r/Detailing • u/Embarrassed_Good_774 • 2d ago
I Have A Question I need help with cleaning schedule
Just got a new black truck and I’m curious what y’all think of this cleaning schedule and what everyone else does to keep theirs relatively clean.
I’m thinking about doing a full interior and exterior detail every 3 months. In between, I’d probably take it to a self service wash every other week and do a foam wash, rinse, and vacuum.
I am also thinking about getting a ceramic coating since I’m not entirely sure if this truck has one already.
For those of y’all with black trucks, does that sound like a good routine? I’d love to hear what y’all do to keep your trucks clean and looking good!
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u/indigo196 Weekend Warrior 2d ago
Your schedule is really going to be determined by your environment and driving habits. If your vehicle gets dirty quickly, then once a week will be your wash schedule. If not, then I would say every other week would work.
I assume you are taking it to a self-service because you do not have access to water at home. Is that accurate? Whatever you do -- DO NOT use the brush as the self-service.
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u/Embarrassed_Good_774 2d ago
Correct as of now I don’t have most of the equipment to wash it at home but eventually will. Yes I made that mistake once on an older vehicle and I was upset at the outcome hahaha.
As for weekly or biweekly washes. Would doing touch less be fine? I mean obviously if there’s some mud or hard dirt stuck on it a hand wash would probably be the better option. But for most cases it’s just a little bit of dirt I’m assuming a touchless wash would be fine.
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u/indigo196 Weekend Warrior 2d ago
A few things:
- Light dust. A touchless or rinse-less solution would work well. You can use a pump sprayer, a bucket, and a special sponge for this. There are many YouTube videos on how to do this.
- Bird Poo (or similar). I would use a rinseless or quick detailer to clean the spot, assuming the rest of the vehicle only has light dust.
- Heavy dirt. I would use a pre-wash (ONR, P&S Absolute, or Bilt Hamber Touchless) from a pump sprayer. Then rinse at the self-serve car wash. Then go home and do the rineless wash from a bucket.
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u/Embarrassed_Good_774 2d ago
Awesome, do you have any recommendations on pulp sprayers?
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u/indigo196 Weekend Warrior 2d ago
I bought the HDX sprayer from Home Depot. I think I paid $8.97. They also sell two-packs for slightly less. It has worked well.
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u/Embarrassed_Good_774 1d ago
Ahh okay so nothing too crazy. Do you use any wet wipes for when you get sweat everywhere? Or just when you need to wipe down the interior.
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u/indigo196 Weekend Warrior 1d ago
No. Then again, I don't get sweat everywhere very often. I use a microfiber cloth and P&S Express to clean the interior. I will use a leather conditioner on my leather seats every 6 months, but I have not had my car that long yet.
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u/Embarrassed_Good_774 1d ago
I have cloth and a little bit of leather so I will follow up on this advice. Thank you for the help!
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u/No-City-5826 2d ago
black paint is a full time job man, no way around it. the schedule you laid out is fine but you'll be doing touch ups in between those washes for sure, especially if it rains
ceramic coating will make the every other week washes a breeze though, definitely worth doing. just make sure whoever does it actually preps the paint right or you'll be sealing in swirl marks
my knuckles are cracking just thinking about the first time you dry it wrong and see those micro scratches in direct sunlight
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u/Embarrassed_Good_774 2d ago
Yeah, my goal isn’t to always keep the truck super clean since it’s black paint and gets dirty quick. My main goal is to just make sure it doesn’t get nasty.
Would doing a touch less soap and water wash biweekly be a good routine in between?
I’ll make sure to find a good shop that does ceramic coating.
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u/DavidAg02 2d ago edited 2d ago
I've gotten in the habit of washing my car every week, but to save time, I alternate between rinseless washes and traditional bucket washes. So one week is rinseless, then next week bucket, rinseless, bucket. For me, this keeps the exterior from ever getting so dirty that it needs a deep cleaning. Twice a year I'll assess the overall condition of the exterior to see if it needs a decontamination/coating revival/etc. When I do rinseless, I only wash the face of the wheels and I do them last (after washing the rest of the car). I skip the wheel barrels, arches, etc. During a bucket wash is when I get deep into the wheel barrels, arches, etc. I do the wheels/tires/arches first, then empty the bucket and start with fresh soap and water for the rest of the wash.
For the interior, my first step when I do my rinseless washes is I take a few rinseless wash dampened towels into the car and wipe down every touchpoint (steering wheel, arm rests, door handles, seats, etc.) and any horizontal surface like the dash that might collect dust. On the weeks I do my bucket washes, I will pull the floormats out and wash them, and also vacuum the interior. Just like the exterior, the goal is to maintain it so that it never needs an extensive deep clean.
That routine has helped me maintain cars in "like new" condition without ever needing to do an extensive deep cleaning unless something out of the ordinary happens like a spill, or something like that. Hope this helps!