20 replies to this topic

[FrankenJim]

Hey all. Need to do some Cleaning but not sure what products to use. Inside: Metal Floor / Grooved floor ? [thinkin hot water plus elbow grease?] The Dash where the heater vents are? [normal dust cloth doesnt do it well] Outside: What Car shampoo & Sponge should i use? Whats the stuff people use on the soft top to stop it collecting water? To finish the car i be using what haggi961 has, Check his topic the car looks its just been built!!!!! Sounds silly but as have all ways had sheds of cars <£1000 i never cleaned them so this will be my 1st clean!!!! I dont mind buying a pressure/jet wash if its worth it? Or should i stick to Bucket? Cheers Jim

[turbobob]

I use a vacuum cleaner with the brush attachment on the hose to clean the dash. As for waterproofing the roof, I thin the product you are looking for is Fabsil

[harryp]

How to clean a car? sponge tends to retain grit etc and therefore is likely to put swirl marks in your paintwork. Soft mitt is easier to rinse, therefore less swirls IMO. There's 1001 car cleaning products for 1001 specific cleaning tasks. see any branch of halfrauds. IMO many of the very specific stuff is marketing hype, decent shampoo and wax/polish will suffice unless you're really anal about it. - and plenty are check out the 'detailing' scene..

[Nelly Vx]

Whatever you do DO NOT use a pressure wash , I just started using the simonize shampoo tablets fantasiic finish for a bucket and sponge I use a turtle wax trim polish pad on the dash and plastics and find a old tooth brush handy to clean the floor grooved piece, as for waxes etc I use auto glym but it's just what I'm happy with

[mandarinvx]

The Autoglym roof kit is very good, in fact other than waxes all of the Autoglym stuff has a good effect, and best of all it's on 3-4-2 at Halfords

[mandarinvx]

As well as the Autoglym Shampoo/SRP/Leather Care/Vinyl & Rubber Care/Tyre Shine


I'd also get one of these


And a pot of this

And nip down Costco to get a bumper pack of microfibres

[FrankenJim]

Cheers Guys Currently shopping online at Halfords think i give the Meguiars stuff ago looks the nuts and 3 for 2 @ mo. Really Dont get a pressure washer? I though they were better than Bucket and spounge? not sure what to buy now Bucket and Soft mitt or pressure washer? descions!

[harryp]

I think the reluctance to use a pressure washer is down to the relative sensitivity of the paintwork on our plastic cars. mitt, 2 Buckets (one with clean water to rinse mitt, other with suds) and dececnt shampoo/ wax and the job's a good 'un

[RobNA]

Whatever you do DO NOT use a pressure wash , I just started using the simonize shampoo tablets fantasiic finish for a bucket and sponge I use a turtle wax trim polish pad on the dash and plastics and find a old tooth brush handy to clean the floor grooved piece, as for waxes etc I use auto glym but it's just what I'm happy with

Wheras I would say do use a pressure washer and never use a sponge

Obviously don't use the pressure washer really close up to the body work, but that's just common sense

[LY_Scott]

but that's just common sense

on to a winner there Rob.....

[RobNA]

but that's just common sense

on to a winner there Rob.....

[CHARL13]

The Autoglym roof kit is very good, in fact other than waxes all of the Autoglym stuff has a good effect, and best of all it's on 3-4-2 at Halfords

I used the cabriolet cleaner/waterproofer and now the water beads nicely. As for the exterior, autoglym body shampoo followed by meguiars clay bar, followed by autoglym SRP, followed by autoglym high gloss wax. Not tried any other products so can't comment but very happy with the results.

[Decky]

B+Q for 2 buckets, Halfords for turtlewax wash and wax, some good polish like mer, then turtlewax 'wax' (about £12 total in the 342 offer) Halfords also have polishing cloths for about £3 which have worked well for me. I use a sponge and have no swirl marks at all so far, afraid of usinig a pressure washer as I dont trust the paint finish myself.

[Yellow_or_black?]

Detailed Obsession every time

[DarrylB]

Quick run through of what I use/have: Shampoo: Dodo Juice Born to be mild Mitt: Dodo juice 'Wookie Fist' Method: Supersnow foam via a snowfoam lance, left to dwell then rinsed of on low pressure, washed with two bucket method. Clay: BiltHamber AutoClay Drying: Megs QuickDetailer + Sonus DERWunder towels Wheels: Bilberry Very cherry cleaner through a foaming spray head + various brushes Interior: Any All Purpose cleaner (APC) tesco's own 'Daisy' brand is great! Softtop: 303 fabric guard or AutoGlym pack (cleaner + protector) Polish: Menzerna range via a porter cable 7424 + various pads. Wax: Dodo Juice supernatural Tyres: Megs Gel Arches: Megs vinyl and plastics dressing Metal: Autosol Glass: 1z

Edited by DarrylB, 01 September 2009 - 12:22 PM.

[PeterJ]

IMO it's essential to avoid the white residue left by many polishes. Ihave been using the Turtle wax ICE range with good results on all surfaces, including rubber seals and lights. It's a fully synthetic products with no chalky residue. I guess everyone has their own favourite product.

[skinster]

I pay a group of eastern Europeans a tenner that have opened a car wash at a disused garage they do a really good job!

[FrankenJim]

Spent Few hours today.

Clean > Then used the Step 123 as haggie(sp) did, not as shiny as his but wasnt sure how much to use. But still please with the results. Dam those Fly splats took some elbow power to get off lol Also Changed the number plate to 3/4 , all though that wont stay on long as i be buying my new plate over the weekend.
Just need to nip to halfords to get some tyre shine. Whats good to clean the wheels just normal wash?
Also while im here, how do i remove the pax foot rest? Want to put my carpets down Cheers.

Before:


FLY SPLAT!!!!




After:

[Zoobeef]

Tip for the fly splats would be some fly splat remover or lay a hot wet towel over them for 10 mins to soften them

[AliM]

Nat put me on to this Demon shine stuff, now i don't put much effort into washing my car but even i got it to look like this:



was well impressed