What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[DFB5.0]

I detailed the RAV4 this afternoon, and one thing caught my eye - water beading on the tyres.

Last detail, two months ago, I used Carpro Darkside for the first time.
I cannot get over how good the durability of Darkside is, and the hydrophobic properties.

Now, what is the recommended method to clean the applicator after x number of uses?
Darkside doesn't offer any clean up instructions, and I can imagine the fluid would build up over time on the bristles.

Clean the brush with water, turps, or something else?

Darkside is solvent based, so it will need something alkaline to break through it. That could be a heavy APC or even a tire cleaner such as Wise Guy, Undressed or ReTyre. I guess mineral turpentine (mineral spirits) can be used, but I'm not sure how that would affect the bristles, keep in mind these brushes are repurposed from the cosmetics/grooming industry.

No matter the product, I just spray into the brittles before rinsing under warm/hot water. You might need to do this a couple of times.

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[MrMike]

I detailed the RAV4 this afternoon, and one thing caught my eye - water beading on the tyres.

Last detail, two months ago, I used Carpro Darkside for the first time.
I cannot get over how good the durability of Darkside is, and the hydrophobic properties.

Now, what is the recommended method to clean the applicator after x number of uses?
Darkside doesn't offer any clean up instructions, and I can imagine the fluid would build up over time on the bristles.

Clean the brush with water, turps, or something else?

I'd just hit it with some APC and rinse it off w/hot water.

 

[skinnyb]

I'd just hit it with some APC and rinse it off w/hot water.

Same, I hit mine with APC and agitate with the palm of my hand then rinse. Sometimes I have to do it more than once but it eventually comes clean. One of the reasons I quit using Darkside, solvent based dressings are too messy..

 

[50ALM]

Darkside is solvent based, so it will need something alkaline to break through it. That could be a heavy APC or even a tire cleaner such as Wise Guy, Undressed or ReTyre. I guess mineral turpentine (mineral spirits) can be used, but I'm not sure how that would affect the bristles, keep in mind these brushes are repurposed from the cosmetics/grooming industry.
...
No matter the product, I just spray into the brittles before rinsing under warm/hot water. You might need to do this a couple of times.

I'd just hit it with some APC and rinse it off w/hot water.

Same, I hit mine with APC and agitate with the palm of my hand then rinse. Sometimes I have to do it more than once but it eventually comes clean.

Thanks guys.

I've had some Koch Chemie Green Star on the "to get" list for a while, which has been unobtanium in recent months.
Detailing Shed claim to have it in stock, but now waiting on Bilt Hamber Trace-Less to come into stock. There's always some bloody thing that holds up the next order!

I already have some CarPro Lift (pH 12), so how about using that in the meantime?
Either undiluted or 1:1 perhaps?

 

[MACHtobers Very Own]

as much as I think dark sides claim of 3 months is horse shit I do think it does a good job of making it easier to clean the tire even though it may not look as good as it did day 1 of application.

I did a back to back application where

applied dark side
2 weeks later washed and applied dark side

it has now been 3 weeks and used PERL

tires looked better
Cleaned better


I think dark side needs the right combination of environment elements to do its job. Still happy but didn't expect it to be applied as often as I have.

 

[MrMike]

Thanks guys.

I've had some Koch Chemie Green Star on the "to get" list for a while, which has been unobtanium in recent months.
Detailing Shed claim to have it in stock, but now waiting on Bilt Hamber Trace-Less to come into stock. There's always some bloody thing that holds up the next order!

I already have some CarPro Lift (pH 12), so how about using that in the meantime?
Either undiluted or 1:1 perhaps?

I have Lift in a spray bottle at 1:10 so I'd try that first since it's the standard dilution. It suds a lot compared to a normal APC so rinse thoroughly.

 

[DFB5.0]

Thanks guys.

I've had some Koch Chemie Green Star on the "to get" list for a while, which has been unobtanium in recent months.
Detailing Shed claim to have it in stock, but now waiting on Bilt Hamber Trace-Less to come into stock. There's always some bloody thing that holds up the next order!

I already have some CarPro Lift (pH 12), so how about using that in the meantime?
Either undiluted or 1:1 perhaps?

I’ve used Lift for that sort of thing before, I didn’t get to hung up on the dilution ratio though.

 

[DFB5.0]

Thanks guys.

I've had some Koch Chemie Green Star on the "to get" list for a while, which has been unobtanium in recent months.

Detailing Shed claim to have it in stock, but now waiting on Bilt Hamber Trace-Less to come into stock. There's always some bloody thing that holds up the next order!

I can't wait to try Traceless, hopefully I get in before it sells out. I'm also running out of Bilt Hamber Touch-less, which is now sold-out across the country. The latest v2 version of Touch-less will arrive with Trace-less in mid-October.....................which was previously late September, previously early September, which was originally late August.

 

[50ALM]

I can't wait to try Traceless, hopefully I get in before it sells out. I'm also running out of Bilt Hamber Touch-less, which is now sold-out across the country. The latest v2 version of Touch-less will arrive with Trace-less in mid-October.....................which was previously late September, previously early September, which was originally late August.

I've entered my email address for the notification, probably like countless others.
Order will be in minutes later!

 

[kilobravo]

I'm curious how much you have to pump to foam the whole car.

Mike: I have the sprayer but haven't used it on a vehicle yet, only tested the spray. First, pumping is a non-starter as you'll be flat worn out by the time you finish foaming. Secondly, this isn't a foam cannon so it's not going to produce anything like you get from one of those.

But, it's a reasonably good way to get product on the vehicle IF you have an air compressor (or battery-powered bike pump.

As I said, I haven't used it yet but someone else Mark or Alex I think, said that it would take a few "air ups" from the compressor to finish a vehicle.

I picked it up to use on wheels and tires as I'm hoping that it will save some time by not having to use the foam cannon, disconnect, insert nozzle, then rinse with the gun. We'll see.

 

[MrMike]

Mike: I have the sprayer but haven't used it on a vehicle yet, only tested the spray. First, pumping is a non-starter as you'll be flat worn out by the time you finish foaming. Secondly, this isn't a foam cannon so it's not going to produce anything like you get from one of those.

But, it's a reasonably good way to get product on the vehicle IF you have an air compressor (or battery-powered bike pump.

As I said, I haven't used it yet but someone else Mark or Alex I think, said that it would take a few "air ups" from the compressor to finish a vehicle.

I picked it up to use on wheels and tires as I'm hoping that it will save some time by not having to use the foam cannon, disconnect, insert nozzle, then rinse with the gun. We'll see.

Thanks, that tells me this is probably not what I'm after lol.

Right now I just use a spray bottle with 1:10 Lift and go all over the car. It suds up like crazy when I rinse it. Sounds like I'll just wait until I want to drop the cash on one of those small wall mounted pressure washers.

 

[skinnyb]

Thanks, that tells me this is probably not what I'm after lol.

Right now I just use a spray bottle with 1:10 Lift and go all over the car. It suds up like crazy when I rinse it. Sounds like I'll just wait until I want to drop the cash on one of those small wall mounted pressure washers.

I have to agree. The IK foamer is nice, but I typically only use on wheels and wheel wells. I can do one side (2 wheels and wells) and then hit with the compressor again and hit the other side. I typically only do one side at a time anyway...

But, a wall mounted setup is ideal for producing foam to cover the whole car. I have the Active 2.0 and it is wonderful. 2 gallons a minute, with a 40 degree tip on the wand it makes rinsing afterward very easy. And a 75 foot hose on a hose reel is nice

 

[kilobravo]

Sounds like I'll just wait until I want to drop the cash on one of those small wall mounted pressure washers.

Good call, Mike as I'm sure you would have been disappointed.

 

[DFB5.0]

Two additional soap contenders........................

I nearly took out my nostrils giving the Soft Wash a quick whiff, that cherry scent is STRONG!

The NXT? Well, that takes me back to the late 2000's and my FG XR6. Before taking delivery of it in June 2008, I went on a car care binge by "upgrading" to Autoglym, in particular Super Resin Polish (a mild polish with a LOT of fillers), Extra Gloss Protection (a liquid sealant used on top of SRP), and Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner. The SRP and EGP stayed with me for a while, but the shampoo was exceptionally terrible.

Enter Meguiar's then new NXT 2.0 lineup. Three products made up the NXT 2.0 line, a synthetic liquid sealant called Tech Wax 2.0, a paste wax also called Tech Wax 2.0, and a shampoo. Meguiar's went all out on these products, the purple colouring linked them together, as did the grape scent and special cardboard packaging. Even the foam applicators were purple.

I ended up using the NXT 2.0 Tech Wax paste on the XR6 for many years. From what I can tell, that stuff was also full of fillers and had a mild abrasive in it. It's main claim to fame was the "stunning wet-look shine". Looking back, I seem to remember Tech Wax 2.0 paste required plenty of effort to apply, plenty of effort to buff off. In the end, I replaced it with the delightful Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant. Since then, the liquid Tech Wax and shampoo remain on sale, but the paste wax is long gone.

In terms of the soap, this was looong before my foray into foam cannons. As such, I always appreciated the ultra-sudsy formula which hung around throughout the duration of the wash. Claims of it "refreshing paint protection" and "synthetic lubricating oils" suggests a soap full of conditioning agents and fillers. The grape scent takes me back, just like the ArmorAll Car Wash from last week. I'm also keen to see how this soap fares against the benchmark soaps on the market.

Thinking this through, I do wonder where NXT Car Wash sits with other Meguiars soaps. Meguiar's offer soaps in consumer friendly and professional user formats. So, which of the consumer soaps listed here matches up with the Detailer pro range, as in Soft Wash, NXT and Gold Class vs Hyper Wash, Shampoo+ and Citrus Blast Wash & Wax?

 

[MrMike]

I used the NXT soap and liquid wax. I did not even finish the first bottle of the soap, but younger me was always really happy with the wax. Back then I didn't understand that it was the mild abrasives/polishes that made me happy with how the car looked. Durability was 2-3 months.

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