Door jambs/simple green question.

chip douglas

New member
first, it may sound like a silly question, but do door jambs include the hinge area as well ?



Second, I've read on detail city that Clean Dean uses simple green to clean door jambs--can't it damage/dull paint finish ? Isn't it too strong a cleaner ? It cleans very well, and that's what I use on tires, but on paint humm not too sure.



What do you guys use to clean the jambs ? QD only ? The point I want to clean them, but I don,t want to introduce scratches.



Thanks in advance.



Marc
 
Chip Douglas said:
....... but do door jambs include the hinge area as well ?



..... simple green to clean door jambs--can't it damage/dull paint finish ? ........

I consider the hinged area part of the doorjamb.



If the doorjamb, or certain areas were dirty enough (grease, dirt, etc.) then you may want to use an APC like Simple Green (safely diluted!) to clean them first (use an old MF for this).



If they're fairly clean a damp MF may be good enough. You can finish them off (after they're clean) with almost anything you'd use on your paint: AIO, VM, wax, sealant, etc. Once they're clean and waxed/sealed all it should take is a damp MF after a wash to clean them right up.
 
In most cases I even find that a few shots of the Woolite mix and the cheap Walmart MFs clean up the door jams .. the bad areas I use an APC
 
Seems for me, Simple Green isn't as simple with carcare as it is elsewhere.



I wouldn't use it on doorjams. If it's painted, I don't use APC's on it (exemption: wheels). Quick detailer and a microfiber for the doorjams for me.
 
Guys,



don't forget, after degreasing door jambs, spray lithium grease (I like Clear Force, it's a clear gel. Doesn't run, and it's clear so you don't see it) in the hinges and locks.



My customers love this.



Regards,



Mike R
 
Once you get things all cleaned up shampoo works fine, but sometimes you need something stronger for the initial cleanup. I too avoid Simple Green; I'll usually use a citrus degreaser like P21S TAW, or something like EFHI, or even a solvent.



FWIW, I lube th hinges/latches on our "good" cars with a syringe-style "pinpoint" oiler so I don't get lube anywhere I don't want it. Even more control than with the tubes you stick on arosol spray-heads.
 
Eliot Ness said:
... the doorjamb ... You can finish them off (after they're clean) with almost anything you'd use on your paint: AIO, VM, wax, sealant, etc. Once they're clean and waxed/sealed all it should take is a damp MF after a wash to clean them right up.



My friend's Hyundai collects a lot of dirt around the trunk seal (the trunk lip/hinge area that you can get to when the trunk is open). I thought it would be a good idea for us to wax that to keep it cleaner and make cleaning it easier. It's rather rough in this area, we hit it with some cleaner wax, and to my surprise, took color away on the applicator! I'm not sure I've ever waxed these areas on my car, but I was fairly certain they are clearcoated. Any comments on why this area would NOT be clearcoated on this Hyundai Sonata? (please spare me the POS comments).
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I'm not sure I've ever waxed these areas on my car, but I was fairly certain they are clearcoated. Any comments on why this area would NOT be clearcoated on this Hyundai Sonata? (please spare me the POS comments).



Lots of cars are this way these days, even "nice" ones :D Seems especially common on asian cars, they don't bother to properly paint the parts that don't show, sometimes it's like they just lightly "fogged" the area with colorcoat.
 
Accumulator said:
Lots of cars are this way these days, even "nice" ones :D Seems especially common on asian cars, they don't bother to properly paint the parts that don't show, sometimes it's like they just lightly "fogged" the area with colorcoat.



Yup, that's just what it's like.
 
door jamb process:



M.V.P. degreaser, soft bristle tooth brush, dedicated jamb mitt, high gloss tire dressing, teflon gun slide lubricant, carnauba wax



1: Cover dash, seat and seat back, door panel, and rug with water-resistant drops.

2: Wet down the jamb from bottom of pillar around to lock latch, both body and door sides.

3: Apply degreaser liberally to affore mentioned surfaces.

4: Mitt all painted surfaces, tooth brush hinges, rubber seals, reveals, body lines, etc. Rinse.

5: Repeat # 2-4 on each jamb (do each jamb twice)

6: Force dry with compressed air.

7: Protect hinge area with towel from the back, apply teflon lubricant, buff in excess.

8: Apply high gloss tire dressing in back of hinge area (hard to reach places) buff in excess.

9: Apply carnauba wax to remaining surfaces (painted, of course)



This has worked very well for me in the past, the teflon lubricates well, and isn't as ugly as even the nicest spread lithium based grease.



The dressing is solvent based so some protection is there, and is much faster than trying to wax in, around, and behind the hinges.



9 steps per jamb might seem a little time consuming, but from dirt to diamond in 5-7 minutes per, in an area that is noticed by the customer almost as much as the exterior, well it's hard to complain, for me anyway.
 
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