Fellow car cleaning obsessives...

[Noel83]

Some top tips from today's wash...

1 - Foam and wind isn't the best of combinations, it was a 50:50 blend of on car and on me. Kinda funny tho!!

2 - The wet coat stuff is amazing, applied it for the first time last week and the beading of the water today was crazy.

I figure I'll apply it every few washes.

Car wasn't behaving today, kept locking despite my phone being in my pocket whereas last week it stayed unlocked with the mirrors out the whole time. Not sure of the difference.

Anyways, she's clean again (although wasn't that dirty in fairness) so all good

 

[MrBadger]

2 - The wet coat stuff is amazing, applied it for the first time last week and the beading of the water today was crazy.

I figure I'll apply it every few washes.

What appears to be a similar product by Autoglym (Polar Seal) doesn't recommend using more than every month or so. So for us, probably every wash!

I really like the way when I apply the Polar Seal, you see it repelling itself when you apply it (via snow foam lance)

 

[Radders]

Ref the comment about the house windows,does that mean I could just blast the windows with the jet wash, leave them to dry and job done?! I’m sold if that’s the case!!

That's the idea, although I have also just got myself a water fed brush on a 3m pole so can get to the topf floor.

 

[markharro]

I am still slightly bemused that it appears that not a single Tesla owner has responded to a message I posted in this thread about eco-friendly car cleaning products maybe about 3 weeks ago. Anyway, in case there is any interest in reducing the amount of c*&p that we are flushing into our water systems with every car wash here are a few things I have unearthed -

Car shampoo - Concentrated eco friendly car wash from Fragile Earth

Wax - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Wax-Sp...1&keywords=eco+car+wax&qid=1591550370&sr=8-31

Glass cleaner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075D6VLY4/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_2_dp

Leather cleaner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wheelers-R...ywords=eco+car+shampoo&qid=1591551213&sr=8-23

Snow foam - Buy 26JPN Snow Foam 500ml, 1000ml - Detailed Clean

 

[stonecoldrmw]

I am still slightly bemused that it appears that not a single Tesla owner has responded to a message I posted in this thread about eco-friendly car cleaning products maybe about 3 weeks ago. Anyway, in case there is any interest in reducing the amount of c*&p that we are flushing into our water systems with every car wash here are a few things I have unearthed -

Car shampoo - Concentrated eco friendly car wash from Fragile Earth

Wax - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Wax-Sp...1&keywords=eco+car+wax&qid=1591550370&sr=8-31

Glass cleaner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075D6VLY4/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_2_dp

Leather cleaner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wheelers-R...ywords=eco+car+shampoo&qid=1591551213&sr=8-23

Snow foam - Buy 26JPN Snow Foam 500ml, 1000ml - Detailed Clean

Interested to see how you get on with the car wash and what sort of finish and clean it leaves.

 

[DaveW]

I am still slightly bemused that it appears that not a single Tesla owner has responded to a message I posted in this thread about eco-friendly car cleaning products maybe about 3 weeks ago. Anyway, in case there is any interest in reducing the amount of c*&p that we are flushing into our water systems with every car wash here are a few things I have unearthed -

Car shampoo - Concentrated eco friendly car wash from Fragile Earth

Wax - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Wax-Sp...1&keywords=eco+car+wax&qid=1591550370&sr=8-31

Glass cleaner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075D6VLY4/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_2_dp

Leather cleaner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wheelers-R...ywords=eco+car+shampoo&qid=1591551213&sr=8-23

Snow foam - Buy 26JPN Snow Foam 500ml, 1000ml - Detailed Clean

The Bilt Hamber stuff that will go down the drain looks to be pretty eco friendly, that's just not it's main selling point (the fact that's fantastic to use helps!).

For example
Auto Foam (snow foam): "auto-foam is made with biodegradable compounds, is extraordinarily tough on soil and grime, yet harmless to paint. The non-caustic formulation ensures that even regular use will not attack paint binders. Our hard working surfactants will attack and penetrate the hardest of road dirt and grime, without the need for manual intervention."

Auto Wash (shampoo): "auto-wash is a new technology, highly powerful, environmentally friendly car shampoo, formulated to allow you to effortlessly and effectively clean your paintwork before waxing."

 

[DaveW]

Just had a delivery of "Koch Chemie FSE Finish Spray Exterior Quick Detailer with Limescale Remover"

Hoping this will help me get rid of some very hard to remove water spots I got when my filter needed the resin replacing. They are barely visible until you get the right light conditions, but knowing they are there drives me nuts.

It's either that, or machine polishing and re-apply some kind of sealant. Hopefully it won't come to that!

 

[AnthonyLR]

Just had a delivery of "Koch Chemie FSE Finish Spray Exterior Quick Detailer with Limescale Remover"

Hoping this will help me get rid of some very hard to remove water spots I got when my filter needed the resin replacing. They are barely visible until you get the right light conditions, but knowing they are there drives me nuts.

It's either that, or machine polishing and re-apply some kind of sealant. Hopefully it won't come to that!

I was watching the Obsessed Garage on Youtube and he had the same issue:

 

[Dilly]

Took delivery of Meguiars snow foam kit today. There were no operating instructions so winged it with limited success.
The spray nozzle has two settings which appear to be vertical or horizontal. Horizontal seemed ok. Vertical - dead loss. Am I right, is that all it does?

the control valve on top, I guess increases or decreases what comes out of the spray bottle. I sort of got it right towards the end. Early on it was really watery.
I was using a 5:1 mix.
Anyone used this kit and have any recommendations for settings?

I used the normal outside tap with my Karcher, as I’ve always done. God! I’d forgotten how hard water dries on a dark blue car!
Fortunately, some years ago I put another tap outside with a TMV for the wife to wash the dogs with. That is fully softened warm water. I’ll use that in future.

 

[AnthonyLR]

Took delivery of Meguiars snow foam kit today. There were no operating instructions so winged it with limited success.
The spray nozzle has two settings which appear to be vertical or horizontal. Horizontal seemed ok. Vertical - dead loss. Am I right, is that all it does?

the control valve on top, I guess increases or decreases what comes out of the spray bottle. I sort of got it right towards the end. Early on it was really watery.
I was using a 5:1 mix.
Anyone used this kit and have any recommendations for settings?

I used the normal outside tap with my Karcher, as I’ve always done. God! I’d forgotten how hard water dries on a dark blue car!
Fortunately, some years ago I put another tap outside with a TMV for the wife to wash the dogs with. That is fully softened warm water. I’ll use that in future.

I wonder if the warm water tap will give you enough pressure for your Karcher? I bought a Raceglaze filter for my cold tap.

 

[MrBadger]

A karcher does not need much water pressure. I filled a wheelie bin with bath water during a drought (might need to do same this year!) and dropped in a short feeder hose (I think I may have put a filter on the end) and the karcher worked just fine.

 

[Dilly]

I wonder if the warm water tap will give you enough pressure for your Karcher? I bought a Raceglaze filter for my cold tap.

No worries. Our system is both H & C mains pressure.

 

[DaveW]

I was watching the Obsessed Garage on Youtube and he had the same issue:

Hopefully I won’t need to go to those extremes, it doesn’t look quite as bad as those.

The product I posted about seems to get great reviews / lots of recommendations. Just need some dry weather again

 

[Noel83]

That's the idea, although I have also just got myself a water fed brush on a 3m pole so can get to the topf floor.

@Radders would you mind sharing a link to the pole you’ve got please?

 

[Daniellane]

My preferred methods, supplies & equipment including spot-free deionized water and towel-free (master blaster) drying ...
Tesla Car Wash !!!

 

[DaveW]

If anyone was thinking of trying out Autoglym's new polar blast snow foam, it's currently reduced on Amazon from nearly £17 to £12.52 for Prime members.

Autoglym Polar Blast Snow Foam - 2.5L

 

[stonecoldrmw]

If anyone was thinking of trying out Autoglym's new polar blast snow foam, it's currently reduced on Amazon from nearly £17 to £12.52 for Prime members.

Autoglym Polar Blast Snow Foam - 2.5L

Question - I see this 'snow foam' mentioned a lot. What does it do? What's the purpose?

I realise that's 2 questions

 

[DaveW]

Question - I see this 'snow foam' mentioned a lot. What does it do? What's the purpose?

I realise that's 2 questions

It's the pre-clean, the idea being that you spray it on (with a snow foam lance) it clings to the dirt and dissolves / drips it off the car so that when you start to do the cleaning with your mitt you are reducing the risk of dragging grit on the car and introducing more micro swirls / scratches

I'd put a slightly more detailed version of the above with some product recommendations on the page: Cleaning your Tesla - TeslaEV.co.uk

I've personally found the Bilt Hamber to work the best so far, less foamy, but seems to do a better job

 

[Radders]

@Radders would you mind sharing a link to the pole you’ve got please?

@Noel83
I just went for this on ebay to start with:
3M 9.8FT ALUMINIUM TELESCOPIC WATER FED WINDOW CAR VAN WASH BRUSH EXTENDABLE 7435634077006 | eBay

Thought would see how good it is and how I get on with it, as next step up seems to be the professional ones.

Still waiting for it to be delivered should be here monday next week hopefully.
Will update on quality when It arrives and been tested.

 

[DaveW]

Just noticed on Amazon they also have some other Autoglym products reduced, shame the foam canon isn’t reduced though, that seems to get good reviews;

Polar Seal (Autoglyms version of a spray on ceramic seal, a video was posted earlier in the thread)
Bodywork shampoo (2.5L)