Looking for some Car Washing Tips for my Black Calais

[ShinWow]

which is covered in thick fluffy microfiber.

Ya, that makes all the difference. As long as its a soft/fluffy surface, you're good to go.

 

[AngeloVf]

Thanks for everyones advice, last question ill ask is, is it absolutely necessary to polish before waxing the car or can i just wash the car, dry and then apply the polish? will this damage/hinder the car at all? i know i sound like an idiot with my questions but I'm new to this and want to make sure i do everything right

 

[panhead]

ed

Thanks for everyones advice, last question ill ask is, is it absolutely necessary to polish before waxing the car or can i just wash the car, dry and then apply the polish? will this damage/hinder the car at all? i know i sound like an idiot with my questions but I'm new to this and want to make sure i do everything right

Polish is abrasive and it's what shines the surface where wax is just a protective layer.

You can wax a car to add protection without polishing it but you won't get the added shine like you would if you polished beforehand.

I would suggest next time you wash the car and while it's still wet, place your hand in a plastic bag and gently run your fingers over the bodywork, this will give you a good indication of how much contaminants are stuck to the paintwork, the plastic bag highlights the roughness of the surface.

If it's bad I would wait for a day where I had time to clay and polish before the wax, if it feels smooth then apply the wax.

The wax depending on the quality and if the vehicle sits outside all day and how often it is washed will start to wear off after a few weeks on a daily driver so it doesn't hurt to keep adding protection.


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[panhead]

If anyone knows of a similar quality mitt that is soft on both sides with no straps or cuffs, please let me know!

I machine polish my cars myself when they need it so I'm always on the look out for swirls and taking care to avoid them and I've been using one of these for the last 5 years and it works well, I find it has a far better feel than the wool mitts I've used years ago.

https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/mint/mircofibre_deluxe_wash_mitt


I also have one of these noodle mitts but find the deluxe mitt above is easier to use and does just as good a job at protecting the finish on the bodywork.

https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/mint/micro_noodle_wash_mitt


I'm going to give one of these a try next time I'm ordering products.

https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/mint/uber_wash_mitt


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[RED LION]

Just gave mine a wash, polish and wax. A good way to spend 3 hours!

Used all Dodo Juice stuff for the first time and I'm pretty impressed. Especially with the Black Widow (for black cars) wax.

 

[VS 5.0]

I'm going to give one of these a try next time I'm ordering products.

https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/mint/uber_wash_mitt

I use one of those....great gear.

 

[RED LION]

I use one of those....great gear.

Yep same. Not bad at all.

 

[VS_Pete]

Might get me one of them.

 

[BigPilot]

The two bucket method is absolutely necessary to prevent swirling. A grit guard is also a fantastic investment in your two bucket washing technique.

To make sure that you don't have swirling, just simply place the towel on the surface, and lift. I'm getting a great result using the Concours microfibre towel. Just place it down on the car, lift off and wring out. For those who don't think it does as good a job as a chamois, make sure that you don't use fabric softener and run it through the drier to make sure the fibres separate and retain absorbency.

Where do you store your car? Outside, inside? This will make a difference as to what levels of protection you should use. Carnauba waxes when stored outside will wear off quickly and don't retain the same protection as a synthetic. However they have a deep wet look which looks that to my eye that can't be replicated by synthetics. There are also different types of synthetics, such as acrylic (e.g. Klasse), or you can get ceramic coats like Opticoat, or CarPro. But regardless of what you chose, preparation is key. I store outside and my routine is:

- 2 bucket wash method, with grit guard - I use CarPro hydrofoam. (I honestly don't notice much of a difference between this and something like Meguiars gold class wash). Just make sure you have lots of suds to provide lubrication between the mit and the surface.
- towel dry with concours microfibre towel
- clay bar and lubricant (have tried mothers, meguiars, bowdens, but nothing comes close to the Clay Magic bar and lubricant)
- Klasse all in one cleaner
- Klasse liquid sealant (~5 coats)
- Auto Finesse desire as a last stage for that really wet look
- polish angel honey for the tyres (best product I've used for tyres)
- concours snow for wheel cleaner
- polish angel snowcake interior protectant.
use Klasse all in one cleaner, then finish with several coats of Klasse liquid sealant. Polish Angel, Wolfgang are also excellent.

 

[tml678]

I don't use any cloths/chamois' etc at all.

I invested in one of these mini blowers from Makita, Its only about 50cm long and does an awesome job of touch-free drying:

https://www.totaltools.com.au/95985...MIxIyrwdbe2gIVSXRgCh1ETALmEAQYBiABEgJtovD_BwE