Detailing Guides: Swirl Removal,Basic Car Washing Guide, ETC ETC

[DC.]

Try to remove as much dirt as possible before touching the paint. Like @Eamo_vxr said head to the nearest car wash and spend some time getting rid. Fair chance they will have a heated power wash which seems to do a better job.

You could get yourself a pre-wash and pump spray it on before power washing off to help too. Touching the paint is when the damage is done.

 

[Chris Mac]

Silly, fundamental question time.

I have a new car, that came fully machine polished and immaculate. After three weeks the car is now caked in dirt.

Futile Iat this time of yeart, but I want to clean it. I have used the "two bucket" method in the past, with Meguairs Gold Class shampoo, and it is a bloody waste of time - the swirls came regardless.

I don't have a foam lance or pressure washer. Just a hose with a spray gun attachment, buckets, lambswool wash mitts, and shampoo.

So what way would you fussy folk tackle this in order to keep the lovely paintwork swirlfree?

without a power washer it’ll be nearly impossible now to attract swirls through the wash process.

 

[Ghisallo]

I thought the advice was that a power washer blasted the dirt into and across the paintwork and caused marring?!

 

[Chris Mac]

See where thinking got you
You need to use a TFR/Snow Foam such as Anachem Articulte and Ultra Foam to loosen the dirt, then wash off with the power washer

 

[Jonny_W]

Silly, fundamental question time.

I have a new car, that came fully machine polished and immaculate. After three weeks the car is now caked in dirt.

Futile Iat this time of yeart, but I want to clean it. I have used the "two bucket" method in the past, with Meguairs Gold Class shampoo, and it is a bloody waste of time - the swirls came regardless.

I don't have a foam lance or pressure washer. Just a hose with a spray gun attachment, buckets, lambswool wash mitts, and shampoo.

So what way would you fussy folk tackle this in order to keep the lovely paintwork swirlfree?

I think it will also depend on the paint on the car aswell, VW paint it known for being soft and even with mine coated using the same way with pre cleaning etc it still has swirl marks showing on it. Now it’s coated for near 9 months now and I am extremely happy with the paint work as it would be a lot worse if it wasn’t.

a nilfisk power washer to start won’t be expensive with a snow foam lance which will help you as you are doing the rest anyway.

also get some articulate from @Big Pimp as mentioned which is a life saver.

 

[Cossers]

Basic principles are to get as much off before you touch the paint with a mitt! Local garage power washer is a good call but I’d just bite the bullet and get one if you in any way concerned about the swirls, without a power washer it will eventually look a mess.

 

[DC.]

Yea you won’t be long getting your monies worth out of a power washer for the house.

 

[Ghisallo]

Hi very interesting, thanks for the replies. I have a power washer at our other house and never once used it on the car in the mistaken belief that was a no-no! I’ll get another one, a bit of retail therapy

 

[K55]

I de-badged the bootlid and now we're left with the faint outline of every letter, clear enough to see if you look closely.

Will hand polishing take it off eventually or am I looking at getting it round to somebody with a buff/DA?

 

[Gareth]

I de-badged the bootlid and now we're left with the faint outline of every letter, clear enough to see if you look closely.

Will hand polishing take it off eventually or am I looking at getting it round to somebody with a buff/DA?

Try tar and glue remover first, it that doesn't work you could go to a DA

 

[DC.]

What does everyone do when their car doesn’t warrant a full wash but needs a bit of tidy?

I know some just go over it with QD or similar but I’m not fond of that idea. Is it a case of power wash, snow foam, rinse then maybe QD/Hybrid?

 

[-Pete-]

in those cases I'll fire a good dose of wheel cleaner on the wheels and then foam the car. give the wheels a quick clean with a wheel brush, then just rinse the car off. quick skim of tyre gel and its enough to lift the look of the car to pretty much just washed appearance. Im using megs wheel brightener which is fairly strong stuff anyway and I keep it as a strong dilution so it works quickly

 

[Gareth]

What does everyone do when their car doesn’t warrant a full wash but needs a bit of tidy?

I know some just go over it with QD or similar but I’m not fond of that idea. Is it a case of power wash, snow foam, rinse then maybe QD/Hybrid?

Going to that effort, I'd just wash it then, or wait until it got dirtier.

 

[big_pete]

Either do it right or don't touch it IMO. One bad wash or wipe with a QD in the wrong manner and you will mark your paint

 

[Paddy_R]

What does everyone do when their car doesn’t warrant a full wash but needs a bit of tidy?

I know some just go over it with QD or similar but I’m not fond of that idea. Is it a case of power wash, snow foam, rinse then maybe QD/Hybrid?

I usually power wash it (sometimes at the local petrol station), knock the worst of it off and be done with it in that situation. If I'm touching the car it's getting a full proper wash.

 

[Boydie]

If my car is just dusty, bird poop or bugs, I just blast it with Di water through the power hose. No worries after about water marks

 

[Big Pimp]

What does everyone do when their car doesn’t warrant a full wash but needs a bit of tidy?

I know some just go over it with QD or similar but I’m not fond of that idea. Is it a case of power wash, snow foam, rinse then maybe QD/Hybrid?

pre wash / foam / rinse

should get rid of dust and loose road grime etc.

 

[Chris100]

I would put UltraFoam over a coating of Articulate and let it sit for about 5/10 minutes, and then rinse it.

This is all my car would normally get over the winter months and it pretty much gets it about 80% clean.

 

[Jonny_W]

I would put UltraFoam over a coating of Articulate and let it sit for about 5/10 minutes, and then rinse it.

This is all my car would normally get over the winter months and it pretty much gets it about 80% clean.

i have yet to be able to do this and the car look half decent. I find if I don’t wash it properly there is no point.

 

[Chris100]

i have yet to be able to do this and the car look half decent. I find if I don’t wash it properly there is no point.

I would say that it's hugely dependant on the colour of the car, I seem to remember your's is black. You are fighting a losing battle from the start there trying to keep a black car clean.

 

[Jonny_W]

I would say that it's hugely dependant on the colour of the car, I seem to remember your's is black. You are fighting a losing battle from the start there trying to keep a black car clean.

golf was white silver and the wife’s disco is grey. All my cars have been the same.

 

[Chris100]

golf was white silver and the wife’s disco is grey. All my cars have been the same.

No idea then, I used this method during most of the winter months with a full wash probably only once a month and it keeps the car pretty well maintained.

 

[Ciaran]

I have a power washer and want to buy a foam lance - the connection looks like a Karcher fitting but my machine is some random make. Will a karcher fitting work or do I need a new machine?

Thanks

 

[Lappintyre]

Stick a pic up @Ciaran will help give a definitive answer

 

[Ciaran]

Stick a pic up @Ciaran will help give a definitive answer

I'll get one this evening, cheers.