'average owner' cleaning 2

[nta16]

I thought I'd put up some stuff and tips for people perhaps like myself who understand the need for cleaning and even enjoy the end result but not the time and effort required - (obviously not for detailer and concours enthusiasts)

the following may seem obvious but stick with it

to make your car look better after cleaning make the blacks and darker colours (paints, tyres, seals, inserts, plastics) clean and all glass and chrome clean and shiny and this will make the paint on the bodywork look even better whether you’ve polished it or not

and clean wheels always look good too

• for cleaning exterior glass see the 'average owner' cleaning 1
• for cleaning tyres that’s easy, just spray them with Armor All Tire Foam and walk away, job done, all cleaning ought to be so easy
• clean the chrome with the car polish you use, do this before you clean exterior rubber and plastics (but after polishing the main paintwork if you're doing that this time) that way you can clear off any excess polish powder with what follows next
• for cleaning exterior seals, inserts and plastics I like to use AutoGlym Bumper & Trim Gel on a 30mm cube of sponge and leave to dry and wipe off excess with a clean cloth or microfiber cloth
• cleaning the wheels is best done before cleaning the car, personally I don’t like to use a pressure washer just clean them using whatever products are required and whatever brush works best on them, I once found a 50p dustpan brush worked fine on one set of wheels I had better than the specialist brush
  brake dust is very dirty so keep all your cleaning materials clean and don’t transfer the dirt from one wheel to another
  once the wheels are clean polish them with something to help make them easier to clean next time

always use clean cleaning materials, not half clean from previous use, or use fresh cleaning materials and throw them away when soiled or clean and reuse as appropriate - this applies to the cleaning water too, if it's dirty change it for fresh and rinse out the bucket(s), tools and materials used

clean your brushes, cloths, chamois*, sponges, buckets, etc. before you put them away - or at the very least clean them before you use them again but they'll be smelly and possibly mouldy if you put them away wet/damp and dirty

otherwise your starting out cleaning with dirt

note: a proper chamois does need to be kept damp, in a container with small vent hole - but it still should be packed away clean - most are dirty before use

ETA: - please see comments below - about the use of sponges, chamois and the two bucket method to improve on the basic 'average owner' cleaning details I have given here and on other thread

[Clean Your Ride]

^^^please ignore the use of a sponge and a chamois on the exterior paintwork. Guaranteed to add swirl marks using these products. A lambswool mitt and a plush drying towel to pat dry the car are much better.

Andy

[Chris_Blue]

^^^please ignore the use of a sponge and a chamois on the exterior paintwork. Guaranteed to add swirl marks using these products. A lambswool mitt and a plush drying towel to pat dry the car are much better.

Andy

Don't forget the 2 bucket method Andy :rolleyes:

[Clean Your Ride]

With grit guards of course Chris

[nta16]

Andy and Chris,

I agree with all of your points - but

these notes are for the 'average owner' cleaning rather than the enthusiast or even semi-enthusiast but for the owner that enjoys driving their car and doesn't enjoy cleaning it

the notes deal with the equipment the 'average owner' will have and tolerate - if they take on both of your points great as they are moving up a little from where this is aimed

I used to do a lot more cleaning of my cars than I do now and more detailed, before the word detailing was known to the 'average owner' (if it existed then?)

I did think about adding in the second bucket but it's just not what the 'average owner' is about, same as pat drying with a plush towel probably wouldn't be done on a baby's bum let alone a painted metal box

as for the lambswool mitt I tried one once but I kept getting water inside it and soon got very fed up with that, yes I know there are alternatives

I used to spend all day cleaning a car but now I'm too old and the rest of my life is too short so when I should be cleaning the car I drive it instead but I've nothing against those that what to spend time cleaning the car just that as I've put I don't think the 'average owner' wants to spend too much time or effort in cleaning their cars

these notes were meant as an alternative to the more serious enthusiast notes for non-enthusiasts so I've limited how far they went

I hope this post makes sense, I'm not the best at typing these posts, any other comments or if I've made mistakes or typos (I often do) please let me know

cheers, Nigel

[cyclone]

I think using 2 buckets is weeeeeell within the grasp of the average persons tolerance/effert level and it makes a big difference in the finished product.

Endever to inspire people with SIMPLE things that make a big difference.

[Chris_Blue]

Used to think the 2 buckets method was a load of Tosh to be frank
Did it once and then saw the amount of dirt that was a the bottom of the "Rinse" bucket

And I used to pour all that over the car- grit and all

Trust me- I am no detailer, just plain and simple wash and wax man, and like a clean car

The lambswool mitt is better than a sponge too. And these comments from a committed Cynic, but they do work LOL

And no worries Nigel- I'd rather be driving than washing too- that's what the cars for

[nta16]

I think using 2 buckets is weeeeeell within the grasp of the average persons tolerance/effert level and it makes a big difference in the finished product.

yes within their grasp but not necessarily the extra tolerance or effort they want to give to cleaning a car, not because they're bad people or lazy but because they're not aware of the value or simply consider they already put enough effort in

DS3 owners may well be above the owners of average cars but just look at how many people pay to have their cars washed and with buckets, sponges and chamois

and then you have those that wash the car and dry it but put at least the chamois back as they found it, with dirt

Endever to inspire people with SIMPLE things that make a big difference.

yeap, quite agree - and I'm sure there are very many things that you could improve that you do with just a little more effort but you chose not to or simply can't be bothered which is fine, we're not talking life and death matters

you've probably not meet and dealt with as many 'average owners' as I have and seen the bucket of black water with the single stained black chamois in it and/or, and I kid you not, the scourging pad to clean the chrome exhaust trim

your comments have not fell on deaf ears though

[lfcrule1972]

Like Chris I don't have the time for full detailing but I do know how much better two buckets and a lambs wool mitt is for the cars paperwork. My last three cars have been black so for me there's no choice

[nta16]

as there's discussion -

a lambswool mitt isn't the only alternative to a sponge

I'm not sure that the proper (technique) use of a chamois does guarantee swirl marks

some of the amount of dirt at the bottom of the 'rinse' bucket would also be at the bottom of a single bucket clean, logically you'd need at least a third bucket as 'rinse' bucket with the second being the 'dirt release' bucket and you'd possibly want two of those - to be sure!

as a matter of pride and keeping the car above average very careful cleaning is to be applauded but unless the car is very old or very badly looked after it can be 'buffed' to an acceptable condition to satisfy the average the average car buyer

been out driving late morning to an excellent village pub and had a nice local real ale, now back for food at home

now there a subject - how careful are you lot about choosing where you go to buy your real ales and which ales you chose and the brewing, storage and serving condition of those ales - or do you accept the heavily advertised chemical fizzy products you see on TV !

perhaps I can endavour to inspire others with SIMPLE things that make a big difference to the really important things in life like proper ales, ciders and lagers

[Jimbob]

Can you post a simple guide to winning the lottery please?

JB

[Chris_Blue]

Ah nta- proper cider. Now your talkin
Just planted 3 trees for future, proper cider making (Only 8% + is good enough)
Dabinet, Hertfordshire red streak, and D'arcy spice
Should cross pollinate nicely- roll on 4 years for the "cropping and making" to start LOL

Then car washing may take second place

[nta16]

Can you post a simple guide to winning the lottery please?

JB

as you ask, yes I can

buy a ticket or tickets for a (important this bit, future) draw

repeat as required

if you need more help than this seek out a director of the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation

[nta16]

Ah nta- proper cider. Now your talkin
Just planted 3 trees for future, proper cider making (Only 8% + is good enough)
Dabinet, Hertfordshire red streak, and D'arcy spice
Should cross pollinate nicely- roll on 4 years for the "cropping and making" to start LOL

Then car washing may take second place

I'm afraid there's only my wife in our household man enough to drink real cider, she was in charge of the cider tent for 3 years at the county beer & cider festival

I believe most cider drinkers accept the advertising and drink rehydrated syrup from other counties and ask for thinks like "Pear cider" (!)', "Cidre" and the like, all to be kept and served colder than ice cold and are happy to pay £4.50 a bottle as long as everyone can see the label so they know just how much money they have to waste on alcoholic pop

different folks*, different stokes

we've got so local cider makers in the county and just down the road in Bucks national champion Virtual Orchard of Wolverton (where I was born and probably contributed to spreading the trees with cores thrown to the ground when I was an infant)

I'm not sure why you're going to all that trouble and waiting so long as you can get 2 litres of White Lightning for a few shirt buttons at the caged offy, it's a cider after all and good value

* some may be cleaning and detailing enthusiast that can't see what the fuss and difference is between one bottle of cider and another so buy what they've seen advertised on TV - people have different interests, hobbies and even obsessions

[WTF]

I just spilt cider on my laptop -_-