Some cleaning / detailing questions

[audipersempre]

I used to think I looked after my car until I started reading this section!

Can I ask what is the 'two bucket' method? Sorrry to be ignorant :Blush2:

I have in the past used Zymol products (HD Cleanse and IIRC carbon wax) and achieved some stunning results on a red BMW 325i coupe. Several members of the family thought I had the car resprayed.

However, I have not used any really expensive high quality products since because of my perception of what they would achieve. For instance my partners metallic sliver A4 Cab comes up stunning with every day Halfords products.

My car now is an Atlas grey metallic A6. Not the kind of colour I associate with needing high quality cleaning products (although I am sure I am wrong).

If you were going to detail my A6 what would you recommend? I am too scared to clay a car and the paint is in pretty good condition so I guess a cleanser and wax. I am still a fan of Zymol but prepared to consider other products if they suit the car better.

I like cleaning my car so am not particularly looking for a hard wearing product. If getting the best shine means waxing more often (as with Zymol wax) I don't mind.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[Teg]

I used to think I looked after my car until I started reading this section!

Can I ask what is the 'two bucket' method? Sorrry to be ignorant :Blush2:

I have in the past used Zymol products (HD Cleanse and IIRC carbon wax) and achieved some stunning results on a red BMW 325i coupe. Several members of the family thought I had the car resprayed.

However, I have not used any really expensive high quality products since because of my perception of what they would achieve. For instance my partners metallic sliver A4 Cab comes up stunning with every day Halfords products.

My car now is an Atlas grey metallic A6. Not the kind of colour I associate with needing high quality cleaning products (although I am sure I am wrong).

If you were going to detail my A6 what would you recommend? I am too scared to clay a car and the paint is in pretty good condition so I guess a cleanser and wax. I am still a fan of Zymol but prepared to consider other products if they suit the car better.

I like cleaning my car so am not particularly looking for a hard wearing product. If getting the best shine means waxing more often (as with Zymol wax) I don't mind.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Can't really give advice on the second part of your question (as I'm learning myself)

Twin (or two) bucket techique is great way to wash a car. You get one bucket with your shampoo, second bucket just has water to rinse. Now you should be using a mitt (not a sponge). After washing a panel of you car, you rinse the mitt in the rinse bucket, cleaning it and then dip into shampoo bucket before washing next panel of your car. It is also worth getting grit guards for the buckets. They are plastic grids that sit at the bottom of your bucket and you rub your mitt on them to release any dirt and stones trapped on the mitt.

Hope that helps and makes sense. I have only started to wash my A3 properly this year after spending a good deal of money on all the right shampoos and waxes. Early days but I'm enjoying it.

I am sure there are other people on here that will give you better advice, particularly on your product related query.

Regards,

Teg

[JR001]

Hi Steve,

As for the second part of your querie, I'd recommend you DO clay the car.
Bonded chemical contamination and solid particles that get stuck in the paint don't discriminate between colours unfortunately. The bottom line is that any colour of car, properly preppd, will look a million times better and be much easier to maintain.

Sensible 2-bucket wash, after giving the car a good pressure wash first. Avoiding swirls is good!

Dry car properly.

Spray lube (Megs shampoo/hot water mix) onto a section of each panel and glide the clay bar (Sonus green is a good ultra fine bar) back and forth until you feel the glide becoming much easier. DON'T FORGET TO SPRAY THE CLAY BAR BEFORE YOU BEGIN. Regularly check the clay bar and turn it over to the other side when you see it dirty. Then roll it between your palms, generating heat to soften the bar. Then you play with it like plasticing to reveal fresh area.

Rinse the car again and give it another wash - this is necessary especially when using shampoo/water mix as your lube.

Dry the car.

Apply pre-wax cleanser (Dodo Juice Lime Prime) or pre-sealant cleanser (Jeffs Werkstatt Acrylic Prime).

Apply wax - some good priced ones on the go like Collinite 476, Dodo Juice, Victoria Waxes, all around the £30 mark.

If applying a sealant rather than a wax, then Jeffs Acrylic Trigger, or the Carlack sealants are very good products. You will find some online suppliers already mentioned in some threads. Take your pick.

As for the 'fearful' claying stage, make sure the car is free from dirt, a definite must. It should be glided through the lube only with enough finger pressure to prevent it from falling out of your hand really. The clay does the work remember, not your hand. I'd wait until the weather is a wee bit warmer.

If still not sure, it may be worth getting someone to clay it for you - it's about 45-60 mins work for someone who has done it before. If you want me to link you up with someone in your area then PM me and I'll see what I can do.

Claying will bring about the greatest improvement in your paint, and cannot be matched by any other process other than machine polishing. Just applying a chemical cleanser provides good cleansing, but does not pull out bonded particles which make the paint feel rough.

Hope this helps in some way.

Regards,

JOHN:beerchug:

[squinty]

......

Claying will bring about the greatest improvement in your paint, and cannot be matched by any other process other than machine polishing. Just applying a chemical cleanser provides good cleansing, but does not pull out bonded particles which make the paint feel rough.


agreed. there is no reason to be scared of using a clay bar. the only way it can cause paint damage is if you drop it on the floor, and continue to use it (as it will be FULL of gritty bits that will then get rubbed over the cars surface).

it also removes the ultra fine metal particles that get stuck in the clearcoat. if deep enough, and left long enough this will lead to oxidation of the paint (causing it to dull) and potentially rust spots will form.

[fla]

if you dont have a clay bar, someone suggested to me that you could use a piece of blutack with some soap solution as a lubricant. Never tried it, in fact never tried clay barring either so, perhaps someone else can advise whether this is even a viable alternative?

[Jamiem]

Claying the paint isn't a difficult job, nor one that will damage the paint as long as the paint is clean, the clay is kept lubed (water and plenty of it is just fine), and as has been said, work the clay in your hand to keep it fresh. If you drop the clay, bin it! Other than that, anyone can clay a car and you will be shocked at just how many contaminants it will lift - it will be black! The paint will feel like glass after, and be much easier to properly clean.