Car Cleaning Tips

[SUODRAXAH]

Idk if this thread is gonna take off.... but i thought that it would be cool for everyone to just share a little tip or trick they use for washing/drying the outside or detailing the inside of their truck. Dont post about what brands or companies to use..... just general tips.

Ok so ill go first (sry i already posted this tip in a diff thread but its the only thing i can think of right now :frown: )

For drying your truck, use an air compressor or leaf blower (backpack kind) to get out the water from inside the mirrors and stuff so it wont run down later and ruin the rest of the dry truck

 

[Deviant]

Use a good wash mitt (cotton chenille, sheep skin, etc) for washing. Have one bucket for wash, and another to rinse your mitt, esp if the truck is heavily soiled. Use back and forth motions while washing, this way it will reduce swirling if theres anything stuck in your mitt.

For drying either use a microfiber drying towel or shammy. Try and stay away from those water blades. Although they work, if you catch something like a grain of dirt, then it will drag down your paint and scratch/micro mar you finish.

Theres more but those are some of the basics =)

 

[Helimx]

i really like using fabric softeners to keep my interior smelling "clean".

i throw a few under the seats, and one or two in the garage door opener compartment.

it keeps a nice smell, absorbs most "fast food" type smells, and isnt to pungent that it smell like a french who*e :top:

also, those with the black rim mod, i use meguiars tire shine on a rag, kinda wipe the black rim down, and it repels dust,and grime reaallly well. just dont spray it on, by the time it wears off, you'll probably need to do a small touch up on your rims anyway. but, if you have to do a touch up and it's still on, clean it off well, cuz the paint wont stick. :driver:

 

[X-Rizzo]

After I'm about to rinse the truck off for the last time before I dry, I remove the gun nozzle and just use the regular hose tip to create a "sheet" of water that just runs down the truck and doesn't leave any water drops that will turn into water spots. It saves a lot of time when drying and reduces the chance of ugly water spots.

 

[morcheez]

if u have a bsp just wash it at night...any other time sux hah..and i think i might try that fabric softner idea ..smells good to me

 

[Helimx]

if u have a bsp just wash it at night...any other time sux hah..and i think i might try that fabric softner idea ..smells good to me

had a small detailing business in high school. had a friend of my dads that details at a ferrari dealership, and that's a trick he taught me. :top: kinda works like baking soda too! u just gotta replace em about once a month or so.

 

[hiflyer]

I use these in my truck
http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&p=44896&cat=2,42194,40727

they work without adding any smells or chemicals (i'm pretty intolerant)

helps keep the funk out

for washing, i'm all about a horsehair brush. just don't scrub too hard - no need to. debris doesn't get lodged in a horsehair brush like mitts...

just my thoughts

 

[07XR808]

I use these to dry my truck:

Pakshak's WW MF towels

http://www.pakshak.com/

 

[azjimi]

For drying your truck, use an air compressor or leaf blower (backpack kind) to get out the water from inside the mirrors and stuff so it wont run down later and ruin the rest of the dry truck

Before I dry mine, I drive it around the block & this does the same thing.

 

[07XR808]

Before I dry mine, I drive it around the block & this does the same thing.

yeah i do that too, but sometimes water still drips down. so i just come back 8 hours later and wipe it down again

 

[Stevenredx]

Before I dry mine, I drive it around the block & this does the same thing.

Im not sure thats the best thing to do.. you collect dirt in all of the water thats left on the truck and then when you wipe it off your running the risk of scratching the paint :hmmmm2:

 

[808skittles]

Im not sure thats the best thing to do.. you collect dirt in all of the water thats left on the truck and then when you wipe it off your running the risk of scratching the paint :hmmmm2:

true that

best thing i do ....

wash it... i use NXT soap, and a microfiber
shoot it with a electric leaf blower... works wonders for getting water out emblems, mirrors, doors , under headlight etc...
hand dry it

polish with NXT polish

wahlah!
well when i do rims i do inside the rim too to keep that mfoooker clean...

after that, pop the doors, wipe down inside doors... and under the hood, and in the tailgate ness and gasdoooooor

thats all =D

electric leaf blower goes onsale at sears once in a while for like 30 bux

good investment because it gets those stupid drips

 

[SUODRAXAH]

If you wax/clay/polish your truck after its dry the water marks come right off too. another air compressor trick for the inside is to use it to blow all the stuff that gets down the sides of the seats (and any other hard to reach place) out onto the main part of the floor so its easy to vacuum up.

 

[Alexrunner]

are there any clay bars out there that work better than others? Ive never used them before and want to try it out.

 

[Hanjob]

as far as that california blade tip goes and the drit scratching your paint. I always rinse the blade to make sure, but the "absorber" towel thing is really good at picking up water and to prevent drips you can also open your doors and clean the door sills.

 

[5H4D0WD347H]

The california water blades scratch paint!? I use one...

 

[Stevenredx]

The california water blades scratch paint!? I use one...

I had never used one until a couple of washes ago. I only tried it in a couple of spots and noticed that it was leaving small surface scratches so i chunked in the trash. Someone earlier posted about sears having pretty good prices on some electric leaf blowers. Got one for 29.99, best $30 i have spent in a long time :top:

 

[Hawkeye]

This tip works especially well on BSP as it shows swirls a lot easier... for better optical clarity, when washing/polishing/waxing/anything really, on all horizontal surfaces (hood, roof, tonneau), use a front to back washing or polishing motion.

For vertical surfaces (sides of truck) use an up and down motion. You won't get the "swirl" marks, and when polished real well it will reflect light different than the normal "swirling" technique.

 

[X-Rizzo]

I don't bother with the blades or leaf blowers...I just try and sheet the majority of water off the last time I rinse the truck. Then I just use multiple towels when I dry, usually one to pick up what's left of the water and the other to thoroughly dry the area. Since I've used this technique, I've noticed I have absolutely no swirl marks.

 

[FoxDavis]

This tip works especially well on BSP as it shows swirls a lot easier... for better optical clarity, when washing/polishing/waxing/anything really, on all horizontal surfaces (hood, roof, tonneau), use a front to back washing or polishing motion.

For vertical surfaces (sides of truck) use an up and down motion. You won't get the "swirl" marks, and when polished real well it will reflect light different than the normal "swirling" technique.

What about what Mr. Miyagi was teaching.........Wax on Wax off.....The Karate kid made those cars look really good and if he got and sh!t from anyone, he would just block (swirling motion) and punch them in the mouth!:laugh: