Need to get washing

[bluenose1940]

It has been a while since I found the time to wash my car.  I'm not keen on taking it to the car wash.

I thought about doing it today but it was too warm in the sunshine.  Whilst I was contemplating the idea, I happened to run my hand over the bodywork and blimey, it felt just like a sheet of sandpaper.

I've never done it before but, I'm going to have to have a stab at claying it in order to get it something like.  Any recommendations for which clay to use?

I'm also seeking a recommendation for what you keen detailers use by way of a brush for getting round the hinges  and suchlike on the tailgate area.  I was in Halfords today but couldn't see anything that might fit the bill.

Many thanks.

 

[J Henderson]

I don't think Halfords stock any, but do a search on eBay or amazon for "soft detailing brush". They're ideal for cleaning those sort of areas, as well as badges, grilles etc.

To get the paintwork nice and smooth again, you could use a traditional clay bar and spray lubricant. Halfords offer a few of these in bundle packs. Much easier though, and way quicker, IMO, is to use a clay mitt like the Farecia G3 one.

 

[Guest]

Before you clay it use fall out remover and a higher pH soap. A lot pH neutral soap designed for weekly washes won't do the job on this kind of work.

Claying is easy but time consuming. Might need a Polish after then seal it.

You're looking at a 6 hour stretch to do properly.

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[rayaans]

I've been a massive fan of DetailedOnline products really - very effective and good value for money. 

The main things you need are tar remover, fallout remover and claybar - you may or may not need lube depending on the product. I use Bilt Hamber medium clay with water.

Tar remover - only do one panel at a time, leave to dwell for 1-2 minutes and wipe with microfibre, then rinse off. It also bleaches plastic so be careful.

[i-s]

I found the the clay mitt, although very quick and easy to use compared to regular clay, can very quickly give significant marring. I'd recommend Bilt Hamber clay also. 

[J Henderson]

Agreed, I remember using that mitt on my sister's black BMW once and it looked horrific afterwards, but I don't think I would bother claying a car unless I'd be polishing it afterwards.

[First_Lexus]

13 hours ago, rayaans said:

I've been a massive fan of DetailedOnline products really - very effective and good value for money. 

The main things you need are tar remover, fallout remover and claybar - you may or may not need lube depending on the product. I use Bilt Hamber medium clay with water.

Tar remover - only do one panel at a time, leave to dwell for 1-2 minutes and wipe with microfibre, then rinse off. It also bleaches plastic so be careful.

Another Bilt-Hamber clay fan here. 

I use CarPro TRIX as a fallout and tar remover and it works very well. I've never needed to use a separate tar remover after using TRIX as part of my wash routine (snow foam, rinse, TRIX, rinse, mitt wash, rinse, occasionally use Gyeon Wet Coat through the Winter months, dry, protect).

[i-s]

I recently decontaminated my white nissan Leaf (which has the most peculiarly "sticky" paint - even with sealant and wax on, stuff sticks to it in ways that I've not had with any other car - I guess because it's a flat colour, and not a metallic with clearcoat). I was wishing for Trix, because working it over with sonax flugrostentferner and AG tar remover was somewhat tedious. I think Trix sounds like a great product and when I need some new product for this that's what I'll get. 

@J Henderson definitely agree. clay ONLY precedes polish. If you're not going to to polish, do not clay. 

[rayaans]

11 minutes ago, i-s said:

I recently decontaminated my white nissan Leaf (which has the most peculiarly "sticky" paint - even with sealant and wax on, stuff sticks to it in ways that I've not had with any other car - I guess because it's a flat colour, and not a metallic with clearcoat). I was wishing for Trix, because working it over with sonax flugrostentferner and AG tar remover was somewhat tedious. I think Trix sounds like a great product and when I need some new product for this that's what I'll get. 

@J Henderson definitely agree. Clay ONLY precedes polish. If you're not going to to polish, do not clay. 

The AG tar remover is quite poor, especially the bottle top - takes too long to work as its designed for the consumer market i.e. needs to be idiot proof and not stain plastics etc. 

A more potent tar remover like Powermaxed Tar off is probably what you need as tar literally runs off the panel

[bluenose1940]

Thanks for the input chaps. Mention was made earlier of a soap with higher ph content, is there a particular brand that is recommended.  I've never even thought about the ph content of the soap when washing my car.  In fact I'm guilty of using Fairy Liquid before I owned my first Lexus!!

I think that I must study this subject a little more

[rayaans]

15 minutes ago, bluenose1940 said:

Thanks for the input chaps. Mention was made earlier of a soap with higher ph content, is there a particular brand that is recommended.  I've never even thought about the ph content of the soap when washing my car.  In fact I'm guilty of using Fairy Liquid before I owned my first Lexus!!

I think that I must study this subject a little more

I wouldn't worry about it tbh. Just use the shampoo you're using currently

[i-s]

rayaans - thanks for the recommend. The AG has been hanging around for a few years (in fact, I've two partly used bottles of different ages - the older one is much more effective, so I think it got toned down over the years). I wouldn't buy it again, just what I'm using up. 

Washing up liquid can actually be a good "shampoo" under certain circumstances. The problem with it is that it will strip off any wax/etc that you currently have on the car - not what you want for a weekly wash, but if you're about to decontaminate/clay/polish then it's actually pretty ideal from that point of view! Use it as a "strip off and start again" shampoo, but not as a regular. 

[rayaans]

17 minutes ago, i-s said:

rayaans - thanks for the recommend. The AG has been hanging around for a few years (in fact, I've two partly used bottles of different ages - the older one is much more effective, so I think it got toned down over the years). I wouldn't buy it again, just what I'm using up. 

Washing up liquid can actually be a good "shampoo" under certain circumstances. The problem with it is that it will strip off any wax/etc that you currently have on the car - not what you want for a weekly wash, but if you're about to decontaminate/clay/polish then it's actually pretty ideal from that point of view! Use it as a "strip off and start again" shampoo, but not as a regular. 

I don't worry about fairy liquid on paint. It's the rubber and plastics it tends to dry out. 

[i-s]

Fair point, although if I were doing a deep clean like that then I'd be feeding those too. 

[First_Lexus]

Where I used to live, the authorities raided a (quite well used) hand car wash. Aside from the reporting in the local press about abuses of employees there - paid below minimum wage, no pension provision, unpaid NI etc, the usual stuff - it was also reported that they'd been using (wait for it) industrial concrete cleaner to 'valet' the cars... 😳😳😳

[Guest]

Bet you £5 your clay bar goes a horrible brown real quick if you don't use a stronger wash.

Worth noting fall out remover doesn't remove that much - it sort of loosens it ready for clay. On it's own it goes purple and makes you feel better but it's only dissolving the rust not the metal flake that remains. 

I use ph neutral all year round and stronger maybe once or a twice per year as a reset. 

You may also want to research a proper decent paint cleanser - how deep do you want to go?

 

Once done it's much easier to keep nice but this first one will be a tough job.

 

There's a lot of BS in detailing to sell you stuff you don't need - but there are also some excellent products. 

 

 

[i-s]

7 minutes ago, First_Lexus said:

Where I used to live, the authorities raided a (quite well used) hand car wash. Aside from the reporting in the local press about abuses of employees there - paid below minimum wage, no pension provision, unpaid NI etc, the usual stuff - it was also reported that they'd been using (wait for it) industrial concrete cleaner to 'valet' the cars... 😳😳😳

Yup - brick acid on the wheels. Takes everything off them (including the paint). 

[rayaans]

The brown stuff on clay is usually tar deposits. Tar remover will remove all of that if used properly so the clay should theoretically be clean which for me it usually is. 

I've never needed to use a stronger wash. Shouldn't really need to in any circumstance in my opinion unless you're working on maybe a 10-15 year old car

[Guest]

1 minute ago, rayaans said:

Tar remover

So you don't think tar remover is a stronger cleaner than ph neutral soap? You're doing exact same procedure with slightly different product. Same/similar result. 

I only use tar remover very locally - funnily enough - where I can see tar spots 

Are you using like a TFR?

[rayaans]

16 minutes ago, Comedian said:

So you don't think tar remover is a stronger cleaner than ph neutral soap? You're doing exact same procedure with slightly different product. Same/similar result. 

I only use tar remover very locally - funnily enough - where I can see tar spots 

Are you using like a TFR?

I dont use tfr. Don't see the point of using a stronger wash when I'm going to use a tar remover anyway? Just means I need more products

And much prefer using tar remover on each panel rather than washing the whole car in a stronger wash affecting the rubbers and plastics etc

[Guest]

Well this is more difficult than it could be.

Use "product x" rather than just pH neutral soap before claying. There's no correct answer only a preference.





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