Please excuse me, I'm a huge newbie to this!

I'm trying to figure out how to just wash my car (it rained a week ago but I'm almost scared to put anything on it!) -- there's SO much information, debate on what product to use, etc that I'm a little bit lost.

For just wash, does it matter what product I use? I still have some Mr. Clean stuff from my old car...

I guess I also need to buy some kind of mit to scrub it down... does my local Target have what I need?

 

basics are:

Large bucket (5gallons or more)
gritguard (grill that you drop inside the bucket)
Washmitt
Car shampoo
Drying MF waffle weave towel
Prima Hydro (quick spray on wax that lasts a long time).

www.detailersparadise.com (Prima stuff)
www.outmotoring.com (Griot's stuff)

you'll probably want to pickup some kind of tire dressing
to make them black. i use Meguiar's InsaneShine and use
a small mount. don't forget the applicator for it.

 

FOllow the basics I've had good results with the target stuff mst any wax will do some last longer than others I'm a fan of a NXT base and Turtule wax Canuba paste over that

If you'd like I can PM you my detailing process, through explination of a simple wash.

Just avoid the Machine washes at all costs lol

 

Prima Hydro pwns NXT+Turtlewax.


if anyone finds a simpler way to wax than Hydro,
you let me know.

 

lol Its cheaper and found at your local Target

 

Good advice! Get you some Back to Black (Mother's) or order some Black Wow for the plastic bits and use up the Mr Clean...

 

you're not suppose to pour the entire bottle of Hydro in your
wash bucket! jk

 

MINImum you need is car shampoo, microfiber washmitt, large bucket, a microfiber waffleweave drying towel and a hose. I would recommend Meguire's stuff available locally. However, if you're willing to wait a week for an internet order go to www.detailersparadise.com. Order Mystique car shampoo, a lambswool wash mitt, a waffle weave drying cloth from them. Hydro is a wax as you dry product they carry that is wonderful and easy to use that you might want to consider. The bucket is best bought at Lowe's or home depot (a 5 gallon paint bucket goes for like $3).

Hope this is enough but not too much. You'll spend a little more than the stuff at target but it will work much more easily and give you a better final result in less time (and with less cleaner used).

Also, you might call Heather and Nick at detailer's paradise or Richard at Showcardetailing.com and they'll answer your questions and get you just what you need.

 

are you absolutely sure about that? hehehe.

toss in this and that, that and this, etc. etc.

 

My shampoo is a turtle wax wash and wax I'm still on my original solution that I bought 2 years ago, and the wax in that will have me beading like mrcury all by itself. There are a lot of options just as good IMO and far cheaper, and since my process includes a waxing on a regular basis the fact the stuff survives after a few years is an irrelavant factor.















I love a clean car but the wallet is also not where I need to lose the weight either. Supplies is about $30 a year + water and I can wash and wax every week clay annually and be just as shinny as the next MINI.

 

I didn't say it wasn't addictive - just that it was the minimum

Warning: washbucket, mystique, and microfibers have been deemed a gateway drug by the surgeon general!

 

motoron- that does look very clean, indeed. and you're right,
why spend more time/money if you can get to the level you like with the
stuff that you already have?

cadfael tex- lol, you forgot Hydro!!!

 

That's a nice shine ! But then again, you give me a jet black MINI, a good camera, indirect lighting, and a nice and colorful reflection, and I could make that MINI look that good with a bottle of Suave Shampoo and a cotton dish towel.

 

^^^ COLD!!!

 

For me the most important things are the tools you use to wash your car (I learned that the hard way as I am still trying to buff all my swirlmarks out). You want proper tools that will not put scratches into your clearcoat. I am always wary of wash mitts & towels found at Wal-Mart (etc...) as I used to use the ones they claimed were safe & as I said I am still trying to get all my swirlmarks gone. They might claim to be safe when they really aren't. I would say go ahead & invest in a good quality lambswool mitt & a good quality microfiber waffle weave drying towel, they will last you a very long time. I would order them from from Detailers Paradise because we know what they carry is good & safe. Their shipping times are very fast

As to the argument of which carsoap/wax/etc... is best, that is up for debate. There are many good ones out there just read around & use your own judgement.

 

OH SNAP
but true... on an overcast day my MINI looks like perfection. In the bright 12:00 sun it's hello swirlmarks.

 

Well if you really feel the need to be rude about it here are some direct lighting photos.



(wish they didnt chip so easily)

 

Ruh-Roh... someone doesn't find my sense of humor to be entertaining.

Nice shots, MO... I've seen lots of them on other threads and they're always impressive.

I won't kid around with you any more. Maybe.

 

No I didn't You have to read the whole post Kenchan. and I quote - Hydro is a great wax as you dry product... Plus, isn't that your job to Hydrovangelize as the Ken on Hydro

 

I don't think anybody was being rude. But the 2nd set of pics still don't prove the perfection of your finish. I'm not saying your finish isn't perfect but take a closeup pic from directly above at high noon in full sun. That's when the swirlies show up

here's how my MINI looks in pics like you took...


here's how my finish really looks

 

motoron- does walmart/target sell the grit guard type grills?

i haven't seen it. does autozone have them? Not for me, but
for girlcavity.

 

I didn't realize this was the "Drew-shows-off-his-MINI" thread. The photos and your MINI are beautiful, we're just teasing.

The best advice ever is... don't go to a car wash. If you are ever in such a hurry that you can't do it at home (or it's too dark), go to a coin-op place, but DO NOT LET THE SCRUB BRUSH COME ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR MINI! Just use the sprayer to soap and rinse, then dry with proper waffle towels you bring with you from home.

If your MINI is very dirty, you may need to go through 2 cycles of soap/rinse, but under no circumstances should you even think about touching the scrub brush.

 

nice!

 

well yah, but 'great' just doesn't cut it for Hydro.

It's FANTASTIC! (now watch, people
will say, hey, my mom uses that cleaner.... )

 

The OP wants to simply wash the car and the list is:

• car shampoo
• large bucket
• a microfiber waffleweave drying towel
• hose
• Large bucket (5gallons or more)
• gritguard
• microfiber washmitt
• Washmitt [I guess not microfiber]
• lambswool mitt [also not microfiber]
• Prima Hydro
• NXT base
• Turtule wax Canuba paste
• turtle wax wash and wax

All girlcavity wants to do is wash the car!

Girlcavity, go to target or anywhere. Get any generic car shampoo, probably very cheap. Also pick up some kind fo mitt for putting the shampoo on the kind. It don't matter what kind. Also get a large fluffy towel to dry. It does not have to be microfiber or whatever the latest miracle fabric may be. You may already own one you don't mind using on the car. It just has be absorbant and not scratch the paint.

1. Follow the direction on the car shampoo bottle fill up a bucket of water

2. Scrub the car down (including the wheels). Don't let the soapy water dry on the car

3. Hose the soapy water off

4. Dry with your towel

That's it. Have fun