Shopping list to clean the car

samsamson

Could I get a brief run-down on what I need to pick up to give my car a nice thorough clean without going to a drive-through garage car wash?

Like is hot water and fairy liquid in a bucket with a basic sponge okay? Should I start cleaning on the roof and work my way down or start on the wheels and go up? Is there some special way to clean alloy wheels or is the same hot water used on the body of the car okay?

This might sound a little daft, but I don't wanna get it wrong and end up scraping the paint with grit or something.

TomMc

Trying to be brief

You will need - 2 buckets, a sheepskin or lambswool wash mitt (not a sponge), a microfibre drying towel (not a leather chamois) would also be handy and most importantly a mild shampoo, definitely not washing up liquid.

Wash from the top down, cleaner parts first (roof, bonnet, boot, windows, top of doors and quarter panels, then bottoms and then front and rear bumpers etc. so you are not transferring most of the dirt from the bottom up. 1 bucket with warm water and shampoo mix and the other with just plain cool water. Rinse out your mitt in the plain water bucket after washing a panel and before dipping it back in the shampoo bucket. Reduces the amount of dirt you transfer from panel to panel, lessening the risk of scratching the paint. You can do the wheels first or last, but not with the same shampoo mix or wash mitt. I do my wheels first so the rinse water hasn't dried on paintwork (leaving water spots) by the time I get back to drying if I did the wheels last. OK to use a sponge on wheels, best to use a non-acidic wheel cleaner to remove stubborn brake dust from rims and in an ideal world a water-based dressing for tyres. If tyres are brown an APC will be needed to get them clean again as bodywork shampoos are usually too mild.

There is a good video on Google somewhere, I'll try and find it. In the meantime, put the kettle on and grab a few hob nobs.

woody33

Washing up liquid is a big no-no becouse it has lots of salt in it. Get yourself some car shampoo with wax, and a sponge. Squeeze the sponge out often and use a few buckets of shampoo, then rinse with clean water. If (when) you drop the sponge on the ground, clean it properly. If you have access to a hose it's great, pre wet the car by hose, wash off with hose. I use a brush that attaches to the hose and has a little reservoir that you put shampoo into, it's well worth it if you have a hose in the first place. Spray window cleaner and newspaper works well on windows. Google "Car Detailing" for too much information.

TomMc

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7598756069207401372

Phenobarbidoll

woody33 wrote: »

I use a brush that attaches to the hose and has a little reservoir that you put shampoo into, it's well worth it if you have a hose in the first place. Spray window cleaner and newspaper works well on windows. Google "Car Detailing" for too much information.

ITA with the no fairy liquid bit (evil tat that it is), but brushes should stay well away from the paintwork! You'll end up covering your car in tiny scratches - it's the reason that so many people are anti automated car washes these days.

Stick with the wash mitts or a nice soft cloth. If you're using a brush, it should just be for the wheels tbh.

Dancor

I picked up a valet bucket in Tesco's a while back. In it you get a sponge, shampoo, wax, a good fibre cloth and an air freshner for about €16. Decent make too. Simoniz I think. Did the car on Saturday and it is sparkling.

Sean Quagmire

1.Wash with nice suddy car wash
2.shimey dry
3.use wax - anything with carnuaba wax in it is the best. the hard tin stuff gives best results. apply panel by panel and buff off with something nice and soft like a microfibre towel.

polishing normally goes before waxing but only if the paint is very tired looking as it strips a small layer off! wax by itself will seal and gloss the paint.

will come up great!