Did i do it right or wrong? or both?

T

trx300man

New member
Before taking the plunge as a new guy to auto cleanup, (not sure I am ready to get into paint correction just yet)I wanted to experiment on my own vehicles. I attempted a exterior cleanup on my 2003 Chevy Silverado yesterday. I sprayed the front of the truck with rain x pre wash gel bug and tar remover. I washed the truck using the two bucket method with Duragloss 902 carwash. I used a microfiber mitt. The wind was blowing alot so drying was a non issue.I sprayed the wheels and tires with Eagle ! A to Z tire and wheel cleaner. Then I washed them with the car wash and microfiber mitt. I then clayed using Clay Magic medium grade Surface prep bar. it was made by body shile lubri shine auto wax company. ( not sure if all clays are the same.) I used meguiars Mirror Glaze Final Inspection 34 for my claying lubricant. I wiped it all down with terry towels. ( I was SHOCKED at the amount of contaminants the clay pulled off!) I wiped the tires down with Duragloss non silicone Dressing no.321. I then appkied Meguiars Cleaner Wax with a low speed polisher using a gray 3M Perfect-it Foam polishing pad number 05378. I again wiped it all down with Terry Towels. I used invisible glass on my windows, but there appears to be a film or residue on them that this stuff is having trouble removing. Most is clean and clear but there are stubborn spots. Should I apply the cleaner wax with polisher or by hand and remove with polisher? I did not mask anything but after seeing what happens applying it wet with polisher that I need to mask around trim. So please let me have it. Critique my methods, products and tell me what was right wrong or what I should have done different. Thanks!
 
Are you using the invisible glass with rain repellant or just the glass cleaner? I have found that the one with rain repellant does not clean as good as the regular glass cleaner. If the film is on the outside part of the glass use your clay bar and clay lube on the windows just like you did on your paint. Wipe dry and then clean it with your glass cleaner. That should help a lot.
 
A lot of this is open to opinion. +1 for claying the windows. You can also use Rubbing Alcohol or Denatured Alcohol to be sure you remove any film from the windshield.

Following the cleaner wax is a matter of choice. You could top it now or wait a month or two, then after a wash strip the cleaner wax off with a IPA wipedown and use a pure wax/sealant.

E1 A-Z is good OTC wheel cleaner. Have a dedicated wash medium for wheels and don't go back to the paint with it.

Microfiber, microfiber, MICROFIBER. You will almost always get better results compared to terry towels.
 
You might consider getting some MF towels and make them use specific.
Ones for wax and sealant removal
Ones for polish removal
Waffle weave for glass(terry is not the best for glass)
Ones for general cleaning (the cheap ones a Wal Mart work fine for this)
Color code or keep them separated to avoid contamination
I prefer Sprayaway (availible at Lowes, Sams) for glass cleaning
You can also use the blue roll of shop paper towels sold at most auto parts stores first on glass (one per window two for front and back each, then buff with a MF towel. Any contamination will streak onto glass
 
trx300man said:
Before taking the plunge as a new guy to auto cleanup, (not sure I am ready to get into paint correction just yet)I wanted to experiment on my own vehicles. I attempted a exterior cleanup on my 2003 Chevy Silverado yesterday. I sprayed the front of the truck with rain x pre wash gel bug and tar remover. I washed the truck using the two bucket method with Duragloss 902 carwash. I used a microfiber mitt. The wind was blowing alot so drying was a non issue.

I recommend using a proper towel like the Big Blue Microfiber Drying Towel or the Cobra Guzzler Waffle Weave Drying Towel.


I sprayed the wheels and tires with Eagle ! A to Z tire and wheel cleaner. Then I washed them with the car wash and microfiber mitt.

Are you using the same wash towel that was use on the paint?

If you are then I say don't and use separate towels for every purpose.

Here are the Microfiber towels from the Autopia Car Care Store to look around at.


I then clayed using Clay Magic medium grade Surface prep bar. it was made by body shile lubri shine auto wax company. ( not sure if all clays are the same.) I used meguiars Mirror Glaze Final Inspection 34 for my claying lubricant.

Not all Clays are the same, some are made for heavy remove and some are not, also give a shot at Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine for lubricant.



I wiped it all down with terry towels. ( I was SHOCKED at the amount of contaminants the clay pulled off!)

Same as I mention before try to use a high quality dry towels like the ones above I mention here.

I wiped the tires down with Duragloss non silicone Dressing no.321. I then appkied Meguiars Cleaner Wax with a low speed polisher using a gray 3M Perfect-it Foam polishing pad number 05378. I again wiped it all down with Terry Towels. I used invisible glass on my windows, but there appears to be a film or residue on them that this stuff is having trouble removing.

It's your towels doing this to you. Improper washing them with the wrong soap try getting Detailer's Pro Series Microfiber Cleaner and using a glass towel like the Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towelor the Dragon Fiber Glass Cleaning Cloth


Most is clean and clear but there are stubborn spots. Should I apply the cleaner wax with polisher or by hand and remove with polisher?

Will need a few photo shots to be sure, but try using a compound like M105 with Lake Country CCS Dual Action 5.5 Inch Foam Pad ( Orange ) with a 5" BP on your machine or go with the Lake Country Hydro-Tech Low Profile 5 1/2 x 7/8 Inch Foam Pads .


I did not mask anything but after seeing what happens applying it wet with polisher that I need to mask around trim. So please let me have it. Critique my methods, products and tell me what was right wrong or what I should have done different. Thanks!

Always try to mask off your trim and other areas on your vehicle or someone else's.



Any more questions all here on the forum are great folks and be happy to help out and don't forget out Car Detailing How-To Articles and Car Care Advice
Click to expand...


BTW Welcome to AutopiaForums and remember we are here to help out.:welcome:

P.S. Pictures please...."picture"
 
Thanks everyone. on the glass cleaner the first person asked, I was just using the plain Invisible Glass. NO rain repellant. The towels I wiped down with came from my local Federated Auto Parts store. I unfortunately appear to have already thrown the bag away, they are blue towels. The bag I am almost certain, said microfiber terry towels. Maybe an oxymoron but that sure seems right. They are for sure a different cloth than the white terry towels I see all the time. I did use a different mf mitt on paint than I did on tires and wheels. A body shop owner friend of mine made a STRONG recommendation that I only apply a product made my Farecla called TOTAL Advanced one step liquid compound. It says for use with HS paints.
 
meguiars cleaner wax is a good one step wax, depending on the original state of your paint. i still like doing a separate claying and polishing step, followed by a good wax or sealant. a dual action/random orbital polisher is much safer to use for newbies as opposed to the rotary type. machine apply and remove by hand with microfiber cloths. once your finish is restored, a good spray wax/sealant by hand after every washing is an easy way to extend the life of the finish and boost the shine.
 
Did I do right applying the meguiars cleaner wax with the polisher and gray pad? Or should I have applied it by hand and removed it with polisher and wool pad? Or something else?
 
are you using a random orbital-DA polisher ? if so, i would use a green pad because it has a little cutting ability and works well with one step cleaner waxes. apply the cleaner wax using the da polisher, and just buff off by hand using microfiber towels.
 
Yellow Cutting 6.5 inch Foam Pad - Use this pad to apply compounds or polishes to remove severe oxidation, swirls, and scratches. It is the most aggressive and should only be used on oxidized and older finishes. Always follow this pad with an orange or white pad and a fine polish to refine the paint until it is smooth.
Orange Light Cutting 6.5 inch Foam Pad - Firm, high density foam for scratch and defect removal. Use this pad with polishes and swirl removers. It’s an all around pad that will work on most light to moderate imperfections.
Coarse Green Cutting/Polishing 6.5" Foam Pad - This foam is of medium density with the ability to level very fine scratches and very light oxidation. Use light swirl removers with this pad.
White Polishing 6.5 inch Foam Pad - Less dense foam formula for the application of waxes, micro-fine polishes and sealants. This pad has very light cutting power so its perfect for pre-wax cleaners.
Green Polishing/Finishing 6.5 inch Foam Pad - Use this foam to apply one-step cleaner waxes. It is a balance of polishing and finishing that is perfect for all-in-one product application.
Gray Finishing 6.5 inch Foam Pad - Composition is firm enough to withstand added pressure during final finishing to remove buffer swirls. It has no cut and will apply thin, even coats of waxes, sealants, and glazes.
Blue Finessing 6.5 inch Foam Pad – Flat pad has soft composition for applying glaze, finishing polish, sealants, and liquid waxes. Flat pad provides full contact with paint surface to minimize the pressure applied by the user.
Red Ultrasoft Wax/Sealant 6.5 inch Foam Pad - This soft, imported foam is ideal for applying the final coat of wax or sealant. The foam works especially well when applying liquid waxes or sealants because it is firm enough to keep the majority of the product on the paint, rather than soaking it up. The red foam has no cut or cleaning ability.
Super Soft Gold Jewelling 6.5 inch Foam Pad - The CCS Super Soft Gold Jewelling Pad is made of Lake Country's softest foam. Use the gold pad to apply a very fine polish or glaze as the final step of the polishing process. Jewelling is the term coined for this step because it intensifies gloss and reflectivity, like a jewel. The gold foam pad also works well for wax and sealant application.
 
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