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-   -   A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/102011-superb-car-cleaning-polishing-detailing-guide-298.html)

Thanks.. That was helpful.. but it seems they dont ship anything 'liquid'. I have shot a mail to them to see the other options available.

sirshiva, Yes collinite 845 is really great even for light coloured cars. Try coating one more layer of collinite after a day or so. The effect will be stunning.

you could use any wax safe car wash shampoo for washing.

Most easily available Sonax range of shampoos you can use.
some links for your reference.
SONAX Car wash shampoo :: Cleaning :: Exterior, Paintwork and Chrome :: Products :: Car Care - SONAX - cleaning and polishing like a professional

SONAX Gloss shampoo concentrate :: Cleaning :: Exterior, Paintwork and Chrome :: Products :: Car Care - SONAX - cleaning and polishing like a professional

SONAX Wash & Wax :: Cleaning :: Exterior, Paintwork and Chrome :: Products :: Car Care - SONAX - cleaning and polishing like a professional

Amway Car wash is another excellent shampoo you can use, it is eco friendly & gentle on paint & skin too.

Ok so my 2 week old car is ready for a coat of wax/sealant since my detailing spot in the building has finally been cleared.
The products I plan to use are Autoglyms Extra Gloss Protection and Super resin polish. I also have with me TW Platinum.

My question is should I use just the EGP on the car or should I use SPR first and then EGP ? The reason I ask is because EGP bonds better when used on top of SRP but since it is a new car is SRP really needed or necessary ? Is is a polish after all and would contain some abrasives so is it a no no on a new car which is unblemished ?

Mortis,- Typically most new cars delivered would have some amount of contamination on the surface. From storage in open areas, while transport etc.

Pre delivery, many dealers apply cheap glaze to brighten up the surface, which actually has a detrimental effect on the paint. Invariably a claying & refinement process is required to prep the surface before applying a sealant.

SRP applied first & then EGP would be the way to go, a link to Autoglyms site is below, hopefully clears your doubts :)

Autoglym - car cleaning products, car care products, car valeting, car detailing

Thanks for that. I was just wondering if I should just give it a quick coat of TW Platinum instead since the 1st service is coming up and who knows what those guys will do to it, wasting my efforts.

Another question : Do I have to wait 24hrs between coats of SRP and EGP as you would between 2 coats of the same sealant ?

PS : Are those scotch brite cellulose wipes big 9"x9" thin ones bad for the paint finish ? Was wondering what to give my washer guy to give for regular wet cleaning. I dont trust these guys with my microfibres. So far Im getting the glasses and bird crap cleaned daily but body washed only 3 times a week. Have given him a sponge block for tyres, blue glass cloth for the windows, sponge mitt for the body, cheap micro for the interiors.

TW is an average product with average results, Auto glym is much superior.

You can instruct the service advisor that your vehicle body should NOT be washed, you can instruct them only to wash the engine area & underbody, hopefully they should follow these instructions, which is what i do everytime i give for service !

Those scotch brite wipes are more for regular house cleaning, around the kitchen etc. A good quality MF is essential for your body, no compromises around that !

WHOA!!! Scotch Brite??? :eek: I wont recommend that ever!

btw tw platinum will help clean off the oil and grease smudges better(which is what is left behind all around the paint after a service)

Do not let them wash it. If you witness the wash, you'll be surprised how they literally torture the paint. No sealant will withstand the torture of gritty yellow filthy cloth being rubbed across the paint with such force that it literally bends the sheet metal in!!! :eek:

And you can use the sealant just after polishing! Sealing is to preserve the surface gloss you just achieved after polishing, so you'd want the paint to be sealed as quickly as possible after polishing!

The Scotch Brite sponge wipes are good for drying IMO. Not a bad quality product and would not hard the paint or wax I think.

This is the product link:
3M India : Scotch-Brite® : Sponge Wipe

You can always test it out. Chose a clean, scratchless CD and try using it on there and check if it caused any scratches etc.

OR
Chose a black paint > polish it out to perfection > spill some water on there and try the sponge wipe on the water and then inspect the polished surface again under sunlight!

If it doesn't cause micromarring, then thats great news!

Also, there are loads of microfiber cloth types. I also have a scorch brite mf cloth that I use for electronics such as phone screens, laptops etc.
Only the most plush ones touch my car's paint!

Any type of microfibers might not be suitable for paint(you can try first though what works for your paint)


EDIT - Anytime ppl talk about scotch brite, this comes to mind :eek: - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/28028-cleaning-girl-scratches-black-car-scotchbrite.html

Scotch Brite is a 3M brand.
There are microfiber cloths available in the "Scotch Brite" brand name.
Kitchen sponge wipe, scrub and microfiber are different products with Scotch Brite.

I did try rubbing the dry Scotch brite wipe (It shrinks and becomes a little crispy when TOTALLY dry) on a section of paint inside the boot area. Gave it a good 30 second rough circular scrubbing and then checked from different angles with a torch. In this case it produced NO swirl marks even when crispy. Dont know about long term effects but for now Ill just use it to dry water off the body after it has been soaked and water squeezed out to make it soft and non-crispy.
What would you suggest for regular use on the body to be given to the cleaner ? Definitely not those yellow/white/brown types. Other options are cotton tshirt piece, terry bath towel (old used soft one) or a cheap microfibre. I have a couple of blue 3M ones and Turtle ones also. These I will keep for when I detail the car myself and also cause the blue 3Ms arent available at the shop I got them at anymore and he wont be getting more of them. After reading on here they area rare commodity so I will just use these for buffing. Turtle ones are pretty good also.

Sohail are you sure I can use EGP immediately after SRP ? SRP is a cleaner + polish + sealant all in one. Doesnt it need to cure ?

Oh incase anyone wants it I have the number for the Autoglym dealer in Mumbai. My brother has dealt with them before and bought shampoo from them.

^Yes!! a one step polish/sealant can be layered immediately with a sealant or a wax!

btw If you're gonna use those wipes for drying, try blot drying the paint with it. Don't drag it across, just hold it in one place and let it absorb water and lift it up, wipe off leftover drops with a microfiber towel!

As for training the car cleaner, instill the blot drying concept in his mind as most of the swirls come from the cleaner trying to dry by dragging rags and towels across the paint. I find blotting way more effective and relatively safer than just dragging a microfiber towel all around!

After blotting, give a final gentle wipedown with a soft microfiber towel! (you can use a quick detailer too, while in this step)

Thanks for the tips Sohail. SRP and EGP it is then ! Will post pics after getting that done.