Is there a Dr Phil in the house ?? Big read, hope you enjoy.

[Scream]

My kids seem to think I have an issue when it comes to cleaning my car. They reckon I have OCD and go a little over the top, please help me understand their non appreciation for why I do what I do ....

Here is a fairly close step by step description of the events.

Hose car off first.
Using a woollen mit, wash half of the roof and half of front and rear windows, rinse suds off.
Move to the other side of the car and repeat.
Wash bonnet and front of car, rinse suds off.
Was boot and rear of car, rinse suds off.
Wash sides including windows (one side at a time), rinse suds off.
Wash wheels, including the rear of the rim behind the spokes (my wheels allow for easy access), rinse suds off.
Chamois car off lovingly, but not the wheels. Park car in carport for next step.

Open boot and bonnet and wipe away all excess water from rubbers and water catchment areas.
Wipe down all rubbers and plastics in boot, wipe over all painted surfaces and plastics under the bonnet.
By this time, the missus has gotten the compressor plugged in and ready to go.

Generally I start with the front wheels by blowing all the excess water out of the wheel nut recesses, then blow the rest to the outer of the rim and run right around the tire to remove all water. I'll then go right around the rim with a chamois to remove any water marks, then finish off by wiping each of the wells that contain the allen key (fake) bolts, (20 odd).

Once done i'll blow all the water from the plastic honeycomb surround where the side indicator lens is and wipe any excess water from the body. Next is blowing all water from the mirror and mirror surround, again wiping all excess water off the body, move to rear wheel and repeat steps for front wheel.

Rear of the car is fairly basic, blow around all honeycomb plastics ensuring it's dry, remove number plate cover and wipe clean with chamois, blow around tail lights, blow water from behind the badges and wipe with chamois.
Front of the is same as rear.

At this point, we plug in the iPod and go straight to "I'm in love my car" by Queen and the missus generally rolls her eyes at me (NFI why, it's a great song). Whilst all the doors are open, i'll chamois under each door and all painted surfaces to remove dust and water. Using a micro fibre we go over all plastics with a good plastic preserver and all leather parts with a leather treatment. Once done, we vacuum the car from top to bottom and wipe over all the windows with a good window cleaner.

This generally completes a 3 odd hour ordeal commonly known to my kids as WTF Dad !!!

If by some chance we need to go down the road for anything, i warn anyone in the car, if they even contemplate touching the window down button, i'll remove their fingers with my bolt cutters. The reason for this is, it leaves wet streaks on the windows from the water you can't remove.

Please help me Dr. Phil, am i to pedantic ????

[FATMOE]

Nah that's perfectly normal. I'm the same here.

[456adam]

Want to wash my car?
Throw in a polish for some extra cash.

[Xonar]

That makes me look so abnormal !

My ordeal goes for 5+ hours and includes a few more steps in between + paint correction, wax and sealant

I can see how people that don't get it can thing that were are out of our mind

[Jonno]

Wha.... You don't polish?

[Scream]

Wha.... You don't polish?

The paint has been treated, no need to polish yet.

[GothicKidd]

And people thought I was bad when I washed my car weekly with hosing it, shrub on soap, rinse off and then chamios and a final wipe over when dried. (Now I got high pressure washer ill just spray it with soap, and then spray off, chamious then another wipe)

But seems to me you over do it a little.. but I really cant be assed to do alot of work so I keep it simple

[Something_Wrong]

Should use a Microfiber towel for drying instead of a chamois, as the microfiber is less likely to give you those annoying fine scratches you see when the sunshine’s, and remember to wash the microfiber separately and store in a seal container.

My other tip is use two buckets,
Bucket 1: Hot soapy water (use your fav car wash)
Bucket 2: Hot plain water. The plain water is used to wash you mitt in between panels, that way you are not putting the dust and grit you just washed off into you clean soapy bucket.

That way when you get to the bottom of your soapy bucket it doesn’t look like you just washed your car with a bucket of dirty dish water.

[Scream]

Should use a Microfiber towel for drying instead of a chamois, as the microfiber is less likely to give you those annoying fine scratches you see when the sunshine’s, and remember to wash the microfiber separately and store in a seal container.

My other tip is use two buckets,
Bucket 1: Hot soapy water (use your fav car wash)
Bucket 2: Hot plain water. The plain water is used to wash you mitt in between panels, that way you are not putting the dust and grit you just washed off into you clean soapy bucket.

That way when you get to the bottom of your soapy bucket it doesn’t look like you just washed your car with a bucket of dirty dish water.

Will def do the 2 bucket thing from now on, but wouldn't the micro fibre become to wet fairly quickly ??

[Something_Wrong]

i use two, first one for the initial wipe over then another for a final they absord heaps, i use to use cloth nappies as they were extra soft and soaked up lots of water but the microfiber is cheaper

[Rufys]

Nothing anyone says they do to their car will compare with this guy!

VxrMarc's 3 Month Nurburgring Detail... from Detailing World

This guy's detail took him 3 months to finish! LOL!!!

I have to admit though, I do cringe when I hear people say things like "sponge", "soap", "chamois" or when buying a new car "paint protection". Sad.

[Rufys]

Here's another insane detail... Although he does only use one bucket, which is a tad "beginnerish" to say the least. But the wax he uses is decent lol!

[DAKSTER]

I dont wash my car.

[DAKSTER]

Nothing anyone says they do to their car will compare with this guy!

VxrMarc's 3 Month Nurburgring Detail... from Detailing World

This guy's detail took him 3 months to finish! LOL!!!

I have to admit though, I do cringe when I hear people say things like "sponge", "soap", "chamois" or when buying a new car "paint protection". Sad.

OMG this guy is freaking insane !! A brand new car and all that time.. and its just an Astra?

[Rufys]

"Just an Astra" ??? Hahaha! Those were actually sold as HSVs in Australia and they're a bloody awesome little car!

[Rufys]

Some more detailing insanity...

vxr astra and zymol royale - 56k xxx warning... - Detailing World

[Rufys]

And the ultimate in detailing insanity...

Dyson Detail... from Detailing World

And no, "Dyson" isn't a metaphor. He detailed a friggin vacuum cleaner!!! lol!!!

[Bill44]

Will def do the 2 bucket thing from now on, but wouldn't the micro fibre become to wet fairly quickly ??

I blow most of the water off with compressed air, then microfibre towel it. Towel hardly gets damp.

[ryno_vrx]

damn the most i do i spray truck wash on when its starting to rain

[Troy711]

When Summernats time comes around my car gets a 2 day detail. It's called that because it takes me 2 days to do it.

My process goes like so:

Wash (including rinse and dry)
Spot clean with bug and tar remover
Rinse and dry
Clay bar (inch by inch)
Rinse and dry
Polish
Rinse and dry
Quick polish
Remove wheels and wash
Clay bar and polish spokes
Metal polish on lip
Wash, dry and refit
Glass polish
Metal polish on chrome trim and grille
Vacuum inside
Wipe down all plastic surfaces
Cleaner on all plastic
Leather conditioner
Final wash and spray with quick detailed

All while drinking beer so I don't go insane with boredom.

[Rufys]

When do you wax it? With all that washing and polishing, you're going to need something to protect your (very bare) clear coat.

[Troy711]

Never actually used wax, I just polish. If someone can reccomend a good wax (and where I should slot it in) I'm more than happy to take advice.

[Rufys]

SHIIIIIIIT!!!! Polish only when the paint needs to be corrected!!!! I really don't understand why paint without imperfections is getting polished.

Use this... Car Care Products / Dodo Juice / Exterior / Wax - Premium / Supernatural Wax

or this... Car Care Products / Dodo Juice / Exterior / Wax - Premium / Hard Candy if Supernatural is too expensive for you.

But make sure the paint is well prepped.

Basic steps to follow without being fanatical.

1. Pre-wash soak (preferably with a foaming product).
2. Wash (two bucket method using pH neautral car wash).
2a. If you must, spot clean with bug/tar remover but remember you will have to re-wash afterwards to remove the product you used. This step shouldn't be necessary after step 1 and 2.
3. Clay bar.
4. Paint correction ONLY IF REQUIRED. Swirl remover or if a lot of correction is needed, polish.
5. If you did step 4, rewash (two bucket method using pH neautral car wash).
6. Paint cleansing (using something like Dodo Juice Lime Prime (or Lime Prime Lite)
7. WAX. I'd be applying two coats a day apart initially.

8. Step 2 & 7 (one coat) after 6 months. Repeat entire process once a year.

9. Step 2 can be repeated once a week if necessary and the wax will still last up to about 6 months (provided you're using a pH neautral washing product)

Remember, NEVER in sunlight and preferably in cooler weather. I've done a preparation for Summernats an hour a day for two weeks leading up to Summernats when I had an old classic I entered once. Only an hour a day from 5am until 6am when there's no direct sunlight and it's cool. Otherwise, it's best to do the big details in Winter when it's overcast.

[Troy711]

Might go and buy some Autoglym HD wax tomorrow. I like their products. The paint probably does need correcting, it's pretty bloody horrible at the moment but I'll reassess it after I clay bar it.

[GKW]

Can't fault ya passion Scream and for that matter others here that use much the same process (or more) when it comes to cleaning and detailing their rides. Some weekends I've been known to do both my cars in such a fashion...which also get's the WTF from the wife. Oh well, atleast the cars are the only other ladies in my life so she can't bag me too much.

I've been known not only to fully detail the engine bay, but also wax any visable paint work in the engine bay, underside of bonnet, door jams, boot channel, rims, wheel arches, the works.

I've been using the two bucket method for a whilst. It's pretty freaky to see how much dirt you actually remove from your car when washing. Refer pic of mit rinse bucket. Car didn't even look that dirty.



As for wax, I've been using a paste wax (apply by hand - yep it gets some strange looks but who gives a #$%@ !) from Victoria Wax. The Concours wax on black cars is amazing after some good prep work on the paint. As for other colour cars, they have similar products. Worth checking out.

Happy detailing all.