Fellow car cleaning obsessives...

[Li-ionHead]

Some pictures of my car after a week without washing so it's quite dirty and shouldn't be beading like this....

Applied cancoat a few weeks ago and use wet cost as a drying aid.. looks awesome!

 

[Medved_77]

Some pictures of my car after a week without washing so it's quite dirty and shouldn't be beading like this....

Applied cancoat a few weeks ago and use wet cost as a drying aid.. looks awesome!

View attachment 604839 View attachment 604840

That 2nd picture must be the strangest angle I've ever seen of the model 3.

Where's your bonnet gone?

 

[stonecoldrmw]

If we get decent weather tomorrow I will post a pic of my car... needless to say, it hasnt been washed in a long time and is absolutely filthy.

Makes a change to all the gleaming car pics most people post in here.

 

[DaveW]

Had an hour spare this afternoon, quick snow foam, rinse, wash, rinse, filtered rinse and dry (only drying because I wanted to QD it).

Started to go over with the quick detailer, but where it was starting to get colder, the car was getting condensation on it making it a bit pointless

 

[Medved_77]

Had an hour spare this afternoon, quick snow foam, rinse, wash, rinse, filtered rinse and dry (only drying because I wanted to QD it).

Started to go over with the quick detailer, but where it was starting to get colder, the car was getting condensation on it making it a bit pointless

View attachment 610831

Also managed to squeeze in a wash today, however when I say squeeze it did take 3.5 hours.

Was around 6 degrees and occasional showers. Really need to work out a quick wash (sub 30 mins) routine for winter. Any suggestions?

Main issue is that I struggle to know when to stop and can't really walk away if I know there's still some areas not fully detailed. I may need to move house and find a double garage.

Routine is currently:

1. Pressure wash water only
2. Snow foam
3. Detailing brush in crevices
4. Wheels and inside wheel arches
5. Rinse
6. Bug remover
7. Shampoo
8. Rinse
9. Gyeon Wet coat
10. Rinse
11. Dry
12. Ceramic boost shine detailer
13. Glass Polish
14. Dry wheels
15. Tyre dressing
16. Floor mats out, pressure wash, shampoo, rinse
17. Vacuum interior
18. Wipe down interior with very mild detergent
19. Vacuum interior again
20. Interior glass

My back hurts and the neighbours are starting to take the Mickey.

 

[DaveW]

Also managed to squeeze in a wash today, however when I say squeeze it did take 3.5 hours.

Was around 6 degrees and occasional showers. Really need to work out a quick wash (sub 30 mins) routine for winter. Any suggestions?

Main issue is that I struggle to know when to stop and can't really walk away if I know there's still some areas not fully detailed. I may need to move house and find a double garage.

Routine is currently:

1. Pressure wash water only
2. Snow foam
3. Detailing brush in crevices
4. Wheels and inside wheel arches
5. Rinse
6. Bug remover
7. Shampoo
8. Rinse
9. Gyeon Wet coat
10. Rinse
11. Dry
12. Ceramic boost shine detailer
13. Glass Polish
14. Dry wheels
15. Tyre dressing
16. Floor mats out, pressure wash, shampoo, rinse
17. Vacuum interior
18. Wipe down interior with very mild detergent
19. Vacuum interior again
20. Interior glass

My back hurts and the neighbours are starting to take the Mickey.

I think you need a maintenance wash routine! The above is impressive, but surely not needed every wash (maybe once a month?)

Unless I’m giving the car a proper detail, I just do:

Snow foam (I tend not to rinse first as I find the foam more effective this way).
Jet wash rinse
Two bucket method wash with mitt
Jet wash rinse
Filtered water rinse

Drying optional - only tend to do this if I’m then planning a quick wipe over with quick detailer after

 

[Medved_77]

I think you need a maintenance wash routine! The above is impressive, but surely not needed every wash (maybe once a month?)

Unless I’m giving the car a proper detail, I just do:

Snow foam (I tend not to rinse first as I find the foam more effective this way).
Jet wash rinse
Two bucket method wash with mitt
Jet wash rinse
Filtered water rinse

Drying optional - only tend to do this if I’m then planning a quick wipe over with quick detailer after

Cheers Dave.

I think you're right, I need to do some mental adjustment.

Luckily no need for filtered water this far north so will try to restrict myself to the steps you mentioned.

Should have my bigboi by the end of the week so that should save on the drying time.

 

[MrBadger]

Mix snow foam pre wash (Autoglym Polar Blast)
Snow foam pre wash
mix snowfoam wash (Autoglym Polar Wash)
rinse
Snow foam wash
Light agitation of foam with wash mit
Remainder of snow foam wash
mix sealant (Autoglym Polar Seal)
rinse
Snow foam sealant avoiding windscreen
rinse
Clean windscreen (Autoglym Quick Glass)
Dry with microfiber cloth
clean kit and cloths

About an hour, including setting up, mixing, putting away, and cleaning up.

 

[Medved_77]

Mix snow foam pre wash (Autoglym Polar Blast)
Snow foam pre wash
mix snowfoam wash (Autoglym Polar Wash)
rinse
Snow foam wash
Light agitation of foam with wash mit
Remainder of snow foam wash
mix sealant (Autoglym Polar Seal)
rinse
Snow foam sealant avoiding windscreen
rinse
Clean windscreen (Autoglym Quick Glass)
Dry with microfiber cloth
clean kit and cloths

About an hour, including setting up, mixing, putting away, and cleaning up.

I hadn't thought about using different forms of snow foams. That could cut out the two buckets and save a bit more time, thanks!

 

[Radders]

I think you need a maintenance wash routine! The above is impressive, but surely not needed every wash (maybe once a month?)

Unless I’m giving the car a proper detail, I just do:

Snow foam (I tend not to rinse first as I find the foam more effective this way).
Jet wash rinse
Two bucket method wash with mitt
Jet wash rinse
Filtered water rinse

Drying optional - only tend to do this if I’m then planning a quick wipe over with quick detailer after

What quick detailed do you recomend?

 

[DaveW]

What quick detailed do you recomend?

I'm a big fan of the Gyeon Quick Detailer, works well

 

[Radders]

I'm a big fan of the Gyeon Quick Detailer, works well

Thanks, your recommendation of the gyeon wet coat was a good one so will try the gyeon QD. Cheers

 

[init6]

I hadn't thought about using different forms of snow foams. That could cut out the two buckets and save a bit more time, thanks!

Polar wash is a great time saver in the winter.

 

[Roller]

Watching with interest! My M3LR comes next week - it's my first white car so I've just picked up some detailing supplies. Bouncers It's All White snow foam + Slick Mick shampoo, Bilt Hamber Korrosol iron remover, them Dodo Juice White Diamond carnauba wax and their Red Mist quick detailer. Hoping I won't need a polish on a new car...

 

[DaveW]

Watching with interest! My M3LR comes next week - it's my first white car so I've just picked up some detailing supplies. Bouncers It's All White snow foam + Slick Mick shampoo, Bilt Hamber Korrosol iron remover, them Dodo Juice White Diamond carnauba wax and their Red Mist quick detailer. Hoping I won't need a polish on a new car...

Congrats @Roller

It might still need a polish I'm afraid, you'll have to check it over when you get it. Looking forward to the pictures

 

[Roller]

Congrats @Roller

It might still need a polish I'm afraid, you'll have to check it over when you get it. Looking forward to the pictures

Well I've still got some AG super resin polish in the garage somewhere so hopefully that'll do!

 

[DaveW]

Some frozen beading this morning, only wish I’d taken it dead on, I’m sure there will be more opportunities

 

[Strategium]

Mix snow foam pre wash (Autoglym Polar Blast)
Snow foam pre wash
mix snowfoam wash (Autoglym Polar Wash)
rinse
Snow foam wash
Light agitation of foam with wash mit
Remainder of snow foam wash
mix sealant (Autoglym Polar Seal)
rinse
Snow foam sealant avoiding windscreen
rinse
Clean windscreen (Autoglym Quick Glass)
Dry with microfiber cloth
clean kit and cloths

About an hour, including setting up, mixing, putting away, and cleaning up.

My wash is near identical routine to what you described, except I have never bothered with the Autoglym windscreen cleaner at the end - do you recommend it? I do usually also use tyre dressing at the end however.

 

[MrBadger]

My wash is near identical routine to what you described, except I have never bothered with the Autoglym windscreen cleaner at the end - do you recommend it? I do usually also use tyre dressing at the end however.

I do it to clean off any overspray of the Polar Seal as recommended by AutoGlym. I stick with that recommendation as I've seen several screens suffer from an immoveable film buildup after something (I'm assuming silicone based treatments) being applied, so don't want that screen going the same way. I'm happy to stick to the recommendation especially since AG Fastglass does work so well it something I keep in the boot anyway.

I'm not always sure that AG don't upsell their other products to cover other scenarios, but tbh its not confined to AG, or even car cleaning products. I think there are many products out there that require several individual solutions where as years a go, one product will have done for all uses. Look at many car cleaning manufacturers product ranges and you will find a very specific product for a very specific task. So I don't really blame them for upselling a glass cleaning product for cleaning the windscreen even if another of their products will do a very reasonable job.

I wish that I had found the AG Polar range sooner - they are a revelation to me, although happy to accept that there may be better individual items that could always be used. I've got a box full of car cleaning products that I don't think I will ever touch again. The only down side is their environmental credentials, but I have thought of the impact of these products and, rightly or wrongly, I am comfortable that on balance my usage of them will have minimal additional impact over other car washing methods.

 

[hctip]

I'm a big fan of the Gyeon Quick Detailer, works well

x2 for this on black. Purchased on Dave’s recommendation and it is the best QD I have tried by a mile over many many years.

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