Team-BHP - A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide

Quote:

Originally Posted by sohail99 (Post 2027725)

@fine69 - Glaze is actually a pure polish, and it needs to go directly over the paint.
Its kinda useless over a coat of wax.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOTORIOUS (Post 2027659)

@fine69 : Sir , i think you are mixing 3M fineese it rubbing compund with 3M liquid Wax .

there is no point putting a coat of wax before polish.

Ok I think I got it wrong. I was thinking that 3m liquid wax, since it contains abrasives, might work on the tar and other hard spots which don't go away by a simple wash.
So now you know what I want after the wash and before putting on the silicon glaze i.e. remove all those tar and other spots off the car. I felt the paint yesterday and it was pretty smooth, no need for claying yet but those tar spots really need to go before I move on to the pure polishes. What would you guys suggest instead?
Using diesel doesn't sound practical as there are some spots even on the roof and other parts. I don't think use of diesel all over the car would make sense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sohail99 (Post 2028315)

Then take it off > wash that area again > clay > glaze and so on.

Well the paint surface felt smooth so should I still clay? As for the jopasu clay bars that you recommended they are still not available on ebay (as told by the jopasu people). Can I get clay bars off some automotive shop in lajpat nagar area? Would any In&Out outlets at BPCL fuel pumps have those? The one in lajpat nagar didn't. Or maybe reliancemart autozone in ambience mall?

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvonA7 (Post 2027681)

Hi Friends,

Got delivery of my first car 4 days ago.
Bought the following products for maintenance of the car - please see attached snap. I think glass cleaner is missing, also a regular cleaning cloth (not for shampoo).

Please suggest anything more needed to keep the car in showroom condition. I haven`t hired cleaning guy and would like to clean my car myself.
Any suggestion on the product would be helpful for me.

Thanks in advance.

A duster- california or Jopasu is a must have. I do not have any experience with Jopasu but California duster has made my life easy to a huge extent.
You DO need a microfiber, in fact a couple of them to say the least
Are you going to wash the car yourself or you have someone else? To maintain show car finish and delay the appearance of swirls as much as possible, the lesser the number of times a cloth runs over the surface, the better and if at all, it should be a microfiber.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fine69 (Post 2028371)

Ok I'll use kerosene. However, besides the tar spots there are some dirt spots also at a lot of places specially the front bumper so do I use kerosene all over those spots? I hope kerosene almost all over doesn't do any damage.

Well the paint surface felt smooth so should I still clay? As for the jopasu clay bars that you recommended they are still not available on ebay (as told by the jopasu people). Can I get clay bars off some automotive shop in lajpat nagar area? Would any In&Out outlets at BPCL fuel pumps have those? The one in lajpat nagar didn't. Or maybe reliancemart autozone in ambience mall?

If you don't have it no probs!

you can just wash the spot after using kerosene thoroughly. And kerosene generally doesn't harm the paint. But I'd still recommend exercising some caution while working with kerosene.(basically its a solvent)

(always do a small test spot on the paint in the area which is not visible generally)

Unfortunately, I couldn't find detailing clay anywhere in Delhi. In&Out keep basic stuff, reliance autozone just has sonax products.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fine69 (Post 2028371)

Be careful with Kerosene. It is highly flammable. Although much of it will evaporate, while you work on the car you should be extra careful. To get the kerosene completely off shampoo the car immediately. As Sohail mentioned Kerosene is a solvent, if you have any portion of the car where the clear coat is worn/absent, kerosene may remove paint. Keep looking at the cloth to know if the paint is bleeding.

I use diesel sometimes. It is much safer to use and will give you same results. It will not bleed exposed paint.

Rgds

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garipagol (Post 2028661)

I use diesel sometimes. It is much safer to use and will give you same results. It will not bleed exposed paint.

I could definitely use diesel. I just thought kerosene was better. So if I am comfortable procuring diesel should I go with diesel instead?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sohail99 (Post 2027725)

^ Get a few microfiber towels and a dedicated car wax

and wash using the 2-bucket method.

A Jopasu duster will really help keep your paint clean and dust free!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkh (Post 2028413)

Thanks sohail, mkh.
I bought that 'clear champ' and think can be used to clean outside body of the car. Shall try and get a Jopasu duster.

Can you tell me where can I get to learn more about the 2 bucket method. I searched in Team-BHP but couldn`t manage to get to the post describing the method.

One more concern I am having is how to keep the seats clean - for my car the seats are of textile and beige color, the showroom guys removed the plastic covers. So, show do I clean it ( not planning for a seat cover right now ), is there anything available for this too.

I managed to come across 3M car interior care browsing through internet but everymonth I do not want to take my car to 3M showroom.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aka_iitd (Post 2028462)

I am looking for a good and genuine scratch remover for my cars. i have some surface scratches which i want to remove. Is 3M scratch remover is OK
Kindly suggest some shops in Bangalore(if possible in Kormangla area)

Try Spar supermarket in Oasis Centre. They have a decent collection of car care products.

Otherwise try at any decent auto accessory shop in your area. Which block of Koramangala are you put up in ?

Rohan

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvonA7 (Post 2028801)

Thanks sohail, mkh.
I bought that 'clear champ' and think can be used to clean outside body of the car. Shall try and get a Jopasu duster.

Can you tell me where can I get to learn more about the 2 bucket method. I searched in Team-BHP but couldn`t manage to get to the post describing the method.

One more concern I am having is how to keep the seats clean - for my car the seats are of textile and beige color, the showroom guys removed the plastic covers. So, show do I clean it ( not planning for a seat cover right now ), is there anything available for this too.

I managed to come across 3M car interior care browsing through internet but everymonth I do not want to take my car to 3M showroom.

2 bucket method
How to Wash Your Car (ShowCar style!)

Seats can be kept clean by regular maintainance.
Like in case of some spillage or stain, you have to act ASAP to remove the stain etc. and other than that, regular dusting of the seats etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvonA7 (Post 2028801)

Wonder what happens that your seats get dirty every month? My i10 has stock seats and they are not that dirty after 8 months. However i have LOC from amway that i use, which is extremely competent for such usage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr (Post 2028804)

Ok i will check at SPAR my onl worry about fake products
I am put up in 3rd Block Kormangla

Quote:

Originally Posted by sohail99 (Post 2028857)

2 bucket method

Thanks Sohail, yes now I am a bit more knowledgeable about washing car :)
I guess, I need to buy those microfiber cloth or few good quality banyans quickly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkh (Post 2029033)

My car is not even 1 week old, I was just worried that the seats are of textile which I cannot wash and the color (beige) will get dirtier soon.

I got the message and may come back with more queries once I gain some real time experience in the coming few weeks. You guys are brilliant !