What products should I get for general washing and protection?

batman1

I would love to get my car done professionally regularly but I simply don't have the means at the moment due to illness. However, I still want to keep the car in reasonable shape at home if I can. It's been neglected over the past 6/9 months so I slowly built up some cleaning items to help me. I got snowfoam and some towels and cloths. My friend gave me 3 bottles of Maguires stuff. They're numbered 1,2,3 in a three step process. He's had them for a few years just never used them. Does anyone know if they're any good ?

Reading here and online I can see more or less the process but I was hoping someone could advise me on what to get that doesn't involve heavy labour as I'm not fit for that.

I would like to clean alloys, wash, remove tar/bugs, then protect.

I bought the bilthamber foam.

Stallingrad

A lot depends on your car, how old and what shape the paint is is. Those Megs products are fine, if you are limited fitness wise skip 1 and just do 2 or 3. Prep is important, so de-tarring and de-iron would be a good start, both are reasonably low effort, then proceed to polish/wax.

Snowfoam is probably the least important step, a 2 bucket wash is just fine and less faffing around.

MetzgerMeister

I used that 3 step system back in 2007 and never did it again...too much work involved and my back was in absolute ribbons (I was only 22 at the time!) due to doing the whole thing in one day.

In my opinion this is what you should do:

Wash
Detar
Rinse
Deiron/Clay
Rinse
Wash
Dry
Gtechniq C2V3

Job done.

The C2V3 is a great product because it's spray on, spread around panel, buff with a second cloth and that's it. There's no waiting for it to dry and having a pain in the face if you apply too much and makes it a nightmare to remove.

The deironing and claying is only done once every 6 months or so but is necessary to get the best surface for the C2V3 to adhere to.

batman1

Thanks. Although I'm a fair bit from 22, I was reasonably fit until recently.

I could probably manage the polishing, albeit slowly but if there's a spray on product that does the same thing I would like to get some. Do I have to get it online? I have a Halfords pretty close by.

In terms of de iron/clay, are these one and the same or 2 different steps. I had planned to get clay(seen a kit online at Halfords) but from reading some posts here it seems the iron removal is sprayed on and rinsed off?

What product is best for tar removal (would Halfords have it)?

The car is only a few years old

ianobrien

OP, I learned that hand polishing is a waste of time. Hand polishing products don't really have any cut (removing the high spots) they are more fillers to fill in the scratches. Proper polishing is done with a machine polish and hand polishing is hiding the problem, rather than fixing it.

I've also learned that it's better to get proper chemicals rather than the Halfords type chemicals as the proper ones do a much better job using a lot less product.

For detarring, I've found CarPro Tar-X works very, very well. I did try Meguiers and AutoGlym detarring products and I did use half a bottle of AutoGlym Tar Remover on four wheels. A couple of sprays of CarPro did the same job.

My normal routine is as MetzgerMeister outlined and can be done in a few hours.

Edit, here's what can be achieved with MM's approach
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=109885111&postcount=5660

Here's what adding a polish into the above steps
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=108326827&postcount=5542

batman1

Interesting.
So it looks like I can make life much easier by getting the right products.

So, as a Joe soap who is not so fit could I get away with
Rinse
Snowfoam
Wash
De tar
Rinse (or wash again?)
Clay bar
Wash and dry
Gtecnic spray wax

Would that be ok ?

I should add, I have an interest and used to get my car done professionally but I have to make do for now as best I can.

vectra

batman1 wrote: »

Interesting.
So it looks like I can make life much easier by getting the right products.

So, as a Joe soap who is not so fit could I get away with
Rinse
Snowfoam
Wash
De tar
Rinse (or wash again?)
Clay bar
Wash and dry
Gtecnic spray wax

Would that be ok ?

I should add, I have an interest and used to get my car done professionally but I have to make do for now as best I can.

After the Detar and rinse.
Do a Decon before the clay stage.

batman1

vectra wrote: »

After the Detar and rinse.
Do a Decon before the clay stage.

Apologies if I appear stupid but I'm assuming decon is decontamination and that is the iron/,fallout remover?

Is that usually spray on, rinse off too?

vectra

batman1 wrote: »

Apologies if I appear stupid but I'm assuming decon is decontamination and that is the iron/,fallout remover?

Is that usually spray on, rinse off too?

Yes and yes

MetzgerMeister

batman1 wrote: »

Apologies if I appear stupid but I'm assuming decon is decontamination and that is the iron/,fallout remover?

No such thing as a stupid question here

Decon can be both fallout remover and claying but the term "decon" is usually meant as a fallout remover and claying is claying.

Stallingrad

OP some of these tar removers and fallout removers are pretty serious chemicals, so wear gloves and stay upwind!

vectra

As a matter of interest OP
What car/color have you got?

batman1

Stallingrad wrote: »

OP some of these tar removers and fallout removers are pretty serious chemicals, so wear gloves and stay upwind!

Thanks for the heads up. I suspected they weren't just any old liquid. Thankfully in a past life I worked with some serious chemicals such as toluenes and benzenes so I'll take the necessary precautions.

batman1

vectra wrote: »

As a matter of interest OP
What car/color have you got?

The car is a VW Tiguan. Dark grey, I think it's called indium grey. It's a few years old but we have it about a year.

I don't drive it much anymore , but my wife uses it for her work and does a lot of mileage so it gets dirty pretty quick.
Recently she has been going to the local car wash but that's something we never did as I used to get a proper job done. I just want to do the best I can for the moment until hopefully I can get back on my feet properly and start looking after it like we used to.
The thoughts of someone rubbing a dirty yellow sponge on the car makes me cringe

vectra

batman1 wrote: »

The car is a VW Tiguan. Dark grey, I think it's called indium grey.

Lovely car and a lovely color,
Prep will be the key here, and I agree with the above suggestion on using something like C2V3, It will give that color a "glassy" gloss which will suit it perfectly.

batman1

That's great. This advice is very much appreciated.

So if I get the car pro tar X for the tar, which fallout remover should I get. I see loads of choices online, and do I need to wash with shampoo and dry after each of these or just rinse off with the washer?

ianobrien

I use Bilt Hamber Korrisol for the fallout simply as it was the first one I got (based on recommendations here) and it worked.

I only wash again at the end of the decontamination (tar removal, fallout and claying) but I do rinse between each one.

MetzgerMeister

I would normally rinse and then shampoo the bottom half of the car after the tar remover. Only rinse after fallout remover as you'll be washing the whole car after that anyway.

batman1

Many thanks.

I've ordered the various products so will hopefully have them next week.

In the meantime is it appropriate to give it a wash as it's very dirty while I wait on the other items?
I'm thinking rinse, snowfoam, wash and rinse and then dry

vectra

batman1 wrote: »

Many thanks.

I've ordered the various products so will hopefully have them next week.

In the meantime is it appropriate to give it a wash as it's very dirty while I wait on the other items?
I'm thinking rinse, snowfoam, wash and rinse and then dry

Absolutely fine.

MetzgerMeister

Just don't use a sponge :P

batman1

Got the car cleaned as above and it's gleaming. Still waiting for the other few bits to arrive.

One or tow further questions

How do I get the windscreen cleaned properly. I tried with household cleaner and also vinegar/water mix but kept getting smears. I would also like to put something on the windscreen to help clear the water quicker. Any tips?

Also, can I put the gtechniq liquid onto the plastic trims along the bottom and around the wheel arches ?

Stallingrad

batman1 wrote: »

would also like to put something on the windscreen to help clear the water quicker. Any tips?

You could use the likes of RainX, or even a good glass Polish like AG Glass polish will assist quick beading off exterior glass.

vectra

batman1 wrote: »

How do I get the windscreen cleaned properly. I tried with household cleaner and also vinegar/water mix but kept getting smears. I would also like to put something on the windscreen to help clear the water quicker. Any tips?

Stallingrad wrote: »

You could use the likes of RainX, or even a good glass Polish like AG Glass polish will assist quick beading off exterior glass.

AG Glass polish on the windscreen to clean it,
then something like carpro eraser to remove any remaining polish
then instead of RainX I would use Angelwax H2Go.
Clean the wiper blades as well and put a coat of H2Go on them as well.

ianobrien

This may sound daft but I've found that most of the smudges etc occur inside the windscreen. Don't forget that also.

One "hack" that I did before was a bottle of coke on the Windscreen (rinse it down with loads of water) and it worked. Now I generally reach for IPA and/or CarPro Eraser.

Edit - From talking to friends of mine, they wouldn't recommend RainX, although they were using it on Rally cars

MetzgerMeister

The best way to clean exterior glass (if you have the equipment) is clay and then polish it using a medium cut pad and finishing polish like Menzerna 3500 (you don't even need cerium oxide and a rayon pad for this). You'll be amazed at the difference if you do one side window and compare it to the (what you thought was clean) unpolished one.

For interior glass I use Gtechniq Perfect Glass (contains IPA), wiped with a sponge applicator pad (this will absorb a lot of the crap on the glass), dry it off and then apply a thin coat of AutoGlym glass polish using a Meguiars microfibre applicator. Then turn on the A/C and fan speed to max with a heat setting of 20 degrees, close all doors and windows and leave for 5 minutes. After that, keep the A/C but reduce the fan speed and buff off the polish using a microfibre cloth (this will hold the buffed polish and it won't blow everywhere. Use a second MF to give the glass another wipe to ensure you have removed it all.

You should wear gloves when doing the interior glass so as not to get any oils from your skin on the glass. This will ensure a truly clean surface for which just the fan and A/C will be sufficient to remove any fog build up. Do not use a cloth, hand, anything else to clear the glass as this will only introduce contaminants that will cause streaking.

Stallingrad

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

The best way to clean exterior glass (if you have the equipment) is clay and then polish it using a medium cut pad and finishing polish like Menzerna 3500 (you don't even need cerium oxide and a rayon pad for this). You'll be amazed at the difference if you do one side window and compare it to the (what you thought was clean) unpolished one.
.

Do you do this by hand or with a DA? And do you wipe down with an IPA after?

MetzgerMeister

Stallingrad wrote: »

Do you do this by hand or with a DA? And do you wipe down with an IPA after?

With a DA and Gtechniq panel wipe afterwards. I always do this if applying Gtechniq G1 to my car or a customer's car. It's a good idea to then apply a coat of quick detailer or something like that afterwards to have nice beading.

batman1

Finally got round to giving it a go. Thanks for all the advice here.
Below is what I done.

Rinse with power washer
Clean wheels with maguiars cleaner rinse
Snowfoam
Rinse
2 bucket wash
Dry
Detar and rinse
Clay bar and then Korrisol
Rinse
2 bucket wash
Dry
Gtechniq cv23 (2 coats a few hours apart)
Autoglym glass polish
Carpro eraser
2 coats angelwax h2go

Took me almost 8 hours and was not easy but pleased with the results. Might not be perfect but I'd say ok for a first go.

MetzgerMeister

Smashing work batman!

8 hours is a good slog but the next time you go near it it'll only take you an hour or two given the fact that the majority of the work is done for at least 6 months.

batman1

Some parts to improve upon. I don't think I did the windscreen properly. I spotted a few specs on it after when cleaning the inside. It's hard for me to reach across with any force to polish or buff off.

I also could spend more time on the alloys. When I finished I noticed a few spots of tar I missed etc.

Now for the inside.......

MetzgerMeister

batman1 wrote: »

Some parts to improve upon. I don't think I did the windscreen properly. I spotted a few specs on it after when cleaning the inside. It's hard for me to reach across with any force to polish or buff off.

I also could spend more time on the alloys. When I finished I noticed a few spots of tar I missed etc.

Now for the inside.......

One of these would be of use to you in that case...

NIMAN

Now got 2 cars with leather interior.

What would folk on here recommend for keeping it in tip-top condition?

ianobrien

NIMAN wrote: »

Now got 2 cars with leather interior.

What would folk on here recommend for keeping it in tip-top condition?

CarPro inside is my weapon of choice.