Advice for a newbie cleaner

[Clean Your Ride]

Your getting a nice little collection there mate 😃 for a wheel sealant i use fk1000p its a high temp sealant for both paint work and wheels. I use the bsd on the paint so use this. It sure helps when cleaning the wheels as the brake dust comes off with ease

Mark

Funnily enough I used the FK1000P on my alloys yesterday for a change. Easy on, easy off

[mk2k41]

Your getting a nice little collection there mate �� for a wheel sealant i use fk1000p its a high temp sealant for both paint work and wheels. I use the bsd on the paint so use this. It sure helps when cleaning the wheels as the brake dust comes off with ease

Mark

Cheers mate, I'll give that a whirl when it comes back in stock on CYC .

[Higs]

Right..... dumb question as I'm also new to this 'level' of car cleaning... so I'll stick it on the newbie thread...

Where would one buy a bucket with a 'grit guard'?

(See.. I told you I know nothing about this kind of thing!)

[mk2k41]

Right..... dumb question as I'm also new to this 'level' of car cleaning... so I'll stick it on the newbie thread...

Where would one buy a bucket with a 'grit guard'?

(See.. I told you I know nothing about this kind of thing!)

I got mine from Amazon but there are plenty of other sites out there, http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/ is a good site for pretty much anything car care related. You don't have to buy buckets with grit guards included, you can buy the guards separately so if you've already got a couple of buckets then you could save a bit of money that way. http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/washin...prod_1010.html for example, though as I said there are plenty of others out there.

[Chris_Blue]

You can get standard bucket size grit guards on ebay for about £6 each

[Superfly Guy]

Great guide mate,

Any chance you could throw together a guide for the next phase ie what to use and how after the pre-rinse, shampoo, rinse and dry.

Thanks.

[Clean Your Ride]

As requested by SFG.

The next stage after washing and drying is decontaminating the paint before polishing.

Over time, it is not unusual for car paint finishes to become slightly rough to the touch. Such roughness is caused by the gradual accumulation of surface contaminants that are too firmly bonded to be removed by normal washing alone. To determine whether your paint has acquired firmly bonded surface contaminants you should wash and rinse your car thoroughly and then run your fingertips over the wet panels.
Clean paint should feel perfectly smooth (if your fingertips aren't particularly sensitive you can magnify your sense of touch by putting your hand inside a thin cellophane wrapper first).



If you can feel rough spots or a gritty texture then unfortunately your paint is affected. Also, in some cases you may even be able to see such contamination upon close inspection, particularly in the case of tar spots. Surface contamination is deposited on cars from a wide variety of sources, but can be neatly divided into two categories based the typical size of the particles and what they are made of.

Surface contamination that is visible to the naked eye typically comprises organic compounds such as tar,



honeydew and bug splatter




Tar spots are the most common and irritating organic contaminant, and are acquired all year round from freshly laid bituminous surface treatments on our roads. Honeydew (often mistaken for tree sap) can be a nuisance in the summer months, when it literally rains down from tree canopies as a result of high levels of insect activity. Composed of sugars and other waste products that pass undigested through the bodies of aphids, honeydew becomes harder to remove the longer it is left on paint. Bug splatter is also a common nuisance in the summer months and seemingly welds itself in place on the front end of most vehicles, no matter how slick and well protected the paint is. As such contaminants gradually accumulate on bodywork, not only do the aesthetic qualities of the finish rapidly deteriorate, but so too does the ability of the paint to sheet water properly. Moreover, bug splatter can also cause etching and discolouration of underlying painted surfaces, due to the corrosive effects of the organic acids found in bug remains.


Surface contamination that is invisible to the naked eye typically comprises inorganic particulates derived from industrial and commercial activities; industrial fallout, brake dust, railway dust, paint overspray and exhaust soot can all bond to paint both physically (by charge attraction) and chemically (by electrolysis). As such contaminants gradually accumulate on bodywork, surface roughness gradually increases to the point where it can be detected, whilst the reflectivity of the finish and the ability of the paint to sheet water properly gradually diminishes. Furthermore, as such particulates slowly oxidise and corrode, etching and discolouration of underlying painted surfaces can occur. It is worth noting at this point that because inorganic contaminants are mostly delivered through the air and settle out on your car whenever it is parked, it does not matter where you live or where you leave the car; it is susceptible to contamination everywhere and anywhere, and all times of the year too.

A fallout remover such as IronX is used here:



http://youtu.be/YzfjhpmTQuo

The safe removal of bonded surface contamination requires special techniques. It has already been established that normal washing doesn't remove them. Stronger all purpose exterior cleaners may partially remove some of them when used at maximum strength, but even then would struggle to fully dissolve larger organic particles and would certainly not remove many inorganic particles, as they are largely insoluble. Aggressive polishing would almost certainly remove such contamination, but is a far from ideal solution because bonded contaminants often need to be removed two to three times a year and aggressive polishing should not be done anywhere near as often as this. What is really required then is a method that employs products capable of removing such contaminants without affecting underlying painted surfaces. Fortunately such products exist, and comprise tar removers and detailing clay.

The clay used in detailing clay isn't really clay at all, but a mixture of a soft plastic resin (polybutene) and various grades of abrasive particles. Think of it in this way; the soft plastic resin is effectively an applicator pad, which enables you to move abrasive particles over your paint using consistent force and pressure. Because bonded surface contaminants sit above the surface of the paint, they are subject to greater abrasive forces than the surrounding surfaces when a clay bar is rubbed over them. As a result, they are abraded away and removed by the clay bar. You may be questioning at this point why the abrasives in the clay don't affect the surrounding paint? The answer is they would, if they were allowed to. You have to stop them from doing so, by using a suitable lubricant.

Clay lubricants come in a variety of guises, but most are effectively quick detailing products. These spray on, wipe off products contain lubricating oils (which enable dust and grime to be wiped off exterior surfaces safely without inflicting damage to the underlying surfaces) and are well suited to use with detailing clay. In addition, heavier duty waterless wash products are also ideal in this respect, as they contain an even greater concentration of lubricating oils. If you do not have any of these products, a very rich suds mixture made up using a normal shampoo can sometimes suffice, but do note that sometimes such solutions can partially dissolve detailing clay and make it messy to work with.

At this stage you may be asking why not simply use detailing clay to remove all bonded surface contaminants; why were tar removers mentioned above? The answer is that detailing clay can be used to remove all of the contaminant types mentioned above, but a potential problem arises in that bonded organic contaminants generally comprise much larger particulates than bonded inorganic contaminants, and therefore have greater potential to cause surface marring at the interface between the clay bar and the paint as the clay bar is moved around. Given that bonded organic contaminants are usually highly soluble in paint solvents, it makes far more sense to remove them chemically rather than physically, as dissolving them and then rinsing them away virtually eliminates the risk of causing marring.

It should be noted that surfaces treated with tar removers will still need to be clayed afterwards, as inorganic particulates are not usually soluble, and so are rarely removed by chemical means alone. Thus, often a two stage decontamination process is required to fully clean paint, comprising an initial chemical treatment to safely and effectively remove bonded organic contaminants (tar removers also remove honeydew and bug splatter extremely effectively), followed by a physical treatment with a clay bar to safely and effectively remove bonded inorganic contaminants. The method for using tar removers requires no real explanation as most simply spray on, wait and rinse off, but the use of detailing clay is more complicated.

When it actually comes to claying your paint the first thing you should do is tear up your clay bar into half a dozen pieces and then check that they are soft enough to work with. This is a bit of a judgement call, but ideally you should be able to mould the pieces into balls and be able to roll them up into sausage shapes with relatively little effort; the consistency of blu-tack is what you are aiming for. If your pieces of clay feel harder than this you should place them in a tub of warm water for 5 minutes and then try it again (obviously it is okay to get clay wet). In the summer months, clay bars are usually okay to use straight out of the wrapper, but in the winter months they nearly always need to go into warm water for 5 minutes before first use. Using clay pieces that are too hard is the number one reason why many people have a bad experience with clay and end up damaging their paint.

Once soft enough to work with, take one piece of your clay and flatten it into an easy to hold patty shape. The next step is to work from the top of your car down, panel by panel. Working on an area of no more than 2 ft x 2 ft at a time, spray the work area thoroughly with the lubricant and then using light pressure and pace rub the clay backwards and forwards across the surface of the panel, following the lines of the car. Using insufficient lubricant is the second reason why many people have a bad experience with clay and end up damaging their paint; be generous with it, it doesn't matter if it runs everywhere, it won't do anything any harm.

If the paint is relatively clean the clay will glide across it very easily; if it is heavily contaminated the clay will be much harder to move around. Usually, between two to three dozen passes will be enough to clean the work area, but in time you will become able to judge whether all of the contaminants have been removed by the way the clay moves over the surface.



Another way to tell is to run your fingertips over the panel when you think you are done; it should be perfectly smooth. If it isn't, repeat the process. Once the work area is clean, wipe up any residual lubricant using a microfibre drying towel and then move on to the next area or panel. If conditions are cold, switch clay pieces after each panel and keep your spare pieces sat in a tub of warm water. If the clay is dropped on the floor then it should be thrown away immediately. Continuing to use it after doing so is clearly going to be a recipe for disaster and major damage.

As you progress, remould and reshape your clay after every panel. This ensures that the face of the clay in contact with the paint remains relatively clean. If after doing the first area you realise you are working on a heavily contaminated surface, remould the clay more frequently. As your confidence grows, you will find that it is often easier to work on really stubborn areas using a thinner piece of clay and more pressure, but don't rush this; get some experience first, as marring can be caused if too much pressure is used.

The final step in the cleaning process is to pack away all of the tools you have used, making sure everything is clean and ready for next use. Check the condition of your clay pieces; if they are totally soiled discard them, but if they are only partially soiled then place them in a zip lock freezer bag and save them for future use on your wheels or your windows (I recommend that you always use a brand new clay bar every time you clay your paint). Finally, wash any towels you have used in a washing machine at a low temperature using a non-biological liquid detergent (avoid soap powders and detergents containing bleach or fabric softeners) before allowing them to dry out naturally.

A new product on the market are clay cloths/mitts. Easier and much more cost effective imo.



Opened up and one side (pink) is a MF type of fabric


With the other side (black) feeling quite rubbery


Washed car 2BM, then decided to use mitt with a shampoo (G3 Detox), firstly loading up the mitt with the soapy water and applying it with the pink side.


Another dunk into the water then, flip the mitt over and use rubbery side on the paintwork.


Initially can hear the mitt rubbing over the dirt and contaminants but after about 20 seconds or so, no more noise indicating that mitt is working.

Rinse with open ended hose to leave this. (Only left hand side of bonnet done at this stage)


Onto the base of the passenger front door. Note the stains not shifted from the earlier 2BM.




After a pass with the mitt and a rinse



Bootlid before



Bootlid after



Base of drivers door, before



Base of drivers door, after




One handed video (sorry) showing ease of use
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vu2...e_gdata_player

Next instalment will be polishing.

[Clean Your Ride]

The next stage after decontaminating the paint before waxing is polishing.

Preparation and even more preparation is the key to achieving amazing car care results. No matter how good or expensive your fancy wax is, or how many coats of it you apply, you will not achieve a perfect finish unless you spend time preparing your paint properly. Wax only protects the finish you have gained by washing, drying, decontaminating and polishing.

Proper preparation involves two key steps. Previously discussed is the first; firmly bonded surface contaminants are removed using tar removers and detailing clay, to leave painted surfaces feeling perfectly smooth.
In the second, sub-surface defects sitting below the paint surface are removed by polishing, which is a broad term for a range of processes that remove, hide or fill in paint defects and enhance surface gloss in preparation for the addition of protection.

The polishing step is often skipped or misquoted by many car care enthusiasts. This may be because they do not fully understand what polishing does, or because they are not confident enough to try it, or because they believe it requires equipment that they do not have. As a result, many enthusiasts are left dissatisfied with the appearance of their paint.

Hopefully I will be able to attempt to shed some light on the subject of polishing by
(i)illustrating common sub-surface paint defects
(ii)describing the different types of polish currently available on the market
(iii)demonstrating how to polish paint by hand and
(iv)demonstrating how to polish paint by machine.

What are sub-surface defects then? Sub-surface paint defects are any forms of damage that are cut into the uppermost layer of paint on your car, and include marring, swirl marks, scratches, stone chips, water spots and acid etching caused by bird droppings and bug remains. By far the most common form of sub-surface defect is stone chips, particularly on the front ends of cars. However, many paint finishes also suffer from swirl marks and etching, and scratches are almost guaranteed if you park in supermarket car parks on a regular basis. Another less common form of defect is buffer trails or holograms, which are lines of swirl marks inflicted by poor machine polishing attempts.

Stone chips and scratches are obvious types of defect whose cause is clear, but what about swirl marks, water spots and etching? What are they and how are they caused? Swirl marks are circular patterns of fine scratches that resemble the form of cobwebs.They are nearly always the result of poor washing technique and are virtually guaranteed to be inflicted if you use automatic car washes (please do not use).



The other classic cause of swirl marks are traditional yellow sponges, as they provide no means of lifting particles of dirt safely away from painted surfaces when they are being washed. Instead, particles of dirt and grime are held on the face of the sponge and moved around over the underlying surfaces of the paintwork, creating fine scratches.

Water spots may form on painted surfaces when hard tap water is used to rinse off after washing and is then left to dry off naturally. The spots themselves comprise calcium carbonate, or limescale as it is more commonly known, and other evaporative salts. If such spots are left on painted surfaces for any significant length of time, they can harden to the point where they become very difficult to remove, even by a machine. In extreme cases, such deposits can attack underlying surfaces, causing etching. Etching refers to chemical erosion of the uppermost layer of paint (more often than not a clearcoat), and is also caused by the corrosive effects of strong organic acids in bird droppings and bug remains. Such contaminants should always be removed as quickly as possible in order to lower the risk of etching occurring. Try not to allow bird droppings to dry on the car.

Can all sub-surface defects be corrected by polishing? Sadly, the answer is no. Critical to this issue is the depth of the defect in relation to the paint system. Most modern paint systems are made up of three layers; a basecoat of primer, then a layer of flat colour and finally a topcoat of clear lacquer, commonly referred to as the clearcoat.
The clearcoat on many modern cars is often twice as thick as the underlying colour layer and is designed to enhance the appearance of the finish as well provide environmental protection. Most sub-surface defects usually only affect the clearcoat and can often be fully corrected by polishing. However, if the defect has penetrated the deeply into the clearcoat or, even worse, exposed the colour layer then polishing will not help; in these cases your only option is a trip to the bodyshop for a partial respray. A good test of whether a defect can be corrected by polishing is the fingernail test; if you run your fingernail over a defect and it catches, even slightly, the chances are it is too deep to be corrected by polishing alone.

How can defects be corrected?

Defects in the clearcoat can be corrected in one of two ways. Firstly, you can lower the level of the clearcoat in the vicinity of the defect by aggressive polishing until the defect is no longer visible. In general, it is safe to remove up to 25% of the thickness of the clearcoat over the lifetime of the car; anymore and you risk paint system failure. The benefit of this technique is that the defect is permanently removed, but the downside is that such action can compromise the integrity of the clearcoat, particularly if undertaken on a regular basis. The second option is to lessen the severity of the defect by gentle polishing and then try to hide or mask the remainder of it before applying sealant or wax protection. This is undoubtedly a safer option, but the downside is that the correction is only temporary; whatever you use to fill the defect will eventually be eroded, making it visible again in the future after washes.

In addition to the choices given above, you also have the option to work by either hand or machine. Polishing by hand is not a waste of time, although it is fair to say that it is hard work and the results will be limited to some extent. If you have any defects worse than minor swirl marks you will be hard pushed to remove them working by hand; the best you can hope to do is lessen their severity and then consider trying to mask them prior to applying protection. Machine polishing opens up greater possibilities, both good and bad. Whilst it becomes possible to fully correct even quite serious sub-surface paint defects, it equally becomes possible to remove too much of your clearcoat in a short space of time. If you go down the road of machine polishing, do your homework, follow the advice laid out below and set aside a reasonable amount of time for practice in order to gain experience. Buy a panel from a scrapyard for example.

The issue of paint hardness is a critical factor in the safe polishing equation. Quite amazingly, paint hardness varies significantly between different makes of car, and also in some cases between different ages of the same make and model of car. The reasons why this is so are quite involved and the implications for choosing an appropriate polish for the task in hand are significant. However, suffice to say for now that it is extremely important that paint hardness is properly taken into account when polishing because if it is not, then completely inappropriate products may be selected that either remove too much paint or turn out to be completely ineffective resulting in a waste of time and money.

Not only are defects tackled in different ways, but we also have to take into account how the material that we are polishing can vary in terms of its hardness characteristics. If this level of complexity wasn't already bad enough, there is a third factor that needs to be added; that of product selection. It is no surprise that many car care enthusiasts are confused by the polishing process, for there are literally dozens of different polishes available on the market, all named and marketed in different ways. However, when you look past the choice and the labels, four main categories of polish appear, and these categories are the key to really understanding polishing, as they unify all of the other options outlined above.

Different Types of Polishes

Cutting compounds are the most aggressive type of polishes on the market, and are used to correct major paint defects such as severe swirl marks and deep scratches, and restore dull, neglected paint back to good condition. Cutting compounds work by physical abrasion, and should be thought of as liquid sandpaper. Many modern cutting compounds comprise fine uniformly sized abrasive particles that break down progressively during the polishing process; (as a result, such abrasives are usually referred to as diminishing abrasives). This contrasts with traditional polishing compounds, in which the abrasives did not break down at all during the polishing process, and which left surface hazing that required further polishing steps with increasingly finer abrasives until a high gloss finish was restored. The benefit of modern abrasive technology is that it is now often possible to go from compounding to applying protection without the need for an intervening polishing step with a finer finishing polish. In cases where a finer final polishing step is still required (often on darker coloured cars), the amount of additional polishing required is significantly reduced, saving time and effort.

A few important points should be noted about the use of cutting compounds. Firstly, these products are designed to be used with machine polishers, and generally should not be applied by hand. This is because a very high work rate is required to breakdown the abrasive particles, and if they are not worked hard enough then micro-marring will occur, which is the technical term for fresh sub-surface defects inflicted during the polishing process as unbroken down abrasive particles are continually moved on the paint, leaving a faint pattern of very tightly defined swirl marks. So you thinking you are fixing the problem, only “compounds” (sorry) to make the matter worse.
Secondly, cutting compounds are aggressive, particularly when used with cutting pads, and will remove paint more quickly than you might expect, meaning that they need to be treated and used with respect.
Thirdly, compounding should not be viewed lightly, and can only be done a certain number of times before the integrity of the clearcoat is permanently compromised. It is strongly recommend that you always consider your options carefully before resorting to heavy compounding.

The next discernible group of products on the market are polishes, which vary in grade from medium abrasives through to light abrasives. Like cutting compounds, most of the products in this category comprise uniformly sized diminishing abrasives, although in this case the average particle size is much smaller and often quoted as being ultra-fine or micro-fine. In contrast to cutting compounds, the much finer abrasive particles used in polishes require less work in order to breakdown, meaning that they can be applied either by hand or machine (although by machine is easier and gives better results). The purpose of polishes is to permanently remove less serious paint defects, such as minor swirl marks, and create smooth, high gloss, highly reflective surfaces in readiness for the addition of sealant or wax protection. It is fine finishing polishes that are the secret to creating jaw dropping car care results, as it is during the final stages of the polishing process that the paint surface is burnished to its maximum extent.

A few important points should be noted about the use of polishes. Firstly, some polishes currently on the market contain a small quantity of fillers, Autoglym Super Resin Polish



is probably the most famous, which help to mask any remaining defects prior to the application of sealant or wax protection. Although this might initially strike you as a good thing, the downside is that once such fillers are eroded some of the remaining defects will reappear. For every polish with fillers there is one without, so always do your homework and pick which type suits you best. My preference is to always work with finishing polishes that contain no fillers, meaning that the true level of paint correction can be easily assessed. Secondly, when working by hand it is beneficial to use the least abrasive product possible to get the job done. This is because polishing by hand is hard work, and much less effort is required to breakdown finer abrasives. In addition, when working by hand it is possible to inflict micromarring when using medium abrasives, as you may not be able to breakdown the abrasive particles fully. It is recommended to start with a light abrasive and only moving onto medium abrasives if absolutely necessary.

Glazes are a seemingly misunderstood category of polishing products, perhaps because of confusion caused by the naming of certain products. In the true sense of the word, a glaze is a pure polish that does not contain any abrasives or cleaning agents. Glazes are designed to improve the brilliance and clarity of painted surfaces, and mask or visually reduce the extent of any remaining imperfections. In order to do this, glazes typically comprise gloss enhancing oils and kaolin (China Clay), which fills and hides minor sub-surface defects very effectively. Somewhat confusingly, some glazes only contain gloss enhancing oils, meaning that they do not have any masking abilities, and some products that are called glazes actually include fine abrasive particles, meaning that they are not glazes in the true sense of the word. You should read product descriptions carefully before choosing an appropriate glaze for the task in hand.

A few important points should be noted about the use of glazes. Firstly, glazes are underused in the UK. It is far better to apply a glaze on a regular basis and hide any defects rather than polish your paint with abrasive products on a regular basis. You should only tend to polish your car with abrasive polishes once every 1-2 years, and in the intervening period use glazes to keep them looking good. Quite simply, every time you use an abrasive polish you remove a further fraction of your clearcoat. Do this too often and you risk compromising the long-term integrity of your clearcoat. Keeping daily drivers looking good is hard, but glazes offer a highly convenient solution that avoids the risk of ever over polishing your paint. Secondly, once a glaze is applied you should apply sealant or wax protection immediately, in order to seal in the fillers. If you fail to do this, the fillers and gloss enhancing oils will be washed off the next time it rains or when you next wash your car, therefore negating the benefits of applying it in the first place.

The final discernible group of polishing products on the market are chemical paint cleaners, which blur the line between polishes and last step products as they typically polish and lay down sealant or wax protection in a single step. All of the products in this category utilise solvent-based cleaning agents instead of abrasive particles, meaning that they have limited polishing powers but excellent cleaning abilities. However, some newer products in this category also utilise abrasive particles for the polishing process, meaning that more serious defects are sometimes able to be corrected. In spite of their limited polishing power, such products are very useful and typically brighten painted surfaces up considerably as they draw out dirt seated dirt and grime from within the uppermost few microns of the clearcoat. These so called one step style products are also great time savers, and perfect for enthusiasts who want to clean their paint whilst simultaneously adding protection.

A few important points should be noted about the use of chemical paint cleaners. Firstly, they must not be used over glazes, because their solvent-based cleaning agents will strip away oils and fillers, cancelling out the benefits of applying the glaze in the first place. Secondly, such products typically lay down a layer of sealant or wax protection and care should subsequently be taken to ensure that if a further protective product is used that it is compatible with this layer, as sealants should not be layered over waxes. The golden rule is that if the chemical paint cleaner lays down a layer of wax then only a wax-based last step product should be applied on top. However, if the chemical paint cleaner lays down a layer of sealant, then you can generally apply any type of last step product on top

Now that I have illustrated the common forms of sub-surface defects and described the various types of polishing products available on the market, we should be able to determine what can and can't be achieved using different polishing methods. Let's start with hand polishing, as this is the only option open to car owners who for whatever reason do not own a machine polisher.
As mentioned earlier on, polishing by hand is not a waste of time, although it is fair to say that it is hard work and the results that can be achieved are limited in comparison to those that can be achieved when using a machine. If you have any defects worse than minor swirl marks you will not remove them working by hand; the best you can hope to do is lessen their severity and then consider masking them prior to applying sealant or wax protection. Based on this, and the fact that polishing compounds should not be applied by hand, attention should be focused on correcting or masking minor defects and products falling into the polish, glaze and chemical paint cleaner categories.

In order to permanently remove minor swirl marks by hand, it is recommended that you first try using a light abrasive polish (the exact choice should be made with due consideration given to the hardness of the paint being polished. If after several applications some of the marks still persist, you can then move on to trying a medium abrasive polish. If you do this, you must work the area well, in order to help the abrasives to breakdown. After several applications, it is recommended finishing off with another application of a light abrasive polish, in order to remove any marring and restore a perfect finish in readiness for sealant or wax protection. If you would rather try and hide defects instead of removing them, it is recommended that you use a glaze containing fillers. Such products will also enhance the glossiness of your paint in readiness for protection. If your paint is free of swirl marks but dull and lifeless, a chemical paint cleaner can deep clean the paint and lay down an initial layer of sealant or wax protection.

When it actually comes to polishing by hand, the first thing you should do is ensure that the paint is perfectly clean and dry; wash your car first and then decontaminate it if any surface contamination is evident as discussed earlier. If you apply polishes by hand then you need to be using either a good quality foam applicator pad



or a microfibre applicator pad.



The former tends to be better for applying abrasive polishes, as foam typically affords more bite, whereas the latter is better employed when gently working in glazes or chemical paint cleaners. Whichever you use, always remember to use a fresh pad for each product; you should never mix products on the same pad.

A common myth about polishing by hand is that you should only work back and forth and side to side, rather than in circles; it actually makes no difference as long as you allow sufficient time for the abrasives to breakdown. A good indication of this is a change in the appearance of the polish; many appear to become more transparent when they have been properly worked. You should actually try to work in all directions wherever possible, because this will help to ensure that the edges of defects are rounded off evenly. In all cases, the final film of polish residue should be buffed off carefully using a plush de-tagged microfibre towel.

[Bigfeet]

Got as far as "The next stage" and fell asleep....!





Only joking! Great advice Andy, top job

[WTF]

o_O

Epic!!

[Jimbob]

Or....................you could go to a car wash!

JB

Don't kill me Andy - not serious!

[mk2k41]

Or....................you could go to a car wash!

JB

Don't kill me Andy - not serious!

Where's the fun in that :confused: ?

Good stuff Andy, got some more bits and bobs to add to my next CYC order now!

[Clean Your Ride]

Where's the fun in that :confused: ?

Good stuff Andy, got some more bits and bobs to add to my next CYC order now!

Next is LSPs then QDs so maybe more to add to your shopping list then

[colganraz]

Another great guide... i have my pre wash, shampoo, wash mitt and 2BM. I have the clay mitt and SRP ready i just now need to decide whether to buy ironX and/or tardis before i commence, also need some wax but there is too many to choose from... been considering a more liquid based wax such as MEGS nxt generation tech car wax or the Farecla G3 resin superwax, any thoughts on this?

[Clean Your Ride]

Another great guide... i have my pre wash, shampoo, wash mitt and 2BM. I have the clay mitt and SRP ready i just now need to decide whether to buy ironX and/or tardis before i commence, also need some wax but there is too many to choose from... been considering a more liquid based wax such as MEGS nxt generation tech car wax or the Farecla G3 resin superwax, any thoughts on this?

Why not go for a sealant/hybrid type coating for the summer months? You will find it hard to beat Sonax NPT, absolutely brilliant stuff http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/sealan...prod_1200.html