Ok, I am trying to care for my baby's body.

If I could only have 5 products, what would they be? (I am looking for brands, and estimated costs). Are the "detailers brands any better than those that I can get at any automotive shop or Walmart?

I am thinking that I will need;
1. Wash (soap) for the body
2. Glass cleaner
3. Convertible top cleaner
4. Interior cleaner for leatherette and plastic
5. Interior preservative.

I have access to a power washer with heat at work, which does wonders on my wheels (brake dust).

And for the towels...cotton or microfibre?

Thanks in advance

 

You really need to come over to the Detailing forum (if you dare). All your questions have been answered and there are good discussions about each to boot. Perhaps the Mod can move this for you.
I recommend you avoid the junk they sell at Walmart etal. The products are cheap and readily available, but inferior and some will actually do more damage then good (ArmorAll comes to mind). There is no need to go full tilt in to detailing as some of have, but you should at least use good quality products that will last.
Opinions vary widely but my preferred line of products is Prima which is built and sold by NAM sponsor Detailers Paradise here in Denver. Their website is www.detailersparadise.com and Heather is the real Queen of Clean. So from the Prima line here would be my recommendations for your above items:
1. Wash - Mystique (with a lambs wool mitt and using two buckets w/Dirt Guards).
2. Glass - Clarity (with a microfiber glass cleaning cloth)
3. Rag top cleaner - 303 Aerospace Fabric Cleaner* (see below)
4. Interior plastic - Nero (will clean and provide UV protection)
I will add (because I knew you just forgot to ask):
5. Exterior cleaning between washes - Slick (with a Monster Fluffy towel)
6. Wheel protection - Wheel Shield (wax that helps remove brake dust)
7. Paint protection - Epic (synthetic polymer wax)
8. Spray on wax - Hydro (use on wet car and dry with waffle weave)

and should you ever want to remove those nasty swirls and get your finish looking top notch:
9. Polish - Swirl (use by hand or with a Porter Cable polisher)
10. Filler/Cleaner - Amigo (after Swirl but before Epic)

Always use good quality microfiber towels such as:
Waffle Weave for drying
Utility for cleaning interior, removing polish and/or wiping down wheels
Monster Fluffy (from DP) for using Quick Detailing products like Slick

* Now for the rag top. Generally I only use a cleaner about twice a year. The cleaners will degrade the water protection so I only use them before I reapply sealant. Note that the canvas does not provide you with protection from water (there is a rubber liner that does that). I like to seal the canvas to help it remain clean - dirt will degrade your canvas very quickly. So about twice a year (usually when I'm doing a full detail in the spring and fall and doing the polish and waxing) I will clean the top with a stiff brush and Fabric Cleaner. Then I will apply a water sealant like 303 Aerospace Fabric Guard. The products like to be cured in full, hot sun so I pick the day accordingly.
I know you probably didn't anticipate all this when you asked your questions, but detailing is a very broad topic with extremes on both ends.
Hope this helped and I hope to see you over in the Detailing forum asking a lot of good questions and posting some pictures of your work.

Chuck