Car washes

[Louie]

Hi Guys

I remember when after a service your car came back from the dealer all shiny and clean having had a wash and an internal tidy up.  Those days are long gone as mine came back with a fresh coating of pigeon poo and probably a Covid19 coated free plastic seat cover.  Any way the point of this thread is to describe my attitude to car washes in that i now avoid them like the plague in fact any sort of car wash. Why because you usually end up with scratched bodywork even if you use a hand wash which  can be a nightmare. When i acquired a Golf GTD mk7.5 two years ago i went to a reputable hand wash and the car came out with scratches more or less all over the paint work. I can only assume that the filthy cloth they use for the wash had abrasive dirt on it etc. I now use a Karcher jet wash with the Karcher Car shampoo and the Turtle Wax Redline for the wheels and the results are amazing with lasting shine. First i use a Karcher pressure spray for a basic clean to remove any dirt mud etc . I then empty a small amount of Karcher Car shampoo mixed with a bucket of water and apply  liberally over the the bodywork leave on for 5 mins and jetwash off gently so as to speak and leave to dry. I have found it unnecessary to polish with a soft cloth etc as once the car has dried it leaves a shine on the bodywork without water stains etc which lasts for weeks. The wheel cleaner is brilliant, its a spray on job wait and wash off. You can use a brush to remove stubborn stains or marks but i have found the Redline does the job without using anything else. Oh i forgot to mention that auto washes guarantee swirly scuff marks in your precious paintwork and the owners view it as a free extra but then you guys probably know all this. 

PS I have no personal investment in Karcher or Turtle Wax

[JayG]

Living in a flat I can only ever use a locally run jet wash place. And even then I only use the lance, never the brush attachment. Once whilst waiting to use the jet wash I sat in disbelief as this guy's kid scrubbed the floor with the brush. RIP to anyone who uses that public jet wash brush.

[jpg on toast]

Hi Guys
I remember when after a service your car came back from the dealer all shiny and clean having had a wash and an internal tidy up.  Those days are long gone as mine came back with a fresh coating of pigeon poo and probably a Covid19 coated free plastic seat cover.  Any way the point of this thread is to describe my attitude to car washes in that i now avoid them like the plague in fact any sort of car wash. Why because you usually end up with scratched bodywork even if you use a hand wash which  can be a nightmare. When i acquired a Golf GTD mk7.5 two years ago i went to a reputable hand wash and the car came out with scratches more or less all over the paint work. I can only assume that the filthy cloth they use for the wash had abrasive dirt on it etc. I now use a Karcher jet wash with the Karcher Car shampoo and the Turtle Wax Redline for the wheels and the results are amazing with lasting shine. First i use a Karcher pressure spray for a basic clean to remove any dirt mud etc . I then empty a small amount of Karcher Car shampoo mixed with a bucket of water and apply  liberally over the the bodywork leave on for 5 mins and jetwash off gently so as to speak and leave to dry. I have found it unnecessary to polish with a soft cloth etc as once the car has dried it leaves a shine on the bodywork without water stains etc which lasts for weeks. The wheel cleaner is brilliant, its a spray on job wait and wash off. You can use a brush to remove stubborn stains or marks but i have found the Redline does the job without using anything else. Oh i forgot to mention that auto washes guarantee swirly scuff marks in your precious paintwork and the owners view it as a free extra but then you guys probably know all this. 
PS I have no personal investment in Karcher or Turtle Wax

I have the exact set up except I stayed away from karchers soap product and instead use autoglym polar range, polar blast then sit for 10 min use polar wash and a wool wash mitt and then use polar seal to seal the water out of the body work as I didn't trust the karcher soap it was too loose for me and fell right off the car

Remi

[bigblock]

I have used 'Williams F1' waterless wash and wax for the last 4 years and would never go back to a bucket or hose pipe etc. Never had any scratches using it and it's quick and leaves the most incredable shine and also protects the paint from birds muck etc. The more you use it the less you need as it builds up a layer of protection over time. Great if you can't use a hosepipe as well. 

[jpg on toast]

do you guys know how to remove swirls? brought the car with them, even though its 18 years old i still wanna make it look nice but dont want to delve into something thatll make it worse

[bigblock]

11 minutes ago, jpg on toast said:

do you guys know how to remove swirls? brought the car with them, even though its 18 years old i still wanna make it look nice but dont want to delve into something thatll make it worse

Meguires Swirl Remover might be worth a look at. Had a Decuma Grey auris many years ago now and it improved some patchy swirls on the bonnet very well.

[jpg on toast]

That's a good idea thanks I'll give that a try :)

Remi

[Catlover]

24 minutes ago, bigblock said:

I have used 'Williams F1' waterless wash and wax for the last 4 years and would never go back to a bucket or hose pipe etc. Never had any scratches using it and it's quick and leaves the most incredable shine and also protects the paint from birds muck etc. The more you use it the less you need as it builds up a layer of protection over time. Great if you can't use a hosepipe as well. 

I am with you on this. I been using waterless wash and wax for around 10 years, Williams is a good product. I also coated the car with Carplan Number 1 after a Williams clean. Stunning look.

[Timmon]

Do you use 2 Micro cloths per session, and wash them, or new cloths every time? I have some Williams F1 cleaner, but have been too frightened to use it especially to get the winter grime off! I did spend to have the "Bionic" treatment before the car was supplied, and it comes up very shiny when I wash using the maintenance pack they supplied.

[Malcster]

I usually spend all day detailing each car

[Swanthecat]

Bilt Hamber pre-wash, rinse off with pressure washer. Followed by Turtle Wax Snow Foam which is left to dwell for about 10 minutes or less depending on temperature. Further rinse with pressure washer followed by 2 bucket contact wash method with Bilt Hamber concentrated shampoo with both buckets fitted with grit guards. Rinse followed by either good quality microfibre towel dry or air blower. Polish with Autoglym Super Resin Polish - which is actually one of the best swirl removers/fillers on the market and then a final protective coat with Bilt Hamber double speed wax. I’ve had the car since March and due to lockdown have spent more time washing it than driving it. 

[Louie]

I only use a fine microfibre cloth to polish windows when using Rain X for everything else i use 2 giant sponges one for removing stubborn stains and the other for applying the car wash. I am not taking the car to a rally or competition so as long as its shiny and looks as if its just coming out of the showroom i am happy chappie. There was a time when i used to buy all the expensive car cleaning products you can think of but now i dont want to spend all day buffing my motor as i have better things to do. My only concern which i am manic about is bird !Removed!  and where i live we have to contend with a lot of it being deposited regularly by seagulls/pigeons who  are the worst offenders(no i dont live on the coast but near the Wash)  Bird !Removed! left unattended will corrode the paintwork.In order to help me with my bird stain problem  I purchased on Amazon an amazing bird !Removed! remover designed for parrot cages and it is non corrosive or harmful but it removes large stubborn messy stains not matter what surface  with ease. I used to use an Autoglym  product but it was hard work to get rid of the baked on stains where the car had been left in the sun. I am convinced that birds use a  certain colour of your vehicle as target practice my previous car was bluish/grey and bird hits were infrequent but dark red which is now my hybrid Corolla  colour is now a bulls eye for the local bird population. Guys all the previous text sound banal but there is nothing worse than stepping out of your  house having meticulously washed your precious toy it to find a giant pigeon !Removed! splattered all over your shiny bonnet.

Edited July 30, 2020 by Louie
grammatical error

[Andy P]

4 hours ago, Louie said:

Hi Guys

I remember when after a service your car came back from the dealer all shiny and clean having had a wash and an internal tidy up.  Those days are long gone as mine came back with a fresh coating of pigeon poo and probably a Covid19 coated free plastic seat cover.  Any way the point of this thread is to describe my attitude to car washes in that i now avoid them like the plague in fact any sort of car wash. Why because you usually end up with scratched bodywork even if you use a hand wash which  can be a nightmare. When i acquired a Golf GTD mk7.5 two years ago i went to a reputable hand wash and the car came out with scratches more or less all over the paint work. I can only assume that the filthy cloth they use for the wash had abrasive dirt on it etc. I now use a Karcher jet wash with the Karcher Car shampoo and the Turtle Wax Redline for the wheels and the results are amazing with lasting shine. First i use a Karcher pressure spray for a basic clean to remove any dirt mud etc . I then empty a small amount of Karcher Car shampoo mixed with a bucket of water and apply  liberally over the the bodywork leave on for 5 mins and jetwash off gently so as to speak and leave to dry. I have found it unnecessary to polish with a soft cloth etc as once the car has dried it leaves a shine on the bodywork without water stains etc which lasts for weeks. The wheel cleaner is brilliant, its a spray on job wait and wash off. You can use a brush to remove stubborn stains or marks but i have found the Redline does the job without using anything else. Oh i forgot to mention that auto washes guarantee swirly scuff marks in your precious paintwork and the owners view it as a free extra but then you guys probably know all this. 

PS I have no personal investment in Karcher or Turtle Wax

Do you wash using the 2 bucket method? You need to invest in a Snow Foam lance and Snow Foam for pre wash. The less contact wash you can do the better.

[Andy P]

What shampoo are you using, for car chem 1-1900 is a fantastic shampoo and cheap.

[Catlover]

10 hours ago, Timmon said:

Do you use 2 Micro cloths per session, and wash them, or new cloths every time? I have some Williams F1 cleaner, but have been too frightened to use it especially to get the winter grime off! I did spend to have the "Bionic" treatment before the car was supplied, and it comes up very shiny when I wash using the maintenance pack they supplied.

I do use the 2 microfibre cloths per session method. I find if the cloth is folded correctly I can apply Williams to the whole car, and a fresh cloth to the polishing. I do the car section by section ie apply Williams to a section, then polish, move on to next section.  I do wash the cloths after in washing machine but no softener, that reduces effect of microfibre technology.

i buy Williams off Ideal World TV, £20 for four 1 litre sprays, but recently from Ideal World I bought Renault waterless wash/polish 5 litre container with one refill spray for £20. I get at least 5 car polishes per litre, probably 6.  The Carplan Number 1 is like a ceramic coating, that only costs £8 and one bottle would do 5 Prius sized cars and I do twice a year.  The wife bought herself a new Citroen C1 back in 2006 and paid about £250 to have it dealer coated  to protect the body work. Waste of money, never again.

I love my car, but certainly don’t want to spend a whole day, or even half a day keeping it clean. An hour is enough for me and that would include a tidy up inside as well.

i have often give 1 litre of Williams spray to friends, I think it such a great product.

Timmon, you say you are too frightened to use the Williams especially to clean after winter.  Why is that?

 

[Andy P]

2 hours ago, Catlover said:

I do use the 2 microfibre cloths per session method. I find if the cloth is folded correctly I can apply Williams to the whole car, and a fresh cloth to the polishing. I do the car section by section ie apply Williams to a section, then polish, move on to next section.  I do wash the cloths after in washing machine but no softener, that reduces effect of microfibre technology.

i buy Williams off Ideal World TV, £20 for four 1 litre sprays, but recently from Ideal World I bought Renault waterless wash/polish 5 litre container with one refill spray for £20. I get at least 5 car polishes per litre, probably 6.  The Carplan Number 1 is like a ceramic coating, that only costs £8 and one bottle would do 5 Prius sized cars and I do twice a year.  The wife bought herself a new Citroen C1 back in 2006 and paid about £250 to have it dealer coated  to protect the body work. Waste of money, never again.

I love my car, but certainly don’t want to spend a whole day, or even half a day keeping it clean. An hour is enough for me and that would include a tidy up inside as well.

i have often give 1 litre of Williams spray to friends, I think it such a great product.

Timmon, you say you are too frightened to use the Williams especially to clean after winter.  Why is that?

 

1 hour to clean inside & out! i just about do the wheels in that time. You ever have a passion for detailing like me or you dont.

[Catlover]

4 hours ago, Andy P said:

1 hour to clean inside & out! i just about do the wheels in that time. You ever have a passion for detailing like me or you dont.

O yes, I accept some people have a passion for cleaning their car, you obviously are one, no problem, your choice. 
I like a clean car, and people get in and many say how clean it is, but I not going to spend too much time on it. 

[Timmon]

12 hours ago, Catlover said:

 

Timmon, you say you are too frightened to use the Williams especially to clean after winter.  Why is that?

 

No, it's just the thought that I might be of rubbing the salt and grime / sand into the paint work. Waterless cleaning worries me, but I realise you and many others do it with no problems! The Bionic treatment has actually been pretty good for me. Not sure it will last 3 years, but so far, cleaning is easy, and bird mess cleans off easily etc.

I also got some Williams from Ideal world, but not tried it yet. I got it when I had my last car, and the pressure washer broke, but still using bucket and water at the moment!

Thanks for your cleaning tips Catlover.

[bigblock]

54 minutes ago, Timmon said:

No, it's just the thought that I might be of rubbing the salt and grime / sand into the paint work. Waterless cleaning worries me, but I realise you and many others do it with no problems! The Bionic treatment has actually been pretty good for me. Not sure it will last 3 years, but so far, cleaning is easy, and bird mess cleans off easily etc.

I also got some Williams from Ideal world, but not tried it yet. I got it when I had my last car, and the pressure washer broke, but still using bucket and water at the moment!

Thanks for your cleaning tips Catlover.

I was the same at first and refused to believe it would not damage the paintwork. But I tried the Williams F1 and was impressed with it. I looked carefully at the painwork and no scratches or swirls anywhere. I have used it ever since. Amazing stuff and Williams F1 would hardly endorse a product that is going to cause damaged. Just make sure you use good quality microfibre cloths and it works a treat.

[Catlover]

2 hours ago, Timmon said:

No, it's just the thought that I might be of rubbing the salt and grime / sand into the paint work. Waterless cleaning worries me, but I realise you and many others do it with no problems! The Bionic treatment has actually been pretty good for me. Not sure it will last 3 years, but so far, cleaning is easy, and bird mess cleans off easily etc.

I also got some Williams from Ideal world, but not tried it yet. I got it when I had my last car, and the pressure washer broke, but still using bucket and water at the moment!

Thanks for your cleaning tips Catlover.

To be open and honest. I have seen demos on Ideal World with Williams and Renault waterless wash/wax and some cars are really dirty. I prefer to give the car a wet down first (a light wash). The technology in the Williams/Renault you cannot see (surfactants encapsulate the dirt particles), so it is difficult to put faith in it. But I have been using waterless wash/wax for over 10 years (some American stuff I cannot remember the name). I have never seen any swirl marks I can put the blame on the product, so it works.

In your case Tim, with “debris” on your paintwork, You could set the spray on the fine side, rather then a squirt, and coat the area, stand back and leave to soak the debris (you would do that with dirt poo anyway). After a while you can wipe lightly, no need to run, to remove the debris.  You will need more then one microfibre cloth to do the whole car though. Then with a clean microfibre cloth polish that panel, then move on.

Altrrnatively, do what I do and give the car a light wash, again ,no need to be heavy with any washing, let the water soften the debris. Then do the Williams. 
Often Ideal World along with the Williams/Renault, sell good sized microfibre cloths, I think it’s 20 for £10. Very good price, they decent quality, and a good size.

you can do all areas of the car with Williams/Renault, paintwork, rubber, glass, plastic, interiors. Cleans the lot, including the green fungi growth you get when on top of window rubber. Only place I don’t do is windscreen, reflects a bit much at night.

[Catlover]

In the above post I said Ideal World do a pack of microfibre cloths 20 for £10, actually the offer is on Ideal World now and it is 40 for £20.

[Timmon]

On 8/1/2020 at 6:32 PM, Catlover said:

In the above post I said Ideal World do a pack of microfibre cloths 20 for £10, actually the offer is on Ideal World now and it is 40 for £20.

Thanks CatLover!

In Ideal World fashion, if they are today's blockbuster, they will tell us to hurry and check out our baskets, we are loving these micro cloths, 50 percent of the stock has gone already and we have only been on air 10 seconds, the pink is in limited stock....

You can tell I buy the odd thing from IW!

[Catlover]

I agree Tim, you just got to cut through the hype. QVC is the same, but both do some good deals sometimes, just got to spot them and decide if they for you.

[Eddie G]

Same as Catlover been using Williams wash and wax for years excellent stuff, just leave it on longer for the likes of dried in bird poo as i made the mistake of not leaving it on the bird poo long enough and caused some light scratching but gen just spray on leave few mins and wipe car off.

[Timmon]

22 hours ago, Catlover said:

I agree Tim, you just got to cut through the hype. QVC is the same, but both do some good deals sometimes, just got to spot them and decide if they for you.

Yes, the hype is part of the fun! I have been in sales and marketing all my life, and although I could never bring myself to use some of the techniques they use, they do work and raise a smile from me! IW have some good deals. Also ends of lines, and I recently bought an excellent Fan from them. I imagine they were pushing them because the box did not accurately describe the features the fan has. Quite a lot of items like that, I have noticed. They shift them rather than send to shops, where the box often helps sell the item.