# Car cleaning



## VTTS

I've just bought a new mk3 TTS, and when I collected it last week, the dealer said don't take it to an everyday hand wash car wash as the products they use will cause problems for the car.
Is this true? If so, where do I take it to get it cleaned? (I know I sound lazy not doing it myself,but if you saw the alloys you'd know why). Any advice please? Thanks 

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## 4433allanr

Not sure what the dealer was talking about, they seem to cause more Paintwork problems than anyone else, to the point where many on here won't even let the dealer wash their car free after a service.


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## Hoggy

Hi, I'd never let anyone wash my 16 year MK1 let alone a MK3. 
They use products that make it easier for them, they are not concerned about future affects it may have on your paintwork/wheels. Much the same as letting the dealer wash your car :roll: 
Hoggy.


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## VTTS

Hoggy said:


> Hi, I'd never let anyone wash my 16 year MK1 let alone a MK3.
> They use products that make it easier for them, they are not concerned about future affects it may have on your paintwork/wheels. Much the same as letting the dealer wash your car :roll:
> Hoggy.


Hi, this is what worries me,but I'm pants at cleaning my cars and am worried I'll damage it.

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## VTTS

4433allanr said:


> Not sure what the dealer was talking about, they seem to cause more Paintwork problems than anyone else, to the point where many on here won't even let the dealer wash their car free after a service.


I would hope that the dealer would do a decent job when they clean it after a service etc. I have that auto glym stuff as I bought a protection package and they gave me a fancy bag full of products to use,but I'm worried in case I muck it up.

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## Reasty

Also might I add they use a degreaser that while very good at stripping road grime also strips off any polish and or wax you have spent hours lovingly applying thus leaving your car unprotected from the elements.


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## leopard

Hoggy said:


> Hi, I'd never let anyone wash my 16 year MK1


It's about time you got rid of this car Hoggy.It's old and outdated,probably rotten as a pear and the NCAP is down there with the worst.
As I'm feeling generous I'm quite willing to take it off your hands for a fair price....but don't take advantage of me mind


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## Hoggy

VTTS said:


> I would hope that the dealer would do a decent job when they clean it after a service etc. I have that auto glym stuff as I bought a protection package and they gave me a fancy bag full of products to use,but I'm worried in case I muck it up.


Hi, Just a little effort & I'm sure you'd do a much better job.
Hose pipe, buckets of Meguairs washNwax shampoo, microfirbe cloths to dry it, just a simple way of keeping it looking good. 
Hoggy.


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## Hoggy

leopard said:


> Hoggy said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, I'd never let anyone wash my 16 year MK1
> 
> 
> 
> It's about time you got rid of this car Hoggy.It's old and outdated,probably rotten as a pear and the NCAP is down there with the worst.
> As I'm feeling generous I'm quite willing to take it off your hands for a fair price....but don't take advantage of me mind
Click to expand...

Hi, When the time comes, she will have to go to good home, so I'll add you to the list. :lol: [smiley=end.gif] it will have to be
Hoggy.


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## leopard

Hoggy said:


> leopard said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hoggy said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, I'd never let anyone wash my 16 year MK1
> 
> 
> 
> It's about time you got rid of this car Hoggy.It's old and outdated,probably rotten as a pear and the NCAP is down there with the worst.
> As I'm feeling generous I'm quite willing to take it off your hands for a fair price....but don't take advantage of me mind
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Hi, When the time comes, she will have to go to good home, so I'll add you to the list. :lol: [smiley=end.gif] it will have to be
> Hoggy.
Click to expand...

 :lol: 
I heard Trump was sworn in today...


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## R_TTS

The dealer is correct on this occasion. As others have said they use products to make it quicker and easier to clean the car. You often see them spray it on the car and especially the wheels before they start. I've ended up with damaged wheels from this on past cars.

Personally I'm far too lazy to clean my own car, so now I use a local mobile detailer who also offers a standard car wash service as well. It's not the cheapest way to get your car washed, but I'm certain I get a better job than a standard hand car wash place. You could look for a similar service in your area may be?

Having said that, I've now become too lazy to even arrange someone else cleaning my car, it's not been cleaned since September which might be worse! It's booked for one tomorrow though.


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## VTTS

Hoggy said:


> VTTS said:
> 
> 
> 
> I would hope that the dealer would do a decent job when they clean it after a service etc. I have that auto glym stuff as I bought a protection package and they gave me a fancy bag full of products to use,but I'm worried in case I muck it up.
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, Just a little effort & I'm sure you'd do a much better job.
> Hose pipe, buckets of Meguairs washNwax shampoo, microfirbe cloths to dry it, just a simple way of keeping it looking good.
> Hoggy.
Click to expand...

Thanks  I'll give it a go.

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## Hoggy

leopard said:


> Hoggy said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi When the time comes, she will have to go to good home, so I'll add you to the list. :lol: [smiley=end.gif] it will have to be
> Hoggy.
> 
> 
> 
> :lol:
> I heard Trump was sworn in today...
Click to expand...

Hi, You could be the Lucky One then. :lol: 
Hoggy.


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## VTTS

R_TTS said:


> The dealer is correct on this occasion. As others have said they use products to make it quicker and easier to clean the car. You often see them spray it on the car and especially the wheels before they start. I've ended up with damaged wheels from this on past cars.
> 
> Personally I'm far too lazy to clean my own car, so now I use a local mobile detailer who also offers a standard car wash service as well. It's not the cheapest way to get your car washed, but I'm certain I get a better job than a standard hand car wash place. You could look for a similar service in your area may be?
> 
> Having said that, I've now become too lazy to even arrange someone else cleaning my car, it's not been cleaned since September which might be worse! It's booked for one tomorrow though.


Hi, thanks for this info. I think I'll look into this. At least they will know what they're doing. If I can't find anyone I'll have a go myself,but in all honesty I don't have much spare time lately, so it's be easier if someone else did it. Thanks again.

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## ZephyR2

Probably the most important part about good car cleaning involves taking steps to avoid causing scratches to your paintwork as a result of grit and road dirt getting taken up on your mitt or sponge and then being rubbed all over the bodywork. In essence you need to remove as much grit and dirt before you start hand cleaning.
A hand spray of citrus pre-wash, snow foam and a pressure washer are all great for doing this. Even a jet of water from a hose will rinse off a fair amount of muck especially if you've sprayed on some pre-wash first.
If you aren't able / can't be bothered with any of that then a wash mitt is better than a sponge. Start at the top and work downwards and I'd recommend keeping a separate mitt / sponge for washing the lower parts of the bodywork like the sills where the muck is worst.
Basically its all about how far you want to go. A regular multi-stage wash will keep your car in tip top condition but even just following a few basic rules will reduce the amount of damage you can cause to your paintwork.
If you've applied wax to your car you want to use ph neutral shampoos and cleaning agents to avoid stripping off your wax coating.


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## VTTS

ZephyR2 said:


> Probably the most important part about good car cleaning involves taking steps to avoid causing scratches to your paintwork as a result of grit and road dirt getting taken up on your mitt or sponge and then being rubbed all over the bodywork. In essence you need to remove as much grit and dirt before you start hand cleaning.
> A hand spray of citrus pre-wash, snow foam and a pressure washer are all great for doing this. Even a jet of water from a hose will rinse off a fair amount of muck especially if you've sprayed on some pre-wash first.
> If you aren't able / can't be bothered with any of that then a wash mitt is better than a sponge. Start at the top and work downwards and I'd recommend keeping a separate mitt / sponge for washing the lower parts of the bodywork like the sills where the muck is worst.
> Basically its all about how far you want to go. A regular multi-stage wash will keep your car in tip top condition but even just following a few basic rules will reduce the amount of damage you can cause to your paintwork.
> If you've applied wax to your car you want to use ph neutral shampoos and cleaning agents to avoid stripping off your wax coating.


Excellent advice, thanks 

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## Eddie_H

VTTS said:


> I've just bought a new mk3 TTS, and when I collected it last week, the dealer said don't take it to an everyday hand wash car wash as the products they use will cause problems for the car.
> Is this true? If so, where do I take it to get it cleaned? (I know I sound lazy not doing it myself,but if you saw the alloys you'd know why). Any advice please? Thanks
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I am waiting for delivery of a new TTS 
and I've had given the dealership strict instructions not to was the car whatsoever as I want to reduce what damage will be done by the in house Valeters. I've booked mine in at detailers to have the whole car sealed (bodywork, wheels inside and front face and interior). I would urge anyone with a new car regardless of make or model to have a service like this carried out. I myself enjoy cleaning my car and have spent a lot of time and money on car care products but the detail that I've booked it in for is far beyond my capabilities, which will allow me to just maintain the car not only is it cheaper than what the dealer was offering, but will last significantly longer 3-4years.

The main product that hand car washes use that you see them spray with a hand pump onto cars before they wash them is TFR or traffic film remover, it is highly caustic but very effective and removing any kind of dirt and with cause noticeable damage to trim, If your car has any sort of polish or wax on it this will definitely strip it.


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## Shug750S

Hoggy said:


> VTTS said:
> 
> 
> 
> I would hope that the dealer would do a decent job when they clean it after a service etc. I have that auto glym stuff as I bought a protection package and they gave me a fancy bag full of products to use,but I'm worried in case I muck it up.
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, Just a little effort & I'm sure you'd do a much better job.
> Hose pipe, buckets of Meguairs washNwax shampoo, microfirbe cloths to dry it, just a simple way of keeping it looking good.
> Hoggy.
Click to expand...

+1. Just look in the show and shine section, loads of tips on how to keep it nice there.

I use autoglym stuff and microfibres and car is now coming up on 5 years old with no swirls anywhere.

Dealer knows not to even think about washing it. Seen the cloths they use on the floor at the local Audi place.


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## BauhauTTS

I bought some chemical guys citrus shampoo last year that's pH safe for finishes. I also bought an applicator that goes on the pressure wand of my jet washer. It looks similar to a paint gun. You put a mix of soap and warm water in the applicator. It sprays a thick foam all over the car. The shampoo is designed to lift dirt and grime from the paint surface, so it can just be rinsed off after a short soak. This means you avoid rubbing on the car when you could be scratching the clear coat with grit. I'm very impressed with the job it does. More tools to pull out, but pretty easy from that point.


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## swanny78

Nobody washes my car except me. The local swirl merchants would do untold damage to my beautiful TTS.


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## 4433allanr

+1, keep the mitt well rinsed and lots of warm water, I use a synthetic chamois from Autoglym rather than microfibres but it works for me. Wax once or twice a year, again autoglym and most of the dirt just blasts off.


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## ArcofZen

I know it's not a cheap option but if you can get the car 'detailed'. After it's been properly cleaned and then waxed it'll stay clean far longer and be really easy to wash yourself. 
That's what I tend to do anyway. Just use a good microfibre 'noodle' mitt and rinse it out often. Your car will stay clean longer, lose the swirls and it's easy to keep clean.

The TT is fairly low, and small so doesn't take long to do yourself.


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## Matrix

I think most forum posters are petrol heads so perhaps a little OTT. Me being one of them I always wash from the top down & use the two bucket method, something a valeter once showed me. Carefully doing a panel at a time. I use only sheepskin mitts. They don't last very long but are worth the extra outlay if you are serious about looking after your paintwork. I sometimes use snow foam but I think it is overrated. I sometimes use a jet wash but worry about lifting the top coat. I use drying towels & detailer between waxes, foam pad applicators & Dodo juice fantastic fur cloths. You need a mortgage to buy these. I clay bar once a year before applying wax. If you want to spend all day detailing like me then these are something's to consider or if you are happy to wash and go and are also happy to sell on your car looking like a used ice rink then that's also ok unless you are the next poor sod that buys it.


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## datamonkey

VTTS said:


> I know I sound lazy not doing it myself,but if you saw the alloys you'd know why


I've recommended the following so many times on here I think I should start asking for commission! Anyway if you have awkward wheels, don't fret as the stuff on the link is magical! Literally spray on, leave for a few minutes, and hose off. Job done and you'll have brake dust/iron/dirt free wheels. One bottle will last you many applications.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... DT82IQ66XU


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## 4433allanr

I use something similar, dirt just falls off after soaking for a few mins.


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## jjg

As Zephy and others have commented, it's more the gritty rags they use to clean the cars with that are the issue.

Get yourself over to 
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/
http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/

There's a world of anal cleaning ahead of you........


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## moro anis

Always beats me how many are prepared to pay out their hard earned and then not give a toss about looking after it?

Just my opinion to which I'm entitled :mrgreen:


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## leopard

jjg said:


> There's a world of anal cleaning ahead of you........


I tend to just use soap


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## Demessiah is back

I just get my man servant to clean the car with cotton buds. If he scratches it hes back on the boat home.


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## Delta4

The majority are happy to use the £5 splash n dash type of places for a wash, then clean the inside when it starts stinking.


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## georgehopson

I use pantene shampoo to wash my bike and car.


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## jonstatt

Surely there must be someone here who has taken their TT through an automatic car wash?!


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## Dino_Donis

I wash my car myself - I can't understand why anyone would pay a person to scratch/put swirl marks all over they paint work using the same sponge that has been used to clean countless cars beforehand & spray acid all over the wheels [smiley=bigcry.gif]

It doesn't have to take long if you do it regularly.....


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## Hoggy

jonstatt said:


> Surely there must be someone here who has taken their TT through an automatic car wash?!


Hi, If there is they're unlikely to admit it now. :lol: 
Hoggy.


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## Toshiba

I just don't bother cleaning it - this way no swirls..!


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