wasted money. rant

**Barry Theal** · 06-27-2009, 04:59 PM

i ahave to agree here with jake i have used alot of nice stuff that is top dollar, honestly i love the 3m ultrafina and there are a few great boutigue items i prefer but realisticlly there are a lot of chemicals that can be multitasked like glass cleaner and degreaser!

**GoudyL** · 06-27-2009, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by citizen arcane

On topic: Am I the only one here who cleans their tires and wheels w/ car wash solution? I use the leftover solution from my last wash, wheels first and a few minutes of scrubbing per tire w/ a stiff brush - they`re clean and I don`t strip the dressing.

Nope, assuming the wheel isn`t very dirty, some car wash soap is all you need to clean them, especially if they are clear coated.

I think people always find it amazing at how easy wheels are to clean, if you clean them once intensively, and then apply some spray wax.

**GoudyL** · 06-27-2009, 10:08 PM

[quote name=`Setec Astronomy`]us remember the big rebottling scandal from a few years ago where one of the boutique products that was "painstakingly developed" turned out to be some bulk stuff with the "development" being the fragrance and the label art./QUOTE]

Which one was that?

Whats funny IMHO, is that the main functional ingredients (various silicone oils/emulsions/polymers) in car care products tend to come from the same manufacturers (e.g Dow, GE, and Wacker)

**beaurogel81** · 06-27-2009, 10:18 PM

i second the ardex new wave. i freakin love that stuff!

**salty** · 06-29-2009, 03:01 AM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Wait...you mean I can just go back to cleaning my windows with Bounty like I did before I found Autopia and not have to look at that annoying microfiber lint? I can do that?

Hey Setec, of course use what works for you.

It works for me, so I use it.

Most MF drying towels, I found leave lint. The basketball material MF (as Jake calls it) is also excellent.

**salty** · 06-29-2009, 03:16 AM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Another one I simply have to spend on is Glass Cleaner. A few work like miracles but 99% of them just don`t work as well for me. And I`ve tried all the home-brew routes too...some of those work well enough for the windows on my house, but not for autoglass. Somebody once said that Griot`s Glass Cleaner is nothing but IPA, but a side-by-side test gave very different results :nixweiss Newspapers used to work well before they changed both autoglass and the paper/ink...messy though. MFs with just water? Not even close to acceptable.

Not sure if this is pointed at my window cleaning advice, MF with just water.

I also added a very light spritz of APC or ONR on MF (personally I like 100% Rayon better, but MF works well.) With a Bounty paper towel dry.

It`s worked for me for many years.

**WaxManRonnie** · 06-29-2009, 04:11 AM

Originally Posted by citizen arcane

On topic: Am I the only one here who cleans their tires and wheels w/ car wash solution? I use the leftover solution from my last wash, wheels first and a few minutes of scrubbing per tire w/ a stiff brush - they`re clean and I don`t strip the dressing.

I do the same thing.

**Accumulator** · 06-29-2009, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by salty

Not sure if this is pointed at my window cleaning advice, MF with just water.

I also added a very light spritz of APC or ONR on MF (personally I like 100% Rayon better, but MF works well.) With a Bounty paper towel dry.

It`s worked for me for many years.

No, water (tap/distilled/DI...tried `em all) on a cotton/MF/polypro window wipe didn`t work worth anything for me; I seem to need some kind of surfactant/solvent/whatever. I don`t like ONR nearly as well as my window cleaners either and (this is just me..) I keep APCs away from these areas of my vehicles; I`d have to rinse rinse rinse to make sure they didn`t leave any APC residue that could migrate somewhere.

Paper towels always leave paper lint (and cotton towels usually do too).

This is something that simply leaves me :think: I *know* other people love these approaches but they never work nearly as well for me as my Griot`s Window Cleaner and Zep #40 :nixweiss For that matter, a few highly regarded glass polishes didn`t work for me either.

I`ve never found anything that works as well as polypropylene window wipes either. Every single MF for glass has eventually left lint except for *one* old Cobra one that I use for fine optics instead of the cars. The surgical huck towels (that a member here generously sent me) were horrible too. Sheesh...it must be my situation or something but I have to use those pricey plypro wipes to get my glass 100% (and man do they work great...used with those window cleaners it`s no chore at all).

Please don`t take any of the above as an :argue or anything like that...these cases where I need to use some goofy-specific (and often costly) approach are something I could gladly do without if only I could find an effective solution. But for now I`m just sticking with what works for me.

**Setec Astronomy** · 06-29-2009, 11:01 AM

Accumulator, being that I was just cleaning windshields with a towel that I *thought* didn`t lint I went looking for those PP glass towels--are these them? Microfiber Glass Towel (12"x16") - 10 pack

I thought Griot`s and AG used to sell towels like this but I don`t see any now. Oh, wait, here`s the Griot`s ones...I found them in the print catalog but not in the online search :think: Micro Fiber Cloth Set - Cleaning Tools - Car Washing - Car Care - Griot`s Garage Silly me, I was searching on glass and towel.

Gotta love that you can buy 10 at MFT for the same price you get 4 at Griot`s. I might just have to get some of these OTC...if I can resist the urge to try some of that Griot`s rubber cleaner.

**imported_Jakerooni** · 06-29-2009, 11:17 AM

Yea those looks exactly like the towels I use for windows there Setec. Great results from them with almost any Glass cleaner I`ve used.. Even the dreaded Windex.

**Pats300zx** · 06-29-2009, 11:38 AM

Setec...I bought those same towels from a diff vendor. I hate them

My go to glass towel are the white Eurow WW towels from Walmart. They are like $2.65 for a two pack.

**salty** · 06-29-2009, 12:05 PM

Accumulator no problem. I too have tried many different approaches to glass cleaning and always go back to this simple method. As far as no lint, Bounty seems the best. Adds about 10 cents to the detail cost.

As far as APC residue, when the cloth is misted the dilution ratio is probably 1000:1, just enough to break up the surface tension of the water.

Neatly fold damp cloth and paper towel. Scrub and wipe until dry. Refold or use a clean side, and do next window.

3m sells something similar to those MF. They should be available in any cleaning aisle.

**Setec Astronomy** · 06-29-2009, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Jakerooni

Yea those looks exactly like the towels I use for windows there Setec. Great results from them with almost any Glass cleaner I`ve used.. Even the dreaded Windex.

Originally Posted by Pats300zx

Setec...I bought those same towels from a diff vendor. I hate them

My go to glass towel are the white Eurow WW towels from Walmart. They are like $2.65 for a two pack.

Ha, there`s two sides of a coin. I have tons of those W-M towels, I`ll give them a go next time, thanks Pat.

**Woob** · 06-29-2009, 12:36 PM

What`s funny is after you start trying to make a profit and stop buying so many products you realize just how commercialized Detailing can be. That being sad, you have to lose some money to realize that having 100 different products can be substituted for some simple equipment and few chemicals.

**SuperBee364** · 06-29-2009, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Pats300zx

Setec...I bought those same towels from a diff vendor. I hate them

My go to glass towel are the white Eurow WW towels from Walmart. They are like $2.65 for a two pack.

Guess I`ll be going to Walmart today. IME, WW MF`s are the best for glass cleaning. They`re the only ones that don`t eventually start to lint. $2.65 for a two pack is the best price I`ve seen on WW MF`s.

I never have tried the surgical huck towels that some guys swear by, but they`re supposed to be a good, cheap glass media, too.

Since we`re talking about cheap glass media, how about cheap glass chemicals? I thought Stoner Invisible Glass and Sprayway Glass Cleaner were cheap ways to clean glass. I guess they are, really, but they can be beat on cost by..... ONR. Yup, ONR makes a *great* glass cleaner. Diluted at "Car Wash" strength with distilled water, it cleans "vinyl fog" off of windows with ease, as well as most other stuff. Anything left behind is quickly removed with a quick shot of Stoner, but ONR does most all the work. If you mix it too strong (anything more than car wash strength, IME) it can leave some mild streaking, but at proper dilution, it is extremely easy to use with no streaking. Even if you don`t totally dry your glass, as long as it`s clean, it`ll dry with no marks.

Off topic: My car is getting so dirty it`s driving me crazy. I`m about ready to pay someone to come detail it for me. Too bad the only detailer I trust my car to is clear up in Logan.