Washing your car

Irishrossoblu

I am looking to give my car a quick wash and polish/wax. I am not looking to spend hundreds on product. Maybe under €30 on a shampoo and wax. I have seen Autoglym reccomended, but it is very expensive and would be used up quite quickly.

I have asked a local valeting place, andthey use washing up liquid and then a liquid polish. I have read the various opinions on washing up liquid and salt ect. I dont mind spending €8-€10 on a shampoo, like carplan. So I am looking for a good wash and polish. Also what cloths do you need to use? Chamois or can you use old t-shirts ect?

Thanks for any advice

Tipsy Mac

Use a shampoo for cars, maybe looking at €10 for the turtlewax one and get autoglym fast glass and autoglym resin, well worth it.

Stevie Dakota

I think the valeting place is winding you up, no valeter worth their salt (:rolleyes:) would use washing up liquid.

Re polish the Autoglym stuff is good, but you'll get results with most of the stuff stocked by Halfrauds and the like. You can use old T-shirts but make sure they are 100% cotton, clean and don't apply wax or polish with the seams.

A good chamois is also well worth investing in.

Voodoomelon

For washing the car, go for Halfords 5 litre shampoo or Turtlewax shampoo and wax in one, also 5 litres. Neither cost more than €10 and will last you for well over a year (unless you're me...).

L-M

If I paid a valetor to wash my car, and he used washing up liquid, I'd *holds self back* not be too happy...

I'm currently using a turtle wax that I bought in Tesco for three euro because it's pink, but it does the job and cleans the car.

After that, and a good rinse down, I use a "Shammy", lol, or Chamois, dry down the car completely.

Autoglym isn't that expensie as far as polish goes and it's fairly good. "Mur" is very good as well, I currently have it on trial and I'm fairly happy with the results.

If you get a good quality old t-shirt etc., no harm done. If you want to spend a few euro, a Mircofibre cloth is the handiest for removing polish, (cheapy ones can be bought in Tesco, Aldi etc.)

For glass clean, a decent size bottle of it in Aldi for €0.99, and it does the job for a euro with change.

Also if you are buying a few bits, Halfords have a 3 for 2 offer on cleaning products, so might be worth you while going in there.

rebel.ranter

NO to washing up liquid!!!:eek:

biko

I use Zymol and must say it brought the redness and shine back to my old trusty immediately. Also have the Zymol shampoo because I got them at the same time a long time ago. Maybe paid 30 for both or so. Just use a couple of old kitchen towels, the type that don't leave threads behind, to apply and buff wax.

Gumbo

OP, if this is what you mean by car -


then by all means, use washing up liquid

but if what you mean by car is (4 wheels, and an engine) -

then use a decent car shampoo like turtlewax, dry off and use autoglym super resin polish or similar.

shampoo - 7e
autoglym - 11e

seeing car clean and done right - priceless

good thread on wax here - http://www.dtdirl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31329

also check www.detailing.com

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/

Neilw

Magnus wrote: »

I use Zymol and must say it brought the redness and shine back to my old trusty immediately. Also have the Zymol shampoo because I got them at the same time a long time ago. Maybe paid 30 for both or so. Just use a couple of old kitchen towels, the type that don't leave threads behind, to apply and buff wax.

That Zymol wash and wax is not the real Zymol, it's actually made by turtlewax
Have a bottle of both and I find the durability to be fairly poor. Shampoo is quite good.

OP, If your going to halfords pick some shampoo, don't use fairy liquid as mentioned already. Meguiars NXT 2.0 is prety good, you could also pick up sume autoglym super resin polish to fill some of the swirls and top it with the NXT 2.0.

celica1994

best stuff ever invented. its called sumthing like "trade II professional" a pannel beater gave me sum then i bought a drum of the stuff. its 50 euro a tin but ya will get forever out of it

Neilw

celica1994 wrote: »

best stuff ever invented. its called sumthing like "trade II professional" a pannel beater gave me sum then i bought a drum of the stuff. its 50 euro a tin but ya will get forever out of it

Must be really good

BTW, what is it, shampoo, wax, sealant?

celica1994

its a polish. i dunno whats in the stuff but it brings up the paintwork like brand new, ill show you a pic of my merc, the paintwork was dull as librarians pants until i used it, check out this picture - also are ya in dublin?

<Take it to adverts >

Neilw

celica1994 wrote: »

its a polish. i dunno whats in the stuff but it brings up the paintwork like brand new, ill show you a pic of my merc, the paintwork was dull as librarians pants until i used it, check out this picture - also are ya in dublin?

I take it thats the before polish picture?

celica1994

nope thats the after one, ya shoulda seen the paintwork before i used the stuff, it was extreemly dull, like no shine on it at all

Neilw

celica1994 wrote: »

nope thats the after one, ya shoulda seen the paintwork before i used the stuff, it was extreemly dull, like no shine on it at all

Wow, still looks very dull IMO. I'll stick with what I have for now

kleefarr

Irishrossoblu wrote: »

I have asked a local valeting place, and they use washing up liquid

:eek:

Washing up liquid is mildly abrasive! Won't do your paint work any good.

celica1994

if i showed you a before pic it would definatly change ur opinion, the paint was like the paint on a 30 year old vauxhall that was abandoned in a dessert. i think the stuff is pretty good

Neilw

celica1994 wrote: »

if i showed you a before pic it would definatly change ur opinion, the paint was like the paint on a 30 year old vauxhall that was abandoned in a dessert. i think the stuff is pretty good

Check out some of the cars on here http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=129

Beast ASI

Get a proper detailer to do your car - You won't regret it.

EPM

I have a box in the shed full of different waxes built up over the years.

The best I've used is Meguirs Tech Wax 2.0. Great tack. Great depth of shine and hides swirl marks well too if there are any.

...as for shampoo I dont wash my car myself...I use a drive through brushless but with pads instead

*hangs head in shsame*