# The Correct Way to Detail?!



## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Do not tempt me again ......used a baby diaper made of cotton......no buckets with holes ...micro fiber cloths ....buffers are nice too .... you got 200.oo bucks I will reveal all of the trade secrets .....good luck chuck with this journey of a trillion Ideas ......


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## EcoDave (Mar 7, 2013)

I am just gonna pay the $150 for the detailing job that the car wash in my town charges, it's just too much work that goes into it.


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## Tottenz (Jan 2, 2013)

Well i wanna make it a thing i can do on the weekends when weather is nice. So I cant pay 150 every time haha.


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## Tottenz (Jan 2, 2013)

brian v said:


> Do not tempt me again ......used a baby diaper made of cotton......no buckets with holes ...micro fiber cloths ....buffers are nice too .... you got 200.oo bucks I will reveal all of the trade secrets .....good luck chuck with this journey of a trillion Ideas ......


lol, Im just trying to get a feel as how to do a decent clean!


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## bci26401 (Jun 25, 2012)

Tottenz said:


> Hello Fellow Cruze'ers
> 
> I wanted to get advice from everyone on detailing. I recently purchased a brand new 2012 Cruze in the middle of the winter. Now that the weather is nice or at least getting nice, I want to really do a great job at protecting the paint and keeping this car nice!
> 
> ...


First I'll start with what not to do
* DO NOT USE DISHWASHING DETERGENT TO CLEAN YOUR CAR(wrong product & will definitely strip the clearcoat off car)
* DO NOT BUFF OR WAX YOUR CAR IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT
* DO NOT USE A HIGH SPEED BUFFER IN ONE SPOT OVER LONG PERIOD
* DO NOT USE A BATH OR BEACH TOWEL TO DRY YOUR CAR
* NEVER USE A RAG OR WASH CLOTH TO WASH CAR
* MAKE SURE NO LABELS OR TAGS ARE ON YOUR WASH MIT OR MICROFIBER CLOTH OR TOWEL

Steps on how to keep your car looking new ( I prefer to use Meguiers products ) but any car detail brand product will work
*Always hand wash car to prevent fine scratches in your paint ( hand mit or microfiber cloth) * if dropped on ground rinse b4 u begin to wash again (dirt on cloth will scratch paint)
*Wash car in a cool shady area ( any brand carwash product u prefer )
*Spray on tire shine b4 drying car (preferred) keeps overspray off car after a fresh wash and wax
*Use a chamois (shammy) to dry your car

*IN THIS ORDER TO GET MAXIMUM SHINE*
1.Clay bar car (beginning of spring & after winter) or as needed
2.High speed buff car *Once a year or as needed ( only if your familiar with how to properly use it)
Otherwise use at low speeds
3.Polish car by hand or preferably orbital buffer to remover any swirls left behind by high speed buffer
4.Wax by hand or for maximum shine use orbital buffer again
*NOTE* POLISH AND WAX ARE TWO DIFFERENT CHEMICALS AND PROCESSES ALWAYS POLISH FIRST THEN WAX*
It's up to u if u want to use liquid or paste but personally liquid wax would be preferred ( professional detailers never use paste)
*It does not matter how many times u wash or wax your car. The more u do the better your chances are of keeping the clear coat on your car.. *Note if u do wash your car more than once a week u will have to wax it more often though because u will eventually wash the wax off (not the clearcoat) Basically when u start to noticed the water stop beading up on your car after u wash it then you'll know it's time to put a knew coat of wax on it. I prefer to hand wax my car every 3 months and between waxes I like to use the spray wax after each wash to keep fresh wax on it. 
These are the basics of keeping your car looking new. Here's a pic of my Cruze sitting next to my 2006 Impala. It's not a really good pic but it looks just as new as my cruze. I detailed cars professionally for a long time.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Those rules only pertain to red cars ..........I wrote the book already you just have to buy IT,,


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## bci26401 (Jun 25, 2012)

brian v said:


> those rules only pertain to red cars ..........i wrote the book already you just have to buy it,,


lol


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

A rinseless car wash makes the process go faster. Get the sand and mud off, then go at the car with the rinseless wash, drying each panel with a chamois as you go. Then clay, and apply your top coat/coats. I like Duragloss 105 topped with Collinite 476 myself. 

For washing items, a grout sponge will work for a sponge. Then a chamois to dry the car, some detailing cloths for applying and removing by hand. Two buckets also. One for wash solution, one for rinsing the dirty sponge out. 

That's a basic setup. Others will get more specific. 


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## Tottenz (Jan 2, 2013)

bci26401 said:


> First I'll start with what not to do
> * DO NOT USE DISHWASHING DETERGENT TO CLEAN YOUR CAR(wrong product & will definitely strip the clearcoat off car)
> * DO NOT BUFF OR WAX YOUR CAR IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT
> * DO NOT USE A HIGH SPEED BUFFER IN ONE SPOT OVER LONG PERIOD
> ...


Very detailed, thanks for the help! ill put it to good use!


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

You can also buy my book of secrets ! I tell you this canbe foundinthehow to library


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## bci26401 (Jun 25, 2012)

Tottenz said:


> Very detailed, thanks for the help! ill put it to good use!


No problem, anytime.


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## ijaen (Nov 9, 2012)

Go over to Detailing World forums, have a look at the thread in the studio ( The Studio - Detailing World ) and the pics will walk you through the process.
What bci26401 told you is pretty much spot on.
The better you wash your car, the less defects you will cause to its paint. Swirls are done by incorrect washing techniques. Avoid automated car washes. Avoid using the same tool to do everything. Avoid working in direct sunlight.


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

If you are asking these questions do not buff your car! You need to watch some one do it and teach you before you burn your paint or moldings. If its black your better off never buffing. When I wax I use Auto magic BC-2 has a teflon coating and works well as a cleaner and I liked it because it doesn't cut deep when buffing.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

I always pay someone to do it. I don't have the shade or patience to do that myself. I've been really itching to take it, most likely next month i will...


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## Calintz (Jul 21, 2011)

iKermit said:


> I always pay someone to do it. I don't have the shade or patience to do that myself. I've been really itching to take it, most likely next month i will...


Same here having a wife and son really takes up my time. lol


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## Tottenz (Jan 2, 2013)

hificruzer226 said:


> If you are asking these questions do not buff your car! You need to watch some one do it and teach you before you burn your paint or moldings. If its black your better off never buffing. When I wax I use Auto magic BC-2 has a teflon coating and works well as a cleaner and I liked it because it doesn't cut deep when buffing.


No worries! i wasnt planning on just jumping into the whole proccess! I just wanted to get a feel for how the "system" works. I do how ever plan to do washing, waxing, maybe clay bar???


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## Tottenz (Jan 2, 2013)

ijaen said:


> Go over to Detailing World forums, have a look at the thread in the studio ( The Studio - Detailing World ) and the pics will walk you through the process.
> What bci26401 told you is pretty much spot on.
> The better you wash your car, the less defects you will cause to its paint. Swirls are done by incorrect washing techniques. Avoid automated car washes. Avoid using the same tool to do everything. Avoid working in direct sunlight.


Ill check it out! thanks for the input!


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

Tottenz said:


> No worries! i wasnt planning on just jumping into the whole proccess! I just wanted to get a feel for how the "system" works. I do how ever plan to do washing, waxing, maybe clay bar???


Clay bar is for removing heavy sap and such once you clay bar you must buff.


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## dfwcowboy (May 11, 2013)

The correct way to detail is a pretty broad question. It all depends on how much time, effort, and expense you want to invest. It's possible to maintain a showroom quality finish perpetually which would technically be best for the car, but that's going to be on the high end of those scales.

Most people are more interested in utilitarian solutions. Using a clay bar is good when the car is new or when you've had a lapse in protection. As long as you've done a good job of maintaining a coat of wax on the finish, a clay bar shouldn't be necessary. I think all-in-one solutions(polish+wax) are best for most people. There are a number of good products out there and nothing by any major manufacturer is going to eat the finish on your car if applied per the directions. Carnuba is nice, but it doesn't last as long as synthetic products. Liquid waxes are marginally easier to apply than paste waxes and many of them compare quite well to paste. The key is to maintain a coating of wax at all times. You should be able to run your fingers over the surface and tell if it's still protected. Another clue is if water beads up larger than a quarter it's generally time to re-apply.


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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

Watch this and ALL the videos from this guy, he's good : Audi R8 BLACKBIRD: Basic Car Wash Techniques - DRIVE CLEAN - YouTube

Btw, the Drive chanel is EPIC for car guys !


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## Nathan of Aus. (May 16, 2013)

Wow some of you guys go all out!

I've only ever rinsed with hose to get excess dirt etc off, scrubbed with a sponge using liquid car wax and warm water, rinsed off each panel after scrubbing and finally chamois the entire car (all done in the shade). 
Leaves the panels shining like mirrors and does a decent job at protecting the paint (nice thin film of wax).

I think when my new car arrives that I may also start to use tire shine. Really does give it that new car look.

Great to see that some of care about your cars so much!


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## The Butcher (Apr 6, 2011)

I am a HUGE fan of Adam's Polishes products, I own almost their entire line + gallon refills and absolutely swear by them! For the weekly cleaning I like to wash with Adam's car soap and a two bucket system to prevent contamination in the soap bucket. I then dry the vehicle with Adam's super absorbent microfiber drying towel (its amazing, absorbs a TON of water), I then typically go around the car with a rubber tipped air compressor hose and spray the water out of all the cracks and crevices. After ensuring that the car is dry I usually go back over the vehicle with Adam's detail spray and and Adam's Double Soft microfiber towel (unbelievable soft) to clean of any excess water spots and bring out the shine.

For the more involved cleaning I use a more in depth process for the perfect finish!

1. Wash the vehicle following the above listed steps
2. Park the vehicle in a garage or well shaded area and using Adam's detailer and Adam's clay-bar carefully working your way around the vehicle covering every inch of painted surface
3. I then go back around the car using a NEW double soft microfiber towel and detail spray to clean the surface of the vehicle before applying the finishing products
4. I carefully work my way around the vehicle with Adam's Revive hand polish to gently remove very minor imperfections and light swirl marks
5. Then I again clean the vehicle with a NEW double soft towel and detail spray
6. Apply Adam's Brilliant Glaze to the entire vehicle to fill even any remaining swirl marks and seal the clear coat
7. Finally, apply Adams Premium Carnauba wax the the entire vehicle.

The final product is a shine unlike any other I've ever seen! It has taken me quite a while to perfect this process but it is a winning method sure to leave you satisfied.


Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## bci26401 (Jun 25, 2012)

hificruzer226 said:


> Clay bar is for removing heavy sap and such once you clay bar you must buff.


He can but It's not necessary to buff car after clay bar. You really only need to buff your car if it's scratched badly, paint damaged from acid rain or badly faded paint due to neglect and improper washing of car. Clay is used for more than just removing tree sap. It also removes tar, rail dust, road grime, paint over spray and etc..


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## Rocky87 (Apr 28, 2013)

bci26401 said:


> First I'll start with what not to do
> * DO NOT USE DISHWASHING DETERGENT TO CLEAN YOUR CAR(wrong product & will definitely strip the clearcoat off car)
> * DO NOT BUFF OR WAX YOUR CAR IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT
> * DO NOT USE A HIGH SPEED BUFFER IN ONE SPOT OVER LONG PERIOD
> ...


Nice!!!


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## hatem (Oct 18, 2013)

gentlemen I used to use turtle wax with my old lancer Ex car which was dark red and its result was accepted and I used it as putting spots with finger on each single section after clean and dry ,then distribute with its sponge ,left it until dry and start to swap it with cotton soft cloth and remove all excess which remove as powder and after that get required shine-I tried this process with my new cruze which is black but unfortunately the result is not good ,however no shine for it and all the time it got with no glaze and have white spots could you advise what is wrong and what is your opinion on turtle products


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## sedanman (Dec 10, 2010)

Hatem, no turtle wax products please. I don't hatem or anything but I don't likem either.


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## hatem (Oct 18, 2013)

why don't use turtle wax -is there a problem with turtle car care products or do you have experienced a harmful effect from it because I got a huge of their product ,plastic cleaner for interiors ,lighting fixtures cleaner ,polisher ,wax,...etc please advise a details for this warning


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## Chicago Tommy (Oct 23, 2013)

Some good info already posted, and some not so good. For a little background, this has been my hobby since I was around 12. I learned from my uncle who was body guy by trade. What works for me, may not work for you. But I will try my best to help out. 

Start with a good wash. No dish soap, no wax, just a good basic wash. Meguiar's purple bottle car wash soap is excellent for this, I get it at Target, and it's usually under $5.00. While you're there, pick up a good microfiber or micro-chenielle (sp?) wash mitt. As bath towels and rags have no place in the wash process. I'll assume you already have 2 buckets and a hose. Also, grab some Meguiar's Hot Wheels wheel cleaner and some tire shine. 

Alright, let's get this wash started. Prepare 1 bucket of soapy water. Always start with the wheels/tires. Always. Liberally spray the wheel/tire with water, I also spray the inner wheelhouse area, outer wheel arch and rockers at the same time. My thinking behind this is twofold. Some wheel/tire cleaners are quite caustic. I'd rather have the immediate area around the wheel/tire I'm working on be wet, so that any overspray hopefully won't adhere and damage the paint. Second reason being that I like to apply as much water as possible to the paint before I ever touch it in hopes of reducing the possibility of instilling any swirls or scratches. I use these brushes, the smaller on the wheel/tire and the larger on the inner fender well. Tire/Wheel Brush Kit I also use a Daytona Speed Master Jr. to get the inside of the wheel barrel. This may come as a surprise to some, but it's important to clean the wheel barrels too. It helps prevent corrosion and just makes the car look much better IMHO. You could literally eat off the wheels on my CTS-V. After you've applied your wheel/tire cleaner, you want to scrub it with the brush and wash thoroughly. Repeat this x 4. Leave them wet, as you will dry them last. 

Now we move on to those nasty wheel wells that are so often neglected. For this section I prefer a good degreaser/All Parts Cleaner. I mix up a bottle of Meguiar's APC and spray the wheel wells down. Spray all 4 at once so the product will have time to dwell and cut through all the road grime you've been driving through. Use the long handle brush shown in the last paragraph with a fresh bucket of soapy water. We aren't trying to get every bit out, but the brush should knock most loose. 

Here we get started on the actual wash. Mix up a bucket of soapy water, and a clean water bucket to rinse your mitt between sections. You want a good bit of foam in your wash bucket. 70water/30foam is the ratio I try to achieve. The suds are what will encapsulate the dirt and help prevent swirls. Rinse the car from the top down. Allow gravity to do some of the work. Wash half of the roof and greenhouse (everything above the belt line of the car, so the windows, tops of doors, windsheild, rear window). Rinse the mitt and get some more soapy water to do the other half. Rinse and do the hood or trunk. Rinse and start on the vertical surfaces. I usually try to save the front bumper for last because it is usually the most contaminated panel. You can either rinse the car as you go along, or do it all and rinse at the end. I'm stuck washing in direct sunlight, so I rinse per panel. Use a good drying towel. I use Cobra waffle weave and Meguiar's waffle weave towels to dry. Do not use these towels for anything else. Make sure to keep them clean!!! Clean towels should not scratch or swirl. If you happen to have an electric leaf blower laying around, put it to use to help dry off the car! DO NOT USE A GAS LEAF BLOWER. Gas models will spit 2 stroke exhaust all over your freshly cleaned car. I have a Toro electric model that I picked up from Home Depot for $35.00. 

The outside should be pretty clean at this point. This is where I move inside. Top down rule still applies here. Get a good window cleaner like Stoner's Invisible Glass, or even Windex. Stay away from the no name glass cleaners, they streak and leave a film. As we all know, the right tool makes the job easier. I use window dedicated cleaning cloths. Cobra window cloths are my choice for a streak free finish. Then make up a small bucket of very diluted soapy water. I use that with a good microfiber towel to wipe down all the plastics. A small detailing brush is a good thing to have as well to clean out the vents or any other little nooks and crannies. Apply the protectant of your choice. I prefer Sonax Matte Finish. Vacuum. Interior is done, and hopefully quickly. 

Here is where we take a break to apply some tire shine. Find your happy here. Some people like super gloss, others like matte. There are literally hundreds of tire shines. My favored method is Meguiar's Hot Shine aerosol. I spray it on a foam tire swipe, then apply to the tire from the swipe. If you let it cure properly, you shouldn't have an issue with slinging. I really hate slinging. Since we cleaned out the wheel wells earlier, might as well dress them up too. I try to do this as inexpensively as possible. Take note, cause this is the only time I will EVER recommend an Armor All product. I spray the inner fender liners with Armor All fierce tire foam. Spread it evenly with a microfiber applicator pad. This should help you keep your inner fenders cleaner longer, and new contaminates will hopefully be removed easier. 

At this point, I'm writing a novel. I'll be amazed if anyone actually reads this far. Once we get that long laundry list done, we move on to clay. I'm thinking I should be on the Meguiar's payroll by now. I prefer the Meguiar's clay bar kit. It comes with everything needed to complete the task. Spray down a 2'x2' section of your paint with the supplied bottle of Quick Detailer. Rub the clay accross the paint a couple times in an up and down motion, then a couple times in a side to side motion. Clay is designed to pick up contaminates off the surface of the paint. If you're getting clay marks on the paint, that means you aren't using enough Quick Detailer. Clay marks will show up as white streaks. If this happens, do not curl up in the fetal position and cry. You can usually remove them in the next step with polish. This will seem like a never ending and exhausting process. It should take a good bit of time. Also, always fold the clay inward to expose clean clay for the next 2'x2' section. Time for a Pro Tip! If you have a Dual Action Polisher like a Porter Cable, there is a newer product out there called Nanoskin which comes shaped like a buffing pad and should significantly reduce the time you spend removing bonded surface contaminates. Seriously google that up if you're going to be doing more than 2 cars per year. It's well worth it. Also, once you're done claying, double check the front bumper and mirror for any bug guts you may have missed. I have great success with Turtle Wax Bug & Tar. Sprays on, wipes off, super easy. For fun, here is what my claybar looked like after doing half of a hood on an 08 Trailblazer SS with 100k miles that had never once been detailed.



We now have a blank canvas. The previous steps have removed any wax and contaminates. From here, we have some choices. How bad are the remaining scratches and swirls? Are they quite visible? You would need to compound. Light scratches and swirls can possibly be polished out. Working by hand won't really remove much. It's easier to use a DA polisher. For the sake of brevity, ha, we'll assume we can just polish. Now what type of polish do we use? Once again, it's up to personal preference. Use which ever looks best and performs best for you. Meguiar's Ultimate Polish is my go to. It's readily available, applies well, wipes off well. Many place make a good polish. Adam's, Chemical Guys, 3M, etc. This is all up to you and your eye. Less is more here. You don't want to soak the applicator. You want to work the polish in evenly, and as thinly as possible. This will help you remove it later. READ the directions on the bottle. Most polishes can be removed immediately after flashing, which is only a minute or so. If you let a polish haze, that isn't designed to let haze, you're going to have a bad time. After polishing, the car should be looking better already. In lieu of this step, there are some decent All In One/Cleaner waxes out there. Once again, depends on your situation and the amount of time you want to put into this project to determine the right product for you. It's now time to wash the car to remove and polish that may not have been wiped up and dust from the surface. 

Mmmmmm.... Wax. So many options, so little time. There are some newer sealants out there from Optimum, Chemical Guys, Garry Dean, that promise over a year of protection. I can't see spending $100.00 for 4 ounces of a product. However, if anyone in the Chicago area wants to give one of them a shot, I'll help you apply it. With that out of the way, on friends/family members cars that I detail, I go with Meguiar's Ultimate Wax. Spread it thin, wipes off easily, last MONTHS. You can also layer other products on top of it. On my personal CTS-V, I layer Blackfire Midnight Sun Carnauba on top of Ultimate wax. it.looks.amazing. Here is a shot of the finished TBSS, crappy quality phone pic, but you can still get an idea of how your car should look after it's all done. This truck came to me with no gloss whatsoever. 



I think I hit everything. Feel free to ask any questions!


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