# Washing & polishing help for total newbie please



## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

Hi! 

I've never had a nice car before so I don't think I've ever properly washed one (always just use petrol stations)  so now I have a BLACK Mk2 TT I really want to spend some time loving it. After two weeks it's already looking really dusty!

I've read through the stickies and they're awesome, but a bit too awesome for me as I really just need some very basic advice. Namely, how do I wash a car basically, what stuff do I need and how to do it without damaging/causing swirls. And perhaps, how to polish/wax. I've read so much confusing stuff from google searches I'm now worried that I'll cause swirls/damage the top coat etc etc so please, I know this is really basic and boring for most you guys but

1) What's the basic cleaning sequence for preventing swirls? So far I understand it's a) jet wash the dust off b) get a shampoo and gently wash it c) dry it with chamois thing. Is this right? Is there any type of shampoo I should steer clear of? Any type of sponge etc I should/shouldn't be using? I have some Car-Pride Shampoo tablets. It says "instant and long lasting shine" on it. Is this good?

2) What about making polishing it nicely. I've got a bunch of swirls, which takes the shine off on a sunny day  I've read a load about proper swirl removal but for now I think I'll focus on just a good wax an polish as that *might* make it good enough for me. After donig the above do I just put the wax stuff on and buff? Any wax stuff ok generally? I really don't want swirls. A friend suggested a polish type thing with colour in it already.

Is there a shampoo/shine mix that does a bit of both, to start me off?

I know this is all very basic stuff but I have to start somewhere. The stickies talk about waxes and thigns that are £40 or so cheapest. I just want something basic like from Halfords that will do the job for now without causing any damage.

Any help would be much appreciated. Most people get this nailed at 17 I know


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

Hi Buddy, you have a colour that will look superb when cleaned and waxed but is one of the worst colours for showing marks. It all depends on how much time & money you want to put into it, everybody will have their own preferences and routines when it comes to keeping their pride & joy in tip top condition. As a starter, you can get yourself a Meguiers Lambswool wash mit available from Halfrauds or online sites like www.theultimatefinish.co.uk or www.cleanyourcar.co.uk. Do a search for the two bucket method for washing, loads of shampoo's about, I use Johnson's Baby Bath (Blue Bottle) as do a few others on here. You will need a drying towel or waffle weave cloth and loads of micro fibre cloths for buffing the car dry. There are loads of waxes or sealants, again a lot comes down to how much you want to spend. Dodo Juice products get good reviews along with Swissvax.

If you start getting OCD with the cleaning, you can move onto a machine polisher for some really good results. The stickies from Jac-in-a-box in the show and shine section are good places to start.

Hope that helps and you keep her looking 8)


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## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

Hi,

Don't use a sponge as they catch grit in them and can damage the paintork further. Buy a wash-mitt.

As for shampoo believe it or not Johnson's baby shampoo (the stuff in the blue bottle). Nice and mild.

Cleaner/polish/wax - if you want the kind of stuff Halfords has I would recommend the Meguires range. Get a bottle of each and just follow the instructions. You'll also want a couple of applicator pads and some good quality microfibre cloths.

Also consider a clay bar kit (again, Meguires can be had at Halfords). Follow the sticky above to clay the car before starting with the other stuff.

Chamois - I used to use a synthetic chamois but recently changed to a drying towel - much better IMO.

Probably about £50 worth there but Halfords has a 3 for 2 offer on car cleaning chemicals at the moment.

Hope that helps.


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## davelincs (Jan 1, 2010)

below is just some basic kit you will need, 2 wash buckets with grit guards, shampoo, wash mitt, microfibre cloths

Heres a bit of info of detailing world

"Why two buckets? What are GritGuards?"
A two bucket wash is imperative in minimising the risk of inflicting swirls/scratches in your wash routine. 
One bucket used for shampoo solution 
Second bucket used as a rinse aid; freeing trapped grit particles that would usually end up back on your paintwork 
A Gritguard sits at the bottom of your bucket and acts as a filter to the dirt and grit particles in circulation. If correct wash technique is performed, an impressive build-up of detritus can be seen in the bottom of your rinse bucket (which would usually find its way back to the cars paintwork)

"pH Neutral Shampoo? Why can't I use my own 'Wash n' Wax?"
The pH-neutral shampoo is a pleasant maintenance shampoo that offers good foaming properties whilst still being highly lubricated to prevent the dragging of dirt on paintwork during contact washing. It is designed to be 'wax friendly' and to leave previously applied wax layers on the car, whilst removing dirt and grime.

"Why a Wash Mitt?"
A Lambswool Wash Mitt will pamper your paintwork and is ideal for sensitive finishes that mark easily. Gentle washing action that only genuine lambswool can provide, is much safer than conventional sponges. The long pile draws grit and contaminants away from the surface of the paint whilst washing.

"Where did my Chamois Leather go?"
It was condemned - keep it for sills/shuts or wheels. 
The Microfibre Drying Towel is the perfect drying medium. Gentle on paint, yet greedy when it comes to soaking up water. Made from soft microfibre.


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

Wow guys you're all so helpful, thank you so much. At work at the mo so can't read in depth yet. Thanks so far!


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

Had a read in my break.

So... gritguard works by catchign the grit eh? I am reading online somewhere that your'e meant to wipe the mit onto it to get the grit off that way (?)

And re: the lambswool wash-mit, this seems to be unanimous advice jsut to check this is for the basic washing of the car (with shampoo)? and NOT for buffing/drying right?

For the buffing/drying etc that's when I use a microfibre type drying towel/cloth?

(thanks again this is REALLY helpful  )


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

New_TT_Owner said:


> Had a read in my break.
> 
> So... gritguard works by catchign the grit eh? I am reading online somewhere that your'e meant to wipe the mit onto it to get the grit off that way (?)
> 
> ...


The grit drops through the guard to the bottom of the bucket in theory, once you have swilled the mitt in the "clean water" bucket, you can check for particles with your other hand before dunking in the shampoo bucket.

As a basic guide, it is worth rinsing the car first with a hose to loosen the dirt, then use the mitt with shampoo a panel at a time, starting with the least dirty panels, roof, then bonnet, boot, top half of sides, then the bottom halves finishing with front and rear. Rinse before re-filling with shampoo each time.

Use the hose again to rinse and then use the drying towel. After doing all the panels, do it all over again with a dry microfibre cloth.

When you wash your mitt etc, don't use conditioner (in the washing machine).

Hope that helps, good luck and put some pictures up when you have done it.


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

Really helpful again, thanks.

Re: pH neutral shampoo. I've got some Car Pride Car Shampoo tablets and I'm not sure of the pH. The car is probably quite dirty and a I bought it rom a garage I have no idea if it has any proper wax on it yet. I'm assuming a neutral pH is kinder to wax but possibly not *as* good at getting rid of muck and if I have a dirty car with little/no wax on it at the moment it may be ok to risk using my shampoo tablets even if it isn't neutral?

Or should I not risk it and go for Johnson's baby shampoo instead?


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## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

Doubt it would hurt to use the shampoo you have now for the next wash BUT I would then highly recommend clay barring the car before you begin applying cleaner, polish and wax. Thereafter (ie once the wax is on) use Johnson's baby shampoo each time you wash.


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## davelincs (Jan 1, 2010)

DoDo juice, born to be mild is a good shampoo, or megs gold class,the megs is available from halfords, dodo you can buy online http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

WozzaTT said:


> Doubt it would hurt to use the shampoo you have now for the next wash BUT I would then highly recommend clay barring the car before you begin applying *cleaner, polish and wax*. Thereafter (ie once the wax is on) use Johnson's baby shampoo each time you wash.


Cleaner, polish and wax? Cleaner = shampoo I guess. What's the difference between polish and wax!? googling will hurt my head, sorry


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

forest said:


> New_TT_Owner said:
> 
> 
> > Had a read in my break.
> ...


Thanks again mate, but do it all over again?? I'm missing something here. I thought I just wash it like you say, using two bucket method, but then I have to wash the whole thing again but the second time dry using a microfibre cloth intead of the towel? OR do you mean when I dry it with a cloth dry it AGAIN with a microfibre cloth? Or is the microfibre cloth only for if I want to apply some polish/wax stuff?

(really appreciating the patience everyone is showing with a thickie like me, thanks)


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

New_TT_Owner said:


> Thanks again mate, but do it all over again?? I'm missing something here. I thought I just wash it like you say, using two bucket method, but then I have to wash the whole thing again but the second time dry using a microfibre cloth intead of the towel? OR do you mean when I dry it with a cloth dry it AGAIN with a microfibre cloth? Or is the microfibre cloth only for if I want to apply some polish/wax stuff?
> 
> (really appreciating the patience everyone is showing with a thickie like me, thanks)


Sorry for the confusion, just use the microfibre cloths to buff/dry after the drying towel stage. You usually get some water residue left (depends on temp and conditions), this will dry off and remove any water marks that may be present.


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## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

New_TT_Owner said:


> WozzaTT said:
> 
> 
> > Doubt it would hurt to use the shampoo you have now for the next wash BUT I would then highly recommend clay barring the car before you begin applying *cleaner, polish and wax*. Thereafter (ie once the wax is on) use Johnson's baby shampoo each time you wash.
> ...


No! Pressure wash first, then wash with shampoo, pressure wash again and dry.

Secondly - clay bar, pressure wash and dry. Sixdoublesix recently posted a link to Amazon selling their clay bar kit at the moment for a tenner, mine arrived this morning.

The above is all just to prepare the paintwork for the chemicals. Then:-

Meguires used to (and I guess still do) have a 3 stage process. So first use their cleaner (may not be necessary if you've used the clay bar but can't hurt), then polish to give a proper sheen/shine, then seal with wax. If you buy the Meguires stuff the instructions are on the 3 bottles but it's basically apply with an applicator and then buff with a microfibre cloth in all 3 cases.

The above is just what I do but others will do differently of course.

Don't forget your wheels and don't forget Halfrauds have their 3 for 2 offer on at the moment!


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## TheMetalMan0 (Jun 30, 2009)

New_TT_Owner said:


> What's the difference between polish and wax!? googling will hurt my head, sorry


Polish gives the finish and makes it shiney.
Wax protects the finish


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks again everyone. You are all AWESOME!!! 

So what I understand by putting all your advice together is:

1) Jet wash the dirt off the car

2) Use a two bucket method with grit guard to wash the car using a pH neutral shampoo (my tablet shampoo may be ok once or twice on my unwaxed car) using a lambswool washmit

3) After pressure wash rinse, use wash towel/waffle weave to dry the car

4) Then use microfibre cloth to dry it again but a little bit better, in more detail

THAT'S THE BASICS BUT THEN I MAY WISH TO, EVERY NOW AND THEN:

5) Clay bar

6) Pressure water wash and dry

7) Use Meguires polish thing to perhaps remove swirls and polish (BY HAND - I'm SCARED OF MACHINE ATM)

8) Wax to protect

If this is right I have a few more Qs:

a - standard chrome cleaner ok for my 18" Audi Alloys?

b - for some reason turtlewax lurks in my mind... I know it probably isn't brilliant but any point in perhaps chucking some of this on after my first wash? and maybe a cheapo easy polish, before I get really OCD and do the polish/buff/wax thing properly one day? Or would people say if I'm going to do that stuff do it properly with the Meguires etc?


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## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

Yes - mostly!

Personally I don't bother with step 4 ie dry with microfibre after you've already dried it with a drying towel. You will get some drips which you'll need to dry up though.

Re 7 it's the cleaner which you use to possibly improve some light swirl marks, rather than the polish.

For the wheels again I use the Meguires wheel cleaner but most stuff is fine. Virosol is excellent (someone posted a link to where to to buy other day).

I would just get all the stuff you need to do it properly now (excellent time just before the summer), especially with the Halfords offer on ATM.

Tip - if you clay, also do the windscreen and wheels after you've done the bodywork. Windscreen will help preserve the life of the wiper blades and wheels you can get really clean before sealing with wheel wax. If you want to!


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

You are more or less there. Regarding the claybar, it depends on how much stuff is ingrained into the clear coat, eg tar, tree sap, general contaminents in the atmosphere, if you run the back of your finger across the paint and it feels smooth then it shouldn't be too bad. Depending on the usage of the car, daily driver or weekend toy, you might only need to use the clay bar once a year.

I have found Bilburry Wheel cleaner is useful for the wheels, then give them a coat of wax or wheel sealant like Poorboys. Have a browse on cleanyourcar.co.uk, there are a few products available. If you do use the clay bar, prior to throwing it away, take the wheels off and use it on them prior to adding sealant.

I have used Turtle wax in the distant past, but I must admit, I have entered into a new cleaning world now and started afresh with new products and routine.


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## steeve (Jul 8, 2010)

Difference between a Polish and a Wax?

Simply put a polish is abrasive and a wax isnt. If you have a great paint finish then you may not need to polish it. For example a new car. The white residue you get with a polish is clay, the strength of it's abrasive powers depend on the size of the clay solids and the shape of them. With wax there is no abrasive, generally it provides the shine and protection to the paint.
Always use a wax safe shampoo, most car waxes will remove all the wax you put on in two washes. Stuff like Zymols Clear will allow the wax to remain on the car quite a bit longer.


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## toonmal (Aug 17, 2010)

Check here..this is the Bible of car care  
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/index.php


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

steeve said:


> Difference between a Polish and a Wax?
> 
> Simply put a polish is abrasive and a wax isnt. If you have a great paint finish then you may not need to polish it. For example a new car. The white residue you get with a polish is clay, the strength of it's abrasive powers depend on the size of the clay solids and the shape of them. With wax there is no abrasive, generally it provides the shine and protection to the paint.


Thanks wozza, forest, and everyone else - you guys are real gems 

I think I'm all set now and can wash my car with confidence this weekend 

As a side note though, regarding swirl removal (although I know that's another topic for which I will do a decent forum search), cheers steeve - so is the polish able to reduce swirls then? I'm guessing so because if it has abrasive clay particles in it it must therefore round off the hard edges of the swirls thus reducing their appearance?

But wozza you say it's the cleaner, NOT the polish which reduces swirls?

Maybe I'm getting confused about this - I have read about the meguires stuff (and seen some pretty impressive stuff on youtube) so when I'm ready I may jsut research it all a bit more. I was just wondering if following the basic steps I posted above will reduce some swirl appearawnce purely by usingthe polish?

One worry I do have though is I'm not sure how many times you can "remove swirls", because if the process is rubbing effectively rubbing them away will this not eat away at the outer layers of the finish and leave you with thinner paint? Or is this not a problem IF you put a good coat of wax on top and maintain that wax? i.e. does waxing pretty much restore the outer layer?


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## davelincs (Jan 1, 2010)

PS, i normally wash my wheels, wheel arches, and tyres first, i use a seperate bucket and brushes fo these, the reason being before , if you was the car first , any dirt from the wheels, arches and tyres can end up on the clean panels, hope this makes sense


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## Guzi (Jun 13, 2010)

after i have cleaned my car i, the sides and back have that nice smooth feel and looks great. My bonnet still feels rough, how can i get the bonnet feel the same as the rest of the car? Ive tried intense tar remover normal wash and polish/wax

cheers


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## toonmal (Aug 17, 2010)

Clay it...works wonders


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## Kanikuman (May 13, 2010)

Meguiars do a good range of cleaning products to start with, and I would add some of my own wisdom when it comes to cleaning but it appears you've already had some good advice from forum members. Once you've developed a routine and gotten used to the cleaning products, try switching to Dodo Juice or Swissvax for even more impressive results.


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## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

New_TT_Owner said:


> But wozza you say it's the cleaner, NOT the polish which reduces swirls?
> 
> Maybe I'm getting confused about this - I have read about the meguires stuff (and seen some pretty impressive stuff on youtube) so when I'm ready I may jsut research it all a bit more. I was just wondering if following the basic steps I posted above will reduce some swirl appearawnce purely by usingthe polish?
> 
> One worry I do have though is I'm not sure how many times you can "remove swirls", because if the process is rubbing effectively rubbing them away will this not eat away at the outer layers of the finish and leave you with thinner paint? Or is this not a problem IF you put a good coat of wax on top and maintain that wax? i.e. does waxing pretty much restore the outer layer?


Hiya - yes, it's the cleaner that can possibly remove slight swirls and really just prepares the paint for polish and wax. The polish conditions the paint and puts a high gloss finish on prior to waxing.

I wouldn't worry about thinning the paint - this Meguires stuff is pretty mild.


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

A massive THANKS to every single person who posted here wth help!!!  (sorry not naming individually - don't need to, you were all great)

Sunny day and I'm now off to what I understand needs to be called Halfrauds (funnier, I like it haha) to get a bunch of stuff.

Going down with half my life savings and a confused premenstrual girlfriend looking forward to spending the rest of the day cleaning my dustbucket as she moans about it being a nice day no doubt. Should be fun, and in case I don't survive the ordeal, thanks again!


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## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

New_TT_Owner said:


> A massive THANKS to every single person who posted here wth help!!!  (sorry not naming individually - don't need to, you were all great)
> 
> Sunny day and I'm now off to what I understand needs to be called Halfrauds (funnier, I like it haha) to get a bunch of stuff.
> 
> Going down with half my life savings and a confused premenstrual girlfriend looking forward to spending the rest of the day cleaning my dustbucket as she moans about it being a nice day no doubt. Should be fun, and in case I don't survive the ordeal, thanks again!


Enjoy!


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

no no no   

I've just spent a couple of very confusing hours in Halfords. Almost every person felt sorry for me and came to try and help. There's FAR too much choice there.

I looked for a lambswool mit but they don't have one - just a microfibre one (by Maguiars though at least!), which I've bought and I'm going to use.

The drying towel they have is also microfibre (Maguiars), which I bought.

Plus I bought three microfibre cloth things (Maguiar again).

Shampoo - they don't have ANY pH neutral, so I went to asda to buy some blue baby shampoo stuff.

They one guy whe REALLY seemed to know what he was talking about said, don't buy stuff from here, buy dodoshine !!????

He also didn't think the johnon's was a good idea in case it left residue, but he admits he never tried it.

So anyway I've got this microfibre wash mit, the microfibre drying towel and my car-Pride cheap "wash and shine" tablets.

I went to Asda to buy Johnsons and whilst there I went online because I was confused, tired, flustered, hungry, thirsty, and read on a quick iPhone google search on detailling world forum that johnsons doesn't have the strength to get rid of road grime so best not to use.

My GF is in a huff and has buggered off home. And now I'm left half-hearted using a mit which is not the one advised and unsure whether to use carpride tablet shampoo to get rid of the dirt properly (as I'm sure it's not been properly waxed and I'll be waxing it anyway) this once or to not risk it and use the johnsons, even though it may not remove all the dirt properly. I'll prob flip a coin. [smiley=bigcry.gif]

(Re: the wax etc, that confued me more than anything so I just gave up and will ask about that later.)


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## Kanikuman (May 13, 2010)

Everything will be fine! 

I am assuming the wash mitt you bought was this:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/megu ... -mitt.aspx

It's what I use when I'm not using my Wookie Fist, and it's a great little wash mitt.

In regards to the shampoo, to start with you can always use Meguiars NXT wash, which was the first shampoo I ever used before switching to Dodo products, and can be bought from Halfrauds or here:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/megu ... -wash.aspx

As for the microfibre cloths, I'm again assuming you bought these:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/megu ... -pack.aspx

They are the only microfibre cloths I use and have a range of uses from drying, wax buffing and applying all sorts of other cleaning chemicals. It's best to write on the care label what each one is for, as you don't want to use a wax one for drying and so on. Wash them by hand with some detergent or bung them in the washing machine, sans any clothing and dry as normal (tumbledryer is also safe).

You could also look at a dedicated drying cloth such as this:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/megu ... towel.aspx

It makes drying easier too! Go over the car with one of these, followed by a microfibre to absorb any water left over.

If you feel like having a go at waxing, nothing could be simpler than starting with some Meguiars NXT tech wax, which is again available at Halfrauds or here:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/megu ... x-2-0.aspx

Just use an applicator pad (available in Halfrauds) to apply the wax, using circular motions over the whole car, then leave it to cure until the wax goes hazy, which will take about 15 -30 mins weather dependant. Less time in the hot more in the cold. Then you buff off the wax using a clean microfibre and stand back to admire your car!

Those really are the bare basics of care, and should get you off to a good start. I think the salesman was referring to Dodo Juice products which are very good, and cost a bit more than say Autoglym or Megiuars. If you need any more help just drop me a PM.


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

Nevermind what the money hungry sellers on other forums say Yellow_TT uses Johnsons and I've yet to see a cleaner car . It's very easy to be robbed by various people with a vested interest.


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

Actually really enjoyed washing the car. I now see how/why this stuff is so important.

Off out now but I'll post some pics and the issues I'm having tomorrow.

Thanks again for help and advice so far.


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

Kanikuman said:


> Everything will be fine!
> 
> I am assuming the wash mitt you bought was this:
> 
> ...


You're spot on. That's the stuff I bought and I'm glad it's the right stuff! Used Johnson's instead as I wasn't sure if "pH balanced" is the same as "pH neutral". But then even the Johnson's is "pH skin neutral" which technically isn't pH neutral because skin pH is variable but always below 7 (slightly acidic). :?

Anyway, pics and report to follow soon...


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

[warning - long post with many linked pics and a billion disorganised random questions - if anyone is willing to give advice any ANY aspect of what i've done then please feel free, would be much appreciated. probably cleaner for the forum than me starting a million separate threads? or maybe I should do that?]

Right so finally here's a report. I'm quite happy with everything I bought - thanks again for all the very helpful advice. But I realised there are some things I may be doing wrong as I've noticed a couple of issues. Or maybe my car needs something else? Anyway here's the report for anyone who's interested 

*THE PREP*

Went to Halfords armed with all the advice from this thread on my phone thinking this'll be easy, but then I got so horribly confused by all the options there, and the staff were really helpful and friendly but some were contradicting others and some didn't seem sure. With the 3 for 2 offer I thought I'd get a bunch of stuff but I was faced with such a buch of stuff I lost heart and gave up.

First off the shampoo: they said they didn't sell pH neutral anymore as nobody was interested in it so they stopped it. So I was left with:


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shampoo

...none of which were pH neutral. NXT is "pH balanced" but not neutral. I didn't want to spend so uch money on it when I could just use Johnsons bath, which is what I ended up using in the end. But that's "pH SKIN neutral" which isn't actually pH neutral anyway as skin is acidic, so I'm even more confused now....

Then I thought I'd get some clay, polish etc, but got TOTALLY confused by all the choice out there especially as I really want to reduce my swirls. These were some of the things I was thinking of but then there was the whole AUTOGLYM range and the GT3 (?) range and Mei's wax with all various sorts and one of the staff was telling me to go DodoJuice anyway, Aaaargh!


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polish


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clay

I then bought the following microfibre mit, towels etc


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mitt


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microfibre


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magnet

I used a double bucket system and used a bit of holy plastic to act as a makeshift grit guard (Halfords had run out) but I actually found myself using the hose to wash the mit - made much more sense than dunking it into the 'clean' bucket, which could never be 100% clean surely! Why use a two bucket system when you have a hose at hand!??


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hose


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brush&buckets

*THE WASH*

This is what I did to begin with. NOTE: I was outside on a warm/hot day in the sun. (I wasn't polishing/waxing so figured it doesn't matter? or is this my big mistake - see the spot issue below...) The whole wash process took me over an hour easily (remember my firt time EVER washing a car properly so yes I was slow)

1) Use the jet setting on the hose to hose down the dirt from top down

2) Three squirts of Johnson's Baby Bath into the black bucket - nice foam - and used the wash mitt to GENTLY (pressing at strength of 1 out of 10) wash the car, starting at the top.

3) I rinsed what I did on the top then worked down to the upper panels and bonnet. Rinsed again and went down. etc

4) Then I moved onto the tyres and used this:


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wheelclean

I did buy this too


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seal

but never used it because I wasn't actually happy with how well I'd washed the tyres and didn't want to seal in all the muck. I didn't know what to dry the wheels with. I started using the dry cloth but a part of it got black straight away! So then I used toilet paper 

Here is that brush I used again in case you missed it above: is a kitchen towel safer than this thing or is this ok?


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brush&buckets

Wheel cleaning is a whole different issue I may be better off starting a new thread on (sorry I know this post is a mess with loads of issues raised but I'm a newbie and this is ALL very new for me)

Anyway here are pics of the wheels after cleaning. Not perfect but I was tired and I think I need to know a little bit more about what on earth I'm doing...


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wheel


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wheel


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wheel

5) I then realised the bits I'd washed had all these stain sort of marks on so I did the washing AGAIN but this time pressed at a strength of 4 out of 10. See, I'm terrified of creating more swirls. How gently/hard am I meant to wash!?

Here are pics of finished product (sorry I forgot to take the "before" shots but trust me it was moderately dusty - enough to finger words in, like "This car belongs to a loser who doesn't know how to wash a car", for example :wink: )


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p


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p


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p


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p


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p


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p

*ISSUES*

My biggest issue is these weird marks occuring after I dried even after washing it a second time wiping harder... WTF are they!!!??? (don't be confused by the reflections of the gravel). 
Are they sodium chloride// chemical residue from the baby bath (I read on detailling forum and the guy at Halfords said might happen) because to be fair it's not meant for cars is it!? 
Are they water marks because it was a hot day and the water is VERY hard in my area? 
Are they road grime which the Baby stuff just couldn't remove because again, it's not actually a car shampoo?
Or is it because I shouldve been pressing much harder than 4 out of 10 strength to really wipe everything away?
I'm confused!


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spots


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spots


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spots


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spots


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spots

Another issue for me is how hard I'm meant to press when washing. If those marks above are due to not pessing hard enough, then my fear becomes what do I do about dust particles like these... (ignore the reflections from vapour trails in the sky!)


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dust


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dust


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dust

Will they cause swirls? I'm scared to dry/buff with these soft dust particles that inexplicably materialise out of nowhere from some dark dimension of carwash hell. Here's an example of some of my swirls btw (not the best example but the sun was getting low by this stage)


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swirl

*EXTRA*

Back to the positives...

I bought this:


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scratch x

and it gave me these awesome results after just a minute of soft rubbing (don't knwo what i'm doing tbh!)

BEFORE (ignore the reflection of the vapour trails from the sky - it's the middle line which is the scratch)


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scratch b

then I used this much...


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scratch x

but to be honest I have no idea what I'm doing. I just rubbed about a little bit like a nervous fool and...

AFTER


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scratch a

Another example

BEFORE


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arch b


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arch b


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arch b


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arch b


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arch b

AFTER


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arch a


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arch a

I don't know how long the effect will last, or what to do about these marks when I come to polish/wax though...

*IN CONCLUSION*

I'm delighted with the job overall. It has taken me sooooooo long to put all thee pics up I drove around today and realised how very happy I am with the wash. The spots don't actually seem to be *that* much of a problem in practise, but still seems to be doing my head in.

Any comments on any of the above much appreciated (i.e. shampoo, polish/wax/clay stuff to buy for later as there's an offer on, what on earth thoe spots are, how to use scratch X properly, any wheel-cleaning help, any other advice at all)

You guys have been incredible so far, thanks again.


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## TheMetalMan0 (Jun 30, 2009)

I'm pretty sure those spots are water marks. The car will dry quickly in the sun anddoubly quick because it's black! Maybe need to rinse and dry panel by panel.


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## davelincs (Jan 1, 2010)

Although you have water marks on the car, probably the best thing to do is use a quck detailer, you can dry the panels and then go over it with a qd,its just spray a little on each panel, wipe in with a mf cloth ,the go over the panel with a clean mf cloth,( megs do a quick detailer) this will remove all of the water marks
either that or rinse the car with RO water, this will leave no marks on the car at all
do a search on ro water on google, it will save me explaining it
good luck, your cars looking nice, hard work does pay off


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## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

Agree with above comments. Car looks fine for a basic clean. Megs Quick Detailer comes with their clay bar in a kit and is very good. Smells lush too.

Next time I would recommend clay barring first, then the cleaner (for swirls), then polish, then wax.

Don't worry about the pressure you use with the wash mitt and microfibres - medium is fine.

My car's always got water marks on it after a quick clean.

Got Chipsaway coming this pm to see how much they want to sort all the stone chips and one or two other bits. The front of my car is a right mess


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## leenx (Feb 8, 2010)

The Scratch X you have will get rid of most if not all those water marks you have. I get these a lot on mine and have found it to be good stuff, however at £9 a tube it's not the cheapest option. I've also found no detailer to actually get rid of the water marks (possibly if they have just dried), I'm thinking cleaner or polish to be the best bet. Ultimately you want to buff / dry car before marks dry on - can save you a lot of bother!


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

Congratulations, the car is looking fine. You have now entered a new world in car cleaning. Each time you do it, you will find what works best for you, gain a bit more experience and then move onto something else to try. Generally the water marks will buff out if you dont leave it too long, or as said above, a spray of QD and a wipe. Keep up the good work 8)


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

WozzaTT said:


> Next time I would recommend clay barring first, then the cleaner (for swirls), then polish, then wax.


Thanks everyone for the encouragement and the advice.

Wozza re: the swirl removal, I'm reading about Swirl-X and Ultimate Compound, both by Megs. Cleaner isn't talked about much (from the littel I've read) but you are recommending it for swirls. Is it basically milder? If I use Ultimate Compound or Swirl-X do I run the risk of doing more damage to the clearcoat because they're maybe more penetrating?


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## leenx (Feb 8, 2010)

New_TT_Owner said:


> WozzaTT said:
> 
> 
> > Next time I would recommend clay barring first, then the cleaner (for swirls), then polish, then wax.
> ...


I'm still learning myself and therefore could be corrected but I doubt as to whether you are penetrating that much by using these products by hand, German paint tends to be extra tough as well so I wouldn't think a problem.


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## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

New_TT_Owner said:


> WozzaTT said:
> 
> 
> > Next time I would recommend clay barring first, then the cleaner (for swirls), then polish, then wax.
> ...


Sorry - I don't have any experience of those products so can't really comment but, as has been said, Megs stuff is good and I doubt very much you'd do any damage using them, especially on Audi paint.

I would say the Megs cleaner should have a small beneficial effect in respect of swirls as part of the whole cleaning process whereas the products you mentioned are more specific in targetting swirls. Depends how much they bother you and how much you want to have a good go at them, but bear in mind with anything other than a machine polisher you may be struggling anyway.

Personally, I would use the cleaner first and see how you go. If it's not up to the job try the other stuff and you'll still have the cleaner to use, probably a couple of times a year before and after winter so it won't be a waste of ££s.


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## Koen_dr (Apr 11, 2011)

I haven't read the whole topic, but I'm kind if an OCD...

If you don't want to machine polish, get this routine up:

- wash (good shampoo: chemical Guys, either works great)
- wash mitt and decent bucket with a gritt guard, the basics!
- get youtself some APC 
- clay ( can't go without it, it's the base!) megs clay kit is good, the dodo juice medium clay is wonderfull too, but use a glove with the dodo, it sticks like hell, the Megs is fine with your hands
- detail spray ( comes with the megs kit but get some extra)
- Poorboys black hole ( it does wonders on black without polish!!! Believe me, you'll thank me later)
- then either sealant or wax, or even both but first sealant then wax, and top up once in a while with wax, untill you start from scratch. Wax over sealant works, sealant over wax doesn't work!
- sealant, best I have used is Chemical Guys jetseal 109, nothing can beat price, ease of use and finish vs durability
- wax on black, chemical guys pete's 53 is wonderfull, easy to use and fantastic drooling finish. If you want semi British, the Dodo juice line up is also useful and gives nice finish, but way harder and pickier to use then the Chemical Guys and I can't report on the longetivity just yet, smells great and is fun to apply by hand, take that litteraly, apply it with your fingers and massage the waxes into your paint, it's fun and you don't use as much as with a pad!
- invest in some decent and nice stuff, the car is worth it, so us the reward when you get compliments from your mates!

I started 4 years ago as newby and now i have a festool polisher and my car always looks as it just left the showroom but then Better! Once you get the bug it's untreatable...


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## moro anis (May 27, 2010)

Interesting posts. 
I don't profess to be an expert on cleaning but have a good 40 years of obsessive experience and I must say, IMO, I'm surprised at recommendations for pressure washing especially when calling for grit separators, rinsing mitt between applications etc, etc. Hitting road dirt and grime with up to 1000psi water pressure surely can't be the wisest thing to do to paintwork and wax? If the laquer is damaged it can cause stripping at that point, especially wheels.
I'd say the spots are certainly more than likely water spots and being a dark car and rinsing with a hose makes them more noticeable. To avoid water spots, I wash, rinse - by hand, not hose and then dry the panel before moving on to he next one. Works for me. Ok there may be the odd splash from panel to panel but quick and easy to rectify. Also try and wash in the shade.
Halfords do a kit using demineralised or deionised water (or something similar) which does avoid leaving spots of which I've heard many good reports. Best water to rinse with is distilled but cost prohibitive.
If you can garage your car when not in use it pays dividends.
I wouldn't normally post on this subject as there are many around with far more knowledge of products than me but fancied adding my twopenneth worth. 
Hope it helps and I admire your enthusiasm to do the right thing. Keep up the good work!


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## TheMetalMan0 (Jun 30, 2009)

Just to throw another spanner in the works. If you're really having trouble with the water marks you could try somthing called Optimum No Rinse (ONR). You basically give the car a rinse if you can. Then put a strongish solution into a pressure sprayer and give the car a pre soak. You then wash the car using 2BM with ONR and dry straight away. No need for the rinse off of the shampoo. It can also be used as clay bar lube so if your planning on claying you can wash the car then go straight onto claying with another small bottle just to make sure the surface is constantly wet.
Again as the others here I'm by no means an expert but this is the method I use.

ONR Video Demo

Oh and just to confuse you even more - you can use a sponge with ONR :lol: (just make sure it's the right kind. No I didn't realise there were different kinds of sponges before I started this either!)


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## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

moro anis said:


> Interesting posts.
> I don't profess to be an expert on cleaning but have a good 40 years of obsessive experience and I must say, IMO, I'm surprised at recommendations for pressure washing especially when calling for grit separators, rinsing mitt between applications etc, etc. Hitting road dirt and grime with up to 1000psi water pressure surely can't be the wisest thing to do to paintwork and wax? If the laquer is damaged it can cause stripping at that point, especially wheels.


I know what you're saying but I only use the pressure washer as 'gently' as possible and certainly don't hold the nozzle up close to the paintwork.

Was advised to me by Jac-in-a-Box Dave, former detailer on here, but doesn't seem to be around anymore :?


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## Koen_dr (Apr 11, 2011)

If you own a pressure washer, use a snowfoam solution before starting the wash, it looses up all the dirt en then pressure wash the car... Very helpfull especially during winter months


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## New_TT_Owner (Mar 29, 2011)

Oh. I'm not using a pressure wash but am using a normal hose with a nozzle which spurts out water hard-ish but not as hard as a proper pressure washer. I'm guessing this is ok?


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## moro anis (May 27, 2010)

A "normal" hose is fine as the pressure is minimal. I use one with a fine spray to wet the car before I wash it and as I said rinse by hand using cold water.
Each to their own with a pressure washer but the only time I've used one is under the wheel arches following winter.


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