|
Detailing Steps
Equipment
Here are some supplies you may need or want to add to your detailing collection:
- 1. Clean Towels - Recommend using "microfiber towels". Need 8-12 (16" X 16" or similarly sized) towels. One or two will be used for washing your car (exterior) and another one or two will be used for drying. The other towels will be used for removing wax, cleaning the interior, applying preservatives, cleaning/polishing the windows, buffing out the interior, etc etc. Microfiber towels are favored over 100% cotton towels because they can absorb more moisture and is safer on your paint (less chances of scratching or introducing swirl marks). Microfiber towels often come in different colors. It is a good idea, if possible, to designate a color for specific tasks.
- 2. Brushes - Need a variety (flat, round, and conical) and different sizes of brushes. Boar's Hair brushes are soft and are good for interior work. Paint brushes are lower cost and you may have to trim the bristles and handle shorter for more effective cleaning around creases or air vents. A carpet brush, tire brush, long handled wheelwell brush, and one or two toothbrushes (soft and/or firm). Foam paint brushes are great for applying protectant in tight spaces.
- 3. Sponges - Several good sponges can make cleaning the interior much easier since you "do not" want to get the interior wet (especially the headliner). A well wrung out sponge (no liquid dripping when pressure is applied) has just enough moisture for effective cleaning and dirt retention. Art Stores carry sponges (in various sizes and shapes) with wooden handles. These are great for cleaning hard to reach and/or tight spaces and can also be used to clean wheel spokes, engine compartment, or the wheelwell.
- 4. Specialty Pads - Dobie Pads (scratch free vinyl scrubbing pad), Mr Clean "Magic Eraser" (good for cleaning wax off rubber and vinyl trim), Bug and Tar remover sponge/pad (recommend Pinnacle Safe Scrub Bug & Tar Remover sponge), etc.
- 5. Q-Tips - Very versatile item that can be used for cleaning and applying products.
- 6. Refillable Compressed Air Spray Can or Canister- ReAir Duster is a favorite of mine and a bicycle pump can refill it. Use compressed air instead of a cloth or Q-Tip to clean around the gauges and air vents.
- 7. Big Wash Bucket - 5 gallon buckets are popular. Some come with an interior strainer or "grit guard" to keep the dirt at the bottom of the bucket. Many come with wheels and a lid, which doubles as a seat, and some include a "tool bag" to store product bottles around the bucket for easy access.
- 8. Spray Bottles - 32 oz bottles are popular, but smaller sizes are often easier to handle. Various cleaning solutions and preservation products and be stored in spray bottles (label them of course). The spray head is also important. Recommend finding spray bottles with a "Mist" setting, the finer the better. This is the most used setting and saves you from wasting product. Most Home and Garden sections carry these mist sprayers. Try to avoid "high volume" spray heads.
- 9. Plastic Bottles - Comes in various sizes and are often better than the easily breakable containers used by many product manufacturers. I prefer the "flip up spout" cap and it makes it easy to use only the amount of product necessary for the job at hand. Many art supply stores carry these bottles and caps at very reasonable prices.
- 10. Wet/Dry Shop Vac - The stronger, the better. If you are sensitive to dust, buy a HEPA Cartridge Filter (99.97% efficient down to 0.3 microns) for your shop vac.
- 11. Distilled Water - Buy a couple of gallons. Mixing the proper ratios of product to water and storage of any unused portions is better with distilled water. There are not or shouldn't be any minerals, micro-organisms, or any other chemicals in distilled water that could cause algae or other things to grow or leave deposits on your interior or exterior surfaces.
- 12. Whole House Filter - For those that are serious about filtering their water to remove minerals and / or sediments, a whole house filter can be installed at the water outlet you use frequently for washing your car. Various cartridges are available to fit the requirements in your area. For those that are lucky enough to have both a whole house filter and / or a water softener system installed, you will find your car will almost always be spot free afterwards. Can find whole house filters at any hardware or home improvement center for around $25-35.
- 13. Buffers - Investing in a "Random Orbit" polisher is well worth the cost. Easy and safe to use by beginners and experts. Porter Cable 7424 or 7336 are the most popular random orbit polishers and many different pads (6" pads) are available to perform a variety of polishing steps. Avoid the 10"-12" random orbit polishers you find at the local auto parts store. Rotary Polishers are best left to the professionals. Rotary buffers can generate huge amounts of heat and one can burn right through the paint or mar the paint (buffer burns). Cyclo Polisher is another popular random orbit machine, but it may be hard to find a place to buy the proper pads (4" pads) and the Cyclo can be difficult to use on some panels or in tight areas.
- 14. Portable Extractor / Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Machine (optional) - Not necessary to own one and can be rented. Deep cleaning, rinsing, and water extraction with these machines are far superior to other methods for carpet cleaning. Flexible hoses and various tool ends makes cleaning car carpets as easy as using a wet/dry vacuum.
- 15. Power Washer or Steam Cleaner (optional) - Not necessary to own one and can be rented. Makes cleaning engines a lot easier, but must avoid spraying on or near any electronic devices (car computer or ECU for instance) or using too much spray pressure. In most cases, a spray bottle with cleaning solution, a brush, and rinsing with water is just as effective and safer. However, for cleaning wheelwells and the undersides / chassis, a power washer can save a lot of time.
- 16. Portable Air Blower / Carpet Dryer (optional) - Can use a standard fan instead (increased drying time) to dry out freshly shampooed / cleaned carpets. Hair dryers, on the lowest or no heat settings, can be used to dry carpet areas that only need spot cleaning and if you don't plan to shampoo the entire carpet.
- 17. Ozone Generator (optional) - Usually rented by professional detailers. Ozone generators (2000 to 6000 mg/hr) are generally used (at the maximum or highest ozone generating settings) to deodorize or eliminate smoke, pet odor, mold, mildew, and other difficult to remove foul odors from cars. It is highly recommended that the car be unoccupied during its use and the car is properly "aired out" before driving. The levels of or amount of ozone generated is well above what humans can stand to breathe. Time of use varies with the severity of the odor problem (1 hour treatment is the norm).
In general, you want to detail in the following order:
- Vacuum the interior - Recommend this step be done first so you don't drag electrical cords over wet grass or pavement and dirty your freshly washed and waxed exterior or wet shoes in the interior.
- Rubber / Vinyl floor mats should be carefully removed, cleaned, washed (scrubbed if necessary), and dried. Using a protectant on rubber or vinyl floor mats is generally not recommended because the protectant used may make the mats slippery and might be transfered to the foot pedals.
- In general vacuum from top to bottom. Use the soft round dusting brush attachment on the headlines. The better dusting brushes have Horsehair or Boar's Hair bristles. The gentle agitation of the brush will loosen any dirt and be vacuumed away. Be careful *not* to apply more than light pressure when cleaning the headliner. You do not want the vacuum to "stick" to any spot. This may pull the headliner loose or damage the headliner. Turn off the vacuum if the attachment or hose sticks / sucks to one place.
- When vacuuming the seats, concentrate on the seams and stitching. This is where mold and mildew will form with the dirt/dust/moisture and literally eat up and/or discolor that area. Can use the crevice tool attachment for the seams and the dusting brush or upholstery brush on the seat facings.
- The dusting brush can be used to vacuum the rest of the interior, except the carpet. Many computer and vacuum cleaner stores carry a "Micro Attachment Set" that can be used with any vacuum cleaner or shop vac to clean hard to reach or limited space areas.
- To vacuum the carpet, use the small carpet nozzle attachment. Eureka's mini turbo nozzle attachment ($14.99), will fit a wet / dry vacuum with a reducer on the hose. This hand-held nozzle has a suction powered rotating beater brush for vacuuming stairs and other hard-to-reach areas, which means it's small 6" wide size makes it perfect for vacuuming car carpets. Don't forget to move the seats full back and full front to vacuum the carpet and areas under the seat.
- Although some vacuum out ashtrays, I would recommend cleaning, washing, and drying ash trays by hand.
- Shampooing/Cleaning the interior -
- Clean the interior windows first. Smoke (cigarette or air contaminates) tends to adhere to glass and leaves a film. Use a good glass cleaner, may take several cleanings, to get the glass as clean and clear as possible. A good homemade brew is 1 cup of water, 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol, and 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar. Can add another tablespoon of vinegar if you want more cleaning power. Use straight white distilled vinegar to clean the glass if it's really dirty and difficult to clean. I'm not a fan of glass cleaners with ammonia, those tend to streak more than they clean. Note: after the interior is cleaned, you may have to clean the windows one more time to remove any protectant that may have got on the glass. Can use a quick detailer like Clearkote's Quik Shine for an exceptional clear glass and adds anti-static protection against dust.
- Headliners - This is a tricky area to clean or shampoo. If too much moisture is applied, the glues and adhesives that hold the headliner in place and keeps it's shape, may lose their bond. Last thing you want is a clean but sagging or drooping headliner. In general, a moist (almost dry) clean towel with just water is used to gently wipe the headliner clean. To shampoo the headliner, use a neutral ph soap like Ivory or Woolite (my preference) mixed with water (1:10 to 1:20 ratio) and agitate the liquid to produce foam or suds. Just take the suds with your hand and gently apply it to an area. Take a clean dry towel and blot the area dry. Blotting will transfer the dirt from the headliner to the towel. Fold over your towel after each blot to expose a clean surface and repeat the blotting. One trick to produce foam / suds is to fill a used Dial soap foaming dispenser with the water / soap mix. A moist clean towel can be used for a "rinse". If you are uncomfortable about cleaning your headliner, see your local professional detailer and have them clean your headliner.
- Can use the Woolite / water mix (work in sections) to clean the rest of your vinyl interior, dashboard, and console. On particularly dirty areas, you may have to use a Dobie pad or Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and gently scrub the area clean. Rinse the vinyl with a moist sponge or towel. Cupholders can be difficult to clean, some can be removed and cleaned in a dishwasher or by hand, others just have to be patiently cleaned with q-tips, sponges, and towels. Cutting out some paper towels to fit / line the bottom of the cupholder can reduce cleaning time the next time around and soak up any mess.
- Dashboard Cleaning - This is where you are going to use q-tips, small brushes, etc to clean all the nooks and crannies that were missed when you did a general cleaning with the Woolite mix. Remove any knobs to clean the areas behind. Some dust balls may have been formed after the initial cleaning and you can use q-tips or a brush to remove them. Can also use either a q-tip, brush, or small foam brush to clean the seams in the dash and center of steering wheel. Use your judgement on which tool is the most effective. Don't forget about the air vents. Rotate them into other positions for proper cleaning. Be careful around the guages, the lens are easily scratched. Use compressed air to blow away any dust. Clearkote's Quik Detailer (or distilled water) sprayed on a microfiber towel can be used to wipe the lens clean without scratching them. If you have a "leather wrapped" steering wheel, you will need to use a leather cleaning product, like Tanner's Preserve Leather Cleaner, Lexol Leather Cleaner, Pinnacle Leather & Vinyl Cleaner, etc etc. May take 2 cleanings to remove the "human" oils from the leather and / or may require the use a 3M light scrubbing pad with the leather cleaner. Rinse with a moist towel and let dry before applying a leather conditioner / protectant on your steering wheel cover.
- Cloth Seats - sometimes these may be the hardest to clean and may take several cleanings. Patience is the key and again avoid using an excessive amount of cleaning solution. Moisten a clean towel with the Woolite mix and clean a section. Can use the towel to scrub the cloth seats without worrying about damaging the fibers. Fold over the towel if you see dirt on the towel. If you haven't cleaned your cloth seats in a long time, plan on using a lot of towels just for cleaning. An upholstery brush can be used if after scrubbing with the towel the seats still look a bit dungy. But be careful not to damage the fabric being cleaned when using a brush. Use the foaming soap dispenser with the Woolite mix to apply some foam to the brush and gently scrub. You may have to increase the ratio of Woolite to water to 1:6. People may be surprised, but shaving cream is an effective stain remover / cleaner for both cloth upholstery and carpet and can be substituted for the Woolite mix. Rinse with a moist towel and let dry. Vacuum afterwards with a dusting or upholstery brush.
- Leather and Vinyl seats - Both can be effectively cleaned using the Woolite mix. Many luxury cars recommend cleaning their leather seats with a Woolite mix. There are many excellent leather cleaning products that can also be used. Just remember not to get the seams overly wet, mold and mildew can form and eat away at the stitching. Can use a hair dryer on the lowest setting or no heat setting on the seams to dry them out. Don't forget to clean the seat backings. Scuff marks can be removed by using the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. If you have kids or transport people in the back seats, consider buying "Seat Back Protector" ($10 for a pair) to protect the front seats backing from shoe scuffing or shoe prints.
- Carpet Cleaning - Last but not least. Spot clean stained or dirty areas first. 303 Spot Remover, Vanish or Resolve Carpet OXY, etc, or shaving cream to clean those areas. Use a dry clean towel to blot. Then use a spray-on carpet shampoo on a section and a carpet brush and scrub away. Again, use a dry clean towel to blot up the area you just cleaned. You may have to "rinse" the carpet several times with moist towels or sponges to remove the carpet shampoo. If any shampoo residue is present, this may attract more dirt. If you have a Portable Extractor / Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Machine then cleaning and rinsing can be done relatively quickly and more throughly than by hand. Can add a bit of fabric softener to the rinse water to prevent the carpet pile from stiffening (a common complaint). In either case, after you are finished, use a fan or carpet dryer to dry out the carpet. Then use a carpet brush to bring back the nap, the final brushing should be front to back instead of side to side for a more finished look. If you own a Porter Cable 7424 or 7336 Random Orbit Polisher, can use the "Grey Ultra Soft Upholstery Brush" or "Aqua Soft Carpet Brush" attachment for scrubbing / cleaning your carpet and for the final brushing of the carpet. Can use a carpet protectant like Scotchguard or the more advanced 303 High Tech Fabric Guard. Car carpets used in luxury cars also contain natural wool fibers to give the carpet a thicker and more plush feel. Take extra care if you are cleaning these car carpets and usually a dry foam and an absorbent pad is recommended. After dry foam is applied, brushing (by machine or by hand) will bring the dirt to the surface, then use either the aborbent pad or a wet/dry shop vac to remove the dirt. After the carpet dries, vacuum again to remove any remaining dirt and shampoo. Avoid using an "OXY" carpet shampoo on wool or wool blend car carpets.
- Apply Vinyl and Leather Preservatives - In general, avoid applying protectants on controls or knobs that have painted writing on them. Protectants will either remove the writing or discolor it. In some cases, protectant applied too heavily may migrate inside of electrical switches and cause problems that may require replacement of the switch. Always test your protectants (vinyl or leather) in a remote or test spot.
- Spray a clean towel with vinyl protectant and apply a thin even coat. Can go over the section a 2nd time to ensure no areas were missed. Can wrap a towel around a foam paint sponge to reach areas by the windshield.
- Leather seats - Spray or pour a small amount of leather conditioner on a clean cloth and apply. Several light coats are better than one heavy application. Read the instructions for the leather conditioner you are using. It may take up to an hour before the conditioner is absorbed. Then buff the seats with a dry cloth to remove any excess conditioner and to have that factory new look. In hot areas, monthly leather conditioning is suggested for all colored leather. Light colored leather tends to require more care (cleaning and conditioning) than dark colored leathers. If you find, after buffing, the leather has a greasy feel, consider trying another leather conditioning product. Some detailers like to alternate every month between using a conditioner and 303 Aerospace Protectant (for UV protection). Also some leather seats are vinyl coated and should be cleaned and treated as if they were vinyl. Leather conditioners cannot penetrate the vinyl coating to reach the leather. Check with your car dealer or the manufacturer if you are not sure.
- Hand or Finishing Interior Buffing - Removes much of the "shine and wet look" and gives the interior a more cleaner and natural factory matte look. An extra step but the effort is well worth it.
- Scent (optional) - Some like to spray a scent or air freshener (their favorite or the customers preference) into the air vents, ash trays and on the carpets. Be careful to stick to one scent. Citrus is the most popular. Peppermint (mix 10 drops of peppermint extract with half a cup of water) is a very effective ash tray deodorizor. Another alternative scent is to place a bag of cedar chips or coffee beans underneath your seat or in the trunk / hatchback. Make sure the owner or your passengers are not allergic to the scent.
- Engine Cleaning - Can be a dirty job if grease and grime is allowed to build up. Wear old clothes or a coverall and safety glasses. Below is basically the recommended BMW engine washing procedure with some additional tips. Just to note: BMW says it will not honor warranty claims for components damaged by improper engine cleaning, so it follows other car manufacturers have the same policy.
- A good place to start is to remove the grill(s) at the base of the windshield and vacuum or clean out any leaves, seeds, and on occasion mouse or rats nests. Can wash and wax the area (optional). Replace or add a cabin air filter while everything is apart. Some like to lightly spray some air freshener or scent on the cabin filter element. Reassemble everything.
- If you have ramps, drive up on them and warm up the engine. You just want a warm engine block, not a hot one.
- To be safe, disconnect the battery.
- Cover or shield any component--such as the ignition distributor, multi-connectors, computer, alternator, etc.--in the area to be cleaned with plastic sheeting. Can use plastic bags and use rubber bands or tape to hold everything in place. Check all filler caps, dip sticks, etc for tightness (cover if necessary). If you have fender covers, use them or place wet bath towels to protect your fenders / paint from spotting and streaking. Degreasers will remove car wax. Also cover the hood blanket or be careful not to get it wet.
- Start cleaning the underside of the engine first. You don't want gunk or water dripping down on you if you started from the top. Do Not wet or rinse the engine with water at this time. Water will dilute and make the degreaser less effective. Apply engine degreaser or general engine cleaning solvent to the dirty area, allowing it to soak for at least five minutes. I like to use P21S Total Auto Wash or S100 Total Cycle Cleaner because it won't stain aluminum and is an excellent cleaner / degreaser. A Citrus degreaser or Simple Green are popular choices. Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner Plus (APC+) is an excellent cleaner when mixed in the correct ratios. Petroleam based degreasers are generally not recommended. You may need to use a sponge or soft brush and in some cases a paint scrapper / putty knife on built up gunk. "Pole Scraper" is also a handy tool, a standard wood broom or extension pole can be screwed into the handle to reach and clean hard to reach areas.
- Gently spray water on the area to be rinsed, flushing the solvent and the contaminants.
- Do not aim the water spray directly at electronic components. Do not use the water spray any longer than necessary.
- High-pressure steam cleaning or Rinsing can force solutions into the engine harness sheath and associated cables, causing unusual problems that would not have occurred otherwise. Engine harness multi-plugs and related sealing measures are not designed to be subjected to the discharge velocity and force of typical commercial steam cleaning units. Further, cleaning solutions with the high-pressure discharge can leave conductive and often corrosive residues deep within the harness and cables. Most professional detailers use the lowest pressure settings necessary to clean / rinse the engine and use non-conductive cleaning products. So be careful, even if you are using a garden hose.
- Blow the cleaned area dry immediately with moderate-pressure compressed air. A leaf blower or the blower side of a wet/dry vacuum works just as well. If you don't have access to any of those, dry the engine with towels. Can remove all the plastic bags / sheeting when you are done. Can use a damp towel to clean off any dirt or dust from those previous covered areas.
- Reconnect the battery and start the engine immediately and road test the vehicle to confirm satisfactory operation.
- Once everything is dry, you have the option of using a vinyl / rubber protectant on your rubber hoses and plastic covers. Just spray some on a towel or sponge (prevents overspray) and wipe away. S100 Total Cycle Corrosion Protectant is a favorite of many and also helps protect against winter salt damage.
- Can wax the painted areas, not the engine, in the engine compartment to give those areas protection and a finished look. Can do this after you wash and wax your car.
- Washing the car - Now that the interior is finished (and maybe the engine), time to work on the exterior.
- Make sure your car is cool and in the shade, covered carport, or garage. Start by thoroughly wetting the car's finish with a medium spray of water to remove loose grit and surface dirt. Excessive water pressure will cause the dirt to grind against your paint surface. Some like to park on a slight incline to allow water to run off trim, moldings, and hidden areas easier.
- Use an automotive specific shampoo. These are PH neutral and safe for your paint. Spend a bit more and buy one of the better car shampoos, like Mother's California Gold Car Wash, Meguiar's Gold Class, Zymol, Zaino, P21S, etc. These premium brands contain extra surface conditioners and natural oils. The oils act as a lubricant to help dirt and grit slide off during rinsing without scratching the surface. Follow the mixture ratio of car shampoo to water to prevent any film left if you used an excessive amount of shampoo. Some do not like car shampoos that contain carnauba wax because they use a synthetic wax/polish on their cars. Read the label carefully if this is a concern.
- I prefer to use a microfiber towel but a soft rounded edge sponge, a sheepskin or 100% chenille mitt or pad works just as good and they tend to draw any dirt into their internal structure. Some prefer to use a sea sponge, but make sure it is rinsed throughly to remove any traces of sand, and use only the soft side of the sea sponge.
- Start washing your car from top to bottom. Wash in small or managable sections, rinsing the entire car after washing each section and that often prevents any water spotting. After washing a section, make sure that you clean or rinse your sponge, mitt, etc by using either the 2-bucket method: one bucket with just water to rinse and clean your sponge of any dirt and one with soap mixture for washing OR use the water hose to clean your mitt or sponge of any dirt before washing the next section. An often overlooked place to wash is the door jams and sills. Some like to wash their cars twice, once to remove the majority of the dirt and grime and the 2nd time to finish the job.
- Claybar - This is a good time to use a claybar to safely remove embedded particles / contamination from your paint, glass, and mirrors. Can use a car wash mix in a spray bottle or the detailing lube included with the claybar. There's no need to use pressure. Just glide the claybar over a well lubicated 2-3' square section. Rinse, fold (kneed) the clay to expose a fresh or clean part of the clay and repeat on the next section. Some like to re-wash the car after claying to remove any possible clay residue, usually happens if too much pressure is used or not enough lube and the claybar "sticks" to the paint. Afterwards, you can place your hand in a plastic sandwich bag and you should be able to, with very light pressure, glide over a now smooth paint and glass surface without feeling any rough or gritty textures/areas in the paint or glass. In general, plan to clay your car every 6 months or when the paint surface starts to feel rough or gritty after a wash. Warning: if you drop the claybar on the ground, throw it away, so be careful. One alternative is to cut the claybar into small slices. After one use on a section, throw that slice away. There are some that believe folding (kneed) the clay may not only expose clean clay but also may bring to the surface some of the embedded particles that may scratch the paint. Personally, I've rarely seen that happen and only with a claybar that the owner decides to keep on using instead of buying a new claybar. Claybars are not that expensive, so buy a new one once a year. Claybars can be stored in a plastic bag, but keep the claybar moist and pliable by spraying some lube in the bag. Throw it away if the claybar dries out. There are also more aggressive claybars that body shops use to remove overspray. Avoid buying these claybars unless you know what you are doing. Most claybars sold in auto supply stores are Mother's or ClayMagic, and those are excellent and safe to use.
- Drying tips: A simple trick to dry your car faster is to take the nozzle off your water hose and sheet or let the water flow over the surface. You'll find very little water is left and can be dried easily with a microfiber towel. Some use a lawn leaf blower to dry out areas not normally accessible and to prevent any water spotting from water flowing out of these areas later. I prefer microfiber towels over 100% cotton towels. Take a cd, maybe one of those AOL cd's and rub the shiney surface with your favorite towel. If it doesn't scratch the surface then it is safe for your car paint. I find many cotton towels leave micro (straight line) scratches and even some 100% cotton wax applicators sold by a popular, highly recommended wax/polish company will leave scratches on the cd. Test your towels and wax applicators out regardless if it is microfiber or 100% cotton or a foam wax applicator.
- Clean up: Washing your towels. Towels used for washing or waxing the paint should be washed separately from towels used on the wheels. Use liquid detergent only and DO NOT use any fabric softeners or dryer sheets. Fabric softeners or dryer sheets will leave some chemicals in the towels and MAY leave a film or fog your paint. Many also prefer to wash towels used for wax removal separately as not to possibly contaminate other towels used for washing and drying.
- Washing your Wheels: There are 2 schools of thought. Some prefer to wash their wheels first. Do not water down your car at this time, only the wheels. The main advantage is that any dirt from the wheels that happens to get on the paint can be easily washed away after the wheels are cleaned and you are washing the car. If you wash you wheels last, the car may dry and leave water spots. Conversly, many prefer to wash the car first and then dry the car before working on the wheels. This takes advantage of "leftover" car wash and the need to clean the soap bucket and making a new batch of car wash. Now that is said: Buy a separate bucket, towels, sponges just for wheel, tire and wheelwell washing. Mark the bucket and store cleaning/waxing wheel towels, pads, etc in marked plastic bags. Eagle One finger pockets, or similar products, are available at most auto supply centers. They come 3 in a package, so buy 2 packages, one package for washing and one package for waxing. You'll find these very handy cleaning/waxing tight places. Conical wheel and tire cleaning brushes are also recommended. Can go to the household section and buy similar brushes cheaper than from the automotive section. Some prefer to use only a sponge to clean the wheelwells. Brushes may scratch the plastic wheelwell liner. Car wash shampoo can be used to clean the wheels, tires, and wheelwells. If you decide to use a wheel cleaner spray, DO NOT use one that contains acid. Read the label to make use it says "safe for clearcoat" and follow the directions carefully and avoid getting any on your paint. Many wheels, painted, chromed, and aluminum, now come clearcoated. If you are sure your chrome or aluminum wheels are not clearcoated, then a slightly acidic wheel cleaner can be more effective. May also consider wearing safety goggles to prevent any brake dust or abrasives from getting into your eyes.
- Convertible Tops - There are only 2 product lines that I would recommend to clean and protect Convertible tops: RaggTopp and 303. Need to determine if you have a canvas or vinyl top and buy the appropiate protectant and cleaner. Suggest buying a Boar's Hair hand and / or back brush from the bath section at your local department store. These brushes are stiff enough to clean the top but soft enough not to scratch or damage.
- Canvas Top -
- Vinyl Top -
|
