Spring Cleaning - Advice?

[Falcon3]

Wait guys....I think I'm on to something here....I almost hesitate to share the idea because its so revolutionary I should monetize it, but its too special to keep to myself like a Monsanto genetic modification.....are you sitting down?

5........bucket......system........

Or......The no bucket system. One wash mit and soap for the entire car like a Mr. Clean magic eraser. LOL

 

[5_+JqckQttqck]

Wait guys....I think I'm on to something here....I almost hesitate to share the idea because its so revolutionary I should monetize it, but its too special to keep to myself like a Monsanto genetic modification.....are you sitting down?

5........bucket......system........

I see your 5 buckets and raise you seven!

 

[jjtsl]

Haha you guys are hilarious!

I actually use the 1 bucket system - I have the 1 bucket with my No Rinse solution and lots of cloths. Once a cloth is used on all sides, I just place it into my used pile and use another clean cloth.

 

[Xevex]

What do you think about using something like this? I see a demo set up in Costco and I'm not sure if it's a good stuff. Has anyone tried this?

https://www.costco.ca/FW1-Exterior-Wash-and-Wax-Detailing-Kit.product.100014268.html

 

[Struja]

I already did my interior spring cleaning because I can't do both in a day. Here is my process with products:

Exterior (still to come).

Wheels (First). Spray with Sonax, wait, rinse then wash with various wash brushes and bucket (all different from my exterior car wash materials). I use Chemical Guys citrus wash for the wheels. Sonax Wheel Cleaner 5L » SONAX Canada » Premium Car Care

Paint

Foam Car with Power Washer, Foam Canon and Detailer's Pro Xtreme Foam (which I think is discontinued but I bought in bulk years ago). Citrus Wash & Gloss Concentrated Auto Shampoo |

Wash - 2 buckets with grit guards and Chremical Guys Citrus Wash with a touch of Optimum no rinse (I like it because I think it really helps in preventing streaking). I even add a bit of it to my rinse bucket.
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine

Rinse car and then foam one more time. After foaming (and you have to work fast), I use Meguiars Last Touch and Riccardo yellow clay to remove suface contaminents. My 13 year old is helping in all of this and he has been doing this with me for years, so he knows what he is doing. https://www.amazon.ca/Meguiars-D15501-Touch-Detailing-Spray/dp/B0006SH4NC

Riccardo Medium Yellow Detailing Clay (8oz)

Rinse car again and dry with Meguiars Waffle Weave (usually use 4) two for myself, two for my son.

https://www.amazon.ca/Meguiars-X2000-Magnet-Microfiber-Drying/dp/B0009IQZFM

Polish - with my Meguiars D/A and Meguairs D300 (correction compound). Depending on what the paint looks like after this step, I see if I want to do another polish with D301. Either way, I do a ISO wipe down to remove any residual product.

Meguiar's DA Microfiber Correction Compound D300 - 16 oz

Protect - Soft 99 Fusso Wax (for subsequent washes), I just wash and prior to drying I spray Opti-Seal on the some panels and use it as a drying aid and simultaneously re-wax the car.

SOFT99 Fusso Coat 12 Months Wax Dark 200g NEW!

I do not use IronX or any similar product as I have not had much luck with them, so my preferred choice is an old fashioned claybar and D/A polisher.

Interior:

Vacuum (I use an upright Dyson - although I also have hose in the garage which connects to the vacuum system - it is more powerful than the Dyson). What I like to do in the trunk is lay the seats down flat and put the updright into the trunk and vacuum the trunk floor like was vacuuming a regular carpet in the home. You get the use of the rolling brush which really gets everything.

Mats are removed and washed (I use dish soap for the mats Palmolive - not Dawn - because it is too strong). This does a great job at getting the crap off the mats. I usually let them air dry and then I apply the Weathertech Floor Mat Protector. Does a good job, not a great job at restoring the new look.

https://www.weathertech.ca/en/techcare/protector/

I steam the interior carpets and jams if there are any areas I cannot clean with a vacuum. I use the H20 Mop steam cleaner because it has a removable section with a scrub brush attachment. It works great. I also use this and some APC on the pedals.

On the interior, I use a variety of interior cleaners... Meguiars, Mother's, Chemical Guys, Zaino etc... I don't find anything to really be superior here.

On the interior glass, I use Meguiar's Detailer line glass cleaner. Again, I buy in buld and you mix it at home. Lasts forever and wifey uses it for the home. No ammonia, so it is safe on automotive tinted glass. I find it far superior to anything you can get OTC.

https://www.autogeek.net/mg12001.html

I think that covers most everything. I would say the interior takes me about 2-4 hours (depending upon how detailed I get) but the exterior is a minimum 8 hour job and usually more.

 

[TrevTremaine]

Geez, I feel lazy - all I do is take to the nearest coin car wash and spend about 10 minutes washing and rinsing. That way I don't feel frustrated with the kids who get in and immediately set out to undo any and all work done on it.

 

[5_+JqckQttqck]

Geez, I feel lazy - all I do is take to the nearest coin car wash and spend about 10 minutes washing and rinsing. That way I don't feel frustrated with the kids who get in and immediately set out to undo any and all work done on it.

I undo any detailing as soon as I have a coffee and spill

 

[thesteve]

I undo any detailing as soon as I have a coffee and spill

I just had my other car detailed, this is my new anti spill method, works pretty well.

 

[Funkmobile]

I just had my other car detailed, this is my new anti spill method, works pretty well. View attachment 395582

It also doubles as a distracted driver deterrent.

 

[dmd2005]

All of the cleaning/detailing products mentioned already work really well.

I personally like using a foam cannon to presoak and an electric pressure washer with lots of water to get most of the smuck off before going to a two bucket wash and rinse.

Pick up some nice seamless microfibres on Amazon along with an iron remover like Iron-X/Tar-X, Autoglym Magma, or Gtechniq W6 iron fallout remover..

To get into hard to reach areas and seams, get a nice set of boar hair detailing brushes.

If you are claybarring the car as well, use a claypad for an orbital polisher or clay cloth that can speed up the process. Make sure to use lots of clayluber/detailing spray.

If you are not tired yet, wipe the car down with an IPA/alcohol spray to clean off any products before applying your favorite wax or sealant. Polish Angel makes an awesome wax but is pricey...CQuartz and Gyeon makes nice ceramic coats too.

 

[Munch]

I have a lot of scratches on the glove compartment. They look superficial, can't really feel any grooves but simple rubbing doesn't get them off. They were likely caused by a backpack (zippers) that gets put in the footwell all the time. Anyone have any recommendations on a cheap solution or an interior cleaner that could possibly scrub them away?

 

[03DSG]

I have a lot of scratches on the glove compartment. They look superficial, can't really feel any grooves but simple rubbing doesn't get them off. They were likely caused by a backpack (zippers) that gets put in the footwell all the time. Anyone have any recommendations on a cheap solution or an interior cleaner that could possibly scrub them away?

The surface is scratched. I’ve never been able to remove scratches on the plastic/vinyl on any car before. Best you can probably do is to try to hide them. I use a non-silicon water based rubber/vinyl/plastic dressing. This is more than just a tire dressing. Recommended to me and used by Fabian Evelyn at Evelyn Protective Films and Coatings:

I use this to keep a smaller squeeze bottle filled:

Non-Silicone Tire Dressing

 

[ben1628]

I was driving around the neighborhood, and saw a lady using a Broad brush Broom to do car wash, as if it was a concrete floor, OMG.

 

[pcons]

I was driving around the neighborhood, and saw a lady using a Broad brush Broom to do car wash, as if it was a concrete floor, OMG.

 

[eagleray]

Planning to do some spring cleaning for my Model 3. After some research for a Canadian option, here's where I am without breaking the bank:

Exterior

1. 2 bucket, water rinse method
   1. Supplies: Wash mitt, microfibre towel, Meguiar's Ultimate Wash and Wax, bucket with grit guard

Interior

1. Vacuum
2. Wipe down everything with all purpose cleaner (including seats as they are not real leather)
   1. Supplies: Meguiar's carpet and upholstery cleaner (for the carpet underneath all weather mats for salt stains) and Meguiar's all purpose cleaner

Windows

1. Supplies: Invisible Glass spray

Any better alternatives for the cleaners from signaturedetailers? Any thing else I'm missing?

As spring is rapidly approaching, I was just giving some serious consideration to doing a deep detailing of my car... 1) Is there anybody in the Northeast (CT/RI/MA/NYC) area that uses Poorboys or a similar product that does detailing? 2) What is the "best" for the top of our cars? Understand opinionated responses to ensue, but I would like to apply a top cleaner/repellant for the summer that I know will work. Thanks in advance for all your wisdom and hopefully we can put together a detailed get-together for instructional purposes up here in the near future.