Need time saving advice

C

Craig_K

New member
I am looking for advice on saving time doing a wash, decontamination, seal, and interior shampoo.

This is my current procedure:

-pressure wash wheels, tires and wheel wells using degreaser to clean tires and wheel wells and acid (Automagic Spoke) to clean wheels, most cases allowing the acid to dwell and then pressure rinse off works fine
- pre treat door jambs and gas cap area with APC or degreaser (depending on level of dirt) allow approx 1 min dwell time then pressure rinse door jambs and use brush and low pressure water to clean gas cap area
- wash exterior with shampoo, doing roof first, then the hood, then the trunk lid (if a car), then horizontal panels. Usually washing 2-3 panels in between refreshing the shampoo on the mitt. Rinse panels thoroughly. Cleaning bug splatter off with other side of mitt designed for bug removal
- re-new shampoo mixture, use shampoo to clay entire vehicle. This step takes me a while, especially when the vehicle has heavy tar/road grime build up.
- dry vehicle with waffle weave towel
- pull into garage, wipe down all door jambs
- working per area, vacuum loose dirt with soft brush attachment, wipe down plastic panels with microfiber dampened with 20:1 apc, use detail brushes to get in all the cracks and crevices and thoroughly clean cup holders, door storage compartments, center console etc. Use shop vac to remove and excess apc in cracks and crevices to avoid runs later on
- shampoo carpets with Bissell (I have a McCullough 1385 that I havent had the time to learn how to use properly yet), then shampoo upholstery. I usually pretreat with a citrus degreaser and agitate prior to extracting with the Bissell
- sealant is applied, while it is curing dressing is applied to tires and wheel wells
- plastics are dressed with a water based dressing and leather is conditioned if vehicle is equipped
- once sealant passes the "swipe test" it is buffed off to perfection
- glass is cleaned
- final inspection


How does this differ from the way you do a similar package to this? Is there any where I can save time in my process? Would a Tornador save me lots of time? A mid sized SUV takes me 6-7hrs using the steps above which I think is too long.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
I would use a clay towel which is a hundred times faster then a clay bar, some people wash with onr and while the car is wet use optimum car wax to clay with. Dry and done.
 
are you rinsing the bucket after doing two or three panels? using a grit guard? I rinse my media after half of a panel on dirty cars (like a hood)

+1 on synthetic clay bar

to save time- You should look into Hydro2lite or Hyrdo2. You can apply it right after you clay. and if you get a clay mitt you can clay with the same soap after you washed the panel , then rinse the panel, then apply hydro2, rinse, and now youre sealed.

also using steam on the interior might save you some time and increase effectiveness. nothing cleans like some good ole steam (plus distilled water is $1/gallon) - no other interior cleaner is $1 a gallon
that McCullough 1385 is a quality product. I have its little brother 1375...and love it

never had to clean the tank out and been using it almost 3 years

not the most powerful thing in the world but works great for interiors

just turn it on and spray....thats all you gotta do..its super easy to use..you dont really have to "learn" much except common sense things like.. its steam dont let it hit some areas directly with a full burst like speakers, etc, or your skin.

also with my McCulloch unit..it squirts out straight water right when you use it initially. so beware. yours probably does the same. so point it on the ground away from the veh when you initially spray it first and if you have had it sitting for a few minutes


**how long does it take you do to this part---- "wipe down plastic panels with microfiber dampened with 20:1 apc, use detail brushes to get in all the cracks and crevices and thoroughly clean cup holders, door storage compartments, center console etc."
because it will be MUCH faster with that McCulloch unit you have and like I said, distilled water is cheap

-I follow up with megs interior cleaner/protectant (the Detailers line) for just a little matte protection
 
This should be a 3 hour (tops) operation. Ill look into each thing you posted to see what advise I can give to cut your touch times.
 
Thank you, everyone, for the advice. 512detail, I always use a one bucket, 2 grit guard wash system. On filthy vehicles (even after thorough pressure wash) I only wash one panel at a time before rinsing the mitt and rubbing it on the grit guard. David Fermani that would be great to have you critique my procedure! Thanks guys
 
Bought a clay towel yesterday from a local supplier (Carbrite) and wow....you guys were right. Huge time savings right there alone. Keep the tips coming!
 
JBM said:
I would use a clay towel which is a hundred times faster then a clay bar
Click to expand...

How ??

Same procedure, different media (ex for turning contamination inside, but you`d still have to decon towel)

Myself, I prefer clay. To me it gives a better tactile feel. But each to their own. But How is the towel quicker ??
 
I`ve never understood how the Decontamination Towels can be used without a threat of marring, one that exceeds that of clay (at least clay as *I* use it, and I don`t move clay three or four inches without kneading/replacing it the way some people do). I`d think that the towels would increase the chance of marring, thus increasing the chance that correction would be required, which would add to the time required.

If something`s really contaminated, why not "ABC"/etc. instead of either type of mechanical decontamination?
 
I don`t think valuguard products are available around me unfortunately (New Brunswick, Canada) are there other products that will do something similar?
 
Craig_K said:
I don`t think valuguard products are available around me unfortunately (New Brunswick, Canada) are there other products that will do something similar?
Click to expand...

Ah, yeah...that might be a problem (though VG stuff is sold world-wide IIRC).

The usual answer is "FinishKare" but their versions of the "A" and "B" ("C" is just a ph-neutral shampoo) are *nasty* products even if they are effective.

But do give some thought to chemical decontamination. Lots of people make stuff for ferrous contamination these days (IronX etc.), not sure about who makes something in the "strongly alkaline" category other than that (again, very nasty) FK1119.
 
Ronkh said:
How ??

Same procedure, different media (ex for turning contamination inside, but you`d still have to decon towel)

Myself, I prefer clay. To me it gives a better tactile feel. But each to their own. But How is the towel quicker ??
Click to expand...

how is the towel quicker?
1) you don`t have to knead or fold it
2) you don`t have to go looking for another claybar if you drop it (dropping happens)
3) you have a SIGNIFICANTLY larger surface area (if you have a mitt- like the cobra clay mitt etc)
4) I am not sure about regular clay but I never tried using regular clay right after the wash step with the suds from the bucket, but It works great with the clay mitt


NOW I will admit I DO STILL reach for my megs claybar from time to time..the mitt just doesn`t get in all the tight areas BUT I could never see myself going back to claybar on entire car-- it just takes sooo long



I have personally only seen the clay mitt slightly marr black but I was planning on correcting anyways. its a give or take I guess.
 
512detail said:
how is the towel quicker?
1) you don`t have to knead or fold it
2) you don`t have to go looking for another claybar if you drop it (dropping happens)
3) you have a SIGNIFICANTLY larger surface area (if you have a mitt- like the cobra clay mitt etc)
4) I am not sure about regular clay but I never tried using regular clay right after the wash step with the suds from the bucket, but It works great with the clay mitt


NOW I will admit I DO STILL reach for my megs claybar from time to time..the mitt just doesn`t get in all the tight areas BUT I could never see myself going back to claybar on entire car-- it just takes sooo long



I have personally only seen the clay mitt slightly marr black but I was planning on correcting anyways. its a give or take I guess.
Click to expand...

Heck, I clayed my Tahoe in 30 min or so... So it really doesn`t take much time. As far as finding more clay if dropped.... Well having that happen to me numerous times, I always keep more nearby. As you know I always over buy when I have a project to do, just in case I run short, so I won`t run short.....

Just my opinion, I like the tactile feel clay gives me. I can feel the surface through the clay as well as my thumb is always in front of it, so I get a feel that way.
 
I use the Autoscrub clay pad on a polisher. You can be gentle with it, or pressure down and even remove orange peel with it. I couldn`t believe my eyes, but it happened.
 
Ronkh said:
Heck, I clayed my Tahoe in 30 min or so... So it really doesn`t take much time. As far as finding more clay if dropped.... Well having that happen to me numerous times, I always keep more nearby. As you know I always over buy when I have a project to do, just in case I run short, so I won`t run short.....

Just my opinion, I like the tactile feel clay gives me. I can feel the surface through the clay as well as my thumb is always in front of it, so I get a feel that way.
Click to expand...

I get a pretty tactile feel with my hand inside the clay mitt too

wow, 30 mins to clay a Tahoe? dang I bet you needed a whole bottle of ADVIL ! bet those arms were moving!
 
512detail said:
I get a pretty tactile feel with my hand inside the clay mitt too

wow, 30 mins to clay a Tahoe? dang I bet you needed a whole bottle of ADVIL ! bet those arms were moving!
Click to expand...

Nah, don`t need advil for clay, but I do use a TON of clay lube.
 
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