Newbile type question - proper wash & wax?

What is a good way to hand wash & wax?

I've been using a really thick & soft dog-bone shaped car washing sponge, and a bucket of warm water with Dawn dish soap. I pre-rinse a single part, starting towards the top, roof first, then wash it quickly with the sponge, then rinse it off. Then move on to the doors the same way, then hood, then grille, fenders, bed, tailgate, and lastly the wheels & wheel-wells. I then repeat the whole process a second time if it looks like it needs it.

I have not waxed the truck yet.

My questions are:
- is the soap I'm using decent enough?
- what is a good Wax to use?
- what is the proper way to wax?
- How often should I wax?

Thanks for any/all help!

What is a good way to hand wash & wax?

I've been using a really thick & soft dog-bone shaped car washing sponge, and a bucket of warm water with Dawn dish soap. I pre-rinse a single part, starting towards the top, roof first, then wash it quickly with the sponge, then rinse it off. Then move on to the doors the same way, then hood, then grille, fenders, bed, tailgate, and lastly the wheels & wheel-wells. I then repeat the whole process a second time if it looks like it needs it.

I have not waxed the truck yet.

My questions are:
- is the soap I'm using decent enough?
- what is a good Wax to use?
- what is the proper way to wax?
- How often should I wax?

Thanks for any/all help!

:eek: :eek:

These are only my opinions, and I am sure others will be different....

I am a big fan of the Mequiar's product line... They make a really good soap, I use the Gold Class wash Shampoo. I don't use or recommend using Dish soap.

For wax, once again I am a Mequiar's fan.. There are people on here who like others that take multiple applications, but for a nice shine... They make a new product line called the NXT Generation that seems to be really good!

Wax tips... Never in direct sun.... Let the truck sit under cover for about 30 minutes if it was in the direct sun..... Do one panel at a time....

Wax as often as you want.... But at some point, you might consider using a wax removing cleaner to get back down to the clearcoat and start over... Even though you wax, you might get stains in between the layers of wax....

Oh and for scratches or swirlmarks... Meguiar's Scratch X works well....

I also use some of the body shop products from Mequiar's... They work great... Just a lot of work and maintenance!

So this is just my opinion.... Others feel free to give your own and not rip mine!! :D

What is a good way to hand wash & wax?

I've been using a really thick & soft dog-bone shaped car washing sponge, and a bucket of warm water with Dawn dish soap. I pre-rinse a single part, starting towards the top, roof first, then wash it quickly with the sponge, then rinse it off. Then move on to the doors the same way, then hood, then grille, fenders, bed, tailgate, and lastly the wheels & wheel-wells. I then repeat the whole process a second time if it looks like it needs it.

I have not waxed the truck yet.

My questions are:
- is the soap I'm using decent enough?
- what is a good Wax to use?
- what is the proper way to wax?
- How often should I wax?

Thanks for any/all help!First of all NEVER use dishwashing soap for washing your truck.It strips off the wax and leaves a bare surface.The Gold Class is an excellent car wash soap and there is other brands as well.I found that the generic cherry scented product at Advance Auto Parts does the same job for $3.00 a half gallon.

As BDIA stated the new NXT Tech Wax is great.I have been using it since last fall and it is a great product.I was a Zaino user religiously but now am using the Tech Wax.I am not saying it is better than Zaino but MUCH less labor intensive.

With the Tech Wax you apply it in the shade doing the whole truck at the same time.It does not leave a powdery residue upon removal.I don`t know how they do it but it works.

As far as how often,it depends how much exposure you have to the elements.My vehicles never see rain or snow .I wipe them daily/before driving with a mist detail spray. .This helps tremendously with keeping up the wax shine between waxings.I do mine at least twice a year,maybe three times.

I think your wash procedure is sound except for the Dawn.I would recommend a second sponge/wash mitt for the wheels and wheel wells.

Thanks for the great advice folks. I knew I was asking in the right place! :)

Well,I have been accused of being anal by keeping up the cars.Was that way since I was 17.Probably won`t change anytime soon. ;)

I would'nt use a sponge, can lead to micro scatches. Use a wash mit or even better a micro fiber wash mit. Second the recommendation on using a 2nd mit on the rims than the one you use on the paint.

What is a good way to hand wash & wax?

I've been using a really thick & soft dog-bone shaped car washing sponge, and a bucket of warm water with Dawn dish soap. I pre-rinse a single part, starting towards the top, roof first, then wash it quickly with the sponge, then rinse it off. Then move on to the doors the same way, then hood, then grille, fenders, bed, tailgate, and lastly the wheels & wheel-wells. I then repeat the whole process a second time if it looks like it needs it.

I have not waxed the truck yet.

My questions are:
- is the soap I'm using decent enough?
- what is a good Wax to use?
- what is the proper way to wax?
- How often should I wax?

Thanks for any/all help!

As Roktman said, NEVER use any dish soap to wash your truck. Just so you know Dawn is the most acidic there is and is recommended for removing any old wax that may be on your truck.

I personally use Zaino and love it. Have never found it to be labor intensive (maybe cause I drink beer when I'm doing it) or to leave a white residue on my vehicles. Not saying this did not happen to Roktman, just that I have not experienced it.

The one thing I have not seen mentioned yet is Clay Bar. I highly recommend doing this, even on a new vehicle. It removes all the contaminanents that are on the paint surface. If you do not do this you seal them in with the wax. Not good.

I just did my truck this last Saturday and here is what I did.

1. Wash.
1.5 Drink Beer
2. Clay Bar
2.5 Drink another beer
3. Wash again and blow dry with the leaf blower and then towel dry.
3.5 Damn, that ones empty, have another beer
4. Apply/remove Zaino Z5
4.5 I think it's time for a beer.
5. Wipe down with Z6
5.5 Did someone say Beer?
6. Apply/remove a half/half mixture of Z5/Z2
6.5 Hey, it's past noon, time for a beer.
7. Wipe down with Z6
7.5 This is hard work. Think I will have a beer.
8. Apply/remove Z2
8.5 Time to enjoy the look of a clean truck and order some Pizza to go with this beer.

Hope that helped. :D

I'm glad to see that someone else has discovered the benefits of drying your vehicle with a leaf blower. I've been using one for years.
:D :D :D

yeah um, never use dishwashing soap, rest looks good. There is a nanowax by eagle one, but i think i may check out the NXT stuff, sounds cool.

Never thought about using a leaf blower for drying, ah well, may try it.

~~Eric

I CONCUR ON THE NXT TECH WAX, ITS GREAT! ALSO BE SURE TO RINSE YOUR WASH MITT REGULARY WHILE YOUR WASHING TO REMOVE WHAT EVER DIRT ITS PICKED UP, SOME USE 2 BUCKETS ONE FOR RINSING THE MITT :rolleyes:

I will say that Silver is right the clay is the trick especially on darker colors you will really see the difference even on a showroom fresh truck..Oh yeah The beer, what brand works best for waxing??? :D

This might sound strange, but try washing from the bottom up. This is the way we wash aircraft. One of the reasons is to ensure we don't miss any spots. There are other reasons such as dirt not sticking as easily to a clean area (bottom) when you wash the top.

Been detailing vehicles for years. Tested a variety of products and techniques, and here is what I have come up with:

Get a good car wash soap and mix at the correct dilution. Too strong will break down wax. I use 2 seperate wash mits.
I wash from the top to bottom, stopping at the top of the lower fascia. Then I hit all the bottom switching mits frequently to avoid carrying the grit from the road. Wheel well liners with the remaining.
Leaf blower is great for getting her dry, I carry 3 of The Absorber chamois, and finish getting any remaining water out of the door jambs, tailgate, hood...ect

You may want to consider clay barring before finishing
here is a link:
http://www.autogeek.net/clbaandlu.html

I use a Porter Cable #7424 polisher to apply the polish/wax, and take it off with 100% cotton towels. You can use the polisher to take off the wax but I prefer the towel.

Waxes used: Liquids

Zaino...( not really a wax) excellent product, however it can be somewhat labor intensive. Smells great too. No white powder film left over. Lasting finish

Zymol... always seemed to leave a film despite multiple passes with clean towels. No white powder film left over.

Meguires NXT... Excellent product easy on/off no streaks, and can be pulled in sunlight, however never suggested. No white powder film left over. Lasting finish.

Mcguires Gold Class # 20. Another "decent" product. No white powder film. Not going to be "long lasting".

Black Magic Wet Shine... Average product. Easy on / off and leaves a nice finish. Does not pull off well in the sunlight. Minor powdering. Just detailed 2 trucks with this product so we will see how it lasts.

Rain X somthing or other, in a blue bottle. finish lasted about 1 week... Dry's white. Was garbage to me. I took it to work and put it on one of our reserve rescues.

Armor All had a wax out that I loved. The finish lasted almost 3 months. It was called Diamond Hard Shine. was only like 4.95$ a bottle. Great finish and could hardly get it to quit beading up after multiple washings. Go figure I cannot get my hands on it any more. Only dis-advantage was it powdered up white.

Liquid Glass... Another excellent product easy on/off Lasting finish. No films left over.

Paste Wax

Mothers 100% Carnuba Wax paste. Excellent protection, as with any paste it's labor intensive. Very nice finish when done. Long lasting.

Pretty straight forward, here is another link on detailing.

http://www.waxstation.com/car_care.htm

Good luck, there are many opinions on waxes / polish, and
now you have a few of mine. "Take it with a grain of salt." Bottom line is there are many great products out there, and any protection is better than none.

As stated earlier one of the key ingredients is a cooler of ice cold beer.
Enjoy

This might sound strange, but try washing from the bottom up. This is the way we wash aircraft. One of the reasons is to ensure we don't miss any spots. There are other reasons such as dirt not sticking as easily to a clean area (bottom) when you wash the top.
Do you recomend dipping the bottom of the truck in the lake first like on your avatar? :eek:

You have to dip it, that's how you wash the bottom first!

Smoak

You guys kick a$$. Thanks a million for all the advice - I think I've learned plenty here.

Looks like I need to make a run to the retailer! I've got two vehicles to properly wash this weekend.

Let's see - that should be about a twelve-pack or so of beer?!

You guys kick a$$. Thanks a million for all the advice - I think I've learned plenty here.

Looks like I need to make a run to the retailer! I've got two vehicles to properly wash this weekend.

Let's see - that should be about a twelve-pack or so of beer?!

Don't forget the pizza when you are done. ;) That helps seal the beer in. :D

Was just thinking that!! Perfect! Perhaps some hot-wings too...

I like the results I get with the Mr. Clean Spotless system. It works great at 85 degrees or less. Hotter than that it still spots so pull it into the shade right away. I still dry it with microfiber towels but don't have to worry about spotting if I'm a little slow. Many times, if I am only washing off surface dust, I don't even have to use a mitt. The soap lifts the dust and it rinses right off. Meguiar's Wheel Cleaner works great but you must be careful with it and do one wheel at a time. I use Meguiar's Hand Polish for any little surface scratches on the paint. I like Mother's Carnuba Cleaner Wax. I use Invisible Glass for the windows and the Black Magic applicator the tires. I use the same process on my Belvedere just before a car show.

That dish soap not only strips wax but extended use can make your paint brittle over time. Not good!

i tried the leaf blower thing and it works good. Takes about as long as the regular drying but doesnt kill my arm.

~~Eric

I'm glad to see that someone else has discovered the benefits of drying your vehicle with a leaf blower. I've been using one for years.
:D :D :D
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing! My neighbors look at me like I'm crazy, but it works really great and don't have to worry about scratching it with something like a towel or whatever

Hey, since were on this cleaning tip thing. Anybody got any tips on what to use on the interior. I have some maguire's leather wipes and they look like they discolor the leather(looks darker where applied). Also, what do you guys use on your dash. I heard not to use Armor All as it would crack the dash over time. Is this true?

Hey, since were on this cleaning tip thing. Anybody got any tips on what to use on the interior. I have some maguire's leather wipes and they look like they discolor the leather(looks darker where applied). Also, what do you guys use on your dash. I heard not to use Armor All as it would crack the dash over time. Is this true?

I personally don't like armourall because of the oily feel. For cleaning I have a Mopar Cleaner that works really well... I am not sure how much it protects from sun.. But I am in Alaska!! :D

i use a new micro fiber towel each time.
wheels get a different one
the mr. clean set up is used due to my crappy well water, it filters it...
i blow dry with an electric shop-vac that converts to a blower as well, then use a chamois

i just started using zaino bros products

they rock, hold up well too

i also load up rainx on all windows, mirrors and lights
helps with water spots, and beads up like the waxed paint surface

have fun

yea, i dont like amorall either
i put on a dashmat, black and it should keep uv rays off most of the dash. i use a sticky lint roller to clean it.

I use Lexol leather products (cleaner and conditioner) on my leather. Have used it on all my cars/trucks over the years. Hell, I can't even remember the last vehicle I had that did not have leather.

I use Lexol leather products (cleaner and conditioner) on my leather. Have used it on all my cars/trucks over the years. Hell, I can't even remember the last vehicle I had that did not have leather.
ok stupid question, but does Lexol work well on the suede that is in our trucks?

Dallas :cool: :D

I use the Dupont Teflon Tire Shine on the leather ,dash etc.Dries not greasy to the touch like on the tires but looks wet/oily like the greasy products.I use Blue Coral upholstery cleaner on the carpet and suede inserts a couple of times a year.

ok stupid question, but does Lexol work well on the suede that is in our trucks?

Dallas :cool: :D

I have never used it on suede. I will double check in the morning, but I believe it states not to use it on suede. Since I have only had this truck 2 months I have not had to use it to clean or condition the leather. I have used it in the past on a number of vehicles including my wifes FX and the daughters Mustang she just bought.

I will let you know about the suede tomorrow.

I have never used it on suede. I will double check in the morning, but I believe it states not to use it on suede. Since I have only had this truck 2 months I have not had to use it to clean or condition the leather. I have used it in the past on a number of vehicles including my wifes FX and the daughters Mustang she just bought.

I will let you know about the suede tomorrow.
Silver, there is a place in Fife, Wa called Griot's and they sell a large selection of automotive upkeep goodies.
A co-worker had told me about it and he got this leather and suede cleaner conditioner for his bmw...forgot the name of the product, guess i'll get on the griot site and check it out.
anyway co-worker says i shouldn't be surprised if i see a few exotics parked in the lot there.
i will have to go there on a nice non-rainy saturday.

dallas :cool:

Griot`s Garage has a mail order catalog too.They have some really nice stuff at really premium prices.IF you REALLY need a specialty item they have some cool stuff.If it is run of the mill cleaning supplies they are triple the going price or more.

Silver, there is a place in Fife, Wa called Griot's and they sell a large selection of automotive upkeep goodies.
A co-worker had told me about it and he got this leather and suede cleaner conditioner for his bmw...forgot the name of the product, guess i'll get on the griot site and check it out.
anyway co-worker says i shouldn't be surprised if i see a few exotics parked in the lot there.
i will have to go there on a nice non-rainy saturday.

dallas :cool:

Well it's not morning but at least I remembered. Lexol is not recommended for suede.

I have seen Groit's but have never stopped there but I know their stuff is expensive, so you have to shop carefully. Like everything now days, some is worth it, some not.

There is a great place to have lunch in that area also if you like good BBQ. Called the Warthog BBQ. I really like BBQ so for me it's worth the trip.

Nothing like some Warthog BBQ I always say.Goes with the Leopard chili. :D

Ok guys (and gals?)...did my first proper wash today. My arms are DAMN tired!!

I used the wife's Black Yukon as a guinea pig.
Used Maguires purple wash and a micro-fiber wash mit.
Used a second pail of water for rinsing.
Used a seperate sponge for the wheels/wheel wells.
Hand dried with "shammy"s.
Used Maguire's Scratch X on the rear hatch where it had several scratches. (cleaned them up pretty nicely!!)
Used Maguires NXT Tech wax.

Looks flippin' AWESOME! Wife loved it and immediately went cruisin'. Haven't seen her since.

Washed my truck (and the commuter Sundance), but ran out of time and energy for waxing. I'll take care of that next weekend.

Thanks again for all the fantastic advice! You guys are great!

Ok guys (and gals?)...did my first proper wash today. My arms are DAMN tired!!

I used the wife's Black Yukon as a guinea pig.
Used Maguires purple wash and a micro-fiber wash mit.
Used a second pail of water for rinsing.
Used a seperate sponge for the wheels/wheel wells.
Hand dried with "shammy"s.
Used Maguire's Scratch X on the rear hatch where it had several scratches. (cleaned them up pretty nicely!!)
Used Maguires NXT Tech wax.

Looks flippin' AWESOME! Wife loved it and immediately went cruisin'. Haven't seen her since.

Washed my truck (and the commuter Sundance), but ran out of time and energy for waxing. I'll take care of that next weekend.

Thanks again for all the fantastic advice! You guys are great!

For doing wifey's first, I bet someone is gonna get lucky tonight!! :D If she ever comes home!! :eek:

lol marc. i read on some z06 site they recommend using 100% cotton towels for everything including washing. supposed to not lead to scratches and such, anyone in the know?

~~Eric

Anyone know a place that carries Autoglym?

Anyone know a place that carries Autoglym?

Here is a link from Google for Autoglim. Not sure where you live so take a look at the locations in the search.

Never mind, I misspelled it. Autoglym, not Autoglim.

Damn. No sense being dumb unless you can prove it. Went back and looked again and could not find a US distributor. We do have one or two members from the UK. Maybe one of them will be able to help you out.

I use the MR. CLEAN AUTO DRY to rinse it down in the end..... works great... no water spots at all.... and no scratches for having to dry it.... just get a squeegy (sp?) and do the windows, because it doesn't work great on windows

I tried the Meguiar's NXT this weekend, worked pretty good. Goes on easy, comes off easy and very little powder. Truck looked great until I drove in the rain this morning. I would recommend the NXT.

Think I will give NXT a try.

NXT is good stuff. :D

lol marc. i read on some z06 site they recommend using 100% cotton towels for everything including washing. supposed to not lead to scratches and such, anyone in the know?

~~Eric

That is what the Zaino site says too. I followed the advice using only white 100% cotton towels made in the USA. Surprisingly, I had a hard time finding towels made in the USA (not really that surprising I guess). I took all the precautions one could imagine: rinsing the wash towel often in separate water, washing the bottom of the truck last with its own separate towel, using several pads to apply Zaino when one showed some dirt, etc. but still swirl marks and fine scratches can be seen. I have a black truck so swirl marks will show up more. The Zaino covers them up pretty good with its "mile deep shine", but I know the swirl marks are still there. I think swirl marks/fine scratches happen at least a little with every wash, no matter what precautions are taken.

I used Zaino on my SS and Denali and it works great.I tried NXT last fall on the truck and it really works good.I reallty can`t see any better results in the Zaino since it takes a lot more time to apply.I`m sold on the NXT.

I used NXT on both my old Camaros, it worked really great. East on, easy off, very little swirl, which can be buffed out. Gonna use it on the viper beast next ;)

I will have to endorse NXT as well. Very easy application and no powder. longevity? only time will tell :D

OK, my next mod will be going over to Walmart or Home Depot and buying a leaf blower.......BTW aint got no leaves in my yard!!!! Its green 24-7-365!!! ;)

That has got to be the best tip I have heard yet, using the leaf blower as a giant srt10 hair dryer!!! :D Wait till my neighbors see me!! :D :D :p



patrick

OK, my next mod will be going over to Walmart or Home Depot and buying a leaf blower.......BTW aint got no leaves in my yard!!!! Its green 24-7-365!!! ;)

That has got to be the best tip I have heard yet, using the leaf blower as a giant srt10 hair dryer!!! :D Wait till my neighbors see me!! :D :D :p



patrick


I am on the same page... I should have one tomorrow!! I have a fleet of vehicles to detail this weekend... Unlike Craig, I do them myself! :rolleyes: :D

Oh yeah, and no leaves either... In fact I am adding about another 600 SF of drive way... So even less grass in front of the house!

Anyone tried this?? Saw the ad in a magazine and there is a pic of our SRT's on the lower right corner of the page.

Link:

http://long-haul.com/

Anyone tried this?? Saw the ad in a magazine and there is a pic of our SRT's on the lower right corner of the page.

Link:

http://long-haul.com/

Nope, But let us know if you do!! ;)

Hmmm..wonder if stinker has used it?

There are obviously a number of good products out there, but I'll add one more anyway. Started using a product called Cherry Wet Wax a few years ago, and don't plan to use anything else. Goes on easy and comes off easy with no dust. Great shine and seems to last very well. You can get it at coatsproducts.com (and no, I am not associated with Coats).

Car Wash Owner Opinion:
I would recommend you buy a hog hair brush from Kleenrite or another car wash supplier. You will also need a handle (Total $30). The reason is they are extremely soft and don't hold grit like sponges and mitts do and rinse better. These are the same as higher end Self Serve car washes use on their foam brushes. Only clean the car when it has had a hard rinse and is soaking wet and use a good quality car wash soap or any of the over the counter car wash soaps are fine. I would work top down contrary to what others say. The reason is there is rarely grit or sand above mid door so why take a chance on pushing it across the whole vehicle. (Dawn detergent is excellent for stripping wax, grease, and anything else you want off the car. Good idea before clay barring. It is not acidic. It is a alkaline product which is why it works so well stripping wax and grease).

Wheels - again rinsed and good and wet and then lubricated with a soap. Soft sponge or mitt used only for wheels.

Drying - For driveway washing use your leaf blower to knock off the bulk water and clear mirrrors etc., to minimize spotting.

Waxing - Zaino makes a great product for show cars. Doesn't hold up well to washing which doesn't matter if you wax it often. If you are a twice a year guy use Nu Finish or Rain Dance. Nothing will outlast them. We do not use them because they are a little difficult to remove and we have limited time to process them.

If you go professional car wash. Try to find a two step touch free machine. It will do an excellent job without touching the car unless it is extremely dirting. Two step means they run a low and a high ph pass. Only about 10% of all machines are setup for it. Everyone does two pass so they may try to fool you. Make sure you ask if they use low and high ph. And no machine does wheels very well. Tunnels and brush machines work great but no matter what anyone tells you they will leave swirl marks.

Sorry it's so long but hope it helps. :D If anyone needs a line on any carwashing products or parts I can guide you to them. You do not need to be a wash owner to get them.

Ed

Ed, Good job! Now if I could only find a good car wash in my area. The ones up here suck. I don't mind it in the warmer months but its hell washing when the water freezes before you can blow it off. :(

Ed, Good job! Now if I could only find a good car wash in my area. The ones up here suck. I don't mind it in the warmer months but its hell washing when the water freezes before you can blow it off. :(

Milo,
I can't help there. I am in Central Fla so we really don't deal with too many frigid days. When I lived in VA I had a sink with hot/cold water in my garage and added an adaptor for a hose. Use to wash it with warm water and dry it in the garage so it wouldn't freeze. If you don't have that and your wife won't kill you you could run it to a kitchen, laundry or nearest sink. And I'll try to send up some warm weather this winter but you'll have to take one hurricane also.

Take care,
Ed

Milo

even a crappy car wash is better then nothing (as long as it is touchles). Main thing is an underbody wash.

I washed mine every week this winter and bought a power washer for just that reason. All I needed was 30 degree day and sunny. ran the hose to the laundry room outlet (cold water) and washed the truck using water proof gloves (really water proof) and my power washer. Worked great and my neighbors thought (and still think ) I am a loon.

Mark

Milo

even a crappy car wash is better then nothing (as long as it is touchles). Main thing is an underbody wash.

I washed mine every week this winter and bought a power washer for just that reason. All I needed was 30 degree day and sunny. ran the hose to the laundry room outlet (cold water) and washed the truck using water proof gloves (really water proof) and my power washer. Worked great and my neighbors thought (and still think ) I am a loon.

Mark

Thats ok mine do too.. :cool: