AOL.com is now offering detailing secrets

I was expecting it to be like



1) use the stiff side of a kitchen sponge to remove bird droppings from your hood!

2) an old wool sweater is perfect for drying after a wash!

3) a good wipe down with a dry beach towel is a great way to maintain a vehicle in between washes!
 
Whats the dela with this one



Secret #7: Use a Plastic Grocery Bag to Check the Paint Surface

Hers's another tip from Jim Dvorak at Mothers. Once you have cleaned your paint's surface of contaminants with a clay bar system or other cleaner, it's important to make sure that you've really removed all the dirt before you seal the surface with wax. Put your hand in an ordinary thin plastic grocery bag, and run it over the surface of the paint. The plastic bag will amplify any bumps and imperfections, so that you can go back and detail again. Keep rechecking until the surface is totally smooth, then polish (if necessary) and apply protective wax.




I've enver read or ehard anyone on Autopia use this technique? Is this mainly for detecting scratches and or surface contamination?
 
michakaveli said:
Whats the dela with this one



Secret #7: Use a Plastic Grocery Bag to Check the Paint Surface

Hers's another tip from Jim Dvorak at Mothers. Once you have cleaned your paint's surface of contaminants with a clay bar system or other cleaner, it's important to make sure that you've really removed all the dirt before you seal the surface with wax. Put your hand in an ordinary thin plastic grocery bag, and run it over the surface of the paint. The plastic bag will amplify any bumps and imperfections, so that you can go back and detail again. Keep rechecking until the surface is totally smooth, then polish (if necessary) and apply protective wax.




I've enver read or ehard anyone on Autopia use this technique? Is this mainly for detecting scratches and or surface contamination?



it's here, we call it the baggie test

it like a "when to clay test"to find for surface contamination
 
Those were all actually good tips. That's great since aol reaches so many people and atleast they won't be getting the wrong information.
 
I really hate it when articles minimize the costs and effort. They state for up to 100$ you can do it your self, but then talk about buying a DA for 280$.



Cheers,

Greg



ps. If it was that easy everyone would do it themselves..........
 
Greg Nichols said:
ps. If it was that easy everyone would do it themselves..........



Hey...that's not exactly fair, is it? Someone who dabbles in detailing as suggested with some OTC stuff is still going to come out better than if they wash with dish soap and an old t-shirt and no wax. People paint their own houses, but it's a lot of work, they may not do as good a job as a pro, and...it doesn't diminish the need for professional painters.
 
That article wasn't too bad, I'm surprised they mentioned the Flex since it seems like a fairly new tool.



I do plan on trying the latex glove tip since my cousin's dog hair always ends up stuck in my carpet and seats :wall
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Your cousin is a dog?? KIDDING...that just sounded funny!



lol they actually have a rare Italian hunting dog (spinone) that sheds like a beast all over EVERYTHING. So anytime they are in my car their shoes have dog hair on it and comes off on my noticeable black interior :angry
 
Wow, that really is bad if it comes off of their shoes...I figured you meant it was on their clothes and it gets transferred to your seats.
 
Not a bad read, but it never mentioned anything about actually using car wash soap. I know of people who wash their car with laundry detergent, and dont see a problem with it!
 
shine said:
Good tips, but $30 to $100?



Exactly ... I've got more than that tied up in buffing pads alone. I guess I paid too much since I didn't know the secrets ahead of time. :cry:



Now consider buffers, steamer, extractor, vacuum, cleaners, compounds, polishes, LSPs, trim products, glass products, towels, applicators, wheel cleaner, dressings, brushes, etc. etc. etc.



In fact, a guy I work with hires me to detail his vehicle for the simple fact (as he puts it) that he'd "spend 5 times what I charge him for the detail just for the equipment/supplies" ... not to mention the time/effort/expertise that a detailer provides.
 
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