Valeting / Detailing / two bucket wronguns

[D Spares & Tyres]

I can't he arsed trying to explain how to do it by typing but if you are about in the daytime I'll pop in and show you, I'll be your way sometime this week. I have a Kestral polishing mop. Not a DA, just a rotary. You need a jetwash ideally though

[Junkman]

The GGG got superb results with a clay bar, followed by Farecla (sp?) GC3 applied with a ROTARY (!) Silverline.
Only proper Orang Utans would ever manage to actually damage the paint with one, i.e. even we didn't and it was Rover paint.
So stop this scaremongering, PLEASE!

This was followed by Menzerna Final Finish PO 85RD applied with a cheap orbital twin handle Hilka polisher,
because it's easier on the upper extremities, which should be a tad worn by now,
followed by Meguiars A2216 Deep Crystal System Step 3 Carnauba Wax, applied by hand, i.e. rag, which was followed by
a visit to the pub because bloody well deserved.

[bezzabsa]

I can't he arsed trying to explain how to do it by typing but if you are about in the daytime I'll pop in and show you, I'll be your way sometime this week. I have a Kestral polishing mop. Not a DA, just a rotary. You need a jetwash ideally though

no jet wash....or hose ATM ... 

so weight of polisher - DONT force down..even strokes...and keep the surface moist?

[Junkman]

The surface doesn't need to be very moist - a spray bottle will do.

The weight of the polisher it too high for my taste, I don't let the full weight rest on the car.

On the vertical surfaces this won't be the case anyway.

[Split_Pin]

1 X a shiter doesn't polish his car

Yes he does!

 

Agree on the polisher though. I got my Corsa 'Valeted' by my local garage who was suppoused to offer this service but the paint looked as if it was burned slightly. Clearly not enough polish and skill used. I still prefer the old fashioned method, polishing machines and jet washes seem too agressive for me.

[Dippy]

I bought one of these to polish my princess after i painted it in celly, the results were pleasing enough for an amateur job but i would recommend keeping the speed very low and buying some foam polishing heads as the lambswool type one that comes with the machine is very aggressive.

 

As mentinioned by others a spray bottle of water is also good.

 

Heres the finished product

[The Moog]

Merged into the Two Bucket Wrongun thread so you can get a range of opinions. 

[New POD]

1 X a shiter doesn't polish his car

 

A little bird told me : Once upon a time in a far away land, Cavcraft polished a Calibra he owned just once, and only then after he'd just written it off and apparently it doubled the settlement value.

[FakeConcern]

I just tried the Bilt Hamber Auto foam after a recommendation from on Cliosport and was amazed by how well it worked. I looked at the instructions on the can which said "spray on, leave 5 or ten minutes, wash off" and thought "yeah right!" Did this on my car, not too dirty, but been sitting on drive since before the snow, hmm, pretty good. Tried on my daughter's car last washed same time as mine, but she's been doing 250 miles a week and was filthy with salt & muck. Again with just a rinse off it came up pretty well. I didn't even bother with the Wonder Wheels as the foam got them pretty good too.

[Slartibartfast]

Resurrecting this thread to post some of the photos I took of Bellatrix the FRV, my wife's car. She's needed a good clean for a couple of months really. However since arranging the time to have a professional do it is difficult, she's going to have to settle for my crap efforts.

 

Equipment: demon snowfoam (adequate but could be better IMO)

Some halfords-sold washwax which is neon yellow and leaves stains on your driveway. This went in the soap bucket.

Microfibre wash mitt (SO much easier with one of these than sponges. Definitely get one of these)

Demon alloy wheel spray. This seems decent.

Aldi power washer. Decent enough.

You should have a rubber blade to fling the water off the car with before it dries. I have one but had misplaced it. Of course I found it as soon as I'd finished.

Microfibre towels to dry.

A soft brush to remove lint left by above.

Optional: wet look tyre shine and a sponge.

 

I follow the ChrisFix method, broadly speaking, which goes like this:

 

First, wheels:

1. Spray with alloy wheel cleaner, and leave for a short while.

2. Agitate with an alloy brush.

3. Rinse with the power washer.

 

Second, car:

1. Touchless wash: spray with foam, let it soak for a short while, powerwash it off. Should get off the worst of the grit and help minimise paintwork scratches.

2. Two bucket wash. One bucket for rinsing with a grit guard in. Another bucket for the soapy water. Microfibre wash mitt. Spray with snow foam, then using the wash mitt, rub in forward back motions, splitting car into thirds. Start at the top with the roof and top of the windows. Then do the middle part of the car, then finally the bottom, stopping as necessary to rinse, rub the mitt against the grit guard and a dunk in the soapy bucket. Since most of the dirt and the grit will be on the bottom section doing it in this order helps prevent scratching.

3. Rinse with the power washer, then maddly run round trying to dry it with a microfibre cloth before it dries itself and leaves watermarks. Because you forgot your rubber blade.

4. Spray the tyre shine onto the tyres and buff with sponge.

5. Brush it gently down with the soft brush to remove accumulated dust and lint.

 

Stand back and admire handiwork. Be annoyed at all the bits you missed and the watermarks that have set too deeply to simply buff off. Shrug.

 

Before:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After:

 

 

 

 

 

Hm, I took way more photos of "before" than I did of "after". This seems backwards. I think it's because I was hot, sweaty and knackered and just wanted a cup of tea!

[Aston Martin]

My buddy was ferrying around a small child last year in a black DS3, there’s a patch on the b-pillar that looks matt /grimy. The kid was covered in sun tan lotion or kiddy gunk and that’s where he places his hand to get into the car.

 

Any ideas?

[oldcars]

My buddy was ferrying around a small child last year in a black DS3, there’s a patch on the b-pillar that looks matt /grimy. The kid was covered in sun tan lotion or kiddy gunk and that’s where he places his hand to get into the car.

 

Any ideas?

Sun tan lotion etches paint big time. It should machine polish out. Try something like Autogylm Super Resin polish first, if that does not work then a cutting compound such as Mequiars Ultimate compound may be needed.

[Aston Martin]

Sun tan lotion etches paint big time. It should machine polish out. Try something like Autogylm Super Resin polish first, if that does not work then a cutting compound such as Mequiars Ultimate compound may be needed.

I think I’m going to swap cars for the day at some point next week, but I’m visiting today. So I’ll try and grab a pic.

 

I also need to clay bar the Cacti as it’s fucked with tar. I asssume it’s cos I work in the industrial part of town.

[dollywobbler]

I met a bloke yesterday who is big into his detailing. His car looked amazing to be fair. He uses THREE buckets! I felt like such a numpty...

[oldcars]

I think I’m going to swap cars for the day at some point next week, but I’m visiting today. So I’ll try and grab a pic.

 

I also need to clay bar the Cacti as it’s fucked with tar. I asssume it’s cos I work in the industrial part of town.

Autosmart tardis will be better than clay at taking off tar. Autoglym do one as well but its not as good.

[Aston Martin]

Here’s the DS3 in ropey picture form

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I bought a bottle of polish from Asda about 3 years ago for a fiver, and it works well.  

[Aston Martin]

My plan is for take it to the Bosnian car wash and then try and polish it up.

[alcyonecorporation]

I met a bloke yesterday who is big into his detailing. His car looked amazing to be fair. He uses THREE buckets! I felt like such a numpty...

Depends.

 

If someone like that instantly looked down on my stuff/cast aspersions about what I did for a living (or made a laboured point about car cleanliness based on what I did for a living) because of a personal preference, the conversation wouldn't last long. Bit like the mate of a mate who needled me constantly in the pub for 20 minutes about how my job was piss easy ("frankly, given what you do, your cars are a disgrace, I would expect your cars to be immaculate, you're supposed to be setting an example") and he could do it with his eyes shut, and wondered why I finished my pint up and didn't come back to the table (he'd have got it over his head had he carried on).

 

If, on the other hand, it was a case of "I like my cars really clean but I understand other people might not have the inclination or time" then I'd take that.

 

Sadly, the majority of fanatical d*tailers are of the former, rather than the latter. Hope they were the latter for you.

 

*I realise I've probably just met the dickhead quotient of the car cleaning world, and that I may need to expand my horizons.

[dollywobbler]

He was a nice chap to be fair, keen to pass on info but remaining surprisingly polite in the face of my one-bucket wrongness.

[alcyonecorporation]

He was a nice chap to be fair, keen to pass on info but remaining surprisingly polite in the face of my one-bucket wrongness.

'Surprisingly polite'? He's not the fucking arbiter of taste. He does it one way, you do it another.

[vulgalour]

This might be one for the questions thread but I'm going ask here because it's a detailing problem.  Tree seeds have got into my air vents on the Princess and keep getting spat out at random intervals, covering the interior in tree seeds.  It's silver birches, they're a pain in the arse.  Is there a way to flush them all out without removing the blower motor etc. and  broggle through all the vents other than just repeatedly cleaning them up whenever there's been a fresh tree seed explosion?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I use a one hose rather than two buckets. Get the car wet, start at the top with a sponge, work your way down, wheels last. Polish it every 6 months, that's as clean as a car needs to be. Anything else means you're some kind of frustrated housewife. Don't get me started on concours. 

[beko1987]

This might be one for the questions thread but I'm going ask here because it's a detailing problem. Tree seeds have got into my air vents on the Princess and keep getting spat out at random intervals, covering the interior in tree seeds. It's silver birches, they're a pain in the arse. Is there a way to flush them all out without removing the blower motor etc. and broggle through all the vents other than just repeatedly cleaning them up whenever there's been a fresh tree seed explosion?

Can you take the air vents off easily and how big is the air piping? Thinking if you take the hose cuff of your rare Henry (2 tabs pop off and the end comes off, then unscrew the bit on the hose) and feed it right down into the ducting, then wang the blowers on full it might coax them out?

 

I had similar with my first zx which had been parked under a pine tree for 6 months before I bought it. Clearing out the scuttle panel helped, as did pointing the vents away from my face for a week and driving on maximum blow, but that only works for a one time issue, not if you parking space is under said tree. When their out, elastic band a pair of your non-best tights over the intake so it doesn't happen again?

[BavarianRetro]

I use a one hose rather than two buckets. Get the car wet, start at the top with a sponge, work your way down, wheels last. Polish it every 6 months, that's as clean as a car needs to be. Anything else means you're some kind of frustrated housewife. Don't get me started on concours.

Absolutely spot on.

[cort16]

I just use a packet of baby wipes.

[Split_Pin]

Surprising amount of intolerance in this thread.

 

Nice job Slarti_etc, looks grand.

 

Detailing spray is really good for getting water streaks out, Simoniz stuff for about a fiver is good as it the t cut brand.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Surprising amount of intolerance in this thread.

 

 

 

 

OMG report it to the mods ASAP. 

[clayts450]

Every week

Watering can used to wash away debris ("why are you watering your car?" - hasn't happened yet, but give it time)

Wilko wash and wax

Two buckets

Micromitt

Roof, middle, bottom, wheels, wheel arches, sills

 

Every month or so, Wilko spray window cleaner inside/outside, mirrors, light clusters

Every two months or so, bumper spray to blacken the plastic tat

Every three months or so, Triplewax

 

That's for the Streetshite. The PT Cruiser gets done when I can be arsed, which isn't often - it's my dirty car.

[vulgalour]

I'll have to pull the vent covers off and have a poke about, it's been about a year that I've had this tree seeds issue and while the car isn't parked under the trees now, the seeds do just get everywhere.

 

I bought myself some Armorall interior wipes for the cabin since I've been working on the Princess a lot lately and thought wipes would be easier than getting spray cleaners and stuff out every time.  They're not bad, particularly good at removing hand grease from controls, but not great on the dash top or the steering wheel (which admittedly is leather and the wipes are for vinyl) which it leaves sticky for a few hours after wiping.  I'd recommend them as an in-car emergency cleaner for spills and stuff, but not for regular use.