don’t put it back on the car. Probably overkill but it makes me feel better. After the hand wash is complete I spray off the car and get ready to dry.

3. For drying I use and air blower to remove the majority of the water and then go back with chemical guys drying Towels to finish up. Once dry I will also open the doors and trunk to get the door jams dry.

4. Vacuum out the interior. Start with windows cleaner on the interior glass, then wipe down the dash, upholstery, etc. That’s about it. My car is ceramic coated so all of this is pretty easy. Takes me an hour or so for setup, wash and cleanup. I try to wash the car when it’s not in direct sunlight. It helps a lot with water spots and if I do get spots I’ll use a spray on detailed to get rid of those.

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