Proper Washing Techniques
Retired Moderator
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,079
From: Lloydminster, Sask.
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,871
From: Slave Lake, AB
The swirls should be able to be dealt with just using polish, if they arent too bad. My '12 has a few and I will be able to polish them out, but my '10 had swirls that were so bad, and so deep, that I had to use a compound from Maguires to get them all out. Once they're gone, they will stay away providing you keep a good base of wax on it, and carefully dry the car off after washes.
Retired Moderator
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,079
From: Lloydminster, Sask.
If you have a lot of swirls, or spdierweb looking fine scratches, your next step is to use a compound, and I use McGuires Ultimate Compound. This is going to be the step that needs the most care and attention, as the compound has very fine abrassives in it, so you you may need to do this step a few times on each section to completely rectify the swirls and small scratches, as you don't want to be too agressive with this stuff, so take your time, and I recomend using a power polisher, as doing it by hand will take a very long time, but you'll look like the Hulk when your done.
Then onto the polish...I use the Autoglym polish, it goes on easy, and comes off just as easy. If you're bypassing the compound step then give it a good moderate pressure polish, and if you are doing the compound, then let the polisher do the work with hardly any pressure.
The the easiest step...Autoglym wax. With this stuff you do the whole car, and then let it sit for 10-15 minutes before taking it off with the microfibre cloth included with the wax. And remember, nice straight swipes with the wax, and do it by hand. The car gets 2 full coats of the wax, and the front bumper and hood get 3 or 4.
Like I said, everybody has their own way, and I'm sure some will disagree with my methods, but the results I get are pretty amazing in my opinion, and when I'm done I discribe like looking into Grabber Blue water...
CMOC Addict
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 524
From: At Home
Ok well everybody has their own process, but this is what I do. I start with a very good washing & rinse so that you have a nice clean surface to start with, then use the claybar and most, if not all claybar kits come with a spray detailer which you use as a lubricant between the clay bar and your cars surface, and don't be scared to use lots of the spray, as you want it well lubricated so the clay runs across the surface with ease. You want to use moderate pressure, but not too much, and you will feel the difference in how smoothly the clay slides on the surface. This process takes all the oxidization and contaminents out of the paint. I do about 2 square foot sections at a time, and use the microfibre cloth that comes with it to wipe away the excess spray. (I use the Mothers kit).
If you have a lot of swirls, or spdierweb looking fine scratches, your next step is to use a compound, and I use McGuires Ultimate Compound. This is going to be the step that needs the most care and attention, as the compound has very fine abrassives in it, so you you may need to do this step a few times on each section to completely rectify the swirls and small scratches, as you don't want to be too agressive with this stuff, so take your time, and I recomend using a power polisher, as doing it by hand will take a very long time, but you'll look like the Hulk when your done.
Then onto the polish...I use the Autoglym polish, it goes on easy, and comes off just as easy. If you're bypassing the compound step then give it a good moderate pressure polish, and if you are doing the compound, then let the polisher do the work with hardly any pressure.
The the easiest step...Autoglym wax. With this stuff you do the whole car, and then let it sit for 10-15 minutes before taking it off with the microfibre cloth included with the wax. And remember, nice straight swipes with the wax, and do it by hand. The car gets 2 full coats of the wax, and the front bumper and hood get 3 or 4.
Like I said, everybody has their own way, and I'm sure some will disagree with my methods, but the results I get are pretty amazing in my opinion, and when I'm done I discribe like looking into Grabber Blue water...
If you have a lot of swirls, or spdierweb looking fine scratches, your next step is to use a compound, and I use McGuires Ultimate Compound. This is going to be the step that needs the most care and attention, as the compound has very fine abrassives in it, so you you may need to do this step a few times on each section to completely rectify the swirls and small scratches, as you don't want to be too agressive with this stuff, so take your time, and I recomend using a power polisher, as doing it by hand will take a very long time, but you'll look like the Hulk when your done.
Then onto the polish...I use the Autoglym polish, it goes on easy, and comes off just as easy. If you're bypassing the compound step then give it a good moderate pressure polish, and if you are doing the compound, then let the polisher do the work with hardly any pressure.
The the easiest step...Autoglym wax. With this stuff you do the whole car, and then let it sit for 10-15 minutes before taking it off with the microfibre cloth included with the wax. And remember, nice straight swipes with the wax, and do it by hand. The car gets 2 full coats of the wax, and the front bumper and hood get 3 or 4.
Like I said, everybody has their own way, and I'm sure some will disagree with my methods, but the results I get are pretty amazing in my opinion, and when I'm done I discribe like looking into Grabber Blue water...
Couldn't have said it better Dubldee. My process exactly also using AutoGlym products and Maguires compound. My limer is 7 years old and still looks new.
