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I know soap will remove the protection, but I thought it also damaged the paint. I wasn't sure, though. (Not planning on using it, though, lol.) Lots of products remove all the wax. Like bug and tar remover products will remove all the wax.
Exactly.
Just tryna to be helpful but yea - dish soap then clay bar is sort of a last resort if your wax and finish is completely jacked, but it does work and no, using once will not ruin a vehicle's finish.
Check out project farm videos. He compares lots of things. No sponsors and buys everything himself. Mostly tools and common used items. He also did one on coatings.
One really nice thing about the new coatings is that they are clear and don't leave white residue on the plastic trim etc. Also I use it on my headlights and plastic and it's just as hydoscopic as on the paint. I even put it on my wheels and now only have to clean them with soap instead of a wheel cleaner (which will strip it off BTW)
Claying your car is really nice. But I only do it after a few years.
I looked at a couple of his videos, one on car wax and one on rechargeable batteries. The main problem I have with his videos is his delivery. He must write out his script because if you watch his videos he's talking non-stop in a fast monotone. It's really difficult to pay attention to, particularly because everything is all numbers and percentages. Additionally, he tests so many products simultaneously that it's difficult to keep track of everything. I found myself just fast-forwarding to the end and even then I was like "ehhh ...I sort of don't care any more." If his delivery was better, I think he'd be more popular.
A few thoughts, coming from an enthusiast (not a professional) doing my best to improve my detailing skills:
- When it comes to sealants/top coats, effective surface prep is at least as important as the quality of the product. In order to really see how a product performs, and especially how long it lasts, it needs to be applied to a clean, even surface.
- Surface prep involves: basic cleaning, chemical decontamination (iron removers, strip washes, etc.), physical decontamination (clay bar/towel, etc.), defect removal/clear coat leveling (polishing, possibly preceded by compound), and then residue removal usually with an "IPA" (isopropyl alcohol) product. The compound/polishing step is the most involved, with many variables including product selection, pad selection, machine speed, arm speed, number of passes, and pressure.
This can be very time consuming or expensive, and honestly probably not worth it for everyone. However, it's an important consideration when discussing opinions about products, because everyone is likely starting from a different level of contamination. Some cars are sheltered in mild conditions, some are exposed in harsh ones. Some will wash aggressively and infrequently with contaminated gear, and some will be cared for more consistently. Water hardness can vary from location to location.
So the wax, spray sealant, whatever--can and will behave very differently for different folks, even when using the same exact product. All the deposits, scratches, grime, water spot residues, left over product residue, and high spots in the clear coat that differ from car to car will work against a good application. So one owner can rave about a product that disappoints another owner, even if they both diligently followed the application instructions.
Needless to say, a decent product applied on a corrected surface (or one that happens to be okay through skill or sheer luck) will likely far outlast and outperform a really expensive one that is applied to one that has been neglected and not prepped.
A few other notes:
- Clay is abrasive. If you clay bar the car without polishing afterward, you've likely removed contaminants but introduced micro scratches and marring. You might not see it with the naked eye, but they are there and can affect the performance and longevity of the sealant
- Some folks prefer purpose made strip washes to Dawn because of concerns around Dawn possibly impacting plastic/rubber trim due to drying out. In any case, if you look for videos testing durability of various products, you can see that neither Dawn nor dedicated strip washes are always 100% effective in removing old product. Following with an IPA wipe is critical
Ultimately there is no free lunch--skipping any steps will affect the outcome. But that's okay for those of us with realistic expectations on daily drivers, or those who are willing and able to get a professional detail-and-protect package to get off to a good start.
At the end of the day, best bang for the buck decision should probably balance performance, looks, cost, how easy it is to use, and how forgiving it is. Manage expectations from there.
The only things I do with my car are I hand wash it and, occasionally, I apply spray wax. Just hand washing alone, from start to finish (including cleaning my buckets and instruments), takes a couple of hours. I honestly have no interest in doing all the other stuff and never can comprehend how someone can do all of that. And I'm not even doing a great job with the hand-wash, really, since I'm not washing the door jambs and undercarriage. Then some people are into washing their engines. For me, I might wait a few years and then, like at year 5 or 8, just get it detailed.
Even hand-washing is a pain in that, for example, that Ammo guy even has this video where he has an extra washer just to wash his microfiber towels. And how many people are doing that? But I just washed mine and it picked up a bunch of lint (I guess from the washer, since I only washed it with other microfiber towels), so I literally sat around for a day and picked out lint from my microfiber towel. I think these detailer guys just buy new towels and use each once.
Even hand-washing is a pain in that, for example, that Ammo guy even has this video where he has an extra washer just to wash his microfiber towels. And how many people are doing that? But I just washed mine and it picked up a bunch of lint (I guess from the washer, since I only washed it with other microfiber towels), so I literally sat around for a day and picked out lint from my microfiber towel. I think these detailer guys just buy new towels and use each once.
Why even reply to this thread? You make negative comments on products you have never used and dont really detail your car
Even hand-washing is a pain in that, for example, that Ammo guy even has this video where he has an extra washer just to wash his microfiber towels. And how many people are doing that? ...
Amazon has a few portable models ranging from $60-$100 that run off 110V and don't need a fixed water supply--usable anywhere that an extension cord can reach and stores like a 5 gallon bucket. Very tempted to get one of those as a dedicated yard/car laundry machine. Would keep chemical residue away from family members' skin, avoid going to the coin laundry, save time from having to hand wash, and hopefully extend the life of the towels.
Wow, I didn't know something like that existed. Thanks! I'm getting one, since I've been trying to wash my microfiber towels separately. That means that I wash like three items, which is a huge waste of water.
Wow, I didn't know something like that existed. Thanks! I'm getting one, since I've been trying to wash my microfiber towels separately. That means that I wash like three items, which is a huge waste of water.
Speaking from research (not experience), there are a few basic configurations for these:
- single tub, wash only with no spin (some of these are near $60 currently)
- single tub, wash and spin (seem to be in the $90 range)
- twin tub, wash and spin ($90-$120)
- single tub, fully automatic (needs dedicated water supply, $180 and up)
All of the first three involve starting wash, rinse, and spin cycles manually. You can connect a water supply or simply pour water into the bowl. The fully automatic one apparently can do all the cycles unattended by connecting a pressurized water supply. In all cases though, it will be up to you to control the water temperature for each cycle--unless there is a fully automatic model with hot and cold water inlets, which I haven't seen. Of course, be careful with hot temperatures and microfiber.
All of them seem to have drain hoses, with the twin tub and fully automatic ones having pumps for that purpose while the single tubs appear to rely on gravity.
All except the fully automatic ($$$) ones have lower spinning capacity than washing capacity, whether twin or single tub.
Good luck. If you pull the trigger on one, hope it works out.
Amazon has a few portable models ranging from $60-$100 that run off 110V and don't need a fixed water supply--usable anywhere that an extension cord can reach and stores like a 5 gallon bucket. Very tempted to get one of those as a dedicated yard/car laundry machine. Would keep chemical residue away from family members' skin, avoid going to the coin laundry, save time from having to hand wash, and hopefully extend the life of the towels.
Holy smokes! I had no idea these existed either. My wife won't let me wash the car towels in our laundry machine so I either end up hand washing (poorly) or taking it to the coin ops which suck ass. This would be great to have.
I looked at the ones online from Home Depot. Apparently some people use these for their actual normal washing, which seems pretty cool. Like I caught myself eyeballing a large one and thinking "hey, maybe I could just replace my regular washing machine ..." Although, it is sort of expensive compared to just going to a coin-operated laundromat, if you don't have a washer and dryer.
Just finished a family member's 2012 A6 using:
Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam from a pressure washer with an inline water filter
Chemical Guys Clean Slate
Dry with a blower
Adam's Iron Remover
Mother's Speed Clay (lubricated by Chemical Guys Clean Slate)
Flood the paint
Dry with a blower, finish with a waffle weave
Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Polish and Wax with a DA polisher, SPTA white 5.5 inch AIO pad, mostly at speed 4, 4-5 passes applying maybe 4 pounds of force on top of the weight of the polisher
I'm happy with the results. Total work time including meal breaks was about 6 hours, though I had to stop and rinse a lot because part of the car was in the sun.
Not sure how much to credit the products versus the elbow grease. I did notice that the iron remover seemed to remove the most old product and crud from the paint. If I had skipped that step, that job would have been left up to the clay, and I probably would have had to work it harder and risk more trauma to the clear coat.
Not sure if I would call any of these my favorite detail product, but for me it all worked. The hardest part was clearing the calendar.
That looks really nice. I may have to pick up a DA and try to learn how to polish my car now. Although, I don't know if I can take six hours of that.
Thanks. As I said a few posts ago, it's definitely not for everyone. Polishing was by far the longest part of the process, and of course the most physically demanding. It takes a sturdy back to maintain control on a large hood or roof, and I imagine that will present interesting challenges on a taller vehicle.
Research to understand what you would be getting into, Besides the polisher, you will also need an assortment of pads and perhaps backing plates, which both come in different sizes. 5.5 inch pads on 5 inch plates seems to be the consensus happy medium for many Youtube creators.
Considering what's happening mechanically at that step, if you care about your car it will be important to put in the work to decontaminate first. Technically, you can throw salt on a turkey and microwave it for 45 minutes. It will be cooked but you might not like the result. Personally, I buy my turkeys fully cooked, seasoned, and frozen. (Read: if you want popping paint but don't have the time and $ to invest in gear, bite the bullet, get it professionally done, and maintain it yourself if you like. Or, realize that paint on a daily driver is only pristine for a fleeting moment, so be okay with "good enough.")
Having said that, I think that Optimum No Rinse (Rag Company) has a process that's shorter with a very interesting looking clay towel, as described
. I might take a look at that one after I work through these supplies I have now.
Originally Posted by dbnm
Recommend a pressure washer?
I don't know much about them. I have a basic electric Greenworks one that I bought for probably $80 and it does the job for me. One thing I've noticed between this and higher end models is I have only two fixed spray angles instead of an adjustable nozzle. Of course, this doesn't affect foaming, since the nozzle is replaced by the foam cannon attachment during that step.
Thanks. As I said a few posts ago, it's definitely not for everyone. Having said that, I think that Optimum No Rinse (Rag Company) has a process that's shorter with a very interesting looking clay towel...
Although I'm very familiar with a clay bar, that clay towel looks intriguing. I may have to give that a try. I keep my 2020 Black Advance garaged, but lately when I rub the back of my hand across the front of the hood and a portion atop of the wheel wells, I can start to feel the grit for the first time. Just takes a small amount of grit to start the swirleys...
Although I'm very familiar with a clay bar, that clay towel looks intriguing. I may have to give that a try. I keep my 2020 Black Advance garaged, but lately when I rub the back of my hand across the front of the hood and a portion atop of the wheel wells, I can start to feel the grit for the first time. Just takes a small amount of grit to start the swirleys...
You've probably already checked out the synthetic clay that has been around the last few years. I've been using the Mothers Speed Clay (synthetic pad) for a few years with no complaints. The Rag Company one has a mesh "clay" surface that is supposed to present less abrasion to the paint, which sounds like a good idea with soft Honda paint.
01-03-2021, 07:51 PM
