Cleaning My Yaris

[vikasshah]

I know this may be a bit off-topic but I just need some general advice on cleaning my Yaris. I decided to get a black one.....which I have found is the hardest colour to keep clean.

I use Turtlewax Wash and Wax combined.....but I cant get rid of these little watermarks afterwards. They can only be seen closeup but I wandered what Im doing wrong?

[Chappers]

but I cant get rid of these little watermarks afterwards.

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You chamoiing?

[T V O R]

A good chamois leather is my recommendation.

[kimi]

nothing wrong with your choice of colour :D

make sure you leather it off after you wash it and get yourself

a better wash n wax or shampoo,Try Autoglym

being a black car you'll have to polish it often,i do mine once a week.

if you can afford it get yourself paint protection pack that will help

too.

[Blue84]

I've got an island green Yaris which is a nightmare to keep clean, I made the solution a bit weaker than normal and it didnt leave any white drip marks on her but it still got rid of all the dirt..perhaps that might help?

[Kerby]

i use Mer car shampoo then i use one of the E-Cloths then i use Mer car polish and Mer window polish. Works a treat :D

[seveer unaek]

Just get a really good chamois leather, not a cheap one. And you could try 'Wax it Wet' You just spray it on to the panels when ur chamois's it and ut polishes the car for you! Belting!

[vikasshah]

this is what i do: hose it down....wash with Turtlewax Shampoo n Wax, hose again and then dry with Chamois leather.

Whats paint protection? a spray?

and also...started using autogleam alloy cleaner after initially using turtlewax....autogleam is so much better! anyone else found the same?

[seveer unaek]

I dont use alloy wheel cleaner... i rely on good old fashioned elbow grease! My wheels look lurvly too!!

[vikasshah]

the front alloys get really dirty cos im doing 200 miles a week...so elbow grease wasnt enough!

[seveer unaek]

I do no less than 200 miles a week! And sometimes it get's washed only once every 6 weeks in this crummy winter weather!

Most of the time i don't even need to scrub away at them, they just get a good rinse with hosepipe, then i use a proper bucketfull of the same solution i use to wash the car, use a sponge first to get rid of the bulk of dirt, then use a common household cloth to get in the edges.

Then once over again with the sponge, wash the rest of the wheels, wash the rest of the car (alloys always come first!) And chamois the wheels when chamois-ing the rest of the car!

There are four HUGE tips i can't stress enough when washing a car...

1. Always keep the car wet... NEVER let your washing solution dry on the paintwork until your chamoi-ing it off.

2. Always use PLENTY of water when washing, it's no harm re-filling a bucket... by using plenty of water; more of the cleaning solution will be tackling the dirt. Also, old water is dirty!!

3. Use a GOOD Chamois, dont go for the 50p one off the market, spend a good amount, £8 for a good size one is what your aiming at. Halfords one's are quite good. (Oh, and wash the chamois too... it get's dirty!!)

4. Don't forget around the insides of the door frame!

[vikasshah]

thanks!

I think that not letting the washing stuff dry is the main thing....must be all the dried soap that im seeing.

I will try what you suggest for the alloys......but the cleaner makes them so shiny!!

And my chamois has got quite manky now.....need a new one.

[b1nda]

hi,

i use Mer Car shampoo & Mer Car Polish/Wax, ...

the best thing about Mer is that you can mix the Polish And Shampoo in the same bucket.

This way once i have hosed down the car after cleaning it, the water just rapidily disapears of the car so no need to leather it....GREAT STUFF!!.....better than the over-rated "Auto Glym"..

[Kerby]

hi,

i use Mer Car shampoo & Mer Car Polish/Wax, ...

the best thing about Mer is that you can mix the Polish And Shampoo in the same bucket.

This way once i have hosed down the car after cleaning it, the water just rapidily disapears of the car so no need to leather it....GREAT STUFF!!.....better than the over-rated "Auto Glym"..

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here here ;)

[Ryan1985]

I use Autoglym everything, not over-rated imo! And the Autoglym alloy wheel cleaner is the nuts!

[Radtoy]

Get yourself an autoglym hydrablade. Use it to dry off the car and then the bits it misses can be chamoised off, job done. It works a treat on my moms black polo!

Also try a regular waxing. Much kinder to the paint than polish.

[TarikB]

Another tip for car washing,

Use two buckets, one with water plus car wash of choice (Meguiars NXT wash, or Meguairs Soft Wash Gel are my preferences), and the other just water. The idea is instead of dumping all the dirt from the sponge into you wash water you dump it in the other bucket.

I am also really liking the Meguairs NXT spray wax (bit of a Meguiars fan) for quick waxes between full wash, polish, wax type endeavors.

TarikB

[Chappers]

I spit on mine and use a brillo pad..

Ever since a taxi drove into the side of mine - I hate the car.. Used to treat it right.

[knightrider]

mer is useles get some Meguiars its UNDERATED autogylm is good but aint cheap

[Yarisboy]

i don't have time for hours of polishing/waxing anymore, especially at this time of the year when the car is filthed up after 10 minutes driving anyway.

give it a going over with wash & wax (i use the turtlewax one)

let most of the water drip off (doesn't have to be dry)

add one capful of 'demon shine' to a bucket of cold water and go about throwing it on the car

once covered in demon shine take it for a quick trip up the dual carriageway and you're done for a week.

[T V O R]

Get yourself an autoglym hydrablade. Use it to dry off the car...

Watch out for the grit!

[seveer unaek]

Get yourself an autoglym hydrablade. Use it to dry off the car...

Watch out for the grit!

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Oh dear god yes!! My uncle tried that thing on his Audi, wasn't paying attention... tiny bit of gravel and a giant scratch along the roof. Pain in the behind to get back nice too. Be very very carefull!

[Xenole]

So, overall, what is recommended for getting the best results from cleaning my black metallic paint Yaris?

Did have a quick look in Halfords yesterday at the products mentioned here, and things like Autoglym are available in these packs at present etc, but would like to keep things looking as new and shiny as possible.

[keeperofthegate]

I've read that if you use a lambs wool mitt instead of a sponge or cloth... it will keep small particles of grit/dirt from scratching your paint finish and is beneficial for darker paint finishes...

[seveer unaek]

So, overall, what is recommended for getting the best results from cleaning my black metallic paint Yaris?

Did have a quick look in Halfords yesterday at the products mentioned here, and things like Autoglym are available in these packs at present etc, but would like to keep things looking as new and shiny as possible.

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In this weather mate, if you cover more than 100 miles a week, you're going to have a shiny car using whatever products, be it cheap or mega-wonga for about a day. Then it will be filthy. Best advice is to just wash it once a week to get rid of the salt and thick dirt from the roads. Main thing to concentrate on is the wheels and under the sills as they can corrode easily.