Logic83

Hey guys and gals.

Just wondering, what are some of the products you all use to clean your exterior and interiors? I have heard of a product called Prolong Waterless wash and shine. I've also looked into Chemical guys foam wash. Was thinking of trying it out. Exploring options!

I've haven't looked too much into interior or engine cleaning products. But i'm sure I will eventually. The alcantarra can collect things very easily.

Let me know your suggestions!

mjn88

Don't waste your time with Chemical Guys. Their products are trash. Meguiars, 3M, Mothers, Griots Garage, AMMO NYC, Adams, and Car Pro are just to name a few. There are more but here are a few brands you can start of with. They actually spend a lot of money on R&D so thats why I use their products. Chemical Guys just copies existing products and rebrands them. Do a little research for yourself and see whats best for you. I would recommend Meguiars but if you wanna get serious try 3M. Just keep in mind 3M is a lot more expensive.

Logic83

Excellent! I'll look into those. I was afraid to start spraying down the car with foam, so I'm glad that option is out. Usually the cover alls or the "quick cleans" are faulty or just plain do not work as well. Any experience cleaning the wheels? In about a week I've accumulated a lot of brake dust

mjn88

Go onto youtube and search for AMMO NYC. Larry over there is freaking awesome. Watch some videos and learn for yourself. You'll be amazed at how many things you've been doing wrong haha. If you're looking to keep your paint looking amazing I would highly recommend CS-II Titanium coating after getting your car polished and clayed. I've seen side by side comparisons with cQuartz and all the top brand for nano coatings and this stuff not only looks good but performs great. Super strong and thick coating, they claim that you won't need wax for 10 years!!! Only thing is that you need a professional to do it for you or it WILL void your warranty.

Afrosheen

Meguiar's has been good to me over the years, particularly the clay bar and instant detailer spray. Hand wash to perfection, dry it, then go back and clay bar it, then wax and polish. You only need to clay it maybe once or twice per year. It's all about getting invisible boogers off the clearcoat, so if you're near any "**** elms" that skeet sap all summer you may want to do it more frequently, but that's probably just a Texas thing. Clay bar is also great for removing road grime like asphalt tar that can get slung onto your paint on hot days.

Meguiar's Gold car wash, and the other one that's play-doh yellow are both great and very gentle. Invest in a bundle of microfiber cloths and some decent wash mitts. Don't try to get too much use out of the microfibers. They're cheap, toss them when they get worn or too dirty.

Also, when hand washing, I use the 2 bucket technique. A soap bucket, and a rinse bucket with a grit guard in the bottom. Both buckets are the cheap 5 gallons you can get at Home Depot or whatever. The Grit Guard, you can google that and get at Amazon or whatever for around 10 bucks. It really does the job, separating large chunks of junk out of the rinse water and keeping it at the bottom so it's not sloshing around and getting transferred back to your wash mitt.

mjn88

Glad to see people actually taking care of their cars. I started using 3 buckets. One with water and two grit guards, second with soap water and two grit guards, and third with wheel shampoo/water and all my wheels cleaning utensils. Remember to always clean from top to bottom! Never get any of that dirt around your wheels even close to your car as that is all brake dust aka tiny pieces of metal.

Afrosheen

Definitely separate the wheel washing from everything else. And top to bottom is also smart. My first and maybe last black car. It's so beautiful when it's clean but dusting it and avoiding puddles between washes is just too much hassle. They say it's a second job keeping it clean and swirl free, and it's no joke. Probably go Atomic Silver or the pearl gray next time.

ISF*LYF

Chemical Guys are well enough, and they re-released thier hose-free type car wash. Adams Polishes also another great place to purchase decent car care products. I especially like the H20 Guard/Gloss 👍. Both these company's also have small videos on many of the products, their uses and the like. Been using these products for at least the last 7 years my 2011 F looks greeeeat! Oh and my car is black.

v8mac

Exterior:
Wash: Meguiars Gold Class / Turtle Wax Ice
Rims: occasionally I use Meguiars Hot Rims Wheel Cleaner
Clay: Meguiars / Griots 11153 (lube with: Mother's / 3D Final Touch)
Tire Dressing: Adam's Super VRT / Chemical Guys TVD102

Interior:
Leather: Warm water to dilute Woolite (Lexol was good too, but started smelling off, so I threw it out)
Dashboard: Clean with damp MF, dress with 303 Aerospace Protectant

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Here are some of my favorite products.....



Wheels and Tires

Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus - Great for heavy brake dust buildup!

Meguiar’s Wheel Brightener – An acidic wheel cleaner (safe for clear coated wheels, NOT raw metal) that is very effective at removing heavy dirt and staining

EZ Detail Brush - a great tool to clean the barrels of your wheels! Pickup the large and mini brushes!

Wheel Woolies Kit - A great tool for cleaning wheel barrels, and other hard to reach places!

Tuf Shine Tire Cleaner & Tuf Shine Tire Brush

Forma RVP Trim Shine - Water based dressing , so it helps nourish your rubber! Can also be used on plastic trim, engine bays, and much more!



Washing

http://www.detailedimage.com/wax.php?id=26919&url=detailedimage.com/DI-Accessories-M12/Foam-Lance-II-P1327/] Foam Lance (optional) – Connect this to your pressure washer to spray thick foam onto your vehicle.

Gilmour Foamaster II Foam Gun (optional) - Attaches directly to your hose.

2 Buckets & 2 Grit Guard (Package) - Essential equipment for safe washing!

Optimum Car Wash - A great maintenance shampoo.

Sheepskin Wash Mitt



Rinseless Washing

Optimum No Rinse (ONR) - Rinseless Washing is a great way to quickly and safely clean your vehicle!



Bug & Tar

GTechniq W8 Bug Remover – Helps loosen bug debris for easier removal

Stoner Tarminator - This tar remover will quickly and easily remove tar buildup



Drying

Microfiber Waffle Weave Towel

Metro Master Blaster (optional) - The safest way to dry your car is to not touch it at all!

Master Blaster Sidekick (optional) - This small blower moves an amazing amount of air and is perfect for making sure you don't have any water left in cracks and crevices!



Decontamination

CarPro Iron X – safely dissolves iron particles/industrial fallout

DI Fine Grade Clay

NanoSkin Glide (clay lubricant)





Polish

Griot’s Garage Fast Correcting Cream – Our favorite cutting compound that provides a long working time, relatively easy wiping, and great cutting power.

Meguiar's M205 Finishing Polish – One of the most versatile and popular finishing polishes on the market.





Paint Sealant

Menzerna Power Lock Synthetic Polymer Sealant

Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection





Wax

Chemical Guys Pete's '53 Black Pearl Signature Paste Wax

Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax - a truly premium show car wax that



Semi-Permanent Nano Coatings

22ple VX3 Signature Coating - A silica based coating that will provide great protection and maximum gloss! This product has an expected durability of around 2 years and is very easy to apply.

22ple High Performance Coating (HPC) – another great coating option from 22ple. This product has an expected durability of 3-4 years and is also very easy to apply.



Random Orbital/Dual Action Polisher

Griot's Garage 3rd Gen DA Polisher - Affordable, Effective, Reliable, and most of all SAFE FOR EVERYONE TO USE! This product is backed by a lifetime manufacturer warranty. We recommend this over the popular Porter Cable 7424XP



Backing Plates

5" Backing Plate

3" Backing Plate



Buffing Pads

Meguiar's MicroFiber Cutting Discs - Great for maximizing cutting power and defect removal

Lake Country 5.5” and 3” Foam Pads – Great pads at a great price. I recommend a basic starter set consisting of Orange Light Cutting Pads, White Polishing Pads, Black Finishing Pads, and Blue Fine Finishing Pads. I would recommend a minimum of 2 of each pad in the 5.5” size and 1 of each pad in the 3” size (except blue, you just need one for spreading your sealant or wax). If you have more budget, get more pads.



Glass

Stoner's Invisible Glass



Metal

CG Metal Wax Polish and Protection – Easy to use, and has always produced excellent results for us.



Microfiber

Quality microfiber is one of the best investments you can make. You must make sure that only the best products are touching the surface of your car so that you are not scratching or damaging the surface.

Black & Yellow Towel - Perfect for removing polishes, sealants, waxes, etc. Plush on one side and shorter nap on the other. My go to towel for most of the work I do!

Double Thick Edgeless Towel - Perfect for quick detailers, rinseless washing, and other tasks where plush towels are needed.

Black All Purpose Towel - A must have towel! The black color helps to hide any stains that may occur during use. I use these towels exclusively on wheels, exhaust tips, engine bays, and other dirtier areas.

Micro-Restore Microfiber Detergent - Works great to clean your microfiber and help them maintain that "like new" softness.