MetaEnder
04-03-2010, 12:16 AM
I'm gonna do a little write up on how I go about washing my car.
Feel free to comment on it, give me suggestions and anything, because it's a learning process, and even though I've learned a lot, there's still a lot I'm learning, and with a new car I'd like to make sure I don't cause any unwanted damage, ha.
Wish I had pics, but I don't. :(
Washing
Step 1: I mist down the vehicle, wetting it entirely without direct streams hitting it, nice and easy.
Step 2: I fill my bucket up with water and my soap and take my older wheel mitt and go over the rims/wheels. Using lots of soap and water. Then rinse off.
Step 3: I refill my bucket up with water and my soap as well as a separate bucket filled with just water. I take my car mit and start going over the car the first time. I lightly go over the car using as much soapy water as I can, and dipping the mit into the clean water bucket before the soapy one.
Step 4: I rinse off the vehicle, get all the soaps off.
Step 5: I go over the vehicle with the soap again like in Step 2. Little more pressure since most of the dirt is off anyway, paying special attention to the door panels, side panels, hood. Places where there's lotsa dirt.
Step 6: I rinse the vehicle off again. Getting all the soap out, then go to a higher pressure and get the wheel wells and rims a bit since they're the dirtiest usually.
Step 7: DRYING. (feel free to input about this) Back in the day I just let it air dry, then I started wanting to dry it to reduce spotting so I'd use a towel/air. Now I'm worried about scratching the car, so I've been using a Sham-Wow to absorb the water with minimal wiping movement. Doesn't work thaaat well, and works best when it's nice and warm out.
Waxing
Step 1: I apply my wheel shine stuff to the tires, let it sit for a bit, then rinse off.
Step 2: I use my lubricant and clay bar and go over the car. Spraying on the lubricant, and sliding the bar up and down. Mushying it up every now and then to get a clean contact point.
Step 3: I use my scratch/swirl remove on with a clean applicator pad and go over the car. On and off just like wax for the most part. Moderate pressure. I usually wont do this process though, since I don't want to use the polish stuff without learning more about it/using higher quality stuff with a DA or something.
Step 4: I apply my wax using a applicator pad. I try to put it on in straight motions vs. circular. I apply to an area about 2' x 2' area then move on and do another 2' x 2' area, then a third.
Step 5: After the third I go back and buff off the first area. Repeating the process until the entire car has been waxed and buffed. I only do sections, then buff off the first one because I don't want to leave the wax on too long.
Step 6: Once the car has been buffed out, I go over it again with a microfiber towel, getting all wax marks off.
Step 7: I stand back, look at my car and wonder if I did anything wrong, or if I could have done better.
Here are my supplies I use:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g235/MetaEnder/Random/DSCN3452.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g235/MetaEnder/Random/DSCN3451.jpg
Feel free to comment on it, give me suggestions and anything, because it's a learning process, and even though I've learned a lot, there's still a lot I'm learning, and with a new car I'd like to make sure I don't cause any unwanted damage, ha.
Wish I had pics, but I don't. :(
Washing
Step 1: I mist down the vehicle, wetting it entirely without direct streams hitting it, nice and easy.
Step 2: I fill my bucket up with water and my soap and take my older wheel mitt and go over the rims/wheels. Using lots of soap and water. Then rinse off.
Step 3: I refill my bucket up with water and my soap as well as a separate bucket filled with just water. I take my car mit and start going over the car the first time. I lightly go over the car using as much soapy water as I can, and dipping the mit into the clean water bucket before the soapy one.
Step 4: I rinse off the vehicle, get all the soaps off.
Step 5: I go over the vehicle with the soap again like in Step 2. Little more pressure since most of the dirt is off anyway, paying special attention to the door panels, side panels, hood. Places where there's lotsa dirt.
Step 6: I rinse the vehicle off again. Getting all the soap out, then go to a higher pressure and get the wheel wells and rims a bit since they're the dirtiest usually.
Step 7: DRYING. (feel free to input about this) Back in the day I just let it air dry, then I started wanting to dry it to reduce spotting so I'd use a towel/air. Now I'm worried about scratching the car, so I've been using a Sham-Wow to absorb the water with minimal wiping movement. Doesn't work thaaat well, and works best when it's nice and warm out.
Waxing
Step 1: I apply my wheel shine stuff to the tires, let it sit for a bit, then rinse off.
Step 2: I use my lubricant and clay bar and go over the car. Spraying on the lubricant, and sliding the bar up and down. Mushying it up every now and then to get a clean contact point.
Step 3: I use my scratch/swirl remove on with a clean applicator pad and go over the car. On and off just like wax for the most part. Moderate pressure. I usually wont do this process though, since I don't want to use the polish stuff without learning more about it/using higher quality stuff with a DA or something.
Step 4: I apply my wax using a applicator pad. I try to put it on in straight motions vs. circular. I apply to an area about 2' x 2' area then move on and do another 2' x 2' area, then a third.
Step 5: After the third I go back and buff off the first area. Repeating the process until the entire car has been waxed and buffed. I only do sections, then buff off the first one because I don't want to leave the wax on too long.
Step 6: Once the car has been buffed out, I go over it again with a microfiber towel, getting all wax marks off.
Step 7: I stand back, look at my car and wonder if I did anything wrong, or if I could have done better.
Here are my supplies I use:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g235/MetaEnder/Random/DSCN3452.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g235/MetaEnder/Random/DSCN3451.jpg