Pressure washer, foam gun, nielsens powerfoam, 2 zaino buckets, sheepskin washmitt, blackfire wet diamond shampoo, Autosmart smart wheels, EZ wheel brush and swissvax wheel brush.

Summer months its Blackfire Wet Diamond paint sealant

Winter months Collinite 476s

Glass sealed with H2GO

Metals polished with Collinite metal wax.

Mine currently gets washed every 2-3 weeks. Living in a flat makes washing difficult, it's hard enough to find a space somewhere closer than China!

In the spring I'll give it a couple of coats of wax and sealant. Did the same to my parents' brand new Mazda6 in August and it's still beading brilliantly and just needs a quick snow foam and rinse to wash the winter grime off.

I use the power washer with Turtle foam and spray at distance to wash off. Then every now and again use Autoglym.Last week bought off of the shopping channel (Tiff Needle ) the waterless cleaner.Car was not that dirty so tried it out,sprayed it well and it is supposed to dry hazy then polish, well its so cold in my garage that it did not dry complete, however run a micro cloth over it lightly to "smooth" it over and then polished with another clean micro cloth. The alloy wheels really looked great but now have effing railway lines in places. What a plonker.

What do you guys use to clean your cars? Looking at snow foam or similar methods - anyone got any experience with good products?

This is the snow foam I use

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/snow-foam/ultimate-snow-foam-5-litres.aspx?gclid=CPGRroTmpLQCFU3HtAodzykAGQ

Snow foam is much etter than traffic film remover as it's PH neutral so doesn't strip your carefully applied polish off. I give my BL a covering then go and fill 2 buckets up one with clean water the other with AG shampoo, which is again ph neutral. Both buckets have got grit guards in the bottom. It gets quite a bit of the muck off without using a mit etc which helps prevent scratching.

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/scratchshield/scratchshield-bucket-filter-system-black.aspx

I then jet wash the car inc using a 90 degree nozzel to do the wheel arches and under the sills. The snow foam works really well on the wheels I find.

I then shampoo the car as follows:

I use a maguires microfibre mit on the paintwork, while others prefer a lambs wool one- personal choice this one

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/meguiars/deep-pile-microfiber-wash-mitt.aspx

The key is to dip in the shampoo bucket 1st, use on the car, wring out, then dump it in the clean water bucket and ring it out (but in both cases NOT back in the bucket). that way you never transfer dirty water/grit back into either bucket, then on to the paintwork to scratch the paint you're trying to clean

while for the wheels and under the sills I use one of the microfibre mits that looks like a green rasta- this keeps my maguires one I use on the paintwork cleaner again use the 2 buckets, but after you've finished washing the rest of the car. I also use a decent wheel brush that's got no metal showing (Not the ones that look like a bottle washer that can scratch the laquer) on the wheels too

I then Jetwash the car

I've got a big yellow thick microfibre towel I use to remove most of the water by laying it on the panels. once most of the water is off I use a microfibre drying towel to get the remaining off smilar to this maguires one

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/meguiars/water-magnet-drying-towel.aspx.

I also treat the glass with H2go, together with angelwax's glass cleaner- brilliant stuff

Polish wise I use AG resin polish first, then apply AG high definition wax. I've also tried collinite 845 on the wife's car as a comparison but it's too early to give any results on the durability vs the high dev yet though reports from others suggest it's longer lasting.

I also use AG alloy wheel seal on the wheels. Inside I use AGs vinyl & plastic cleaner and the leather cleaner and leather balm on the inside.

I use loads of microfibre cloths & towels, never letting them get too dirty, then wash them in the machine.

If I have enough time I occasionally go for a drive!!!!!!!!!

Simple wash every 1 or 2 weeks with AG shampoo for me, drying off with a Kent micro fibre towel. Plan to polish twice a year with AG super resin polish. Also use AG leather cleaner and balm to keep those seats nice!

Polished once a month? With what products? Or are we talking wax here?

Use meguiars ultimate wax

I am beginning to feel as if I am neglecting my car!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just showed my wife some of the posts and she rolled her eyes until I reminded her that she will disappear to the stables for a day preparing her horse for a dressage show!!!!

Washing mine first thing in the morning..Its filthy!!

If scribbler sees this......Your wife'll have you sectioned to protect you from yourself. ...

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/256621-epic-waxathon-2-days-and-still-not-finished/

If scribbler sees this......Your wife'll have you sectioned to protect you from yourself. ...

http://www.briskoda....l-not-finished/

My wife may well have me sectioned as not only do I clean our 2 cars (although I spend about 3 times as long on mine) I started washing the neighbours Honda Accord sometimes. They are in their 70's and bung it through a car wash. Now it gets cleaned and has had polish on it for the first time in years.

It's a good deal as they now walk our dogs in exchange for a clean car.

Someone mentioned grit guards for buckets.

Where can I get a couple of those?

www.shinerama.co.uk

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk

Check this out what me n my mate did to the blackline last mounth.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=287023

Mine gets washed only when it rains.

Must be depressing being a car detailing enthusiast at this time of year.

I find it better to not be depressed therefore i just leave it dirty as the dirt doesnt impact on the cars perfromance or function.

Change the towel in the boot once a week as dog gets even dirtier in this weather than the car does.

Car will probably get a jet wash in the near future but no more than that seeing as it gets dirty the minute you drive away.

Excessive car detailing i dare say would be satisfying in summer but surely a basic clean every few weeks would be more sensible in winter?

My Collinite 845 aplication is still hanging on in there it still beads up when hosing it down with water. I would take another pic of the cars but i can't be arsed it just looks the same as the pic when i first did it a month ago now. Im really impressed, Only place i can see that doesn't bead up and you get pools of water forming is the rear tail gate / spoiler. The main panels roof bonnet and doors are still well protected. Its still like glass after a quick run over with the microfibre.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk

+1 for cleanyourcar. Very efficient service. Just placed an order for 5l containers of Poseidon wash, Bilberry wheel cleaner and Citrus pre wash (£75 - ouch), having used up the small sizes of the Valet Pro stuff I bought first time around.

£75??... ouch indeed!!

Would have been cheaper here

http://www.angelwax.co.uk/?wpsc_product_category=exterior-detailing-products

Someone mentioned grit guards for buckets.

Where can I get a couple of those?

http://www.theultima...stem-black.aspx

see post 29 in this thread as well... I've cut the vertical spacers down by 50% with a stanley knife so the guard is lower in the bucket which seems to work better

cheers

Ade

Managed to give my new Octavia a wash and quick wax the other day. Being brand new I wanted to make sure it was protected in some way from the winter roads/weather. I'm a bit of a detailing geek so it wasn't done as thoroughly as i'd have liked due to time and weather. Got it washed and waxed. Actually ended up finishing the waxing in the rain!! Still went on okay judging by the beading i'm getting. Wheels got a good waxing which was my main concern. Car will get washed and QD'd from now on until the weather improves a bit then it will get proper going over. Race blue comes up lovely though! Reminds me of my Old Astra VXR in Arden Blue. Great colour!

Had mine "Diamondbrite"-ed the day after delivery. Now one a month is all it takes to keep it shinning. Well pleased