Car washing/waxing tips?

[87DXHatch]

Well it's a beautiful day outside I and I want to wash and wax the old 3gee. Can someone/s write down some tips and details (What waxes, soaps, techniques, whatever) on how they wash their cars? The more details you can give, the better...

I was thinking of washing it and then waxing with with white colored wax... how does that sound?

Peace :flash:

[doug]

the guy who painted my car uses liquid ivory, so I've been using
that. always dry it right after the wash, fluffy towels. do it in the
shade.

[MiGeY]

Liquid Ivory...

Good to know, I will have to try that. :D

I haven't washed my car for 3+ weeks because I just got it painted. Damn it is dirty, I am going to wash it this week.

[89 Accord Se-I]

i use mcguiars soap and wax. watch out though on the front and rear bumpers, theres a plastic line that goes through and isnt painted the color of the car, usually black. anyways its made of a different material and if you get wax on it, it will stain and is a bitch to get off

[YK86]

I use Turtle Zipwash (green stuff in a white bottle). I used to use dish soap and later learned certain types strip the wax on the car (which I now think is true since my paint finish has faded really fast the last year I was still using the super degreasing type dish soap). The Zipwash doesn't hurt the wax or paint, leaves a nice gloss, and is cheap to buy. Wash the car in the shade to minimize water spots. Also make sure the car is relatively cool so the water doesn't dry up so fast (which will again leave water spots). I use Meguiars Gold Class. By far the best product out of the 10 or so easily available stuff I've tried. The Stang guys reccommend Zaino (www.zainobros.com) but that stuff is expensive. Also, if your paint feels rough, use Mother's or Meguiars clay bar. Leaves the car feeling very smooth. You apply the wax after.

[chiller670]

has anyone tried the turtle wax with paint chip stick?

[YK86]

I have. It's a very good temporary fix for scratches. I bought one for the blue LX and one for the black Stang. I usually go over the whole car with Meguirars first, then touch up the scratches and stuff with the Chipstick/wax.

[87pimpsterdocious]

Do you guys wax in a circular motion? I was told that this leaves swirl marks and to avoid this was in a square shape. Never tried it, sounds like a lot more work though. Have you guys ever heard this?

[gr3k0sLaV]

Take it to the detailers and get them to do a propper job, then they'll tell you the best way to maintain it.

[accordlx]

You should NEVER use Ivory liquid on your car. It will strip the wax right off of your car. Only use specially formulated soaps made to wash cars. That is unless you are planning on rewaxing the car right away.

Ivory liquid is too harsh if you plan to keep your car nice and shiny for the long term. I suggest soaps made by Meguiars and Turtle Wax. I reccommend waxes by the following companies: Meguiars, Zymol, & 3M. These products generally are more expensive but yield better results.

If you want to strip the wax from your car and get it super clean, I suggest washing the car using liquid Tide. I use a California Water Blade to dry the car in junction with a soft new terry cloth towel or a chamois.

Many people use old towels to dry their car. This is a big mistake because old towels still may contain body or other oils. I then wax my car using a random orbital buffer and finish the job off with a cloth baby diaper. I also have an assortment of small brushes and q tips around for the detail work.

One other thing. Do not wash your car with a sponge. Sponges do not allow dirt particles to work their way into the washing surface. The dirt particles mostly stay at the washing surface and you risk scratches from an errant small rock or hard piece of junk scratching your paint. The best thing to use to wash your car is one of those wash mitts that have some sort of shag finish.

BTW. I know a few detailers and this is where I got this info so it should be correct. Hope this helps.

[87DXHatch]

Well first off, you spelled chamois right, you get a cookie. :D

That is some great advice, and advice I shall heed. I haven't washed/waxed my car yet, but I did buy all the crap I am going to need... here it is:

Chenille Wash Mitt - shag style outside
Bag O' Rags - Various rags for the job
Giant Bone Sponge - I shan't be using this after reading the above
Liquid Lustre Ultra High Gloss Wax - The guy at NAPA told me that this was really good stuff... we'll see.
Rain-X - For afterwards, keeps dem waters off da glass!
An Orbital Buffer, says Car and Driver on it - Borrowed this from the place I work, it should work wonderfully.
Armorall brand Car wash concentrate - for the washing.

I plan on doing this some time later this week because the weather has been really nice. I'll tell you how it goes and... wait, I can't post pictures yet... Damn.

[accordlx]

SHAMMEEEEEE!!!

[stgardner]

If you need to strip off old wax, Dawn dishwashing soap works very well. Otherwise most any car wash soap should be okay. A thick washing mitt is the best thing to use and flush the car surface with plenty of water.

Dry your car with a chamois, then finish off with a microfiber towel. Some people swear by the California water blade, but I think it just scratches.


3M swirl mark remover acts like a mild polish and can take care of some stubborn droppings. It comes for light and dark colored cars. 3M imperial hand glaze ( I've been told it's not really a glaze) is pretty much like the swirl mark remover and will leave a very clean finish. To get the last of the embedded grime off, you can use a clay bar. Follow the directions for use exactly or you can wind up cratching the finish.

Once things are clean you can go either the wax or polymer route. For waxes, I like S-100. It doesn't last as long but if goes and wipes off fairly easily and it doesn't leave marks if you get some on the black bumper or trim. You can get it at any Harley-Davidson motorcycle shop. The better Zymols (not the $12 bottle available at Pep Boys) are also a good choice. As for polymers, I like Zaino. Check out the Zaino brothers products on their web site.

Lastly, take a look at http://carcareonline.com/ for more info

stgardner

[markmdz89hatch]

hang on a sec. 87DXHatch Please tell me that you didn't do this yet. Please!

I take it your car is white? This makes a big difference in what waxes you use. That's right, the color DOES matter to a certain extent.

The next thing I'd have to ask is when the last time was that the car was properly waxed. Yep, you guessed it, that matters too.

VERY IMPORTANT: Put that orbital buffer away. Those are bad news unless you know EXACTLY what you're doing.

stgardner is right on the clay bar it's a great thing to use right after drying the car, but again, use it right otherwise you'll end up with a scratched up mess. However, don't use a chamois. Those do dry the car fast, however if there are any minute dust or sand particles on the paint finish (and there will be) that washing did not remove, all the chamois is going to do is drag those particles along the finish, and scratch it a little more contributing to that "swirl mark" looking finish.

I have a 3-4 page document explaining proper washing/waxing techniques that was written for the other forum that I belong to for my 300ZX. Some of those guys spent over 8G's just on paint, so you could bet that they'de be looking for the best of the best, and that doc. says it all.

I have also been detailing cars myself for the past 8 yrs. so I hope that by this time, I know what I'm talking about. I would be more than willing to give my opinion on any question that anyone has.

As far as wax, there is no SINGLE best wax, there are a bunch of products out there, and everyone has a preference. However, there are those out there that everyone should stay away from.

Sorry for the book, but I hope this helps.
:eek:

[87DXHatch]

No I haven't done it yet... it's been rainy. Why shouldn't I use the orbital buffer? Any chance you could hook me up with that article?

Thanks

[87DXHatch]

Oh, yeah my car is white. I have no idea when it was last waxed... I washed it in April and used like that wax that is in the Do-it-yourself carwash routine that comes out of the spray hose apparatus.

If I shouldn't use a chamois, then what should I use to dry it?

[markmdz89hatch]

hey, how's that, I have an '89 DX Hatch and it's white too.

OK, the orbital buffer is too mechanical, if that makes any sence. When using the buffer, you can't really get a good fee for how much pressure you're applying, and will most likely not spread the wax evenly accross the paint surface. It is also pretty big and bulky. In other words, it won't be able to get the little tight spots that you need to get to to make your car shine like new. Another reason is b/c of that damn powercord. Unless that cord is suspended from the ceiling, you can bet that it'll hit the paint while your using it, and that's no good. The extension cord is made of rubber, and when hitting the paint surface, can scuff it similar to a rubber-soled shoe on a hard wood floor. Not to mention the cord is not real clean, and can scratch the surface as well.

The do-it-yourself bay is fine, but I would only suggest using it to wash off the car, not to wash the car. The difference: The spray thing usually sprays at a low pressure without the handle squeezed; once you squeeze the handle, you get the high pressure. And that's the good stuff right, NOPE, that's bad. That high pressure spray can actually do more damage then good, b/c what it does it embed the dirt particles into the surface, marring the paint, and creating a need for that good 'ol clay bar.

For everyone that loves to go to the spray-'n-wash b/c it gets your car so clean; the reason for that is b/c they use such harsh detergents that not only get work the grease, grime, etc. off, but also the wax. That's why you've got that shine, b/c you're looking at bare, unprotected paint. And please for the love of everything holy, please do not use that brush. Who knows where that thing has been, the other day I saw someone using it as a push broom to get the sand out of the bed of his truck. Now picture yourself driving in just after he left, and using that sand-ridden brush to "clean" your newly painted finish. Then you get left wondering, how did I get all of those little hairline scratches all over the car. (You'll only see those types of scratches if the sun is glaring off it at the right angle.)

Now, being that you have not washed or waxed the car in a long time, you'll need to dedicate a lot of time to it this time, and keep the maintenance on it to avoid wasting another entire day slaving over your car.

A bone sponge is alright to use, but as stgardner said, the wash mit is better. Use a 5 Gal. bucket, and go ahead and use some laundry detergent this time if you'de like. Pour about a soda cap full of detergent into the bottom of the (clean) bucket, then fill it over 3/4 with water. It's alright if the suds spill over, it's not the suds that clean the car, it's the soap that has already been mixed into the water.

Hose down the car completely. Do this in the shade too, if at all possible. Break out that wash mit, and go to town, make sure to get the whole car, everything. Also make sure to resoak the wash mit frequently. Wash, ring out, soak, ring out a little, wash again. <-That's what you want to do. Don't put the wash mit on the bottom of the bucket, that's where all that nasty dirty water is, and you don't want to put that back on your car do you.

Dry the car off in the shade, or at least where the surface of the car will not get too hot. Again, don't use a chamois, use a thick (clean) towel. Make sure to flip the towel from time to time, ring it out, dry some-more. Avoid drying this under a tree, b/c even though you can't see it, that tree is dropping crap all over your paint that is real hard to get off.

Once dry, break out that clay bar. Go to work, you know the drill on that stuff. Once you're done with that, you're on your way to a great looking shine.

Next step is some sort of POLISH, not wax. The polish will remove all that nasty oxidized (dead) paint from the surface. Apply this with a thick wax applicator pad, and apply it in small circular motions, making sure to get the whole car. Put some elbow grease into that; don't rub so hard you break your shoulder or distort the body panels, but don't just wipe it around on the surface either. Do small sections at a time, so the polish does not get baked into the paint. As your applying it, you'll notice that with the spot you did a few minutes ago the polish is begining to "haze up". That's good, it's drying. As soon as it's hazy like that, use a polishing cloth, or a regular (clean, dry) towel to remove it. This too will take a little elbow grease.

Congratulations, you're almost done! Inspect the paint surface, if it looks like it still has some dead paint on it, or has some contaminants, break out that clay bar and get the spots you missed, and then polish it again. (only polish it again if you feel that you could remove more oxidized paint.) If you decide to polish it again, do the whole thing, not just little spots here and there.

Now for the wax, follow the same instructions as the polich, and remember, do not let the wax overdry on the paint, it'll be a Biatch to get off if it does. You may feel that you want to reapply the wax a second time to get a deeper luster. If you do, go for it.


The main thing to remember is that, if this is the original paint, chances are you won't be able to get EVERYTHING out of it, so don't kill yourself. I do however guarantee that you will think it looks 200% better by the time you finish. But you will be blind from looking that that white finish for so long. Trust me, I've been there a few times.

Good luck, and have fun!

...btw. That's basically what the article says. I can't seem to find it now that I'm looking for it.

[doug]

it's been alittle over a month since my paint job. I have not waxed the car yet. The guy who did the job said to wait until the water does not bead. It still beads strong. I have been using Ivory liquid, a very small amount, where do I go from here?

[markmdz89hatch]

If that was a good paint job, and by the sounds of it it was (speaking more about the paint used, not neccessarily the job itself), that paint will continue to bead for a long long time. The surface is sealed, it has not yet oxidized. In other words, it acting basically like a fresh coat of VERY good wax.

Honestly, I'd wait a little while before waxing. Another month would not hurt at all. In fact, it'll just help the paint to cure better before introducing silicates, and other things found in waxes/finishers.

That Liquid Ivory that you're using is very good stuff, however I would not suggest that for new paint. Reason being: Liquid Ivory has a cutting agent in it, it's very mildly abrasive. I would not reccomend this product for this application simply b/c there's nothing for the L.I. to cut, none of that paint has even though of oxidizing yet. ...and that oxidation is what the cutting agent (abrasive) is added in to remove.

I would just use a wax/finisher that is COMPLETLY non-abrasive. Try to get something with little to no silicates, and you'll be in business. That car will shine forever.


Just b/c you can't wax it does not mean you can't wash it though. However, again the paint is not completely cured yet even if they baked it, so the paint is still "soft". If you feel the need to wash it, go get the fluffiest wash mit you could find, toss it in the laundry before you use it. You could throw it in the dryer too, but no fabric softener or static softener. Then very lightly wash the car. Don't put much (if any) pressure on the mit, and be sure to use the lightest wash soap available. Avoid anything with detergents all together.

Hope this helps!
Sorry for the book again.
:D

[doug]

I've got no problem with not using the Ivory liquid if I could get a knowledgeable tip on an excellent soap product to use. A little research I've done in the past day points out that the Ivory may take oils out of the paint and clearcoat, I really can't see that, but I'm not an expert and I do not want to screw up the finish. The articles I've read speak generically about dish soap and not Ivory specifically.So I'm asking for tips on a *mild* soap product that is good to use for new paint jobs if anyone knows. Thanks.

[doug]

One more thing, in my town the water out of the garden hose is very hard. I've done research on filters to use inline on the garden hose but most of them are to de-chlorinate the water, which is good and something I want, but I'd also like to know if there is a inline filter/conditioner product out there that will de-chlorinate, filter, and somewhat soften the water. Thanks for any tips.

[markmdz89hatch]

Doug

About the liquid ivory, I did not realize that you were talking about the dish-soap stuff. There is an actual product out there called Liquid Ivory, or sometimes Liquid Ebony. Who knows who came up with the two names that are perfect opposites, but name the same product. :huh: Anyway, for the soap, if there an AutoZone or something like that, you can go there and pick up some type of car wash off the shelf. Just read them, and find one that says it will not strip the wax. I know there's no wax on it right now, but as I said before, a new paint finish can best be compared to a newly waxed car.

As far as the water softener, if I gave you a definite answer, it'd be a definitly wrong one, b/c the truth is, I don't really know. The fact that you're conscious of the chlorination is good b/c that can be too harsh on the finish, and can actually etch it. As for the hard water, if I'm not mistaken, it's the mostly the iron concentration that causes the "hard"ness right?
I would guess that with the dechlorinator, and the very light detergent soap, combined with the wash mit, you would not have much of anything to worry about at that point. <--Can't be 100% sure, b/c I just don't know.

[markmdz89hatch]

Actually, the Ivory soap is a good thing to use if you're about to wax it, b/c yes, it will help remove the oils, but is also strong enough to remove the wax. But that's for the future, you don't need anything with that much detergents just yet.

btw. what color is it?

to all:
I do not consider myself an expert in this subject by any stretch of the imagination. There's just too much to learn, and so much out there that I surely can't keep up with all of it. If anyone is interested, I use ARDEX brand products. It's fairly expensive, but I now swear by everything I've used from them, and would reccomend it to anyone. The only problem is that it's real hard to find a place that will sell to the public. I happen to be lucky b/c there's one nearby me that does. There will always be a second opinion to everything I state, and that's what makes is great. I could find out that one of my practices is wrong, or that someone else has a better way of doing it. After all, that's how I got to this point.

I do know that I would never intentionally steer anyone wrong in my advise. Please enjoy your cars, and keep 'em shinin'.

:super:

[accordlx]

markmdz89hatch, I totally agree with everything you are saying except that you mentioned it was ok to use a bone spone to wash the car. I have heard from more than one source that a sponge of any type will cause scratches on your paint because dirt particles become trapped between the sponge and your painted surface. From what I heard, most sponges don't have enough give to absorb any sort of hard particles on the paint job.

I also agree with the point about orbital buffers to a certain degree. I guess I've had so much experience with them that I really didnt think of the layman trying to use one.(I used to work in an autobody shop.) If you do decide to use one, always run the cord over your shoulder so the cord never touches the paint. Also make sure that you don't electrocute yourself in the process. I would be curious to know what you think is the best commerically availble car wax is for a burgundy car. My car was painted and then double clear coated. I also agree to a certain extent what you said about a chamois. I only use natural chamois and not the fake ones. I use it very rarely now that I bought a California Car Blade. They claim that they produce about 15% of the friction that a towel creates. I swear by it.

[89AccordLXI666]

What about Nu-finish... "The once a Year Wax"? Does that sh** work good too? or is it bad?

[markmdz89hatch]

accordlx --> You're right about that bone sponge. It's definitly not reccomended to use, but it's not too too bad. It may defeat the purpose, but if you are gentle with the sponge, and your car isn't real dirty, your should be able to get away with it. My main objective was to get accross the point of not using a wash cloth, or towel of some sort to wash the car with.

About your paint, being that it's double clearcoated, you don't really have to worry about the base color, b/c all you're treating is the clearcoat. Being that the paint is fairly new, and your playing on the clearcoat, I would'nt see any need for anything with abrasives. Just a couple of weeks ago, I talked to someone who owns a shop and details for a living, he said that for a finisher, Liquid Glass is what he swears by. I picked it up and tried it out on my boat, and i gotta say, it does a damn good job, but the application methods are kinda screwey. You'll see what I mean if you get it and read the directions. Anyway, I would use a non-abrasive cleaner (I think Meguiars has a good cleaner wax), this will get the contaminates out but will not offer much of any protection, so you'll have to follow that up with a good wax. For that you could use something like mothers' or meguiars gold class. Really any carnuba should be sufficient to provide a good glass-like finish. Just remember, if you use carnuba, it'll look great and protect the paint, but it won't last too long.

Oh yeah, and what's this california car blade thingy, I don't think I've ever heard of that.

[markmdz89hatch]

89AccordLXI666 --> You could go ahead and use that NuFinish stuff, as long as you follow the directions for applying/removing it, you won't hurt anything. But don't rely on this stuff to last a whole year. There is better stuff out there on the market (refer to everyone's previous posts for examples), but this is OK too.

You really should wax the car every 5th or 6th time you wash it to ensure a long-lasting great-looking finish.

[87DXHatch]

That California Blade is pretty much the edge of a squeegee. It looks like those window washers/squeegee things that you use at gas stations, only without the sponge type part. Does anyone know if a normal rubber squeegee would work, because I saw a California Blade at NAPA and it was like 25 bucks?

[accordlx]

I wouldnt use a regular squeege because it is made out of ordinary rubber. The California Blade thingy is made out of surgical rubber which is many times softer. They claim that the water blade puts about 15 times less friction on your car than a terry cloth towel.

Here is a link to where you can get one for $20. I swear by it. It really works. (http://waxdepot.safeshopper.com/15/62.htm?851)

[87DXHatch]

Well after shipping its like the same as NAPA... I think I'll hit up eBay for one.

[ELM'sLX+CHL'sDX]

You guys should try Klasse. I've had it on for about two months now and the water sheathes right off after each wash. The finish still feels smooth. You could use body shine after the wax as well.

Claude

[pthump]

Try any of the Eagle One products that are out there. I have tried their wash, rim cleaner, and this stuff called Wax as U Dry. It is INCREDIBLE!!!!! After you wash and rinse your car while it is wet just spray it on and dry the car with a dry rag and you get a great finish. A friend of mine turned me on to it when he started using it before car shows to wax his Accord....P