As per the title I wanted to protect my 3 year old estate and make cleaning easy. By that I mean on the rare occasion I actually wash my cars, I am

a very fair weather cleaner. Usually involves a wheel clean and turtle wax wash and wax. Followed by Autoglym chamois. Occasionally to make it last a Chrome Embellish Detailer spray which makes it a little more hydrophobic and shine for a bit.

If there are any members offering some type of service around the north Birmingham area or can personally recommend an organisation and appropriate treatment. I might start with this one and move on to some of the older fleet. Thanks

Personally I'd use a carnauba wash 'n' wax but that won't be popular here.

Don't be tight with spraying it on. Use a clean microfibre cloth to apply, a separate clean microfibre cloth to buff off and a third clean microfibre cloth for "extra shine". When the application cloth gets too loaded stop using it and use the buff microfibre cloth instead for application and new or third cloth for buffing and new clean microfibre cloth for "extra shine".

I usually clean the wheels separately and/or last because of brake dust.

That should stir up the cleaners enough to post.

4 hours ago, nta16 said:

Personally I'd use a carnauba wash 'n' wax but that won't be popular here.

Don't be tight with spraying it on. Use a clean microfibre cloth to apply, a separate clean microfibre cloth to buff off and a third clean microfibre cloth for "extra shine". When the application cloth gets too loaded stop using it and use the buff microfibre cloth instead for application and new or third cloth for buffing and new clean microfibre cloth for "extra shine".

I usually clean the wheels separately and/or last because of brake dust.

That should stir up the cleaners enough to post.

Thanks for this. I must have stirred something up with my post

@nta16 are you referring to these products from TW ?https://youtu.be/otht8CmVGkk?si=LtkX9VIjlZkVl_3p

The name you implied would suggest it’s used to wash ie mixed with water as opposed to using it as a polish ?

No it's the stuff you spray on to "wash" and wax/polish in one product - I should have put Waterless Wash 'n' Wax.

There are various makes/labels used on these waterless wash 'n' wax sprays from various manufacturers but they are a much of a muchness with perhaps slight variation of formulas.

I've been using this stuff for very many years now. IIRC I first saw the stuff on Ideal World TV channel when it was done in Peterborough and used to buy when it was on offer, £20 (inc. P&P) for 5 litre can then £10 for 5 litres as I already had plenty of 1 litre spray bottles with spray heads.

Just one current example - Williams Waterless Wash and Wax 5L with Extended Application Trigger - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322537765619

Many years back I used to spend two days cleaning a used car I'd bought and same preparing for sale, wheels off, boot, door shuts, engine bay "detailing" (that's just clean and polishing, interior with seats removed (easy back then), exterior roof to underside - but last 10-11 years (all the time my wife has owned the Fabia Mk3) I've cleaned it once or twice a year only and exterior paint and windows only too.

Cleaning and polishing a car is very overrated and as all of my cars have generally been outside 24/7 365/6 days a year, as with many other car owners, the paints for decades (except red) have been fine with next to no attention to them.

2 minutes ago, nta16 said:

No it's the stuff you spray on to "wash" and wax/polish in one product - I should have put Waterless Wash 'n' Wax.

There are various makes/labels used on these waterless wash 'n' wax sprays from various manufacturers but they are a much of a muchness with perhaps slight variation of formulas.

I've been using this stuff for very many years now. IIRC I first saw the stuff on Ideal World TV channel when it was done in Peterborough and used to buy when it was on offer, £20 (inc. P&P) for 5 litre can then £10 for 5 litres as I already had plenty of 1 litre spray bottles with spray heads.

Just one current example - Williams Waterless Wash and Wax 5L with Extended Application Trigger - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322537765619

Many years back I used to spend two days cleaning a used car I'd bought and same preparing for sale, wheels off, boot, door shuts, engine bay "detailing" (that's just clean and polishing, interior with seats removed (easy back then), exterior roof to underside - but last 10-11 years (all the time my wife has owned the Fabia Mk3) I've cleaned it once or twice a year only and exterior paint and windows only too.

Cleaning and polishing a car is very overrated and as all of my cars have generally been outside 24/7 365/6 days a year, as with many other car owners, the paints for decades (except red) have been fine with next to no attention to them.

I thought so I must have got the wrong end of the stick. And I can see how this won’t go down too well in this thread. You are effectively saying not to pre wash/dry the car with shampoo and sponge, just go direct to the product above ?

13 minutes ago, gav_is_con said:

I thought so I must have got the wrong end of the stick. And I can see how this won’t go down too well in this thread. You are effectively saying not to pre wash/dry the car with shampoo and sponge, just go direct to the product above ?

Listen some will go mad at the idea of using a sponge. Cleaning and presenting the car is a bit like male overgrooming, face maxing extent to some.

I meant to put in my last post years ago our club had a stand next to the Autoglym National concours (concourse to upset some) stand at the NEC international "classic" (over-priced and over-valued old) cars motor show, and later Maguiars, and one year's set up day I well remember an exhibit champion car being pushed out of its trailer with bubble wrap on it. You would have people in the car trade with these cars as they could afford and get done the multi-sprays for the paintwork. When I was a lad I also went to a national custom car and hotrod show so I have experience of at least seeing very high level cars and some idea of what it actually takes to get to that level. A 6-wheeler (classic) Mini with IIRC Vanden Plas rad grille had 20 layers of paint on it. The car was later destroyed in a garage fire so I was told, all that work up in smoke.

International Detailing Association trained and certified here and trained at UK Detailing Academy.

You can do what you like, it’s you car but the general trends are based on research and understanding that changes and grows over time.

Waterless/Rinseless products aren’t bad per se. They’re just not for this place. They were developed in California where there have been regular issues with water shortages and hosepipe bans. It’s not that it doesn’t do the job, it’s a shortcut that compromises on results because of the scenario it wasn’t developed for. Water-based products are simply better because they’ve been developed for longer by more companies.

Generally the stages for cleaning:

1. Rinse (remove obvious contaminants cheaply with water from your jetwash)

2. Pre-wash (snowfoam, citrus - they don’t both need to be done, do it properly, do it once); very generous rinse here to use the prewash to get rid of contaminants

3. Wheels/tyres - alkali/ph neutral cleaner is fine unless really burnt on nasty crusty brake dust then you’ll need an acid-based product.

4. Iron fallout - start around the wheel on the body, if there is responding colour-change, spray a bit further along. If there is no indication by colour change, don’t bother doing more as the chances are low there will be any.

5. Safe Contact wash - 2 bucket method is standard but there are single bucket methods.

6. Tar remover - generally lower half of the car, starting behind the wheels.

7. Clay if you’re going to polish. It creates marring damage in pulling out contaminants, so no point unless you correct it.

8. Rinse low pressure to drag off spare water.

9. Dry (air dryer and/or microfibre drying towel).

Wash media is good quality clean microfibre - washmitt for cleaning, soft-tip brushes for panel gaps and corners, and microfibre towels for any.

Delete stages as you don’t want them. Protective products can range from hand waxes, spray waxes, spray polymer waxes, hybrid ceramic and/or graphene waxes, ceramic coating, PPF.

I'm not professionally trained, but I've cleaned a few vehicles. My day job for a few months was/is ceramic coating high-end motorbikes, but I've also done my fair share of 812s and GT3s.

@travs has said it all. The only thing I would add is that I would personally give the tar remover-ed areas a thorough rinse. I'd also maybe add a stage 4.5 for the application of snow foam. This might be because I'm used to working in front of customers and the fallout looks pretty when mixed with the snow foam, but I do also like to use the snow foam as a lubricant to get into the seals and small areas with a detailing brush. As above, it doesn't need doing and it's probably just a habit I picked up from my work - after all, when some guy is watching you clean and strip his brand new Sartoria Meccanica Rush (near six-figure bike), you're going to pull out all the stops. That's probably why I bathe the wheels and brakes in fallout. Whoops.

For a proper wash, do as above. For a top-up wash, I would personally do 1, 2, 3, 4.5, 5, 8 and 9. I've used drying towels very happily for years, however a dedicated dryer does make getting into the front grille and wheels much easier. This is the one I use and have used daily for months. The general idea is that you get as much of the stuff off the car before touching it with a mitt - taking a mitt over grit and the like is what causes scratches. Speaking of scratches - make sure the wash mitt is only ever used front to back. That way, if and when any scratches do occur, they are easier to remove than circular swirl marks.

IIRC, both @travs and I use protection from polishes, but something like that is a bit beyond a complete beginner (not least because it requires a proper DA polisher - expensive). I do occasionally put a spray sealant (rinse aid) over the top of mine too. I would personally suggest something like Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax - it's pretty easy to put on and offers a good few months of protection. Speaking of, TurtleWax Redline Wheel Cleaner is a decent beginner fallout remover option. It's pretty cheap from ECP and does the job.

It's up to you how much effort you want to put in. My car doesn't get driven that much over winter and lives in a heated garage, so I can afford to go the extra mile in keeping it clean and tidy. Were it to live outside and get driven fifty miles on the M4 every day, I probably wouldn't bother.

Similarly, if the car was brand new I would suggest a front end PPF and ceramic coating for everything else. In this instance, a lot of wear and tear has already been done. If it were me (and it's what I did with my car), I would get it paint corrected, stick a bit of protection over the top and then just be careful washing it in the future.

Edited 16 April16 Apr by OccyVRS

I'm surprised more members haven't posted given the subject and forum.

But some very good points about what's involved and the extremes of the vehicles, their costs and conditions they're used and kept in. Also their actual, perceived and emotional value by the car owner and person doing the actual work. The theatre of it all also gives an indication.

Some might think a car used for motorway driving regularly and/or kept outside and not in a heated and dehumidified garage needs the cleaning more, others it doesn't and save such stuff for vehicles that are driven but also shown to others on the street or organised.

It's also what level you are happy/bothered to keep the appearance to and at. I guess a 2011 Superb paint and other bits are about the same as a 2015 Fabia and I'm not bothered by the appearance of my wife's 2015 that has sat outside all its life and not got much cleaning or to a higher level (particularly when the Dealership cleaned it). I know some here wouldn't be at all happy with its level of appearance, even perhaps after they have cleaned, polished and detailed it.

So as put, whoever owns the car, looks after it or pays for the work should do what pleases them. Whatever level you work to or achieve for some it will be too low and for others excessive.

There might be a case if you can't be bothered with too much cleaning yourself to employ someone else a few times a year to a level that you are happy with but you must get recommendations and a quote as like all professions (and DIY) different people work to different standards and for professionals at different costs to you, in money, time and sometimes hassle.

Good luck.

Absolutely - its all very well being descriptive about processes and the order of them, but ultimately its down to the owner as to how they want the car to look.

The traditional view of a ceramic coating is that, given its longevity, you want the car looking as perfect as possible beforehand given you "lock-in" the condition, but that's individual's prerogative. The coating will provide a level of protection from chemicals, UV and ease cleaning being more difficult for contaminants to adhere to. That's sufficient benefit for some without having to have the paint in showroom condition. You can get consumer products for about £40/£50 - as long as the paint is clean and decontaminated its ok. There are arguments that going over with a polisher will help adherence but there's no guarantee on that.

As for protection, I personally tend to use Carpro's (Hydr02) as its easy to apply and remove with a jetwash. mist on, jetwash off almost immediately. Gyeon, G-techniq and Labocosmetica all have similar products although Carpro also have it in a snowfoam form too. The latter is probably better in sunny situations as I can easily get highspots if its too bright and warm (high spots are where a ceramic coating has been left on too long/not cleaned off leaving a haze in those patches). I have used one-step polishes with a protection in but its all situation-specific.