I work at a Body shop as a detailer and I've always wondered what everyone else uses to wash their cars. So what do yall use when it comes to Soaps, Towels, Waxes, Spray Waxes Etc. Any tips on washing/drying/buffing?
From experience I can tell you that the number one tip is always have a clean towel/wash mit. Remember, A clean car is a happy driver

 

There is a car wash section that might yield better results. Look in the special interest section under forums at the top of the page.

 

Optimum No Rinse and Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax. I can't go back to the traditional hose of washing a car. (Nor can I with this drought we have)

Optimum Spray Wax is my wax of choice. Lasts just as long as a traditional carnauba wax and is about 10x easier to apply, imo.

 

It all depends on what car, how much time I have, what the weather is like, etc.

I have kind of gotten out of hand with my car detailing gear. It's OK, I'm not afraid to admit it.

For my Oldsmobiles, I use Pinnacle Waterless Wash Concentrate with Carnauba, with a bunch of microfibers. They stay dry in the garage or storage all year. I will periodically use APC on my wheels and tires with raised white letters to keep them white.

For the daily drivers I have Chemical Guys Mr. Pink, Citrus Wash Red and Honeydew Foam. I'll use the 2 bucket method with grit guards with whatever soap I feel like using that day along with a microfiber wash mitt. So far, I have had decent luck and results from this setup. Plus, the kids like deciding which soap to use because they like how the soaps smell. Ya gotta keep the help happy!

For waxes, I primarily use Collinite 845 during the summer and 476 during the winter. I also have some Blackfire Midnight Sun that I use on the TSX, but it doesn't seem to last very long. The Collinite lasts for a long time and is a great bang for the buck.

I live in NY where there is a lot of salt and sand all over the place and this instills lots of scratches and swirls regardless of how careful you are with a snow brush or snow broom. After some claying with ONR or Meg's Quik Detailer as a lube, I have XMT360 AIO that I go after the paint with each spring that can get rid of them. I don't really have time to go with a multistep polishing process, so the AIO works well enough. I use a PC7424XP with Lake Country CCS pads.

I have not used ONR as a rinseless wash yet, but I'm sure I'll give it a shot soon. Too much salt and sand all over the car now. To put it in perspective, last time I washed the car, I literally sprayed it with the hose for 20 minutes before I even touched it with the mitt.

It would also help if it got above freezing.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

Just spent 3 days with intermittent cleaning and detailing to get the winter crud off the car. Having a new born makes it hard to find time to have side hobbies.

I start with Meguiars Gold Class wash w/ 2 bucket method. Used waffle weave microfiber to dry. A little tip is to use the hose/wet mircofiber towel to help dry. Water collects water, and will get any big pools of water off the car. Followed that with clay bar, then Meguiars Microfiber Correction Kit and Griots Garage DA. Used an air compressor to clean the pad after every section. Took about 50-70% of the scratches and swirls off the car with its 2 step correction system. Followed up with coat of Klasse AIO, 2 coats of Klasse SG, and a coat of Chemical Guy's Butter Wax (following recommended curing times for all products).

Microfiber towels consist of waffle weave, kit towels from Meguairs and Mother's, and the bulk yellow microfibers from Costco.

Wheels were cleaned with Chemical Guy's Diablo Wheel Gel, and topped with Chemical Guy's VRP Super Shine.

I have yet to get to the interior, but that's for another day.

This is my first time stepping up to mail order products. My regular arsenal usually consist of Meguiars and Mother's products.

 

dish soap and acetone