What you used to use / What do you use now?

[Ricky Bobby]

I figured this would be a great thread idea to start, after 12+ years of cleaning my cars, how far I have come in terms of how I wash, polish, wax, etc, and the products I used to use on my cars. With all the premium car care advertising going on, and as a customer of Detailer's Domain for a few years now, I really appreciate how well put together car care products have come to be.

For example, I used to wash my car with this soap + sponge as a poor high school kid:






Over the years I tried the chenille wash mitts and microfiber mitts and stepped up to the Gold Class soap from Meguiars, however, now I use these two things for washing:



I'll update with some other things later on if this thread takes off, thought it might be a cool place to share what we use nowadays and look back on the old days before we were clean car freaks!

[kungpao]

HAHA.. i'm finishing out my bottle of that soap! Adams was on my list. Still use a microfiber mitt.


Looking forward to using my nanoskin autoscrub that just got delivered the other day! My wife's e90 is in DESPERATE need of nano/polish/wax.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by kungpao

HAHA.. i'm finishing out my bottle of that soap! Adams was on my list. Still use a microfiber mitt.


Looking forward to using my nanoskin autoscrub that just got delivered the other day! My wife's e90 is in DESPERATE need of nano/polish/wax.

hey kp! The microfiber mitts are good, I actually only use the wool mitt on the top half of the car, the lower half I use either a microfiber mitt or uber wash sponge since the bottom tends to get dirtier anyway.

If you need tips on the autoscrub let me know! I absolutely LOVE IT! It literally makes the claying time 1/4 of what you used to do.

When I did mine and my wifes Rav4, I just went over really good with the washing, then kept the car wet and broke out the machine in the driveway, LUBE THE SHIT OUT OF THE CAR with detail spray, keep your PC on speed 1, and go to town on the glass first (yes lube the glass too), then when you're finished with the glass, LUBE THE PAINTED PANELS SOME MORE and spritz the pad then I'm telling you just glide it over the surface with fingertip pressure just to hold the machine, don't press down, it should be just gliding over the surface.

When you're done just rinse the whole car down, and dry the car as normal and go on with your compounding/polishing routine.

Let me know how you do I love that autoscrub! I'm sure you will get results for your wife's E90 (our wives cars always seem to get dirtier than ours don't they?)

[kungpao]

Aint that the truth!!

[TwinTurboGTR]

Hmmmm, lets see. My detailing has come quite a WAYS from then to now.

I've loved cars since I came out of my mothers womb. When I washed my parents car when I was a weeeeee kid. I used Palmolive Green soap and a sponge.

In 94 when my parents got the all new Nissan Pathfinder... I was obsessed with the SUV. I remember looking at the Info Catalogue and this distinct picture sticks out; it was a Ultra Red SE-V6 model crunching through the snow. It looked so bad ass.

Anyways, when my parents let me touch that car and wash it, I used Turtle Wax Wax and Wash soap and a sponge. If I was in a pinch, I used Tide. haha When I would wax it, I used Turtle Wax Paste cheesecloth and a terry cloth towel. I Armoralled the crap out of everything, windexed everything and used No-Touch Tire foam spray to give the tires that nice shiny look. Going back, the truck looked good! From afar. Up close, swirl galore on the thing. Now from 94 to 2004, I waxed and washed that truck damn near every weekend. Towards the end, I noticed after waxing, it would be murder to get the wax off. Once I did strip it, I noticed the paint would look uneven. Some sections looked like it was wet and some looked like nothing. Like very blotchy.

But now... I have graduated from the past. I've discovered detailing is an art and a science. I discovered clay is used for more than making funny male anatomy shapes to act like a total jackass. I discovered microfiber is far superior to that of cotton terry cloth. And that under no circumstance do you use Tide to wash your whip.

I use stuff that you can't buy at a Shoprite or super market. Nor can it be found at an Autozone or Advance Auto. Stuff I use is those I've learned to use on forums such as this. As some can see from the post I made earlier, I am pretty good at it now. But am always learning more.

[X5SND]

I typically use more commercial/industrial oriented products (they tend to work much faster). For the last 6 or 7 years now for washing the X I've been using a Hotsy Ep series washer, Hotsy foam cannon with hotsy power shine plus for soap. Water temp set at ~125-130*F, theres no scrubbing involved...simply foam it down and wash it off and let the drying agents do the rest. All I do is wipe the glass and wheels.

[pap smear]

Wow I remember when I used to use dish washing liquid or even laundry detergent and toilet bowl cleaner on my wheels

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by X5SND

I typically use more commercial/industrial oriented products (they tend to work much faster). For the last 6 or 7 years now for washing the X I've been using a Hotsy Ep series washer, Hotsy foam cannon with hotsy power shine plus for soap. Water temp set at ~125-130*F, theres no scrubbing involved...simply foam it down and wash it off and let the drying agents do the rest. All I do is wipe the glass and wheels.

where does the mass market purchase such product S?

Sounds like "Mr. Clean Autodry" for the enthusiast

[X5SND]

^^Pretty much...just without a fancy name. I don't know if Hotsy sells through channels outside their dealers. Here at least, the only place to get their equipment is at the 1 and only Hotsy shop in the city.

I will warn you that the gear is pretty pricey. The washer was ~$1500 (btw, it's 220v), foam cannon another $200. A 5 gal. pail of PS+ runs about $90 and if you consider the 100-150:1 'recommended' dilution ratio, IMO isn't bad value. I mix the soap ~5:1 in the soap container where the foam cannon reduces that even further (it has a 2.5 gpm throughput, and to wash the X, would maybe use 1/3 of a gallon jug of the 5:1 soap mix for a heavy soaping... I dont feel like doing the maths on that! lol) A pail usually lasts me about a year --- 3 vehicles, and the X will sometimes get washed 2-3 times a week.

The pump itself, being significantly more robust than what you would find in your average consumer model, can handle 'warm' water (I say 'warm' because even though at 140F you can burn yourself, it's nowhere near the hot water washers that go to 250F and beyond), which is probably why it cleans so well. As per the local hotsy rep, Despite being a 'cold water' washer, you can run water up to 140F if you're careful. I've been doing about 125F consistently since I got the thing, and haven't had an issue yet.

Im not sure what effect (if any) using the hotsy detergents outside their gear would have on the cleaning abilities, but you could always visit the dealer for more info.

Hope this helps!

[LeMansX5]

I use Meguiars Gold class and had been using it for 10+ years. Always buy the big gallon from Costco. Last time I paid $5 as it was last item.
Sonax for wheels and a microfiber mitt.