car washing tips
 

just finished washing and waxing my car, and am curious about some of the tips and tricks you guys use to wash your cars. here's a couple to get the thread started. webpages that point to car washing tips would be interesting as well.

- a steady flow of water from a hose with no nozzle rinses better and is better for your paint than a hard spray. you can pick up a simple shut off valve for the end of your hose at a hardware store to get that effect without having the water run the whole time.

- wash with your hands. once and a while i'll wash a car with my bare hands instead of a rag. this can be helpful if your car is really funky and you don't want a rag to pick up dirt and drag it on the paint - you'll feel it on your hands right away. use alot of sudzy soap and water. you can apply wax with your hands as well.

- skip the armor all on your dash. if you clean it on a regular basis, a wet rag works great, and doesn't leave a funky film on the dash. keep a soft cloth in the car, and wipe down the dash every once and a while.

mike :santa2:

Re: car washing tips
 

:confused:

What about protecting the dash, etc. from the sun? that's the reason I haven't stopped using armor all. Is there anything else that won't do funky stuff to it but still protect it from the sun? I've gotten spots before...

IndyMax77:confused:

I think kev has a simular write up in the 5th Gen Forum .. its sticky..

Exterior:
well i use Turtle Wax Car Soap .. then i use Bleche White Brake Duster Buster <--- best rim cleaner.. i know i got white wheels, Bleche White Tire Cleaner , then i use Turtle Wax Tire shine (thanks redmax) i spray it on a piece of cloth and wipe it on the tire.. its the only one i have seen so far that doesn't come off on the car.. and being that i have a white car.. the others usually leave black spots.. then i use Meguires Detail Spray on the car... i also use Simple Green for tar and bug spots or hard to wash stains or anythign like that..

Interior:
i use Soap and Water for the dash and other vynil stuff.. i use Simple Green on the shift boot, e-brake boot and door panels, Lexxol(sp) Leather Cleaner and Lexxol Leather Conditioner on the seats.. I forgot the Carpet Cleaner i use.. but its in a red bottle.. and then i just vaccum after..

Engine:
Simple Green first and then powerwash after..

Windows and Mirrors:
Windex Glass and Surface Cleaner and old newspaper

thats my full run down :D

i really like the products i use.. they work well for me

for the engine do u just spray the simple green on, or do u apply it to a rag and whipe down then rinse?

when i did this a few months ago.. i just covered everything electrically related up with some plastic garbage bags, taped 'em down, then sprayed away with the simple green.... 15mins of letting it "marinade" on the engine grease.... and just sprayed away... no wiping/scrubbing necessary... repeat 2-3 more times dependant upon how dirty your engine is...

then take some armor-all to the plastic pieces and hoses... and WHAM! a spankin' clean engine... trust me... it's a lot easier to work on a clean engine too! :D

-good luck

by the way, Spirit, I saw that you used simple green to clean bugs and other **** off your ride.. do you scrub, or just spray it on, let it sit and then hose off? Thanks

car washing
 

Use a California water blade to dry the car. It's one one of best things I've ever bought for the car. It saves so much times and work. It's like a squegee or a windshield wiper blade but bigger and better.
They should be around $20 at Pepboys.

Re: car washing
 

I just got one of those about two weeks ago and I think it's the best thing ever. It rules. I don't have the fortune of being able to park in a garage, so now that the temperature is fluctuating outside there's usually a lot of condensation on the max when I go to work: I just water blade it off of the all the windows and I'm good to go!

I love it...

IndyMax77

I like to use "The Absorber" to wipe off my car.

orbitor
 

i was using this thing called the orbitor to wash and wax my car...works like a champ...nice and shiny ...stayed for a good couple weeks too..

Re: Re: car washing tips
 

I hate armor. Dust sticks on and it leaves a greasy surface. Only thing that can protect the dash againest sun is one of those windshield shade.

The BEST spray for your tires and interior is the Black Magic Tire Wet. For the wheels, all you have to do is spray it on without the wiping and the new tire look lasts for weeks. For the interior, it provides an awesome scent, in fact, many used car dealerships use this spray to make the interior feel newer. Try this spray, I promise you you'll never change.

For the wheels I use Meguires (mispelled, I know) shine spray.

Also, the clay bar works well.

I spray it on.. let it sit.. then wash it off..

just like i do my engine too..

I havn't washed my engine in 4 months and its still clean as a whistle

I tried that.. you must have a dark colored car.. because it leaves black spots at the back of the tire..

Here's what I use to clean my wheels, A2ZWheel cleaner, that stuff rocks! Just spray on, let sit for 2 minutes, rinse off. Easy as pie. I still scrub the places I missed and to make sure it's spiffy, but that stuff is awesome.

What I do wanna know is this, what stuff do you use to clean the gunk off the lower part of the car? I don't have mudflaps, even after I wash it, it feels dirty and un-smooth compared to the rest of the car. Just simple BugTar remover? Or is there something else? I mean, that whole strip below the doors is dirty and grimy, etc...

Chip resistant paint?
 

Are you feeling the chip resistant part of the underside? I think they put like 2 inches of rough, thick paint just before the rubber/plastic piping on the bottom for dent and chip resistance....I think, anyway...that's what I've always been told.

If it's grime and Sh#@ I just spray on bug and tar remover and let it sit while I'm washing my wheels the first time and then scrub it all off with one of those bug remover sponges (mesh on top of the sponge). Then I hit it again with the brush when I'm washing the rest of the car. But that's my deal...I could be nuts.

IndyMax77

Simple green and that Bleche white rim cleaner.. takes all that stuff off

a clay bar would probably get that off. if that doesn't work, i'd try 3m general purpose cleaner. take it easy with the 3m stuff, though cuz it can strip your paint off if you use too much or rub too hard. wash and wax after either cuz they will take off your existing wax.

mike :santa2:

Hey sprint be sure not to use windex on the inside if you have tint, it will turn purple after the sun gets to it. Just use water on the inside and windex outside

i am a no tint kinda guy.. but thanks for the tip...

What I use to wash the Maxima
 

Technically, I am in the process of changing all my products around.
I was strictly Meguiar's/Bleche White/Espree until I happened on some new things to clean my car.

For my wheels and tires, I use Eimann Fabrik's Hi-Intensity. This stuff literally blows a lot of shelf products out of the weeds in terms of cleaning performance. Plus, I don't have to purchase separate cleaners for wheels and tires. Another choice would be P21S Gel Cleaner. SprintMax, do you wax your rims to keep brake dust from sticking to them?

For washing the body, I am in the midst of switching products. I am going to switch to Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo. But if I waxed my car, I would use Dawn to strip the wax off.

For cleaning glass, I use Stoner's Invisible Glass and Newspaper. If you have tinted windows, Stoners and Eagle One's 20/20 are tint safe.

For Bugs and Tar, I use Eimann Fabrik's Bug and Tar Remover

For Clay: Mother's Clay Bar Kit. I had Meguiar's Quik Clay system but the clay would leave a lot of residue that forced me to wash the car a second time. Eventually, I will be switching to Pinnacle's Poly Clay

For Wax: I am in the midst of switching that as well. I am currently undecided between One Grand Blitz or Pinnacle's Souveran. But it will be used to top Klasse. Klasse is a 2 part system which entails a cleaner/polish and a high gloss sealant glaze. The glaze lasts for 6 months. I also have 3M rubbing compound and 3M Swirl Mark Remover applied by foam applicator.

Metal Polish: Mother's and Wenol

Drying: California Water Blade & Chamois

I also utilize a 2 bucket method of washing my car to reduce swirl marks in the paint. One bucket has the soap and water. The other has just water. PM me if you want an explanation.

Dashboard Treatment: I use Vinylex because it handles UV rays. I will be switching to 303 protectant.

Tire Dressing: Eagle One Tire Wet or Vinylex. I also have the Eagle One Tire Swipes

I also have a shop vac and by spring, I will have a steam extractor for cleaning the interior.

I know it's a lot of things but I am very fussy when it comes to cleaning my Maxima. :D

I use Turtle Wax zip wax car wash(best suds i have found),a mitt,and to dry the car i use the Absorber,reg water spray then when take off nozle(?) done let it pour on all of car then open doors etc to drain then i dry it.To the inside i use Amour All interior and Meguiar's tire gel on tires,and Meguiar's gold class trim detailer great stuff,Meguiar's cleaner wax when needed.Wax i use Meguiar's gold class wax and their quick detailer.I have Eagle 1 glaze and sealer,Meguiar's mirror glaze #7,and Meguiar's deep polish which of these is good.I want to try some better protection wax sometime and car is white.On hoses for motor use Turtle wax formula 2001 and windows Turtle wax glass cleaner(?) for tint and whatever shampoo i can find