Detailing chat

punisher5112

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Ah nuts, I thought a chamois was safe. What's the issue with them?

Can you recommend a MF towel that can dry a whole car?

I was the same sure years ago it was grand to use a sponge, sweeping brush and the kitchen green pad along with fairy... Ha times have changed.

The chamois become hard and drag any grit across as there is nowhere else for grit to go.

Detailingshed.com has a great selection.

Curran

The pile on a microfiber drying towel allows for any dirt or grit to be taken into the pile. Yes, the car should be free of dirt and grit post washing, but dust may settle on the car on a windy day. Also the microfiber is far softer than a chamois.
Microfiber Madness Dry Me Crazy is a very good drying towel but is out of stock right now. CarPro have recently added the Fat Boa Dry Towel to their line up and while I've not tried it yet, it seems to perform very well in videos I've seen and if it's anything like the rest of the range, it will be a quality product. To the touch it's very similar to the Dry Me Crazy.

MetzgerMeister

If you want to save on shipping costs, CarPro have their own version of Gtechniq I1. There's also Chemical Guys Fabric Guard and 303 Aerospace Fabric Guard.

Far be it from me to recommend something other than Gtechniq ( :pac: ) but their shipping from the UK can be on the high side.

Curran

Metz has the bases covered!

CarPro Fabric Coat is a nano technology product so will be very durable
Chemcial Guys Fabric Guard and Aerospace 303 Fabric Guard are also options but less durable.

Gtechniq I1 is a product I have used in the past and preformed quite well on an M3 soft top - similar to the CarPro Fabric Coat

Speaking of Dry Me Crazy...

Ya know the wash mitt they have (the incredimitt), if you were buying a new wash mitt tomorrow, would you buy a microfibre wash mitt like the incredimitt, or would one of those sheepskin jobbies be better? (or any other type of mitt at all).

Gonna need a new one. Was gonna buy two or three crappy ones in halfords for wheels, etc. and then get a good one for 'proper' use. I've used the incredimitt in the past (although it has since been wrecked, hence needing a new one) but im not sure if i should go back to it or get something different.

That said, I will admit I found the incredimitt great.

Also, can anyone weigh in with a thought on what the difference is between an incredimitti and an incredipad?

Is a pad just a large sponge, effectively?

http://www.detailingshed.com/washing/38-microfiber-madness-incredipad.html?search_query=incredimitt&results=5



And just to ask... I have been out of sync with detailing for a while, as I haven't been able to really do it properly. Would I be right in saying this is a complete process (for exterior):

- Snow Foam, Wheel Clean, 2BM, Rinse, Dry.
- Iron, Tar, Rinse.
- Glass, Trim.
- Clay, Rinse.
- Tape up, Machine Polish, Rinse.
- Glaze (if I'm bothered, usually feels like wasted time).
- Wax on, Wax off.
- Tyre Shine


I feel like I'm forgetting something, though?

vectra

Incredimitt
Hard to beat it.

vectra

And there you have it

Curran

Microfiber or Lambswool are the way to go for the best for your paintwork.
After that its preference. The Lambswool mitts need more care than the microfiber ones....they dont deal as well as the microfiber ones, say if you were to leave it damp in the bottom of a bucket for a few days. Generally the microfiber ones will last longer too, but a very plush lambswool one would probably be a touch safer....and I wouldnt rate the Meguiars Lambswool in the plush category.

Deleted User wrote: »

Also, can anyone weigh in with a thought on what the difference is between an incredimitti and an incredipad?

Is a pad just a large sponge, effectively?

http://www.detailingshed.com/washing/38-microfiber-madness-incredipad.html?search_query=incredimitt&results=5

Essentially its like a hairy sponge....they microfibers to keep the contact safe, and inside a sponge that holds a lot of water, similar to the Incredimitt.
In size, its slightly smaller.
Some people prefer holding their wash mitt, others prefer to wear it. The incredimitt is also quite heavy when its full of water, so the Incredipad offers a smaller, lighter, hold onto, option!

Deleted User wrote: »

And just to ask... I have been out of sync with detailing for a while, as I haven't been able to really do it properly. Would I be right in saying this is a complete process (for exterior):

- Snow Foam, Wheel Clean, 2BM, Rinse, Dry.
- Iron, Tar, Rinse.
- Glass, Trim.
- Clay, Rinse.
- Tape up, Machine Polish, Rinse.
- Glaze (if I'm bothered, usually feels like wasted time).
- Wax on, Wax off.
- Tyre Shine


I feel like I'm forgetting something, though?

There is no need to dry the car pre decontamination; drip dry is fine - de-tar first, then de-iron.
Glass and Trim are done with tyre shine; putting the final touches.
If by trim you mean cleaning them; do that with a detailing brush as the snowfoam is dwelling.
Post machine polish, a rinse isnt sufficient - a wash with a fairly strong APC to wash out the oils in the paintwork, or you limit the bonding ability for anything applied after.....not the same when hand polishing, you'd want the fillers in the polish to remain, so a wash down is not done.

Big-Mac

Curran wrote: »

Microfiber or Lambswool are the way to go for the best for your paintwork.
After that its preference. The Lambswool mitts need more care than the microfiber ones....they dont deal as well as the microfiber ones, say if you were to leave it damp in the bottom of a bucket for a few days. Generally the microfiber ones will last longer too, but a very plush lambswool one would probably be a touch safer....and I wouldnt rate the Meguiars Lambswool in the plush category.



Essentially its like a hairy sponge....they microfibers to keep the contact safe, and inside a sponge that holds a lot of water, similar to the Incredimitt.
In size, its slightly smaller.
Some people prefer holding their wash mitt, others prefer to wear it. The incredimitt is also quite heavy when its full of water, so the Incredipad offers a smaller, lighter, hold onto, option!




There is no need to dry the car pre decontamination; drip dry is fine - de-tar first, then de-iron.
Glass and Trim are done with tyre shine; putting the final touches.
If by trim you mean cleaning them; do that with a detailing brush as the snowfoam is dwelling.
Post machine polish, a rinse isnt sufficient - a wash with a fairly strong APC to wash out the oils in the paintwork, or you limit the bonding ability for anything applied after.....not the same when hand polishing, you'd want the fillers in the polish to remain, so a wash down is not done.

Can you use alcohol wipes to remove sealants that are already applied?

Curran

Assuming the wipe in itself wont inflict damage, then it would be fine - one quick way to check is an old CD, wipe the back of it, if it scratches it, it will likely do damage to the paintwork!

Big-Mac

Curran wrote: »

Assuming the wipe in itself wont inflict damage, then it would be fine - one quick way to check is an old CD, wipe the back of it, if it scratches it, it will likely do damage to the paintwork!

Cool cheers, assuming it's ok, at what point would you do this? After wash or after de-tar and de-iron ?

Curran

Pre applying anything like a glaze / wax / sealant, to ensure the surface is 100% free of any dust, oils, etc, which might hinder bonding!
You might use them during machine polishing to inspect the paintwork as the polish for machine polishing contain a lot of lubrication oils, that fill defects.

markc1184

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Also, can anyone weigh in with a thought on what the difference is between an incredimitti and an incredipad?

Is a pad just a large sponge, effectively?

http://www.detailingshed.com/washing/38-microfiber-madness-incredipad.html?search_query=incredimitt&results=5



And just to ask... I have been out of sync with detailing for a while, as I haven't been able to really do it properly. Would I be right in saying this is a complete process (for exterior):

- Snow Foam, Wheel Clean, 2BM, Rinse, Dry.
- Iron, Tar, Rinse.
- Glass, Trim.
- Clay, Rinse.
- Tape up, Machine Polish, Rinse.
- Glaze (if I'm bothered, usually feels like wasted time).
- Wax on, Wax off.
- Tyre Shine


I feel like I'm forgetting something, though?

I have both the incredimitt and the incredipad, if you want a loan for a couple of days to see for yourself or which you prefer then give me a PM.

markc1184

Cheers for the replies, Curran. From reading what you wrote, the pad is smaller than the mitt? If so it'd be a non-runner for me. I had it in my head that the pad was almost tea towel sized and was for cleaning larger sections quicker.

Don't think I'd be too fussed with a small one. May consider 2 incredimitt's though. Will have to figure out what I have and what I need next week.

Do you know when the incredimitt will be back in stock, by any chance?

markc1184 wrote: »

I have both the incredimitt and the incredipad, if you want a loan for a couple of days to see for yourself or which you prefer then give me a PM.

Incrdibly nice. Fair play man, but i won't take you up, as I cant clean the car for a week or two anyway. I hope to have my own stuff by then again

EDIT: Seen as you own both, Markc, do you find you'd actually use both? Or would one be the go-to choice all the time, and the other sit in a press all the time?

markc1184

I use the mitt mainly, but I will use the pad on the lower end of the car or if there are some stubborn bits remaining after using tar/iron-x. That's just my choice, I'm sure one of the other would be fine.

seeker82

Got my car nano coated and looks great. However notice when I drive it the back of the car collects a lot of dirt, especially around the lip of the boot. Dirty on a daily basis.

What would you recommend to keep this area clean without having to wash the entire car every day and without destroying the paint work!

Curran

Have you a power hose? Given its a nano coating, the majority of dirt will lift with a quick blast, even with a regular garden hose if it has a decent bit of pressure.

5500

Any advise if a snowfoam mix is OK to store/how long for once made up? Using valet pro once mixed in the bottle can what's not used just be left for another time or am I better off making a smaller dilution to use at once?

Curran

Just eye ball it before using it, to make sure it hasnt gone a bit crusty (which my clog the gauze). If not, it should be fine for a week or two with a bit of a shake before use. I generally re-top up each time I use it, if Ive left anything behind, so at worst 50% of the mixture may not be performing at its full potential, but the fresh top up will make up for that!

punisher5112

Just use whole lot everyone will think your mad but the foam will be great.

vectra

5500 wrote: »

Any advise if a snowfoam mix is OK to store/how long for once made up? Using valet pro once mixed in the bottle can what's not used just be left for another time or am I better off making a smaller dilution to use at once?

Mix smaller amounts
Fresh mix always and flush out the lance after use with apc solution.

MarkN

Did Detailing Shed do a deal for Boards on delivery or anything - I can't remember but I'm looking for some wheel woolies :P

MetzgerMeister

There was a wheel woolies group buy quite some time ago if that's what you're thinking of.

MarkN

Maybe that was it.

Alanstrainor

Moved recently from an apartment with underground parking to a house with a drive. Poor car gets covered in shoite far too quickly sitting out in the rain!

Curran

But sure dont you have the space to wash it now!! :P

Big-Mac

Ok, I have tar remover, iron/fallout remover, soft99 fusso sealant. I just new a good wax to finish off. Looking for good wet look for a candy white car.

Curran

With light colours the wet look can be hard to achieve - its really down to the prep, and the decontamination!

Big-Mac

Curran wrote: »

With light colours the wet look can be hard to achieve - its really down to the prep, and the decontamination!

What wax would you recommend ?