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Cleaning products and routine for Model 3

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I'll hopefully be getting my Model 3 soon, and as it will be the first new car I buy, I'm wanting to take a bit more care of it, and make sure I'm cleaning it properly. I'm wondering what cleaning products people have been using on their cars, and what regularity they clean.

There's likely discussions about this in US and other sections, but I'd like to know about products available in Australia and Australian conditions.
 
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Firstly, buy the products now and practice on your existing car, so you can make mistakes and not worry about it plus your old car will be ready for resale. I have bought a lot of things from Car Detailing & Cleaning Supplies | Car Care Products Australia
I’ve used a lot of different products but find most of them are now Autoglym. I find that they are effective but not caustic to me and the car. I have invested in two buckets with grit guards but will only use a two bucket wash if the car is really dirty. I have also invested in a pressure washer and foam gun. Learn to use the pressure washer on the old car and back off when you can hear it echo off the bodywork because at that point you’re too close.
My technique when the car is not too dirty is to rinse with the PW then lay down a layer of snow foam, then use a clean sponge or applicator To agitate the foam, rinsing frequently in the rinse bucket with grit guard.
 
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Optimum No Rinse (zas.com.au or Amazon), a bunch of microfibers (search for techniques using them), and the Gyeon Silk towels from Car Care - they're truly amazing.

if you're not going to get a ceramic coat, use something like Turtle Seal and Shine every few months to make cleaning it easier.
 
Firstly, buy the products now and practice on your existing car, so you can make mistakes and not worry about it plus your old car will be ready for resale. I have bought a lot of things from Car Detailing & Cleaning Supplies | Car Care Products Australia
I’ve used a lot of different products but find most of them are now Autoglym. I find that they are effective but not caustic to me and the car. I have invested in two buckets with grit guards but will only use a two bucket wash if the car is really dirty. I have also invested in a pressure washer and foam gun. Learn to use the pressure washer on the old car and back off when you can hear it echo off the bodywork because at that point you’re too close.
My technique when the car is not too dirty is to rinse with the PW then lay down a layer of snow foam, then use a clean sponge or applicator To agitate the foam, rinsing frequently in the rinse bucket with grit guard.

The old car is a 2001 Toyota Seca - While there's probably not much harm I could do to it, there's probably a limit to how clean I can get it.

What pressure do you use the pressure washer at? The stories of Model 3 paint coming of under pressure wash have me concerned about accidentally doing it when being careless. Those grid gards are also a great idea, they would be useful for a lot of cleaning.

Optimum No Rinse (zas.com.au or Amazon), a bunch of microfibers (search for techniques using them), and the Gyeon Silk towels from Car Care - they're truly amazing.

if you're not going to get a ceramic coat, use something like Turtle Seal and Shine every few months to make cleaning it easier.
Definitely going for the ceramic coating. The price compared to the benefits felt like a no brainer.
 
I wash my performance twice a week using my all-you-can-wash membership at the local touch less car wash. Works for me, sometimes I think people are too precious with their cars.

For the inside I use a swiffer to dust, and aerospace 308 from the local super cheap auto. Baby wipes (unscented) from the local ALDI.
 
The old car is a 2001 Toyota Seca - While there's probably not much harm I could do to it, there's probably a limit to how clean I can get it.

What pressure do you use the pressure washer at? The stories of Model 3 paint coming of under pressure wash have me concerned about accidentally doing it when being careless. Those grid gards are also a great idea, they would be useful for a lot of cleaning.

It’s just a base model Gerni, as you don’t want too much pressure for regular car cleaning. I think it’s rated at about 1500Psi. It has two tips for the gun and I use the fan tip that is less aggressive than the concentrated stream tip. I have been washing my Model S for nearly 5 years without any ill effects.
 
The old car is a 2001 Toyota Seca - While there's probably not much harm I could do to it, there's probably a limit to how clean I can get it.

What pressure do you use the pressure washer at? The stories of Model 3 paint coming of under pressure wash have me concerned about accidentally doing it when being careless. Those grid gards are also a great idea, they would be useful for a lot of cleaning.


Definitely going for the ceramic coating. The price compared to the benefits felt like a no brainer.

In that case give the Optimum No Rinse + microfiber method a go. Especially with a high quality drying towel (really, get Gyeon Silk is remarkable) it will take very little time to wash and dry. The only time I bother with anything more is if I want to clean wheels or wheel arches after really bad weather or a very long drive.

So much less hassle than a hose, multiple buckets or a pressure washer.

Of course, everyone think their approach works best :)
 
+1 for the rinse free + microfiber method.

My entire car care kit consists of the following:
Optimum No Rinse Car Wash (any rinse free wash will do)
Turtle Wax: Wax & Dry or Meguiar’s Quik Wax
Meguiar’s Endurance Tyre Shine Gel
Hair conditioner (mix with water in spray bottle to make wheel pre-soak)
2 x trigger spray bottles - pre soak / wheel pre-soak
OMO 7kg washing powder tub - bucket / storage
8 x Kirkland microfiber cloths (Costco) - 6 - washing / 2 - wheels/tyres
1/2 Denali microfiber towel (Anaconda) - drying

It all fits in a single tub in the boot and you can wash anywhere without needing a hose or wet area, just somewhere to put water into the tub. Takes about 20 minutes. If the car is ceramic coated it is significantly easier to clean.
Following this procedure -
(To be clear, nothing ever goes back into that bucket of water once it comes out)
 
My ‘passionate about his job’ ceramic coating applicator convinced me that everything maguiars/ retail shop is electrostatic which is deliberate to cause you to clean your car more often and therefore need more product.
He changed me to the following, and its revolutionalised car cleaning for me. I get my tesla from dirty to spotless in well under 20 minutes.

ceramic coating is fundamental;
Two buckets with grit guards
Poorboys world wheel cleaner - never scrub your wheel rims ever again. Its fairly toxic so not for those with faint noses. But seriously, no scrubbing required! Just hose it off 10 minutes after spraying on. Doesnt harm tyres or body paint.
Optibond tire gel for a deep matt lustre. Makes the tyres look racecar ‘soft’ after a few applications. Lasts 9 months....maybe 1 year.
Wash car with a 50-50 mix of scholl shampol and optimum no rinse wash & shine. Hose off lower section only.
Dry with a concours supercell drying towel. This is new and absolutely incredible. Not sure where the water goes! Its mindblowingly good. Single wipe and bodywork is dry. No more wiping any part more than once.
Windows and body touchup (if required) with carpro eraser.
I use cheap microfibres from bunnings for the underskirts etc, and chuck them at the end. They dont go anywhere near the bodywork though.
No bodywork aftersprays are used, so nothing sticky on the car to attract dust.
 
In that case give the Optimum No Rinse + microfiber method a go. Especially with a high quality drying towel (really, get Gyeon Silk is remarkable) it will take very little time to wash and dry. The only time I bother with anything more is if I want to clean wheels or wheel arches after really bad weather or a very long drive.

So much less hassle than a hose, multiple buckets or a pressure washer.

Of course, everyone think their approach works best :)
You dont have a black car! Not using water first to remove dirt guarantees scratches in a black car
 
Once you have checked all the paint work including door surrounds and it's been repaired by Tesla apply film to both bottom sills and a small part of the rear wheel exterior to stop stone chips and this should cost no more than $500. Then go for ceramic coating and once again this should be $500.