I found that if you use the gentle cycle, there is a lot less fraying. When I used the normal cycle, all the towels frayed like crazy and got tangled together.
The towels have to be 100% white, cotton, made in the USA! Not Egyptian cotton. The site you might be looking for doesn't seem to be active anymore. Just go to a Bed & Bath store or similar and you should find some good buys. Stick with the brand names.
I kind of started this because many MOONS ago there was talk of changing the name so that people would have a clue what Zaino is. Within the past week, I have been posting in the Talk to the Hosts topic and asking WHEN this change was going to take place.
That led to a flurry of Host postings! One said that changing the name would cause more confusion then it would cure and that people wouldn't be subscribed to the Zaino topic anymore. It looks like that wasn't true because my "bookmarks" took me RIGHT HERE with NO problem!
Anyway- this is NOT the topic name that I had in mind AT ALL! All I wanted was ZAINO POLISH- period! This, indeed, seems like it's going to start a war. I think the name should be changed. I do not want to talk about store bought waxes/polishes! This site is or should be for those of us who use Zaino or are thinking of using Zaino and for helping those who are just starting out with this product.
Since I have no power as to what happens here or what the name will be, I will just have to PLEAD with Mr. ShiftrightHOST to RETHINK the name of this topic and change it. This name is worse then what it was before.
I appreciate the attempt to clarify what Zaino is in the title, but I believe it IS too long and invites the flaming. Zaino Car Polish Experiences would seem more to the point.
Still waitin for your new CT plates? I am. Are'nt these blue plates the ugliest, dullest looking ones in the country? I've always wanted one of those plates from Maine with the picture of the lobster on it. /:-} I think their pretty cool.
I AGREE 100%!!!!!!! It's not only too damned long, it's NOT even appropriate OR deal with the subject matter that is discussed here and has been discussed here from Day One!
SPYDER98-
I thought I'd have them way before this too! We do have several different kinds that are ok. Maybe I'll apply for the LI Sound plate. I just wish I knew if any of the money that goes to cleaning up LI Sound is REALLY making a difference. They had all those problems a while back with the lobsters and some parasite.
I'm no expert, and I've only been using Z since a bought a new car about a month ago (my first "new," not used, car in 20 years), but I must agree this new name is too long, too misleading, gramatically incorrect ("store bought" ???), and otherwise generally unacceptalble.
I agree with the post above: why not "Zaino Polish" or "Zaino Car Care Products" (which would include wash, clay, leather care, and the whole range from z1 to z27, or whereever Sal is at the moment).
Okay, I'll try again to satisfy everyone, but this can't go on forever. The idea behind the name change was to allow people to GET HERE in the first place by searching on words like "polish" and "wax".
But I'll try something else then. This all started from requests from forum members, so give us some slack while we get it right, okay?
A newbie types in waxes in the search field: It leads him/her to Store Bought Waxes-No Zaino Posts. Now he/she is thinking...hmmmm...what the hell is Zaino? Why can't it be discussed here? If the person has any intelligence he/she would surely be smart enough to search for Zaino and would ultimately find the topic anyway if they were interested. My two cents.
All that remains is re-naming the "No Zaino Posts" forum to "legalize" the MANY posts there for products that are only available through the Internet and catalogs, thus defying the presumably self-imposed restriction, when the two forums were initially split off from Waxes and Polishes, to discuss only "store bought" products.
Why? I think most people understand exactly what is being discussed there. If they don't, then an explanation would probably be wasted anyway. Kind of like most warnings mandated by Federal Law. The people who probably need them won't pay any attention anyway. Cigarettes are harmful? I had no idea!
you're assuming the what if and maybes about folks that haven't even been here yet. LMAO. i'm sure glad that using Zaino hasn't changed me into a xenophobe like you all. give me a break......
I know how to wash with Dawn and apply z1, etc. I have done this on my new car and it's great.
However, I have a friend who has a very nice 4 year old Celica with a beautiful medium blue paint. However, she has not waxed it in about 2 years, and it is never garaged.
She is going to be out of town for a week, and I volunteered to clean it up and put on a few coats of Zaino; the problem is that I don't know what to use to polish off oxidized paint, etc. I don't want to use anything too harsh, but I am sure the car needs something stronger than just Dawn to get me down to the paint where I can start with the clay and then the Zaino.
As my only Zaino experience was with a new car, can someone suggest how I should proceed to clean the surface and best prepare it for the Zaino touch? I appreciate your help.
Old Japanese saying: "Too much poking spoils the fish".
Let's work on keeping you guys happy here--don't worry about "them".....I'll monitor their needs/wants and will intervene if I see a problem over there. So far it looks like they have worked it out reasonably well, at least it works for them.
Without seeing the condition of the paint, it is a tough call. I would clay the vehicle FIRST and then evaluate the paint condition. If there is still oxidation left, it might need something like 3M 39009 Perfect-It-II Swirl Remover. This is not an easy product to use(on a whole vehicle, at one time)unless you are skilled using a machine buffer.
It sounds like you have your work cut out for you. If you have a full week and are not working, you may be able to handle the job. I have never used Liquid Glass pre-cleaner, but something like this MIGHT be adequate to remove enough oxidation. I hear it has heavy solvent cleaners. If you do use this, wash with dawn afterwards before applying Z1.
There have been a lot of questions about Z on white paint. Myabe this photo can show the differnce between white and dark paints. It is a little dark, but you can see all the colors and detail in the sky, just like in the dark car behind it - just not so breathtaking.
There have been a lot of questions about Z on white paint. Myabe this photo can show the differnce between white and dark paints. It is a little dark, but in the white you can see all the colors and detail in the sky, just like in the dark car behind it - just not so breathtaking.
There have been a lot of questions about Z on white paint. Myabe this photo can show the differnce between white and dark paints. It is a little dark, but in the white you can see all the colors and detail in the sky, just like in the dark car behind it - just not so breathtaking.
If the paint is just dull and there are no white splotches of oxidation, I would recommend Meguiar's Show car Glaze. This is a very mild product. If there are light scratches as well, you could begin with Swirl Remover then go to the glaze. A good orbital buffer is a must. Be sure to use a polishing pad. The foam ones are pretty nice. If there is more deteriorization and oxidation a more agressive product is needed, like polishing and rubbing compounds.
Look at http://www.meguiars.com and find the consumer and professional auto products for paint cleaning and polishing.
I think someone mentioned that they mix some Z7 carwash and water in a spray bottle and use it as a detailer spray. Is that true? I just ordered some carwash and Z6 and thought I might try this "special" formula if some folks think it works.
I think of Z6 as a quick detailer. The mix you cite I would think of as a spot cleaner (as well as a clay lubricant) for bird droppings and the like. I suggest you use distilled water rather than tap water to avoid any minerals drying on the paint. If you get bird droppings, rehydrate it and pick it up, rather than wipe it; many birds ingest gravel to help their digestion and it comes out in their waste. Wiping a dropping instead of picking up as much as you can might scratch your paint .
Way back when, some Zaino enthusiasts went way overboard, some non-enthusiasts couldn't ignore it and Waxes and Polishes was split. Part of the claim was that the discussions regarding Zaino and high-end products had become elitist and left out the concerns about waxes and polishes that most people have. Thus both "Store Bought" and "No Zaino Posts" became part of the title and the "ground rules." Most times, the posters of what was considered Zaino posts were "flamed" for violating "the rules." However, I don't recall that any poster about products the were either nearly or exclusively available from the Internet or catalogs was reprimanded for "breaking the store-bought rule." I was just poking fun of that characteristic of the "other" forum. Sorry I didn't better state my view and in a more obviously humorous way.
Hi Everyone, this is certainly off topic, but I figured, if anyone would know, you guys would.
I just bought a '99 Malibu to use as a "work" car. Mechanically, its in good shape, but the previous owner, appears to have never washed the thing. Hopefully, I can describe this well enough to get some feedback.
On the passenger side front door, just about even with the side mirror, it looks like a wide strip of electrical tape had been stuck to the car for a long period of time. The tape is gone, but the adhesive remains. The substance is thick, chunky and is applied to the door paint as well as the the mirror. Kind of reminds me of the adhesive you buy in a tube to do plumbing work around the house.
Does anyone have any advice on how I can get this stuff off, without taking the paint too? I'd like to work on this over the 4th, so I am hoping I can purchase some sort of product to do it @ an auto supply store vs. ordering it off the WWW and waiting.
LOL..... How I remember THOSE days! I was probably one of those "Zaniacs" who went overboard. I'm glad they have their own forum. As far as I'm concerned, they don't know what they're missing. I have been cleaning my cars with all different kinds of waxes/polishes for more years then I'd like to think about and I have never used anything like Zaino. I think it's the best thing since sliced bread! ;-))
I think the thing that got to us Zaino enthusiasts was the name calling. They were calling us shills and said that we must have Zaino stock- I wish I did! When I first started reading about Zaino back in the summer of 1998, I, too, thought that all the claims sounded like an infomercial. The claims sounded incredible. However, I didn't jump in and start calling them names.
The more I read, the more I thought- how could ALL these people be "lying" about this product. Then, I thought- I've tried a ton of other waxes/polishes over the years, so why not try this product and see if it is as good as they all claimed. Once I saw the results on MY car, I was a believer. It was easy to apply, easy to take off and gave a shine that was incredible.
As far as I'm concerned, they can use whatever they want to use to polish their cars. I say, if you haven't tried it, don't knock it. Anyway, I know what car looks like. I know I'm not out there 24/7 trying to keep it looking like that.
I haven't used this stuff, but people in another topic use some stuff called GOO GONE. They claim it doesn't hurt the paint and is available in most auto stores or maybe even K-Mart/Walmart etc.
I have a silver acura tl 2000 and I have been using the zaino products for the past year. Yesterday I was parked in someones driveway, and when I came out I found a rusty lid from roofing job. It blew off a second story roofand fell on my hood, put a few scratches in the car. Tried claying it, also using z-5. It still has black scratches on it, not deep. Thought maybe if I continue to clay, it would eventually or slowly disappear. Should I touch up? Any suggestions. Thanks!
If several coats of Z5 will not hide the scratches to your satisfaction you will need to use an abrasive product like 3M 39009 Swirl remover.
BTW, Why are the scratches black colored? I hope it is not through to your primer. Or is it black tar? If it is, then in this case I think clay should have helped remove the tar.
Along the same topic of posts 2205 - 2207, Will Z-6 work effectively if dilluted with water? Since it is concentrated, I was wondering if a mixture of 3:1 Z6 with water would produce just as favorable results as using Z6 'straight up'.
I often use mineral spirits (paint thinner)by lightly wetting a rag and wiping. Contrary to what your first thought might be, mineral spirits will not harm your paint (as long as you're not soaking the car in it for long periods....very unlikely). However, you will take any wax along with the adhesive or tar you are cleaning. I would not use lacquer thinner though. This can damage the finish on your paint if not used properly.
Ok, I thought I resolved all my smearing/streaking issues:
It was awesome out yesterday. I decided to do a quick Z7 wash and then Z6. I did the usual, use hose without nozzle, wash car, rinse, use towel to dry. My streaking occurred when I was drying my car! I just used a dry towel to take off the water after the rinse. All over the car I experienced streaking. Not unlike you would experience when you windex a window. It would streak when I wiped the towel across and then the streaks would dissappear. There was no trace of the streaks after the Z6. Is this normal? Anyone else experience this? How do you all wash your cars (meaning do you use a sponge or a towel to wash)? This is frustrating....
emaison: I wash my car by doing the wheels and wheel wells first using a cotton rag or brush as appropriate, then starting with clean water to do the body of the car. I use Dawn on wheels & wells, and do not wet the body until I've completed those areas. The idea is that this helps reduce water spotting. For the body, I use two buckets, one with clean water and the other with an appropriate amount of Z-7 (about 2 capfuls/gallon). After washing a panel, the wash mitt goes into the clean water for a rinse before going into the car wash bucket. Wal-Mart has some nice chenille mitts made by Viking for $4 or $5. They actually have two choices, one of which is a true mitt with a nylon strap to hang for drying. Didn't like that one because of the nylon. I use an electric blower to remove a good portion of the water after washing, then finish it up with a 100% cotton towel. The absolute nicest towel I've found is the Cannon "Charisma" available at www.cannonoutlet.com. They're a little pricey, about $10ea, but are super soft. Never had any streaking like you describe. Hope this is helpful.
"It would streak when I wiped the towel across and then the streaks would dissappear." You need to clarify this for me. This sounds normal. When you wipe the towel across the the finish the water spreads into a thin layer and then evaporates.
If you are leaving streaks of something that do not evaporate when drying there must be something on your towels causing the smearing. Make sure the detergent you are using has no dyes, no perfumes, no fabric softeners. Do a double rinse. Dry in a dryer with no dryer sheets.
"I was wondering if a mixture of 3:1 Z6 with water would produce just as favorable results as using Z6 'straight up'."
I was told you could dilute Z6 up to 50:50 with distilled water. You will need to experiment diluting in the ratios you want and determine for yourself if you like the results.
My recommendation is use diluted for Quick detailing and "straight up" for right before adding another coat and right after your last polish coat.
I'm wondering what people's thoughts are on front end covers (bras). I've heard good things and I've heard that it can screw up your paint.
I'm thinking of getting one for my Camaro because my last car had lots of little bug residue and little chips & stuff that did not come off the front bumper. And even with Z on it, it is still a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] to have to clean. In fact i've got one little spot that's already a permanent mark in the paint.
What happens if you leave it on for a long time like a week at a time? (I'd have to take it off to wash the car of course). And if it rains? does the water dry from under it or do I have to take it off after every rain? How does it affect the Zaino applications?
Comments
Or email: koverall@cddn.com
The towels have to be 100% white, cotton, made in the USA! Not Egyptian cotton. The site you might be looking for doesn't seem to be active anymore. Just go to a Bed & Bath store or similar and you should find some good buys. Stick with the brand names.
The link above seems good too.
fastdriver
Thanks for the info.
Are the Edmunds Moderators now trying to inflame users of other products to get involved in this forum?
This board had been doing fine as "Zaino Car Care Experiences". What, not enough website hits?
Wouldn't "Zaino Car Care Products Discussion" have been a better name?
You know what is coming next: A hoard of posts like, "I have never used Zaino but I know it is no better than _________."
Now Store Bought Waxes fans have two places to post.
I kind of started this because many MOONS ago there was talk of changing the name so that people would have a clue what Zaino is. Within the past week, I have been posting in the Talk to the Hosts topic and asking WHEN this change was going to take place.
That led to a flurry of Host postings! One said that changing the name would cause more confusion then it would cure and that people wouldn't be subscribed to the Zaino topic anymore. It looks like that wasn't true because my "bookmarks" took me RIGHT HERE with NO problem!
Anyway- this is NOT the topic name that I had in mind AT ALL! All I wanted was ZAINO POLISH- period! This, indeed, seems like it's going to start a war. I think the name should be changed. I do not want to talk about store bought waxes/polishes! This site is or should be for those of us who use Zaino or are thinking of using Zaino and for helping those who are just starting out with this product.
Since I have no power as to what happens here or what the name will be, I will just have to PLEAD with Mr. ShiftrightHOST to RETHINK the name of this topic and change it. This name is worse then what it was before.
Anyway, take a look at my latest Zaino shine!
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=912729&a=13412137&p=51118713&f=0
fastdriver
I am. Are'nt these blue plates the ugliest, dullest looking ones in the country?
I've always wanted one of those plates from Maine with the picture of the lobster on it. /:-}
I think their pretty cool.
The new CT ones ain't too bad shabby either..
I AGREE 100%!!!!!!! It's not only too damned long, it's NOT even appropriate OR deal with the subject matter that is discussed here and has been discussed here from Day One!
SPYDER98-
I thought I'd have them way before this too! We do have several different kinds that are ok. Maybe I'll apply for the LI Sound plate. I just wish I knew if any of the money that goes to cleaning up LI Sound is REALLY making a difference. They had all those problems a while back with the lobsters and some parasite.
fastdriver
I'm no expert, and I've only been using Z since a bought a new car about a month ago (my first "new," not used, car in 20 years), but I must agree this new name is too long, too misleading, gramatically incorrect ("store bought" ???), and otherwise generally unacceptalble.
I agree with the post above: why not "Zaino Polish" or "Zaino Car Care Products" (which would include wash, clay, leather care, and the whole range from z1 to z27, or whereever Sal is at the moment).
Or is Z27 a car?
But I'll try something else then. This all started from requests from forum members, so give us some slack while we get it right, okay?
thanks!
Host
1,000 times BETTER!! Thank you! This should be fine.
fastdriver
If the person has any intelligence he/she would surely be smart enough to search for Zaino and would ultimately find the topic anyway if they were interested.
My two cents.
BTW, the new name now is good.
fastdriver
All that remains is re-naming the "No Zaino Posts" forum to "legalize" the MANY posts there for products that are only available through the Internet and catalogs, thus defying the presumably self-imposed restriction, when the two forums were initially split off from Waxes and Polishes, to discuss only "store bought" products.
I know how to wash with Dawn and apply z1, etc. I have done this on my new car and it's great.
However, I have a friend who has a very nice 4 year old Celica with a beautiful medium blue paint. However, she has not waxed it in
about 2 years, and it is never garaged.
She is going to be out of town for a week, and I volunteered to clean it up and put on a few coats of Zaino; the problem is that I don't know what to use to polish off oxidized paint, etc. I don't want to use anything too harsh, but I am sure the car needs something stronger than just Dawn to get me down to the paint where I can start with the clay and then the Zaino.
As my only Zaino experience was with a new car, can someone suggest how I should proceed to clean the surface and best prepare it for the Zaino touch? I appreciate your help.
Many thanks.
Let's work on keeping you guys happy here--don't worry about "them".....I'll monitor their needs/wants and will intervene if I see a problem over there. So far it looks like they have worked it out reasonably well, at least it works for them.
It sounds like you have your work cut out for you. If you have a full week and are not working, you may be able to handle the job. I have never used Liquid Glass pre-cleaner, but something like this MIGHT be adequate to remove enough oxidation. I hear it has heavy solvent cleaners. If you do use this, wash with dawn afterwards before applying Z1.
If the photo doesn't work, go to
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1016688&a=7491788&p=51226096
If the photo doesn't work, go to
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1016688&a=7491788&p=51226096
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1016688&a=7491788&p=51226096
Look at http://www.meguiars.com and find the consumer and professional auto products for paint cleaning and polishing.
Way back when, some Zaino enthusiasts went way overboard, some non-enthusiasts couldn't ignore it and Waxes and Polishes was split. Part of the claim was that the discussions regarding Zaino and high-end products had become elitist and left out the concerns about waxes and polishes that most people have. Thus both "Store Bought" and "No Zaino Posts" became part of the title and the "ground rules." Most times, the posters of what was considered Zaino posts were "flamed" for violating "the rules." However, I don't recall that any poster about products the were either nearly or exclusively available from the Internet or catalogs was reprimanded for "breaking the store-bought rule." I was just poking fun of that characteristic of the "other" forum. Sorry I didn't better state my view and in a more obviously humorous way.
I just bought a '99 Malibu to use as a "work" car. Mechanically, its in good shape, but the previous owner, appears to have never washed the thing. Hopefully, I can describe this well enough to get some feedback.
On the passenger side front door, just about even with the side mirror, it looks like a wide strip of electrical tape had been stuck to the car for a long period of time. The tape is gone, but the adhesive remains. The substance is thick, chunky and is applied to the door paint as well as the the mirror. Kind of reminds me of the adhesive you buy in a tube to do plumbing work around the house.
Does anyone have any advice on how I can get this stuff off, without taking the paint too? I'd like to work on this over the 4th, so I am hoping I can purchase some sort of product to do it @ an auto supply store vs. ordering it off the WWW and waiting.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!
LOL..... How I remember THOSE days! I was probably one of those "Zaniacs" who went overboard. I'm glad they have their own forum. As far as I'm concerned, they don't know what they're missing. I have been cleaning my cars with all different kinds of waxes/polishes for more years then I'd like to think about and I have never used anything like Zaino. I think it's the best thing since sliced bread! ;-))
I think the thing that got to us Zaino enthusiasts was the name calling. They were calling us shills and said that we must have Zaino stock- I wish I did! When I first started reading about Zaino back in the summer of 1998, I, too, thought that all the claims sounded like an infomercial. The claims sounded incredible. However, I didn't jump in and start calling them names.
The more I read, the more I thought- how could ALL these people be "lying" about this product. Then, I thought- I've tried a ton of other waxes/polishes over the years, so why not try this product and see if it is as good as they all claimed. Once I saw the results on MY car, I was a believer. It was easy to apply, easy to take off and gave a shine that was incredible.
As far as I'm concerned, they can use whatever they want to use to polish their cars. I say, if you haven't tried it, don't knock it. Anyway, I know what car looks like. I know I'm not out there 24/7 trying to keep it looking like that.
OK- I'm off the soapbox now! ;-))
fastdriver
I haven't used this stuff, but people in another topic use some stuff called GOO GONE. They claim it doesn't hurt the paint and is available in most auto stores or maybe even K-Mart/Walmart etc.
fastdriver
BTW, Why are the scratches black colored? I hope it is not through to your primer.
Or is it black tar? If it is, then in this case I think clay should have helped remove the tar.
Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.
It was awesome out yesterday. I decided to do a quick Z7 wash and then Z6. I did the usual, use hose without nozzle, wash car, rinse, use towel to dry. My streaking occurred when I was drying my car! I just used a dry towel to take off the water after the rinse. All over the car I experienced streaking. Not unlike you would experience when you windex a window. It would streak when I wiped the towel across and then the streaks would dissappear. There was no trace of the streaks after the Z6. Is this normal? Anyone else experience this? How do you all wash your cars (meaning do you use a sponge or a towel to wash)? This is frustrating....
Thanks.
I wash my car by doing the wheels and wheel wells first using a cotton rag or brush as appropriate, then starting with clean water to do the body of the car. I use Dawn on wheels & wells, and do not wet the body until I've completed those areas. The idea is that this helps reduce water spotting. For the body, I use two buckets, one with clean water and the other with an appropriate amount of Z-7 (about 2 capfuls/gallon). After washing a panel, the wash mitt goes into the clean water for a rinse before going into the car wash bucket. Wal-Mart has some nice chenille mitts made by Viking for $4 or $5. They actually have two choices, one of which is a true mitt with a nylon strap to hang for drying. Didn't like that one because of the nylon. I use an electric blower to remove a good portion of the water after washing, then finish it up with a 100% cotton towel. The absolute nicest towel I've found is the Cannon "Charisma" available at www.cannonoutlet.com. They're a little pricey, about $10ea, but are super soft. Never had any streaking like you describe. Hope this is helpful.
If you are leaving streaks of something that do not evaporate when drying there must be something on your towels causing the smearing. Make sure the detergent you are using has no dyes, no perfumes, no fabric softeners. Do a double rinse. Dry in a dryer with no dryer sheets.
I was told you could dilute Z6 up to 50:50 with distilled water. You will need to experiment diluting in the ratios you want and determine for yourself if you like the results.
My recommendation is use diluted for Quick detailing and "straight up" for right before adding another coat and right after your last polish coat.
<http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1694777&a=13443628&f=0>
I'm thinking of getting one for my Camaro because my last car had lots of little bug residue and little chips & stuff that did not come off the front bumper. And even with Z on it, it is still a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] to have to clean. In fact i've got one little spot that's already a permanent mark in the paint.
What happens if you leave it on for a long time like a week at a time? (I'd have to take it off to wash the car of course). And if it rains? does the water dry from under it or do I have to take it off after every rain? How does it affect the Zaino applications?
I have never used it so I know nothing about it firsthand.
I have used a leather one in the past and would not recommend one of those.