If you knew then what you know now...

D

DetailZeus

New member
...What products and techniques would you keep? What would you skip? For simplicity`s sake assume you can get everything that`s available to you today.

(P.S. I found a similar thread from 2010 but it was most of the older vets reminiscing about diapers :rofl)

Keep:

Electric pressure washer - This was my newest purchase. I was pretty impressed with how well it cleans (I`ve got mediocre water pressure to begin with) and also how little water it puts out (1.2 gpm). With quick disconnects it`s not that much harder to set up than the hose.

Wheel Woolies - Can`t see myself cleaning wheel barrels without them

Microfiber wash mitt - Meguiars or similar, they`re cheap enough to use 2 or more during the wash, easy to inspect, and clean up great in the washing machine. I find myself grabbing these more than any other wash media.

Rinseless Wash* (the chemical) - Even if you don`t rinseless wash, there`s just too many uses to not have a gallon sitting around. I use it for presoaking bugs, presoaking dirt, clay lube, drying aid, door jambs, and interior wipedown. IUDJ might be my favorite so far but I still need to put Wolfgang Uber through its paces.

Skip:

Huge Drying Towels - I bought one thinking "wow one towel to dry the whole car!" but had no idea how frustrating it would be to keep it folded on the sides of my very low car. Now it`s just a few 16x16 mf for me.

Sheeting Rinse - I personally don`t see the need. I`m wiping up remaining drops with a micro anyways, might as well just do the whole car.

Detail sprays - Have been replaced with rinseless washes at QD/waterless ratios

"Topper" LSP`s - I don`t really see the need as I`d rather just reapply my WOWO sealant when the time comes (Have yet to try a coating). The only extra protection I`d use regularly is whatever is incorporated into the rinseless wash I`m using at the time.

Hoseless Washing - I really hate to call this rinseless washing because I love the chemical itself, and it definitely can be used with a pre-rinse. It`s just that I went through a period where I got carried away with the whole "you don`t need a hose!" concept. When I found myself trying to clean fairly dirty wheel barrels and wells with just a bucket, I decided maybe there is a time and a place for a thorough rinse and soap. I now relegate rinseless washes to just surface wipedowns including wheel faces but more often than not bust out the pressure washer and soap.

Dedicated Clay Lube - Replaced with rinseless at "clay lube" ratio.

Simple Green - So many better car-safe apc`s out there
 
I agree with almost everything on your list.

Especially, ditching Simple Green, I stopped using it too. Clay lube was replaced with Meguiar`s D114. D114 is a workhorse, I too soak bugs with D114, so many uses.

Wish I would have had 1, 2, & 5.5 inch pads about 15 years ago. I want a pressure washer, but cannot substantiate the cost. I just go to the self-service wash if pressure wash is needed.

HD Speed would have probably turned me into a professional detailer had the stuff been around 15 years ago. That stuff rocks!
 
DetailZeus said:
...(P.S. I found a similar thread from 2010 but it was most of the older vets reminiscing about diapers :rofl)
Click to expand...

Don`t laugh!! Soft diapers and surgical huck-towels were THE fabric of choice by detailers for polish and wax removal before microfibers. Kinda like using a slide rule to do math or engineering problems or design work on a drawing board with paper and pencils. Just remember the Chevy small block engine was designed in the mid-1950`s using these tools and its basic design foundation is still with us today. (Yes, I am "old enough" to actually do those things; well the using diaper cloth thing anyway)
 
I like toppers when time permits to play around with it, but mostly do same WOWO is just so easy and they actually last a decent amount of time now.
But I am total opposite with Hose less washing, I love it. My fav is to rinse off heavy stuff at work (grit, tire wells, stuck on sand) then let it air dry on ride home and do waterless wash in the garage. If the car is just dusty I can just do waterless or has minimal grit I can just do rinseless in the garage, but thats not often up in new england we get lots of weather.
 
If I knew then what I know now I would have done better in high school and went to a 4yr college right after graduation! ;)


As far as the OP goes, if the products we have today were available back when I started I would have avoided all the compounds and polishes with silica in them and I would have been more conscious of the heath affects associated with this business and done more to protect myself from the long term exposure of all the chemicals and noises. I would have kept my rotary but added all my large throw DA`s and I`d have various pad sizes, not just 8" wool pads. Wheel acid would have been put aside in favor of safer wheel cleaners and only used when absolutely necessary. DI water and Master Blasters would have been used as well as MF towels and not cut up beach towels.
 
DetailZeus said:
...What products and techniques would you keep? What would you skip?
Click to expand...

Keep:

Electric pressure washer - with foam cannon/lance

Wheel Woolies - Can`t see myself cleaning wheel barrels without them (I second this)

EZ Detail brush - Some people knock this brush because when the bristles pop back up the create some spray I don`t find this to be an issue as I only use it during the cleaning phase under the hood where it can reach deep into tight spaces. A must have for engine bay cleaning IMHO

Monaro Wool Wash mitt - This mitt has been a game changer for me as it cleans about 40% faster than the Chinchilla Microfiber mitts I used before it. It holds and an incredible amount of water and the long wooly fibers easily clear deep into cracks grills and around emblems. I use the Chinchilla Microfiber mitts for the wheel faces now (perfectly suited for that).

Meg`s D110 Hyper-Wash - After using countless other soaps and going trough a few gallons a year I switched to Hyper-Wash due to it`s 400:1 dilution ratio. At this ratio, one gallon should last around two years making it very economical. The foam lasts the longest out of any soap I`ve tried and it cleans perfectly every time. Works great in a foam gun too. I can`t fault this soap in any way, even the smell is fantastic.

Foam tire and trim applicators - Foam art brushes are my best friend for dressing complex trim and grills. I also really like the foam tire applicator.

Glass cleaner - Wether its Stoners Invisible Glass or Bon Ami or WG Perfect Glass a dedicated ammonia-free glass cleaner is a must.

Meg`s QID D149 - This stuff just works and I love how it leaves the interior looking factory new with a quick and simple wipe down. Not sticky, not tacky, not glossy, also doesn`t smell very good (kind of like vinegar).

Boars hair brushes - I use these brushes every detail. I have one dedicated for the lug nuts, another dedicated for panel gaps when using a foam canon, and the third one for the interior. These little 1-2 inch brushes do more cleaning than I could every image and the bristles reach deep into lug nut wells, panel gaps, and interior cracks and crevasses.

Waterless/Rinseless wash & quick detailer - Wether you like ONR, UWW+, or WG Uber RW at least one mixed at various ratios is a must! I personally use ONR as a water softener and to clay, I use UWW+ to clean up bird bombs and wash waterless-ly, and I use WG Uber RW as a rinseless wash quick detailer and drying aid.

5 Gallon buckets and grit guards - This was my stepping stone to detailing correctly and I still love my buckets and grit guards. I always bring all 4 buckets each with a grit guard for every detail even if I dont use them they are great for carrying my detailing products outside or to a friends house.

Sonus Motor Koat - This product is underrated. It probably the simplest trim dressing to apply (spray, let it dwell, wipe off exess). Absoultly nothing negative to say.

Coatings - Every coating I`ve tried so far truly impresses me as a LSP

FK1000P/476s/KAIO&KSG - These three LSP are my go to products. They work, they look great, they last, they`re affordable. All three are a must have IMHO.

DA polisher - Owning a DA is a must IMHO whether it`s a Rupes Boss or PC you can`t go wrong owning one of these tools with the appropriate backing plate and pads

Compound - My car wouldn`t have the crisp clear reflections if it weren`t for Meg`s M101 and the denim pads. So M101 is my favorite compound second to Menz FG400.

Polish - CarPro reflect and Menz SF4000 have been my go to finishing polishes and I can`t fault either of them.

Eagle Edgeless and Zaino Boardless Blonds - These are my two favorite microfiber towels so far one is affordable the other isn`t but they both work fantastically. I couldn`t imagine detailing without them.

Clay and clay alternative - I personally like Riccardo Clay and Autoscrub Nanoskin clay alternative, and regardless which brand you prefer these are a must.

Iron-X - This product never fails to impress on iron contaminated cars. Smells terrible but that`s the only downside.

Tarminator - Kills tar like nothing else. A must have if you drag race your car (rubble and tar constantly gets flung around at the race tracks).

Rubber nitrile gloves - Please don`t take this one for granted. The chemicals in most if not all detailing products can be harmful. Protection is a must and I always bring the whole box out incase one gets torn or you take them off for a break. Your significant other and your hands will thank you.

Skip:

Foam gun for hose without pressure washer - just uses up too much soap and the foam doesn`t compare to a foam canon/lance

Majority, of CG soaps - I`ve tried a handful of their soaps and while they work and smell great the dilution ratio and slickness were slightly below par. (Note: I havent tried their stripping soaps).

Most metal polish - Almsot ever metal polish I`ve used to date has left some marring and doesn`t finish down flawlessly on chrome/stainless.

Cotten towels - I started off using cotten towels that marred the heck out of my paint (years ago). Never again.

CarPro Perl - I had a really bad experience with this product and do not recommend it. My trim turned white after a few weeks and took forever to clean off (multiple APC toothbrush scrubbing). If you want you black trim to look ashy and chalky this is the product. I dont like to bash products but this one took hours of my life to clean off that I`ll never get back. If you really must use it don`t use it neat, dilute it with some DI water.

Majority of water based dressings - My experiane with water based dressings as almost always ended in dissapointment.

Chinese Microfiber - I dont buy or use Chinese microfiber, some marr some dont. The risk isnt worth the low price, except for interior wipe downs and as maintaince rags.

Detail sprays - Have been replaced with rinseless washes at QD/waterless ratios - I agree!

Dedicated Clay Lube - Replaced with rinseless at "clay lube" ratio - I agree!

Simple Green - So many better car-safe apc`s out there
 
LEDetailng said:
I agree with almost everything on your list.

I want a pressure washer, but cannot substantiate the cost. I just go to the self-service wash if pressure wash is needed.
Click to expand...
You definitely need to go to HD after work, tonight, and get an $80 electric pressure washer. Feeding coins long enough to where you go now will make you say to yourself, "I could have just bought my own by now." Owning one can be fun. It one of those items that I will never sell.
 
Keep:
PB Spray & Wipe
Meg`s D156

Skip:
Adam`s Detail Spray
PB QD+
Sonus Carnauba Spritz
FK425
CG V7
CG Speed Wipe
Griots Spray Wax
Griots Speed Shine
DG Aquawax
Clay Lubes
Interior Detailer Sprays
... you get the idea :P
 
I am one of those weird people who uses all past experience(s) as data points..so I wouldn`t change anything except probably my excess ordering habit, but that`s a personal problem, lol.

but if I have to say something I`d say DMTs and UMTs over any other micro`s I`ve purchased
 
RaskyR1 said:
As far as the OP goes, if the products we have today were available back when I started I would have avoided all the compounds and polishes with silica in them and I would have been more conscious of the heath affects associated with this business and done more to protect myself from the long term exposure of all the chemicals and noises.
Click to expand...

+1000
 
Lonnie said:
Don`t laugh!! Soft diapers and surgical huck-towels were THE fabric of choice by detailers for polish and wax removal before microfibers. Kinda like using a slide rule to do math or engineering problems or design work on a drawing board with paper and pencils. Just remember the Chevy small block engine was designed in the mid-1950`s using these tools and its basic design foundation is still with us today. (Yes, I am "old enough" to actually do those things; well the using diaper cloth thing anyway)
Click to expand...

For a split second I had an image of a dude wiping down a Ferrari with some Pampers then I quickly realized they were talking about cloth diapers :blink:
 
DetailZeus said:
For a split second I had an image of a dude wiping down a Ferrari with some Pampers then I quickly realized they were talking about cloth diapers :blink:
Click to expand...

Most of the dudes wiping their Ferraris are wearing the Pampers (depends), and using the cloth ones to wipe the car.
 
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