Detailing supplies to clean, polish and wax your car
I`ve posted some valuable information about the `Detailing Product & Supplies` necessary in order to safely clean, polish and wax your car. You`ll also find information about `Clear Coat Finishes` and my comments about how to `Avoid Surface Damage`.
The following `Detailing Products` list will provide you with a basic outline of the cleaners, polishes and waxes you will need in order to get winning results.
CAR WASH SOAP - You should use a car wash soap when you wash your car.
LIQUID SOAP - Dish washing soap should only be used when you are washing your car prior to polishing and waxing.
TIRE & WHEEL CLEANER - It is okay to use a dish washing soap when washing tires and wheels.
WHITEWALL CLEANER - Use a name brand spray cleaner to clean whitewalls and white lettered tires.
CLOTH UPHOLSTERY CLEANER - Use a brand name foam or liquid upholstery cleaner and a soft bristle nylon brush.
CARPET CLEANER - Use a brand name foam or liquid carpet cleaner and a nylon scrub brush.
GLASS CLEANER - Use a brand name aerosol spray can type glass cleaner.
PAPER TOWELS - Use a brand name paper towel.
CLEANER POLISH - Use a name brand Cleaner Polish for polishing out light mild oxidation, minor scratches and mild water spots. You can also use a Cleaner Polish to remove road tar on the lower side panels and bug residue on chrome front bumpers.
CHROME POLISH - Use a name brand Chrome Polish for removing mild oxidation, rust and stains on chrome and metal.
CLEANER WAX - Use a name brand Cleaner Wax for cleaning, polishing and protecting in one easy application.
CARNAUBA WAX - Use a name brand Carnauba Wax for providing maximum protection while deepening the gloss. It’s also very good as a second coat of added protection on chrome.
POLYMER WAX - Use a name brand Polymer Wax to provide maximum protection that will outlast most ordinary wax.
CLEANER CONDITIONER - Use a brand name Cleaner Conditioner to clean and rejuvenate vinyl, leather and rubber. It provides durable protection against drying and cracking.
The following `Detailing Supplies` list outlines what items you will need to detail your car.
WASH MITT - Use a clean sheepskin mitt to wash vehicles.
TIRE SCRUB BRUSH - You will need a hard bristle nylon scrub brush to thoroughly clean tires.
WHEEL MITT - Use this mitt to wash wheels and the lower side panels of the vehicle. Keep this wheel mitt separate from the wash mitt and always wash-out after each use.
WATER HOSE - You’ll need a good quality rubber hose that’s at least 75 ft. in length.
SPRAY NOZZLE - You’ll need a good quality spray nozzle. Make sure it has a rubber covered edge,
just in case the nozzle comes into contact with your car.
PAIL - You’ll need a good quality high impact plastic pail.
TERRY TOWELS - Clean, light weight cotton terry towels are recommended for use during the polishing and waxing process. To wash your cotton terry towels you`ll need laundry detergent, one pint of white vinegar and one pint of bleach for each load of towels. The vinegar helps cut through the wax residue while the bleach acts as a whitener. After washing, always keep your towels in a clean safe place.
CHAMOIS - Use a good quality synthetic chamois. It’s very important to purchase a synthetic chamois that comes in a container that will keep it damp when stored between usage. Always rinse-out your chamois after each use.
RUBBER GLOVES - Use large size rubber dish washing gloves with cotton gloves. Put the rubber gloves on over the cotton gloves. The cotton acts as a barrier between the rubber and your skin. Together they will help keep your hands warm in cold weather.
COTTON GLOVES - Use cotton gloves as a liner in combination with rubber gloves.
CARRY BASKETS - You’ll need two carry baskets. One to carry car wash soap, window cleaner, tire spray, upholstery cleaners, detail brushes, spare rubber gloves. Another basket to carry your polishes, waxes and additional containers of protectants.
DETAIL & UPHOLSTERY BRUSHES - You’ll need a fine bristle pastry brush to clean a/c vents. You’ll need a soft bristle nylon scrub brush to gently clean cloth upholstery. You’ll need a very soft bristle brush to remove polish and wax residue from cracks and crevices around exterior body emblems and vinyl trim.
CARPET SCRUB BRUSH - You’ll need a soft bristle nylon scrub brush to clean carpets.
NYLON WHISK BROOM - You’ll need a small whisk broom to gently sweep cloth upholstery and carpets.
LADDER - You’ll need a lightweight fiberglass ladder for detailing your van or sport utility vehicle. Make sure that it’s at least 6 ft. in height.
STEP-LADDER - You’ll need a small step-ladder to reach the roof of the average size car.
CAR VACUUM - You’ll need a small carry type wet-dry car vacuum. Make sure it has specialty brushes and crevice tool attachments. Remember to empty your vacuum and wash out the filter after every five or six uses. It’s a good idea to keep a spare filter on hand for your vacuum.
POWER CORD - You’ll need at least a 50 ft. heavy-duty power cord.
A few words about `Clear Coat Finishes`. Almost all new cars, pick-up trucks and sport utility vehicles are now painted with a clear coat finish. In most cases, the clear coat is a separate top layer of paint, which does not contain any color pigment. The clear coat finish is applied directly over the automobile’s color coat of paint. The clear coat process was developed during the 1980’s, to help protect the paint from harsh environmental conditions, such as; acid rain and other air-borne pollution. The E.P.A. has estimated that half of all rust on automobiles is caused by acid rain. The clear coat finish also helps to produce an increase in the depth of gloss, creating an almost wet-look shine. Some automobile companies achieve an even greater depth of gloss by applying more than one layer of clear coat. Since a clear coat finish can be easily scratched, special care is always required when polishing and waxing. Dark colors are the most susceptible to fine scratches and swirls.
The best way for you to `Avoid Surface Damage` during the polishing and waxing process is to never use an electric rotary machine buffer. Buffing with an electric buffer can easily damage a clear coat finish and often leave harsh swirl marks, especially on dark colors. An inexperienced operator could easily cause further damage such as; 1- burning the paint, caused by too fast a buffing speed. 2- scratching the paint, caused by dirt or other contaminants. 3- wearing away the paint; caused by buffing edges and curves too aggressively. Unless you are experienced at using a machine it is usually much better to always polish and wax only by hand.
