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Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)
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in drought mode but Do Not want to chance an
automatic car wash. You can use Protectall Quick
and Easy Wash or your favorite QD. Use about 2 gallons of bottled spring water for those who may get fined using tap water from your home.
Steps I Used ...
Pre-spray :
Pre sprayed dirty section to do with a spray bottle [ 1 cap of OGSO or Protectall Q&E added to water ] and let it soak for about 30 sec's.
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Wash Medium :
This morning I stopped over at Pep Boys for some stuff and noticed that Detalier's Choice came out with a new Oversized chenille mitt so I grabbed it. About a foot long.
Washed it good before hand. Dipped mitt in bucket and rang out just enough so there is 10 to 20 % saturation. Swipe back and forth over pre-sprayed section with mitt. Very Lightly. Only pressure that comes from gravity so not to induce swirls.
Was able to do whole car with this one large mitt.
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Drying Towel :
Quickly dry the section with Fieldcrest. [ again, lightest pressure possible ] *Note * You may see wax swirls. No big deal as they
dissappear when you do the QD step.
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QD :
QD the section you just did. I used OGSO and a cut up Fieldcrest.
Burnish QD lightly into section.
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Each painted section took a few minutes. After painted sections, I went back and did the windows as per fellow Autopians. Worked like a charm. Even SprayWayed windows after cleaning.
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Wheels :
I poured what was left of the OGSO solution [ about a gal, not to dirty either ] into my wheel bucket and used a cotton candy type Detailer's Choice wash mitt I normally use on my clear coat wheels.
Brake dust came off like butter. Could not believe it! Dry with older towel. Almost looked like full washed wheels.
Incorporate this method with a full wash at one of the coin op bays every 3 or 4 weeks and I think we can beat this drought thing.
I recently did my vehicle with the Collinite Fleetwax and the results are very good. I took the car to a carwash and also used a bug/tar remover and just slapped on the Fleetwax. I realiz that the proper procedure is to Dawn then Clay then polish then wax...but damn- its motorcycle riding weather and my time is just to valuable. But anyway the resulte are quite good.
BTW I'd never dream of saying something so sac-religious on say the Autopia Detailing Board.
BTW where did this board go????? Seems to be down for at least a week.
hambone32- I think you will find that #26 is easier to use, looks a little better but doesn't last as well. Let us know,
Claying - There was a great post by Mr Detailer some time ago describing the process in detail. You might need to go back a few months but it's here and worth reading/printing. In a nutshell, claying remove surface contaminents without damaging or removing the clearcoat. Much safer than the rubbing compounds of old. Use clay on all painted surfaces prior to polishing.
Is polishing necessary? Yes. Most serious enthusiasts will tell you this. Polishing is the critical prep process to obtaining the best shine possible. The type of polish(es) and the amount of work is dependent on the condition of the paint and the desired results. So it's hard to really say how much polishing you need to do. At the very least I recommend one step of polishing with a swirl mark remover from 3M or Meguiar's.
What's the diff between polish and wax? I posted a descriptive post about this very topic; wish I could recall the post number. Basically, "polishing" is the process of bringing the paint to its highest gloss possible. It may (and usually does) include more than one product and application. "Waxing" is the process of protecting and enhancing the work you did when polishing. It's the final step in the process. The product you use is designed to be sacrificed over time so it's a process that will need regular application, while polishing can be done once or twice a year.
Dawn washing and the application process: Dawn detergent has a high alkaline level that strips away most all waxes and polymers and leaves the surface ready for polish. I think people put too much emphasis on this product. Most household soaps and detergents are strong enough to remove car wax and polish. If you have a similar detergent under the sink, feel free to use it. If you need a new bottle of dishwashing soap, then blue Dawn is a good choice but not 100% required.
So, the steps are:
(1) Wash car with dawn or similar detergent.
(2) Clay car.
(3) Wipe down car with a detailing spray to remove any leftover clay residue. I think a rewash is unnecessary unless you car looks really bad.
(4) Polish car with a mild product.
(5) Protect car with wax or sealant of your choice.
That's it. From there it's easy maintenance. Use only car wash shampoos to wash the car. Also, a good detailing spray used regularly will enhance the wax and keep the car looking great. Only use 100% cotton towels for all cleaning and polishing. If you want to get real serious, use microfiber towels instead. I only use microfiber on my car for all polishing, waxing, and detailing.
Where can you get this stuff? Most any good auto parts store will have a full selection. I like Pep Boys, NAPA, Auto Zone, and Advance, but don't ignore your local parts stores or regional chains. Look for brands like 3M, Meguiar's, Mothers, and Eagle One. Check out their websites for tips and product descriptions.
What do you use on the interior? Interiors are easy. They need regular maintenance to look good. You can wipe down hard plastic panels with a damp cloth. Vacuum once a week. Wipe up spills immediately. Pretty easy to do. As for products, for dashboards and interior plastic, I like Vinylex or 303 Aerospace Protectant. Vinylex is pretty easy to find; 303 seems to be available at boating stores for some odd reason. Both products work great on exterior rubber too, like your tires. Vinylex is glossier than 303 so use the product that gives you the shine you like. To clean the interior, watered down Simple Green works good. All the above mfr's make interior cleaners that work fine. I like Eagle One's interior cleaning products myself. I also like Eagle One's leather cleaner and conditioner.
WHEW............. I think that covers it. Feel free to hit us with more questions or send me an e-mail if you prefer. I'm gonna go lay on the couch for a few minutes...........
1. I had used Armor All and STP for years. without problems. I had heard about dashboards splitting, but didn't seriously believe it. When it happened to a friend's dash on a new Toyota, it was a defective dash. Then I got a car with vinyl rear seats. Granted, they were probably already sun damaged, but when I applied the less expensive cleaner they split open at the seams within weeks. I spent $150.00 for an upholstery job to replace the vinyl.
2. When I took the car in to the seat cover place, he looked at the split and said You've been using Armor All haven't you. He has been in the business for 40 years and has seen a lot of damage with these low end "protectors."
3. The low end protectors are very slippery, higher end ones are not.
4. Lower end ones contain silicones in a form that attract dust. They get dirty quicker.
My car upholstery man sells and recommends 303 protectant. He also said Lexol, Pinnacle, and Meguiar's are much better than the products mentioned at the top of this post, and that any of these would do a great job without damage.
I thought I would like to share my last few years of experience with clay bars and quick detailers. They are related since the quick detailers are used as a lubricating agent for the clay bars.
Clay bars can actually be purchased in different grades from auto paint supply stores. The type I am speaking of here is the mildest one -- the overspray remover. These were originally designed to remove the paint airbrush slopover when a car was repainted. However detailers have used them for years to create a mirror surface before a car show. It has been found to be the only efficient way to remove pollutants from a paint finish such as sap, bird droppings, rail dust, sand and salt that have embedded into the paint finish. They have only recently become popular for consumers.
I have also found out that using the clay bar prevents swirl marks caused by buffers.
I have used these clay bars.
Meguiars Body Shop Professional Overspray Clay. This is a white natural clay. It stretches fairly easily once warmed in the hands, shows the accumulated dirt well, and is easy to fold in and expose a clean surface.
Meguiars Clay Bar with a Quick Detailer Kit (Autozone $9.99) Frankly it looked and performed similar to the professional overspray clay. There was no appreciable price difference. The only real disadvantage was that it was impossible to see if used on a white car. This is the least expensive all-in one deal.
I purchased Mothers California Gold Paint Saving System ($19.95). It had not only the clay, but Mother's Showtime Instant Detailer, and a small bottle of Mother's Cleaner Wax. Luckly it was a bright yellow color. This is clearly an artificial clay. It has a definite plastic texture. This is harder to warm up. Sometimes it will strink after stretching, so make it a little larger than you want and you'll be happy. It is not quite as easy to fold into a clean surface as the natural clay.
Erazer Surface Cleaning Material. This had a good cost advantage. From www.autofanatics.com for 17.95 you can purchase a kit that has 2 bars instead of the usual 1 others come with, along with 16 oz of the Lubricating Agent and Gloss Enhancement Spray and 4 ounces of Acrylic Paint Protector. Its look and performance were identical to the Mother's Clay. The kit form makes it very economical.
Surface prep is important. I usually wash with Dawn, or some other non-moisturizing dish soap and then use either 3M Prep Solvant 70, or Klean Strip Surface Preparation. Klean Strip is highly volitile and must be used outdoors for us normal users. 3M is really good, environmentally save, and non-combustible, but needs to be washed afterwards or it will eat the clay bar.
In order for the clay to work correctly it has to have a lubricating agent. Some use Soap and water, but I use Quick Detailers for consistency and ease of use. Here are the ones I used when claying.
Meguiar's Quick Detailer, and Meguiar's #40 Final Inspection. The Quick detailer has a wide spray on the bottle. This was the best for applying before rubbing the surface with clay. Quick Detailer does contain a little carnauba wax, Final Finish does not. These two are characterized by their "high lubricity" to use Meguiar's words. They appear to be more slippery and consume less product. However, they are also a little bit harder to get a dry surface when wiping. Both have a nice, clean smell. Shine is excellent. Meguiars does not use silicone.
Mother's Showtime Instant Detailer. This had a standard spray bottle, and was not as slippery as Meguiars. This honestly was not a problem until running into trouble areas. Then it consumed a lot of liquid to get the surface clean. Mother's wouldn't disclose whether they used silicone or not. Application of waxes after using it has not been a problem.
Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover, and Emerald Series Permium Detailer. The first product removed bug stuff pretty well, Tar, not so good. both work fine as a lubricating agent.
Erazer Lubricating Agent and Gloss Enhancer spray. This is the one that stands out of the crowd for me. On a dirty surface this cleans very quickly, dries easily and leaves and excellent shine. Slightly better than the others. The lubricating agent contains more alcohol so it dries quicker. Just work a smaller area at a time. This is very easy to dry the surface with this agent after using the clay.
Bottom line. Generally all of these products worked well. Rough surfaces, sometimes after years of neglect, would again become showroom slick and mirror smooth. The differences between the products is not significant enough to worry about, it's rather a matter of preference and cost.
PS. I just did my 3rd clay bar job on a car last weekend. Claying becomes much easier after the first time and uses less clay. Your glaze and wax will look even better.
Any suggestions?
1- Despite all the good review for Nu-Finish,this product seems to be put aside for various reason,why is that ?
2- I watched the infomercial on Durashine, they are stating that water beading is no good, that is like using a magnafying glass on your paint, I believe that make sense, what do you think?
I personnaly used Mothers 3 step system, lots of work for a nice shine but low durability, in other word lots of work for the show, zero for protection and I will not use it again.
I decided to return to Nu-Finish since the priority for me is protection and having other activity during the week-end, but some of the comment read on this board makes me wonder...
Some peoples are saying that Nu-Finish is hard on paint and can strip the paint on a long period of time, all that because the product contains petroleum distilate. Why petroleum dist. are no good in Nu finish but ok in Mothers or meguiars product ?
Yes I'm maybe wrong, but I'm sold to Nu-Finish, I've tried few other products, and none of them are giving me the protection of Nu Finish.I once went to the Meguiars web site to get the waxing prescription for my car and area...what a joke, according to them I had to wax my car every month...yeah right ! Richard have better thing to do, like taking English lessons... ;-)
So go ahead and give me good reason to quit using it, reason with supported facts, not subjective opinions, I'm willing to follow your advice, but remember I'm looking at protection, not incredible shine.
Almost all commentary one reads about car care products is opinion in one form or another. Doesn't matter how "authoritative" a person sounds, and I say that as one of the biggest loud mouths in TH.
About the closest thing you can get to unbiased info is Consumer Reports, and TH members love to slice and dice them because their finding differ from someone's opinion or view of a particular product.
The Wax Test.com (now .org) has done a fantastic job of trying to provide some objective, side-by-side comparisons of waxes and polishes. It's in the process of a major overhaul and merger but there will be some fantastic info coming from them very soon. Read the latest comments at http://www.thewaxtest.org
If you like NuFinish and feel its doing the job you want, then I say keep using it. Most folks wax and polish their cars because they like them to look good. A lot of people take great personal pride in the appearance of their cars, get hooked on the process, and turn it into a hobby. But take what you read and hear with a grain of salt.
Thanks in advance.
What is the dif between Eagle One Aluminum Wash and Cleaner and Eagle One A2Z? Help please before I buy them all.
how is it?
windshield scratches: Try polishing with Bon Ami or Cream of Tarter powder. If no help, then try a good polishing compound. There is special glass polish but I've never used any.
wheel cleaner: Why buy any of them? Just use the same car wash you just washed the rest of the car with and a sponge/brush and they will come clean just fine. IMHO wheel and tire cleaners were developed for the coin operated and drive through car wash folks and not necessary for the driveway concours d' elegance. The best wheel cleaner is probably made by P21, but the Eagle A2Z is a good product. Almost all factory wheels are aluminum. Find the product that is clear coat safe.
zymol: The stuff in Walmart is just Turtle Wax. The real stuff you have to keep in a refrigerator is fine for garage queens, but for a daily driver there are better value products.
I have been using Eagle One wheel cleaners for 20+ years and they're great. They're new A2Z formulation, in the bright orange bottle, is their best yet. I use it on my car most everytime I wash it. Just follow the directions to the letter and make sure the wheel is cool to the touch before using it.
I haven't tried the new Meguiar's Hot Rim cleaner so can't comment specifically but I'm sure it's good; Meguiar's mfr's excellent products.
I like EO Tire cleaner also works great!!
First we will try to just wash them with the car wash stuff we have but I have noticed sometimes that is just not strong enough.
Hey rs petty unfortunately we are those coin op and drive through car wash folks (yuck) because
we live in an apt and they don't allow you to wash your car on property. I tell you this did not bother me before we bought our new car but now it is driving me crazy!!! We are driving 45 miles out to my Mom's HOUSE this weekend so we can properly clean our poor little car.:) I never thought I would miss a driveway so much.
I know coin ops etc are horrible on your car but I feel it would be more horrible to never wash it. Oh well.
Anyways.... I think I will probably go with the Eagle One Aluminum Wash because it says it is acid free. On their site it says "Ideal for aluminum wheels" (hence the name I guess)
It says for polished aluminum and anodized wheels. Does that mean okay for clear coat??? Or is the fact that it is acid free mean it is okay for clear coat????
I looked at the Meguiar's product but could not see that it said "acid free" anywhere and that is kinda what I was looking for, after reading about cleaning the wheels on the autopia site.
Well, thanks again everyone and I guess I have it narrowed down to the Eagle One product if someone can tell me it is safe for clear coat or the Meguiar's product if someone can tell me it is acid free.
ps I WILL be getting the Eagle One tire cleaner when we need one because that definitely seems to be the best.
debbie
A2Z is a stronger product but will work fine on clear coated and chrome wheels. As long as the clear coat isn't damaged (cracked, chipped, peeling, etc) A2Z will work great.
With Aluminum wash you will probably have to agitate the dirt to remove it all whereas A2Z is strong enough to remove most of the dirt itself.
Aluminim wash is probably the safer bet as long as you're willing to use a little elbow grease to remove serious crud.
We are getting everything packed up for the big day.... We just got our clay magic bar/solution tonight, we already have our wax, our Lexol, our terry towels, microfiber towels, Stoner's window cleaner, etc etc etc.
This is a pretty cool hobby so far and I haven't even touched the car!
debbie
Thanks
Frank
Since I ain't no expert with it I will refer you to a couple guys who are Klasse experts. I know alot of detailers and these guys are the two most knowledgable about Klasse that I've met.
http://www.yosteve.com
http://www.tacscar.com
However one question wasn't answered: It's about what they are saying in the commercial of durashine.
Beading, it is really the proof that the paint is protected ? What they say make sense to me , the drop of water act like a magnafying(spelling?) glass. If so no beading is better than beading...!! what the specialist are saying about that ?
A few more comments:
- I've inspected my car just after a rainstorm on a hot, humid day to see how hot the water beads get. My unscientific examination told me that the water temp in the beads is simply not hot enough to damage the paint. One day I've got to get a surface temp thermometer and measure the water bead temps.
- Modern factory car paint is much harder than it was 20 years ago. Most all car's come with a clearcoat paint job and the clear is like a shield. One reason for this is that OEM's do not like warranty claims for faded or eroded paint jobs. They've worked with the paint mfr's to come up with paints hard enough to withstand acid rain deposits.
- Speaking of acid rain, for some people its unavoidable. Those who live downstream from factories, mills, refineries, etc will suffer from it. So will folks who live/work near the above or airports, in big cities, or whereever air pollution is a problem. Any wax or polish will help minimize acid rain damage.
- One bad thing about petroleum distillates in car polish is that it tends to dry out the clearcoat over time. Put simply, there are elements in clearcoats that help maintain its durability and gloss. Solvents remove those elements and eventually dull the paint. Many car care products include solvents to clean the paint chemically. So even if a product says "no abrasives" it still can wear out your paint with solvent. Solvents are cheap to add to polish so that's a reason why they're so prevalent.
So I don't know if sheeting is better than beading or vice versa. My thinking is that acid rain deposits will damage your paint no matter what so as long as the paint is protected by some product, the problem will be minimized. I don't know anyone who uses Durashine and I've never seen it tested or evaluated. I've seen the infomercial many times and find it entertaining but I think most any car care product can do what it does. I'd love to see a MSDS or a lab test of Durashine to see exactly what's in it.
But it is fun, I'll keep using Nu-Finish, until somebody will find something better ,I mean same protection for the same period of time but involving less effort !!
Finish 2001 and Nu Finish, it is the same stuff ?
As far as the "damage" potential for water beads as opposed to sheeted water, I think the proposition that each little bead acts as a lens to focus the deadly rays of the sun on the paint and thus you will damage your paint borders on lunacy. If this were so, wouldn't most well maintained cars have thousands of little burn spots on their paint? I try to dry my car off when I can but only because I don't like to let the ambient dust get on a wet car and I don't like water spots. I am not too concerned about the beaded water acting like thousands of little magnifying glasses. I am willing to listen if anyone has any proof of this threat to our paint.
My Father-in-Law lives in Central Florida, and his cars look very good. Both white. I suspect some oxydation on your finish. You will need a buffer to get the desired look.
Use a wax stripper, then clay bar to remove any impurities. If you don't use the clay bar you could get fine scratches on the surface of the vehicle when applying any type of abrasive or glaze. The Clay bar will also make your finish more clear and bright.
I would then try a mild abrasive like Meguiars Swirl Remover and Surface Prep 2.0. This must be machine applied for best results. Work a small area, and keep the buffer moving. Wash and apply a glaze with a machine, like 3M Imperial Hand (or Machine) Glaze, or Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze. They will enrich the finish and add paint protectors.
Follow up with wax of choice. I'm leaning to a combination myself. I put 3M Perfect-It Show Car Wax on the bottom for protection, followed up with Meguiar's #26 Hard Yellow Show Car Wax Paste a week later. I prefer pastes because they seem to put on a more even coat, last longer, and on a well prepared surface don't use very much product.
I usually follow up with another Carnauba in 3 months and repeat the process every 6 months.
My Mazda was more pink than blaze red when I bought it. With this procedure the finish looks better than new. It is also looking great after a full 6 months without any additional waxing.
I have been trying to eliminate what appears to be a film that remains for just a second after each swipe of the windshield wiper during light to moderate rain. When oncoming headlights or even certain streetlights hit the windshield at night it is very difficult to see.
I have stopped using paper towels and now use a lint free cotton cloth. I have tried 91% alcohol and vinegar (at different times) and it seems to help only a little. I have used regular Windex and recently tried the new Windex All Surface Cleaner.
I have also noticed what I guess are water spots even though I wash my car with softened well water and garage my car at night. It is only parked outside for about 4 hours a day.
I would greatly appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks,
CNorthrup
You can read more about it here:
http://www.p21s.com
and buy it here (or at most other online detailing dealers):
http://www.properautocare.com/p21-112.html
---joe
Bretfraz: You've mentioned that waxes with petroleum distillates will dull out paint "over time". Is this in 10 years, or sooner than that? I currently use Meguiar's Gold Class, which I think uses distillates, and I currently keep it on the car for a good 2-3 hours before wiping it off. If there are such harsh distillates in it, I might want to reconsider that. Anyway, any info on this would be appreciated.
I replaced a sundamged vinyl rear seat top last summer. The rebuilder recommended the above products and warned against cheaper ones.
If you don't want anything, then at least buy a dashmat carpet.
Thanks!
I'll never forget going to Niagra Falls and the exchange rate at the restaurant at the sky tower had a much lower rate of exchange than the bank downstairs. I used my credit car there too.