Basic detaling kits as a Christmas gifts

[levander]

Everyone in my family uses those places you can pay a couple of dollars and have a machine spray down the outside of your car. Then, you can park and use the place`s vacuums.



So, I`m gonna get everybody kits so they can clean the interior and hubcaps themselves.



I`ve looked at some ready-made kits, but they seem to always have something I don`t need.



We`re not professionals and have done fine so far without these kits. So, we don`t need anything fancy. Just looking for inexpensive but still quality name-brands to put in the kits.



This is what I`m thinking so far:



1.) A bag to hold everything together.

2.) Window cleaner and paper towels. Currently thinking Rain-X.

3.) Micro-fiber towels. I`ve already got a huge bag of the old yellow Costco micro-fiber towels. I know they leave lint on glass from reading this forum, but should be fine for most things. I`m gonna divide that big bag up and put some in each kit.

4.) A generic spray bottle with water in it to do the dash. I`ve read some don`t like Armorall because it attracts dust. They can use that with the MF towels to do the dash.

5.) Leather cleaner and protectant. Everyone but Mom`s Miata has leather seats. I`m thinking Gliptone, but this is just a name brand I`ve seen around here and there. I don`t know if Gliptone makes a protectant or not. I know there are 2 things you buy to keep leather clean. One is a cleaner, the other is the protectant?

6.) Can I just use the micro-fiber towels with the leather cleaner?

7.) What do I get for Mom`s cloth seats?

8.) Carpets. I`ve seen people like Folex on this site, but they usually pair it with a steamer. We don`t have steamers, and don`t think we need them. Should I get one of those foaming carpet cleaners instead?

9.) Think I need a stiff brush for the carpets too.

10.) Hubcaps. Isn`t there some foaming stuff you can buy? I`ve seen Mr. Clean`s Magic Erasers for tires. But, how long will one of those things last? I`m thinking about buying a pack and giving everyone one each. Then also getting some foam cleaner for the tires that they can also use. Basically, I`m thinking they`ll use the Magic Eraser initially because they`re hubcaps are so filthy. Those will wear out and then they can use the less effort-expending foam after they have their hubcaps looking decent.

11.) I probably need some kind of brush to go with the hubcap cleaner too. Don`t think the same one for the carpets will work.



I think I`ve successfully listed all the items they need to clean and basic ideas of what to use to clean them. But, anything I`ve left out (and remember, I`m being basic here, no one in my family wants to become a professional detailer), please go ahead and comment one.



If there are any pre-made kits that approximate what I`m talking about, I`d love to hear it.



But, I`m really interested in inexpensive but quality name brands for all the items. That`s what I know I don`t know about this little project.

[levander]

I already bought the bags for the kits. It`s here:



Case Logic AX Trunk Organizer > Trunk and Transport Organization > Travel Accessories - eBags (http://www.ebags.com/case_logic/ax_trunk_organizer/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=90317)



I didn`t put it in that last post so it wouldn`t get stuck in the moderation queue.



But, if that bag is a big mistake, please suggest alternatives.

[wytstang]

All the kits you will find will more then likely have items you may not need, so putting your own together is the only way to go.

You may be able to get everything you need in a parts store. Napa (and others) sells a brand called Duragloss, it`s a great line that is easy on the pocket.

Duragloss Car Care Products (http://www.duragloss.com)

You can buy it online and there shipping is very resonable, but ordering from Napa or the like is free. Good luck

[levander]

Thanks to searching the forum for the keyword "Duragloss", I found a thread that was done as a poll for glass cleaners.



Seemed the most popular was Stoner`s or just mixing your own from alcohol, water, and or vinegar. Does Stoner`s do anything that mixing your own doesn`t? Which way to go, Stoner`s, or just mix up a few batches of glass cleaner myself? Mixing it up myself would save some money, but I can spend the money if it`s worth it.



Apparently, Spike73 was complaining that the Duragloss rain repel smears too much. And, I was thinking about getting Rain-X glass cleaner, but according to Spike73 Rain-X was better than the Duragloss, but Rain-X smears on his windshield. Says he`s gonna use it on side and back windows, but my family`s not into it. If I`m gonna get them glass cleaner, I`m just gonna get them stuff they use everywhere. They`re not gonna keep up with what they can use on which windows.



Are there some of the other products I have mentioned that Duragloss does better in?



Still searching the forums...

[cpufreak3]

For accessories, check the dollar store. You can get spray bottles, wheel brushes, MFs, wash mits, air fresheners, tire shine, leather cleaner, and more.



For the leather cleaner, you want some type of interior brush. I got mine from Walmart for $5, but honestly, I think the brushes at the dollar store work too.

[JimmyCutlass]

For $20 how could you go wrong? They are available at Target and cover pretty much everything except leather and MF`s. The NXT 2.0 is around $17 by itself at most stores, plus you can`t get Quik Glass Cleaner by itself anywhere. Definitely a good buy, I hope to find one under my Christmas tree on the 25th.



Meguiar’s Show Car Shine Kit (http://www.carcollector.com/index.php/features/38/605.html)



edit: plus maybe throw in a bottle of QD, if you`re feeling the Christmas spirit.

[levander]

Thanks Jimmy, but from talking to my Mom and knowing my family, I`m just going to keep it to interior stuff.



Mom said Dad`s fussed about his hubcaps a few times, so I may get something for hubcaps for him, or maybe everybody.



But anyway, I`m mainly just gonna get basic stuff to do the interior that they can use occasionally when they stop at the self-serv car wash places they go to.

[levander]

I`m making some progress on this project.



For the instructions I want to include, I`m basically simplifying an article in the articles section on this message board on interior detailing. (I`d put a link, but I`m still new, it`ll get stuck in the moderation queue.



So far:



Sprayway Glass Cleaner, the foaming kind. It`s cheaper than Stoners on Autogeek and some people in the glass cleaner poll thread said they`ve used both and Sprayway was better. But, since the micro fiber towels I already have (the old Costco yellows) don`t work so good on glass, think I`m just gonna tell them to use paper towels with the Sprayway. I`ll include paper towels in the kit.



Griot`s Garage Interior Cleaner. It got the best reviews in the reviews section of this web site and it works on leather. This kit is supposed to be simple, so multi-purpose is a big plus. It`s in there originally to remove stains off carpet. But, since it works on dash and leather, it`s even better.



I still don`t have a leather cleaner/conditioner (I`m figuring the Griots is just for stains on the leather, not regular cleaning? And, I know it doesn`t condition/protect the leather). Nor do I have a vinyl cleaner for the dash.



Anywhere I`m going wrong, fill me in!

[Setec Astronomy]

The Stoners products are available at WalMart, I believe, and if not there, there are definitely OTC sources, so you don`t have to buy from Autogeek. A lot of people use diluted Woolite for interior vinyl and leather cleaning.

[levander]

Thanks Setec. The main reason I`m making an order at Autogeek is to get the Griot`s Garage Interior Cleaner. I`ll have to see how much they add for shipping for the Sprayway to determine if I buy that from them or not.



I just looked into your tip about Woolite, searching the forum. It seems the trick is to make sure you get it all off after your done with it, which supposedly is harder than with a dedicated leather cleaner. I want my family coming back and complaining to me as little as possible that the products I bought them were screwy. And, the real reason is because they didn`t put enough effort on making sure they got the Woolite off.



So, part of the objective of this exercise is to make the kit as dummy-proof as possible. As simple as possible. So, for this one application, I think I`m gonna skip the Woolite.

[levander]

Okay, I`m stuck on something, hope you guys can help me out.



I`m starting not to like these Costco yellow towels from what I`m reading around the forum. You wash them once, they start linting. And, there`s a few mentions of microfiber not being great on leather.



I know I`m supposed to use a sponge with leather cleaner and conditioner. But, I`m just talking about spots on the leather that you can get out quickly with the Griot`s.



Is there one kind of cheap towel I can buy that can be used on leather, carpet, and the vinyl (like the dash)?

[wytstang]

Target sells mf towels (vroom brand) that are good inexpensive towels.

[levander]

Okay, I was just at Target and Walmart.



I`m with you guys on how much time you spend on everything making sure you have the right tools for specific tasks. It just seems like a waste of time doing all that work and not having the correct tools. And really, from what I`ve read, if I were going to get MF towels, I`d get the more premium name brands like Cobra. Not waste my time with inferior products.



But, since I`m just trying to put together a base kit and keep it dumb as possible. I`m wondering if those lint-free cotton towels I saw at the stores wouldn`t be more general purpose?



My family is not going to keep up with, "okay, this towel is for the windows, that towel is for the vinyl". They just want one towel that will clean, everything. They just want it to clean. They don`t care how.



So, will the lint-free cotton towels do a decent job on vinyl (dash), windows (with Sprayway - which apparently is very cheap at Wal-mart!), leather, and glass?



I know you`re supposed to have some kind of sponge for leather. But, I really don`t see the people in my family spending a lazy afternoon cleaning the leather in their care. I`m just figuring if the seats get dirty, like with a spill or something, the can take out the kit, and use the Griot`s and a lint-free cotton towel on the leather?



So, the basic question I`m asking in all this. Will those lint-free cotton towels do a decent job on leather, glass, vinyl, and carpet?

[Scottwax]

I`d buy a gallon of ONR and a gallon of OCW and quart bottles (with sprayers for OCW) for your wash and wax products. I second wystang`s Target suggestion, really good MFs at a reasonable price. How about Meguiars Interior QD for the leather and vinyl? Decent enough cleaning power and a factory new finish. You can supply some MF covered foam pads for the interior and MF towels for everything else.

[Spike73]

Thanks to searching the forum for the keyword "Duragloss", I found a thread that was done as a poll for glass cleaners.



Apparently, Spike73 was complaining that the Duragloss rain repel smears too much. And, I was thinking about getting Rain-X glass cleaner, but according to Spike73 Rain-X was better than the Duragloss, but Rain-X smears on his windshield. Says he`s gonna use it on side and back windows, but my family`s not into it. If I`m gonna get them glass cleaner, I`m just gonna get them stuff they use everywhere. They`re not gonna keep up with what they can use on which windows.



Are there some of the other products I have mentioned that Duragloss does better in?



Still searching the forums...



Hey levander, when I was talking about the Rain-X, I wasn`t talking about the glass cleaner, but the actual Rain-X stuff you wipe on the windows. I find that the coating makes my wipers streak and chatter. I have not used the Rain-X glass cleaner. But, recently I have used Stoner`s Invisible Glass with Rain repellent (the purple bottle), and I really like it. It repels water better than the duragloss did, and minimal streaking when I use my wipers. I will update my thread that you found with this new information. I bought the IG with rain repel at Target for like $5.99 if I remember right...I use this on my windshield and all of my other windows too.