[sourav9385]

Originally Posted by sokratus

Thanks a lot! I just visited 3M here in Viman Nagar, Pune. Apparently they require appointments on weekends because of the obvious weekend rush. So I bought few microfiber cloth and now going to just give it was wash with plain water.

Just wanted to ask what kind of soaps are allowed if I want to use one?

Cheers!

Soaps? Well, don't go using Cinthol or Fiama Di Wills on your car mate

Jokes apart, there are plenty of car shampoos that one can use. Try Sonax Gloss Shampoo. I've heard and read multiple times that its pretty good. Do note that there are about a million brands out there, like Meguiars, 3M, Sonax, Formula 1, ArmorAll etc etc. And, pretty much every make offers something unique, or so they claim. Pick up anyone, though some folks might recommend to look for pH balance and stuff, which I've no idea about! For washing, get yourself a microfiber wash mitt. That way, when you wash the car, you can use the mitt to gently spread the shampoo and water all over the surface of the car. If you're really into washing & cleaning stuff yourself, do try to follow the 2 bucket wash method. That should help you get things done with the least amount of water. Hope this helps!

[prkiran]

Couple of queries on waterless wash. How easy/hard are they on the paint? Would a wash using these once or twice a week cause any damage on the paint?

What would the experts recommend between these two: Optimum no rinse wash and shine, Optimum no rinse wash and wax.

[ssambyal1980]

Despite painstaking efforts which everyone makes to keep one's car spic and spam, it's quite common to ignore the very vital aspect of under bonnet washing. It is equally important to keep the engine clear of dust, grease, oil, fuel etc. Moreover engine wet washing should be done only when necessary, in case of dust, it can be blow cleaned. Before cleaning the engine one should blow clean the inner side of bonnet for any dust or muck, lest it soils the engine again.

It's a common belief that as all the engines are made of metal alloys, hence the dirt and muck cannot do much harm to them. But one should not forget that apart from largely metal parts, the engine also contains hoses, gaskets, and wiring which aid it in its proper functioning. Any kind of dirt can deteriorate these parts, hence cleaning of engine becomes imperative.

To clean the engine one should strictly refrain from using high pressure water hose as this can cause damage to the electronic parts. The water pressure should be very mild and its flow should be avoided directly over electric parts or better cover them with plastic or aluminium sheets before cleaning. It is also advisable to remove the battery before washing, as this will prevent the chance of any short circuiting due water.

After cleaning, the engine should be blown dry properly (especially the electronic parts). Afterwards it should be started and kept on idling for 5-10 minutes, so that the moisture caught in the hard to reach areas vapourizes.

[SunnyBoi]

Originally Posted by ssambyal1980

To clean the engine one should strictly refrain from using high pressure water hose as this can cause damage to the electronic parts. The water pressure should be very mild and its flow should be avoided directly over electric parts or better cover them with plastic or aluminium sheets before cleaning. It is also advisable to remove the battery before washing, as this will prevent the chance of any short circuiting due water.

After cleaning, the engine should be blown dry properly (especially the electronic parts). Afterwards it should be started and kept on idling for 5-10 minutes, so that the moisture caught in the hard to reach areas vapourizes.

Here is my process:

- Cover up the ECU, distributor/ignition coils and the alternator with plastic so that they don't get soaked. Parts getting wet is okay but them getting immersed/very soaked is bad.

- Wet the engine bay with light mist from a pump pressure sprayer

- Spray degreaser on all surfaces. Use an assortment of brushes to rub and dislodge dirt/grease. Repeat if necessary for stubborn portions.

- Use a water hose with pressure turned to minimum to rinse. Use as little water as possible, just enough for the degreaser to flow away.

- Use a big microfiber towel to dry out all areas. Remove l the plastics used for covering the ECU etc.

- Start the car and hope the check engine light does not come on

Stand back and marvel at how clean the engine looks! Its going to get dirty anyway after couple of drives

[MunnabhaiMBBS]

My Sweat-less 10 minute car cleaning recipe :

Step 1 : Dust the entire car using Jopasu car duster. For newbies, Its a dust magnet that lifts dust and alike particles within milliseconds without any scratches.

Step 2 : Add Waterless / Rinseless wash concentrate in recommended quantity in 500 ml of water and spray it on the entire car (Sufficient to cover a sedan). Using pressure spray bottle is advisable, it covers the large portion, does not leak and saves efforts.

Step 3 : Wipe clean with a good quality Chamois cloth, Clean Cham is holding good since last 6 months, it also prevents scratches.

Pros:
1. Effortless
2. Time saving
3. Excellent results
4. Saves water

Cons:
1. Ineffective during monsoons
2. Wheels, Mud flaps, Running board etc. need to be separately cleaned

You are done!

[teemus]

While using a white Santro for 8+ years, maintaining the car clean was a job assigned to society watchman and car was always ready to go.

Ignorance being bliss, I never was aware of the word detailing, forget about the process of detailing.

Come Dussehera 2015, we bring home a Tuxedo Black Ford Figo. I was told, the black was hard to maitain, refrain from getting a black car, it's a dust magnet, dust highlighter and what not; but wifey had spoken and yours truly loved it too.

As we have an open parking under a tree, I was a little worried but did not expect to see what I did just after 24 hrs of parking the car. The beauty was covered in so much dust that I could write my name on it (not that I did). And the realization stuck and I had a sleepless night.

Went through the Maintaining your car thread but it was TMI for a newbie like me. Then I found this thread, which gave me a lot of confidence, that I can do it.

Also, being an Idiot's guide, I hope I can get away with some very basic and stupid questions here.

The previous post by Munnabhai had some magic words like Sweat-less 10 minute car cleaning recipe and this seemed like a practical solution for me to implement. I do have a bunch of queries though as listed below, please help thy fellow bhp'ian.

Originally Posted by MunnabhaiMBBS

My Sweat-less 10 minute car cleaning recipe :

Step 1 : Dust the entire car using Jopasu car duster. For newbies, Its a dust magnet that lifts dust and alike particles within milliseconds without any scratches.

Got the duster and it works amazingly well.

Step 2 : Add Waterless / Rinseless wash concentrate in recommended quantity in 500 ml of water and spray it on the entire car (Sufficient to cover a sedan). Using pressure spray bottle is advisable, it covers the large portion, does not leak and saves efforts.

4 questions here:

1. Which waterless wash concentrate do you use? Ultima? Poorboy? Any other?

2. Is it OK to use it daily?

3. My main concern is the tree sap as I park under a tree, without a choice, does it take care of that too?

4. Where can I get the pressure spray bottle in Pune? How does it look normally.

Step 3 : Wipe clean with a good quality Chamois cloth, Clean Cham is holding good since last 6 months, it also prevents scratches.

And some more questions here:

1. Chamois cloth that you are talking about is a drying microfiber cloth? It's retailing on Amazon at close to Rs. 200/- not a bad deal it seems.

2. 3M outlet down the road near my home is retailig microfiber cloth at just over Rs. 100/-. Are they any good?

3. How many microfibers in total do we really need for this exercise?

As you are also from Pune, can you guide me to a place where I can procure most of the things here?

FYI: I got the Jopasu duster from a car accesory shop opposite Kasat Petrol Pump, Karve Road for 600 bucks.


To sum up, what I understand is:

Step 1: Dust using the Jopasu duster with a proper technique (thanks to Youtube videos!)

Step 2: Prepare a waterless wash mix in right proportions and fill it in a pressure spray bottle

Step 3: While working on one panel at a time, spray the waterless wash mix

Step 4: Grab a fresh microfiber cloth (or a chamois cloth? or a water magnet?), fold it and wipe gently in one direction

Step 5: Grab another fresh microfiber cloth and buff or finish up the panel

Step 6: Move to next panel and perform Step 2 - 5.

Now that the theory is clear, I have to put it in practice asap.

[MunnabhaiMBBS]

Hi Teemus,

Answers to your questions:

1. Which waterless wash concentrate do you use? Ultima? Poorboy? Any other? - Proklear Raw Rinseless

2. Is it OK to use it daily? - It all depends on how dirty the car is, you will yourself understand the frequency once you start using it, but use it in moderation at the beginning.

3. My main concern is the tree sap as I park under a tree, without a choice, does it take care of that too? - Spray it over the spot and let it be for 5 mins, then wipe it with MF cloth. If it does not help, then go for the traditional way of car wash to avoid scratches.

4. Where can I get the pressure spray bottle in Pune? How does it look normally - Got it from Jagtap nursery, however, you can find many varieties at reasonable rates at Bohari ali.

5. Chamois cloth that you are talking about is a drying microfiber cloth? It's retailing on Amazon at close to Rs. 200/- not a bad deal it seems - MF cloth is completely different from the Chamois, INR 200 is a good deal!

6. 3M outlet down the road near my home is retailig microfiber cloth at just over Rs. 100/-. Are they any good? - Frankly speaking, have not used 3M INR100 MF cloth, so cant comment on it. However, you can request for a demo at 3M.

7. How many microfibers in total do we really need for this exercise? - I do not use MF cloth at all, I spray the Rinseless concentrate on each panel and wipe it dry with chamois cloth.

The best part about Chamois cloth is that it does not have to be squeezed after wiping each and every panel like MF cloth. Chamois cloth has the greater water retention capacity that helps saving time and efforts. Plus, it does not cause any surface scratches.

All the best and do share results!

[teemus]

Originally Posted by MunnabhaiMBBS

Hi Teemus,

Answers to your questions:

1. Which waterless wash concentrate do you use? Ultima? Poorboy? Any other? - Proklear Raw Rinseless

Thanks for the detailed answers!!

Where can I find Proklear Raw Rinseless? Not able to find online other than ebay (and I am not much comfortable with ebay).

Can I get it in any store directly?

[MunnabhaiMBBS]

Originally Posted by teemus

Thanks for the detailed answers!!

Where can I find Proklear Raw Rinseless? Not able to find online other than ebay (and I am not much comfortable with ebay).

Can I get it in any store directly?

No choice but to procure it from Ebay. But do not worry, I have not had any unpleasant experiences with Ebay. Use this coupon code (MQGKCQ6PS3) and check if you get any discount.

[freedom]

Originally Posted by MunnabhaiMBBS

My Sweat-less 10 minute car cleaning recipe :

Kodus to you Munnabhai. Good to see you care about your car and also care about water! Looking at people washing cars every day with hoses really drives me mad.

For past 5 years, I wash my own car.
I bought a Jopasu duster 4 years back and have been putting it to liberal use.

So the process is very similar to Munnabhai. The only difference is I don't use a car shampoo.

The process
Use Jopasu duster to remove all dust.
Fillup 1L garden spray bottle. Pump it up to build pressure.
Mist one big section. Let it soak for 1 min.
Wipe it off the water/dirt with a microfibre cloth. If needed, use colin to dislodge tough patches. Use different microfibre cloth for relatively clean/dirty areas
Repeat all around the car.

For glass area, I first clean using water mist and then use colin + newspaper to make it "clean".

And I do the water part once a month or once in 2 weeks.

I use Jopasu to lift up dust every 1-2 days, this goes a long way in not needing to wash the car in the first place.

I can confidently say that I can live with 2L of water per month for washing the car, even without using any shampoo.

In monsoons, you just ignore the bottom 2 feet of the car and just keep the other area clean.

I would rather have water to drink.. than have a spotless car.

[MunnabhaiMBBS]

Originally Posted by freedom

The process
Use Jopasu duster to remove all dust.
Fillup 1L garden spray bottle. Pump it up to build pressure.
Mist one big section. Let it soak for 1 min.
Wipe it off the water/dirt with a microfibre cloth. If needed use colin to dislodge tough patches.
Repeat all around the car.

Thanks for the kind words. Do try out waterless / rinseless concentrate to avoid scratches. It also works as a lube between the metal surface and cloth, thus prevents scratches. You may also find reduced frequency of using duster afterwards.

[freedom]

Originally Posted by MunnabhaiMBBS

Thanks for the kind words. Do try out waterless / rinseless concentrate to avoid scratches. It also works as a lube between the metal surface and cloth, thus prevents scratches. You may also find reduced frequency of using duster afterwards.

Yes Sir. Already planning to buy a shampoo.
Phew.. new car and new expenses.

[Lij]

Originally Posted by MunnabhaiMBBS

...
Add Waterless / Rinseless wash concentrate in recommended quantity in 500 ml of water and spray it on the entire car (Sufficient to cover a sedan). Using pressure spray bottle is advisable, it covers the large portion, does not leak and saves efforts.

...

Any recommended products for Waterless concentrate. Quick search gave me this.

Edit - Saw your recommendation in post # 112.

[MunnabhaiMBBS]

Originally Posted by freedom

Yes Sir. Already planning to buy a shampoo.
Phew.. new car and new expenses.

Just to make sure that we are on the same page, Shampoo wash will require more water and efforts as you will have to use significant amount water to get rid of shampoo. However, if you use Waterless / Rinseless solution, you will just have to wipe it dry. It does not leave any substance plus provides shine.

Btw, Congrats on your new purchase, hope to see a separate thread on your acquisition.

[freedom]

Originally Posted by MunnabhaiMBBS

Just to make sure that we are on the same page, Shampoo wash will require more water and efforts as you will have to use significant amount water to get rid of shampoo. However, if you use Waterless / Rinseless solution, you will just have to wipe it dry. It does not leave any substance plus provides shine.

Btw, Congrats on your new purchase, hope to see a separate thread on your acquisition.

Yes.. my bad I thought the waterless solution is called "waterless shampoo" LOL.

New Car thread is in assembly line, I will try to finish and post it soon.