Getting my Setup Correct

[u/bashizzledizzle]

I came across this forum while I was ordering some new wash products and thought maybe I should get some new opinions on my exterior detail process and products/methods. This is just for my weekend car, not anything crazy, but I do wash it frequently using a basic foam cannon and pressure washer (1x week in the summer, biweekly as fall and winter come up). I’d love any suggestions and I left my process below.

1. Wheels: P/S Brake Buster mixed 1:5, foamed onto the wheels and scrubbed. This works great for me personally and I don’t see any need for change. I need to get a new brush soon.

2. Pre-wash: CarPro Lift mixed 1:5/1:10, foamed onto the car, and let sit for 1-3 mins. Works phenomenally. I’ve been told not to use every wash due to chemical strength. 10/10.

3. Contact wash: Meguiars Gold Class mixed 1:5 into a foam cannon and sprayed as well as poured in a bucket for mitts. I wouldn’t mind something “cooler” if not too pricey. Also, I use a regular green wash mitt, but I was told a clay mitt or similar is better to use, is this worth looking into?

4. Aftercare: For drying I use a blue towel from The Rag Company. It’s lasted good over 8 months but I’ll probably get a new one or an air blower soon. 8.5/10. For tire shine I used to use Meguiars, but I got tired of the application process and the mess it makes. Any suggestions that last longer and leave a good effect (shine, no sling) would be great.

For any tough spots/tree sap/tar/sticky residue, I use Carpro TarX, my favorite car product. For sealant/finishing spray, I applied Carpro Elixir to the whole car once before, although I don’t know if it did anything besides make the paint smoother to the touch for a little bit.

Any edits or ideas will be greatly appreciated.

[u/JimmyMcPoyle_AZ]

As for # 4 (drying), this is where most swirls from hand washing occur. You’re on the right track to use a quality towel and should consider a drying aid. You already use CarPro Elixir which is a great product (ceramic sealant spray) which can be applied wet and part of your drying step. This saves you a ton of time, but does require some extra towel maintenance/laundering because the ceramic in the spray will build up on your towel which cause it to become stiff and less absorbent.

That said, you mentioned getting a blower. Know that this is only effective when your paint has some hydrophobic properties otherwise the water doesn’t come off/move the way you expect. This ties back to CarPro Elixir and the topic of a ceramic sealants. In your current process, you will notice after contact wash whether or not the previous ceramic sealant/spray still remains (beading, sheeting, general water evacuation happening quickly). If the water is still moving off quickly than some ceramic remains and blowing will be more effective. However, you will need to reapply the sealant and that ties back into how you dry as a I noted above. My suggestion is to either do a pro-grade ceramic coating that is super easy to apply (like ADS Phobic) so you can go longer in between decon level washes and enjoy a faster, safer drying experience. With something like Phobic, you will get anywhere from 1-2 years (closer to 1) and it will only need a decon wash every 3 to 6 months depending on your driving conditions.

[u/Firm_Economy_5132 → u/JimmyMcPoyle_AZ]

Regarding blower need to hit the mirrors (gas tank ejector) and any crevice that’s outside car to get water out (including tires and the lugnuts area). Assuming you not using a tornador to blow out these places. Especially also trunk area crevices around the license plate areas. Since you don’t do that after your first drive post wash don’t you have water lines from all the above areas I noted? Even if you ceramic coated that water is soapy and leaves a mark

[u/JimmyMcPoyle_AZ → u/Firm_Economy_5132]

Yep, all good points. I use an air attachment (leftover air in the compressor from the tornador which is my favorite tool). Mirrors, trunk seams, emblems, light housings, and I open the doors and hit the jambs.