If there is a single maintenance activity that offers the biggest benefit to your car`s appearance, it`s keeping your car clean through regular washing.



Washing is the process of removing loose dirt and road film from your car`s exterior surfaces. Although it can be a double-edged sword as harsh detergents can dull your car`s finish and using improper methodologies can cause scratches or micro-marring to the paint surface.



A common misconception is that a regular dish washing detergent can be used to clean paint surfaces. While they do clean they also leave behind a soapy residue that doesn`t completely rinse out. The high-quality car wash shampoos made today are very gentle on paint, plastic and rubber. A good car wash shampoo provides lubrication to prevent scratching and conditioners to maintain the shine. Be sure to select a quality product that`s not counterproductive to your detailing efforts.



Being cognizant of what are the most frequent causes of surface marring is important and then taking steps to reducing or eliminate those causes. A majority of swirls and scratches (70 % +) come from using improper washing and drying products and techniques. Preventing swirls will best be achieved by washing and drying with extreme care. This is the step where the majority of swirls are added so good technique and quality products (micro fibre waffle weaves drying towels) are a must.



When you wash the car, remember to use open cell wash media, something that can hold on to the dirt that is on the car without dragging it against the paint surface. Detail the interior first; avoiding wet/dirty footwear on the carpets. Clean the wheels, tires, and wheel wheels first as this prevents wheel cleaner from spraying onto a clean paint surface. Ensure there is sufficient high lubricity car wash concentrate in your GritGuard® wash bucket.



As you wash, start at the top of the vehicle, and work your way down; the top is the cleanest; the bottom has the most road dirt / grime/.After every individual pass washing, rinse your mitt with your hose to dislodge the dirt and grime that you just removed from the car, before putting it back in the bucket for more soap.



Dual Bucket Washing System (Grit Guard® Insert)



Ironically, washing your vehicle can actually damage the paint finish because grit in the wash brush or mitt can leave scratches in the paint film surface, but with a Grit Guard ® in place at the bottom of the rinse bucket, you simply rub the wash media across the grid type surface to remove any damaging grit.



The professional way to wash any vehicle and avoid surface scratches is by using one bucket to wash and the other to rinse the wash media, doubling your protection against washing induced paint surface swirl marks and scratches.



Essentially the two bucket washing process provides one bucket that holds sufficient carwash concentrate, one that is formulated with surfactants that encapsulate and lift any grit particles, storing them in the fibres of the washing media to be rinsed off in the Grit Guard® bucket, thus allowing any debris to be dislodged and float down to the bottom to be safely stored, so it’s no longer in the solution ensuring grit-free washing media.



The Gamma Seal® Lid makes the system a water-tight container, perfect for storing or transporting your car care products to Concours d’élégance or Show car events Being water tight also makes the system portable so you can take your wash water with you.



Each Bucket Dolly is fitted with five lockable casters and is built to withstand up to 250 pounds, Use the included seat cushion to turn your dual bucket washing system into the perfect detailing stool. (See also Pressure Washer and High Pressure Foam Cannon (Foam Lance) and Gilmour Foam Gun)



Washing Methodology



Ironically, washing your vehicle can actually damage the paint finish because grit in the wash brush or mitt can leave scratches in the paint film surface, but with a Grit Guard ® in place at the bottom of the wash bucket, you simply nib the brush or wash mitt across the grid type surface to remove any damaging grit.



This grit / debris will settle through the grid to the bottom of the wash bucket and your brush or wash mitt remains grit free. It makes this bucket is ideal for use as the rinse bucket in a two-bucket wash system; the other bucket contains the wash concentrate solution.

Rinse vehicle with clean water from a pressure hose, foam vehicle panels (using the foam gun as a pre-rinse) pressure rinse, then hand wash (using two-bucket wash) panel by panel, finally sheet water and dry panels or rinse vehicle with a CRSpotless mineral-free, de-ionized water filtration unit.



Methodology



• To reduce the risk of scratching paint finish start by thoroughly rinsing the vehicle to remove loose surface dirt and grime, use a gentle spray (Ultimate Nozzle) you don`t want to cause impact abrasion to the paint surface, take your time and be careful and you`ll avoid paint damage.



• With heavily contaminated vehicles pre-treating the panel you are working on with a 2oz.per gallon ONR / distilled water solution in a spray bottle, prior to washing. This will help lift the contamination prior to touching your vehicle, helping minimize adding any imperfections to the paint.



• Apply a tar remover (Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover) on lower panels, using a soft 100% cotton cloth to avoid contaminating your wash mitt.



• Use a pH balanced pre wash treatment (Stage One PreWash) spray two – three panels and rise off with low pressure water (this will avoid spay dying and causing water spots) once the vehicle has been pre-treated rinse the entire vehicle with low pressure water.



• Use a quality car wash shampoo specifically formulated for automotive use, one that contains conditioning lubricants (Menzerna Auto Shampoo) that enable abrasive particles to rinse off without abrading the paints surface.



• Use the recommended water / car wash ratio as per manufactures label; usually this is 1-2 oz per gallon. (2-4 capfuls) Too much wash concentrate will leave a sticky film on the paint and glass surfaces that will attract dirt / dust. Increasing the concentration will increase the suds but will also be more difficult to rinse off.



• Fill two 5-gallon buckets (Grit Guard®) with warm, not hot water. One is for wash solution the other for rinsing the mitt to ensure that any abrasive dirt particles are not put into the wash solution.



• Alternative- use a Gilmour Foamaster II Foam Gun



• While the vehicle is still wet from the rinse load the sheepskin mitt with wash solution and apply to horizontal surfaces (roof, hood and trunk lid) and then thoroughly rise with hose.



• Use a separate mitt for the lower vertical surfaces as these collect more road film, pay special attention to rinsing this mitt, so ensure nothing is transferred to the other surfaces from a contaminated mitt.



• Apply wash solution to vertical surfaces and rinse thoroughly.



• Use a soft boar’s hairbrush to clean bumpers, plastic trim and all the crevices.



• The final stage of any good car wash system is a pure water rinse that ensures a spot free finish



• While you still have a few remaining drops of water on the car, spritz it with quick detailer as you`re softly drying with your MF towel. This will help reduce friction, and also will remove any light water spots that have already started to form. You`re left with a result far better than if you just dried with towels alone



• Roll the windows down, run the waffle weave towel between the felt strips a couple slow passes, then roll up the windows and dry them off again.



Do NOT go from wheels and back onto the bodywork and do not use the same drying towel on the wheels as you do on the bodywork.



Stubborn dirt - It is far safer for the paints finish to use an effective APC like a 3:1 solution of Optimum Power Cleanâ„¢ or P21S® Total Auto Wash, and distilled water on stubborn surface contaminants than trying to scrub it with your wash media



Car Wash Concentrates



The normal things to look for in a car wash concentrate is that it; cleans well, is gentle enough on paint protection products, provides more than sufficient surface lubrication, this is very important, as it reduces the possibility of scratches, and that it contains some form of encapsulation (surfactants). Lubricity can come from the hydrocarbon portion of surfactants or it could come from additives such as silicones and fluorocarbons. The lower the coefficient of friction is, the higher lubricity the product offers.



If you happen to get clumps of mud on your paint finish, it is advisable to pour some of your soapy water over the mud first, allowing enough time to soak in, soften and loosen up before hosing the mud away.



You don’t want to be using your soap applicator on a car that has mud on it. (If you have an off-road vehicle that often wears mud, consider investing in one of those soap injected nozzles.)



Surface lubrication is one of the most important aspects of a car wash concentrate is derived from the hydrocarbon portion of surfactants( the next most important aspect) or it could come from additives such as polymers. The lower the coefficients of friction the more surface lubrication wash concentrate offers. Soap lubricates your soap applicator, allowing it to glide and float as you loosen the dirt film off your paint. Rinsing the paint film surfaces with plain water eliminates loose surface dust and dirt. The remaining dirt and road grime are held by surface tension.



My criteria for a good quality car wash concentrate; surface lubrication (to minimize marring), dirt encapsulation (it must contain a surfactant), a slightly alkaline pH around 8.0 (if it’s too alkaline it will strip the LSP) it should also contain a balanced blend of active biodegradable ingredients.



Some Product Suggestions - because Souveran was designed purely as a show car wax, for the best results use the Pinnacle Soap and the Crystal Mist Spray or Souveran Spray Wax separately for best results. For polymer sealants- 1z einszett Perls, Griot`s Garage Car Wash, Swissvax Car Bathe or Zaino Z-7 Car Wash, they are all pH neutral



• Concentrate Dilution - the usual dilution is l oz per two gallons water (using a lesser dilution will leave a film on the paint surface) Avoid products that contain harsh detergents as they will emulsify and leach out any oils or waxes that provide protection and/or flexibility



• Water quality- its pH value, mineral content, harness, and other characteristics will affect how well a car wash concentrate works. As well as conditioners to maintain the shine without stripping the paint of essential oils (the way detergents do) and dispersing them in the rinsing process, warm water (not hot) will improve the cleaning abilities of wash concentrates.



• Surface lubrication - it’s important that the concentrate contains oils to provide surface lubricity between the washing media and the paint surface. Washing is the most common cause of surface scratching / marring) and accounts for as much as 75% + of surface marring



• Soap Foaming - the amount of foaming produced has nothing to do with its cleaning efficiency (although it does provide a means of encapsulation as well as acting a cushion between the paint surfaces and cleaning tool) when laundry was done with soap flakes; suds level was an indicator of cleaning performance.



Clean the vehicle in this order - roof, front hood, front fenders, doors, rear fenders, doors, rear deck lid, rear fenders, and rear of vehicle, then clean wheel surfaces, tyres, wheel fenders and finally engine compartment. This is usually a progression from the least to the most soiled areas.



Proper surface drying techniques- this is my preferred method of drying a vehicle paint surface; On the final rinse of the washing process remove the nozzle from the hose, reduce the water pressure and hold the end of the hose parallel to the paint and reasonably close as this is will prevent splashing as you flood the surface. Follow up with a waffle weave micro fibre towel to thoroughly dry the paint surface



These techniques are the best way to avoid the need for polishing. Using a chemical paint cleanser versus polishing on a clean finish to simply remove old wax/sealant is another.



And always follow the rule of using the least abrasive product and applicator combination (working smarter not harder)