Simplifying detailing for old fogies

[Dan]

I went five years just washing and spray wax (OCW) on my wrangler before I sold it. Never clayed or polished it. Look as good as it did brand new. No reason to do more.

[981 Cayman S]

To the Original Topic Poster (OTP) velobard, you are correct about even "simple" car washing as being a physical activity.

Picked up a polisher tonite for the first time in many months; half way through the hood of a tiny Honda Civic my back started hurting. Getting old ain’t for sissies!


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[Setec Astronomy]

I went five years just washing and spray wax (OCW) on my wrangler before I sold it. Never clayed or polished it. Look as good as it did brand new. No reason to do more.

I think that or Opti-Seal (or similar) is definitely a way to go, something that you can easily put on everything (paint, glass, trim, chrome) fairly regularly. We make this too complicated sometimes.

[Bill D]

I went five years just washing and spray wax (OCW) on my wrangler before I sold it. Never clayed or polished it. Look as good as it did brand new. No reason to do more.

My Accord has never been clayed or polished either. It’s going to be 14

[velobard]

To the Original Topic Poster (OTP) velobard, you are correct about even "simple" car washing as being a physical activity. I would like to know more about your experiences with the pressure washer and how it helps you wash and clean your vehicle(s), and more specifically what name brand and model of pressure washer you bought and use.

The pressure washer is a modest Black & Decker electric model with 1850 psi. Found it on sale at Menards for about $60. I just looked and it`s still on their website.
https://www.menards.com/main/outdoor...51-c-10113.htm

But I haven`t used it with the car yet. The one day I was thinking of it a couple weeks ago, my better half needed it in the backyard for a variety of tasks, so I did the car by hand. TBH, the car didn`t really need it that day, I just wanted to play with the new toy. She was being more productive and put it to better use. Eventually I will try out the soap mixer and see how it does.

[velobard]

Picked up a polisher tonite for the first time in many months; half way through the hood of a tiny Honda Civic my back started hurting. Getting old ain’t for sissies!


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Tell me about it! I went over the car yesterday with no real worries other than resting along the way. Later in the day my back was screaming at me and still is. Honestly I can`t imagine a little car washing was enough to do it, but I can`t think of anything else I did that could possibly explain it. Tonight I`ll remember to take a muscle relaxant and see if I`m in better shape tomorrow.

BTW, that`s the exact phrase my uncle used to say before he passed. And now I have an excuse to use it as well.

[Coatings=crack]

I finally picked up a pressure washer recently. It came with a soap dispenser attachment. I`m not certain whether it will serve well enough as a foam cannon, but I like the idea of using it with a rinseless wash. I just wonder how much I should dilute it before putting it in the dispenser, but I have no idea what sort of ratio it gives during use.

The spray wax was some old Lucas Speed Wax I still had laying around from years ago, before I dropped out of the detailing world for years. There`s not too much of it left, but it should get me by for awhile. A couple weeks ago I put a layer of Ultima Paint Guard+ and just wanted to freshen it up last night.

Yeah just spray the Lucas speed wax or a QD as a drying aid to maintain. If you get something new I would look at something with the longevity between washes.


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[Lonnie]

velobard:
You hit on something I think that most individuals who detail cars, whether professionally or as a hobby find out: it can be (and is) a physically taxing and demanding profession or hobby. As with any physical activity, there are body-related occupational hazards and injuries. Problems with hands, wrists, and shoulders seem to be a common malady. Climbing in-and-out of an SUV interior or contorting your body to reach-and-clean a sedan`s rear window can easily stain leg, arm, and core-&-back muscles if you are not used to doing it on a regular basis. And yes, it is indeed harder to do as we get older.
I used to work 12 -to-14 hours each day over back-to-back days (IE; two days) to detail a larger vehicle inside-and-out. I was exhausted physically and it would take the better part of two-to-three days just to recoup from the aches and pains. I simply cannot do that anymore. If I can work 8-hours in a day, that`s enough and I find myself taking a break here-and-there and not working as "fast" as I used to.
One of my biggest "no-nos" is not staying hydrated enough, either by drinking water or a sports hydration drink, like Gatorade. Sodas and coffee do not count as hydrating liquids, or "adult beverages", which I do not drink at all. The problem is by drinking liquids I have a tendency to go to the bathroom more, and "interrupting" my detailing process is, well, inefficient and annoying. BUT, if I do not drink I suffer from leg cramps at the end of the day or even during detailing and that is NO FUN. I do use Theraworxs spray applied and rubbed in to the legs and that does help me personally. I have had cramps so bad in my legs that I actually pull muscles, and that hurts. There are wives tales that drinking pickle juice or tonic water help alleviate cramps, but pickle juice is too high in sodium for most older folks with high blood pressure and the quinine in tonic water affects night vision. (And, yes, I have drank both). So my suggestion is to drink water or a sports hydration drink to stay hydrated, even if you don`t feel like you are thirsty and go to the bathroom as needed, even if it is inconvenient. Having a large insulated mug or cup with ice in it and sipping the liquid through a straw frequently now-and-then is better than gulping a whole 16-ounce bottle every hour.

[velobard]

Yeah just spray the Lucas speed wax or a QD as a drying aid to maintain. If you get something new I would look at something with the longevity between washes.

If you look at my posts here, there was a 15 year gap which only ended a few weeks ago. Thanks to that, I`m fairly out of touch on the newer options, so if you`d like to recommend a few I`m open to suggestions. I`m catching a few here and there as I read posts, but my knowledge is pretty well outdated.

[velobard]

I stay away from all the CG`s stuff, but that`s just me.

Well I did it today, I bought another CG product. But they didn`t make a dime from me on this one. I picked up one of their large detailing bags on Marketplace for just $10, the same one they sell for $100. I couldn`t pass up that deal! Heck, this thing is almost too big for my current needs!

[Coatings=crack]

If you look at my posts here, there was a 15 year gap which only ended a few weeks ago. Thanks to that, I`m fairly out of touch on the newer options, so if you`d like to recommend a few I`m open to suggestions. I`m catching a few here and there as I read posts, but my knowledge is pretty well outdated.

Armour detail supply ceramic sealant for protection and amplify (QD) for drying aid.

Griots Ceramic 3-1 and ceramic speed shine for drying aid.


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[noorth]

I`m certain others here are older than myself, but health issues have me feeling older than my years. I get winded way too easy these days. Today I did a quick rinse-free wash, sat down to rest, then went back out and did a simple coat of spray wax over the Paint Guard+ I applied the other day. Quite honestly, it`s embarrassing. I guess I`m at the point that detailing is a form of exercise for me.

I`m looking for more suggestions on products and such to simplify my detailing regimen. Anyone want to offer a few tips?

Have your tried one of the rinseless sponges? I have the big gold sponge. It`s one of my absolute favorite detailing tools and i`ve got 3 polishers and a rotary, lots of pads and polishes.

I just stick with spray sealants - dry or wet applications - not all are good for wet application.

Right now i have a bottle of Nv Boost V2, its a very nice spray sealant and holds up very well. If you apply it every 2nd or 3th month you would be golden. It seems to have a darkening effect on my bluestreak metallic camry.

[velobard]

Have your tried one of the rinseless sponges? I have the big gold sponge. It`s one of my absolute favorite detailing tools and i`ve got 3 polishers and a rotary, lots of pads and polishes.

Quite honestly, this is the first I`ve heard of them. I dropped out of autopia and detailing for 15 years for a variety of reasons and lost touch with everything that came onto the market during that time. Guess I need to add that to my list to investigate. What makes a sponge "rinseless"?

I just stick with spray sealants - dry or wet applications - not all are good for wet application.

The Paint Guard+ would fall in that category, it`s a simple WOWA product. Mine is a pre-sale sample I received shortly before I stopped detailing and from what I recall, was a pretty fair step forward at the time. But I`m not too sure what you mean my dry vs wet applications.

ETA: OK, I found the big gold sponge you were talking about. Can you tell me what advantages you find with it vs a wool or microfiber mitt? I`m trying to understand why a sponge would cost >$30.

[noorth]

The prices must of gone up a bit.

I just really enjoy my big gold sponge. It glides over the paint and releases dirt so easily. Every time i dip it in my rinseless - usually DIY - the sponge comes out perfectly clean, to my eyes.

Rinseless sponges last for years and i never liked noodle or microfiber mitts. And i can`t be bothered with the multiple towel method. I would spend more on 5-10 good towels and having to wash them all the time. It might be the "safest" but I`m taking care of daily drivers.

Anyhow, i usually mix up about 4 gallons of rinseless in a cheap home depot bucket with a grit guard - i suppose the grit guard does something, the sponge always looks clean just from a quick dip so i rarely scrub the sponge on the grit guard. That`s it, one bucket.

The summer now i might breakout the foam cannon and do a traditional wash but when it comes to speed rinseless is where its at. If heavily soiled i will fill my pump sprayer up with some 3D orange de greaser cut 5%/vol or Labocosmetica`s purifica and spray down the lower panels mostly and rinse before i start the rinseless.

You can still rinse your car before a rinseless i do it most every time, depends on how dirty the car is.

Which a lot of folks seem to not think of when they read "rinseless". They just throw the baby out with the bath water lol

"If you rinse its not a rinseless!" lol Call it whatever you want.

[Accumulator]

..So sorry this happened...

Thanks Dan. Yeah, how the car handled that hit was pretty impressive...exactly how it`s supposed to go: the car took all the punishment.

Glad to hear she`s OK, but sorry about the A8. You had that one quite awhile, didn`t you?

Help me out here, what is IUDJ?

I did *NOT* want to hijack here...but yeah, I bought it for her new in `00 after another [distracted individual] rear-ended her beloved S4. Both cars were virtually showroom when they got trashed

IUDJ is Garry Dean`s Infinite Use Detail Juice, a rinseless product I like better than ONR.