clg82

Hey everyone. Wife just purchased a Hyundai Sonata Limited. I went over it with a light to see if I could see any swirl marks and the paint (surprisingly) from the factory looks pretty good. Not many swirl marks to speak of. With that said it's a 2017 with only 125 miles. It's the wife's daily driver to work and back. What's the process I should use to keep her car looking flawless? Strip wash, clay, paint sealant, wax topper? Any suggestions for what I may be missing? Thanks for any help!

I have some more Buttery Wax I got in my most recent mystery box if you're interested lol...I know I already sent you two but it never hurts to ask!

Oh I didn't say not to clay.  That is you misinterpretation.  Clay is indeed an important.  For those that think claying is not needed that is utterly is ridiculous. 

 

A majority of the contaminants will be removed through and iron remover and claying or a clay alternative (nanoskin, etc.). 

 

Modern day sealants are pretty durable.  There are plenty of topics covered on various detailing forums about whether or not a strip soap actually strips a sealant.  Most of the times they do not work.  Does Adams work?  Maybe or maybe not.  It is just a product that I won't be buying as I don't buy into the strip wash.   

 

I understand logic completely as my background is in engineering so no need to question that. 

Easy now.....things such as this are frowned upon around here......if you want to compare products go to a different forum and do it....which is what I've been told....

Just got done wiping down the wifeys grand cherokee with waterless wash......had a ton of ash and dust on it from the recent wildfires we've had out here in so-cal!

Since we're on the topic of paint sealant on wheels…what's the difference between putting that and brilliant glaze on chrome rims?

You might have ceramic brake pads. My truck is the same way.

chop do you use wheel cleaner every time you wash?

Thanks for the suggestions Dan. I of course plan on using an extra bucket when it comes to cleaning the wheels separately.

Hmm interesting mc2hill....I appreciate the suggestion....maybe a spray down with my foam gun would be enough for the chrome....you ever use paint sealant on chrome?  just curious as too how that would react to the chrome...

I like to think I keep my chrome ZO6 wheels pretty clean.  So my question is if I use Wheel Cleaner on them and I don't see it turn purple does that mean they aren't dirty enough to even consider wasting wheel cleaner on?  And if that's the case what do I use to keep the chrome rims sparkling without using wheel cleaner?

that flavor savor tho....

Hey everyone,

 

I detailed my girlfriends car about 4 days ago and ever since, I can see tons of lint on the windshield. It is especially apparent during sunset when the light is hitting it just right.

 

I'm wondering if this is a problem of

A. Not washing my MF towels first

B. Too much/too little window cleaner

C. Other

 

I did not use any Adams products to clean the window but am ordering their window cleaner before the end of the week.

I'm just trying to figure out if it's a product problem or a technique.

what's wrong with using paper towels....I use normal store bought glass cleaner with paper towels and never see any lint....

It sucks to be you, doesn't it?    

 

I spent the day nailing and gluing my wood garage door back together!      Nice set up Dan.  

It's ok you still win...you don't own a Ford

The cleaning agents and polymers in the shampoo, not the suds, help loosen and encapsulate the dirt, to help prevent scratching.

 

My earlier comment on the suds not being the only important part of the shampoo was not meant to imply that the suds are not needed, but rather that the suds are a part of the shampoo, along with the cleaning agents and lubricating polymers.  There is a balance between them, and more lubrication often means less suds, and vice versa.

 

I do not agree with a couple of the comments above.  I think the suds are very important, as they allow the shampoo mixture, with the cleaning agents and polymers, to dwell longer on the surface, so you have a chance to use your wash media.  The suds provide "hang time" for the shampoo; without the suds, then the mixture runs off quicker.  The more hang time with the suds, the more lubrication that stays on the surface, the safer the wash, and the less you have to hurry before it runs off.

 

There is more to a foam cannon or foam gun than just fun, even though both are fun to use!  The point of the foam gun or foam cannon is to get more shampoo on the surface, faster.  This makes it safer for washing, and also means fewer trips back to the bucket to get more shampoo.  The big benefit of the foam cannon is that the high pressure water is used to mix air into the shampoo, giving you thicker foam that clings even longer.  I use a foam cannon for every wash, and it is safer and more efficient, especially with a large truck to clean.  I only use one bucket as a rinse bucket for the wash media (wedge or pad).  All the shampoo gets onto the surface from the foam cannon, and the foam stays there long enough to clean 3-4 panels, with a rinse of the wedge between each panel.  Before getting a pressure washer and foam cannon, I used to spend more time running back to the bucket to get more shampoo, and never seemed to have enough shampoo on the surface to feel like it was entirely effective.

That last part is exactly how I feel everytime I use Adams car shampoo....maybe I will try your way and not use adams shampoo in the bucket and just use my foam gun with a fresh bucket of water to rinse out my wash pad....

No that is not true either. 

 

Soap is there to act a lubricant between the wash media.  Suds do nothing for you. 

 

The fact that a 2 bucket wash is being done is the correct way to wash. 

 

Heck I only use one bucket when I use a foam gun.  Am I doing it wrong?  No indeed.  The added soap from the gun is adding more lubricity between my wash media and the paint allowing the wash media to glide effortlessly. 

 

If you want to add fun to your wash get a foam gun or foam cannon.

 

Here's another example.  I was sent another manufacturers shampoo for review and it is intended to not sud.  Does that mean it is not doing anything?  On the other hand it is doing what it should be and that is clean the surface as well as being easier to wash off the paint without leaving any sort of soap film residue.  It had the lubricity to not harm the paint.  It was odd not seeing suds on the paint because we are all obsessed with suds. 

 

Here in the states we are love our suds because it makes us feel all warm and tingly inside.  Overseas the shampoo's used do not form suds. 

Gotcha...I'm totally new to all of this "proper washing technique" and didn't mean to come off as rude...thanks for the helpful info!

No it is not.  The purpose of the foam gun is to add a coat of soap to act as lubrication between your wash media.  The foam cannon has no benefit other than the fun factor and coolness factor to catch the eye of passers by.  It would be recommended to initially rinse all dirt from the surface using either tool. 

Gotcha so if someone is ONLY using the 2 bucket wash method...with limited amount of suds from the Adams car wash shampoo....they are doing it incorrectly and should be using the gun or cannon first and than the two bucket wash method.....if that is the true correct method what about people that appreciate more "suds" from their shampoo they use to wash their car?

My advice would be to have your water tested to see if it is hard.  Hard water kills suds, so you need to use more shampoo than normal.  You can also get a inexpensive meter and do it yourself:

 

https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY?ie=UTF8&dpID=31u0sy1uLFL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0AZ6BHG574FP1J7QZNRJ&ref_=pd_sim_60_2

 

Next time, use a measuring device to put 3 oz in your bucket, and see if the suds are any different.  Using the squeeze method might not be very accurate.  "Three lines of soap" is hard to quantify, as it depends on how thick the lines are.  You could also turn the bottle upside down, make a mark of the product level on the label, make your three lines, then see how much product was used from your original mark.  From a 16oz bottle, you can estimate how many ounces are in your soap lines.

 

Finally, keep in mind that suds are only part of the equation.  More important is the amount of lubricants in the mixture to encapsulate the dirt and make washing safer.  Some shampoos have lots of suds, but not much lubrication, and that is not good.

 

The chemicals that add lubrication will work against the suds, so there is a balance between amount of suds and amount of lubrication.  Lots of suds and not much lubrication, or lots of lubrication and not much suds.  A good example of this is Rinseless Wash; it has tons of lubrication, but no suds at all, and it is much safer for a rinseless wash method than using regular shampoo.

Than what is the point of the foam gun and foam cannon?  Isn't the suds supposed to encapsulate dirt and junk to keep it from scratching the paint? 

I get the same issues when using adams car wash in their buckets.....I get plenty of suds at first but often throughout my wash i notice that i am just getting more and more water more than i am suds on the wash mitt.  some big box stores car wash soap suds better than adams in the bucket...which is disapointing.  I do however get great amount of suds with the adams foam gun....no issues there....

​​Do the baggy test first to see if it needs clayed. As far as Americana or PS, if the car lives outside I would definitely go with the PS. And as far as the BG, I would apply it no matter what protection that you go with.

how long after using the paint sealant can I apply the brilliant glaze?

Do you have one of those stupid washing machines that do a full load with like 1 gallon of water to save the planet.

 

That may be the issue. You may need a second rinse on those newer machines to be sure the machine has all the wash residue out from the towels being cleaned.

No lol and i always do a second rinse on my towels that i use for detailing no matter what....i will give the vinegar a try thanks for your input everyone....hopefully i'll be able to put the wifeys mind at ease

I would throw in a coat of sealant before/instead of the wax, if you do both they should be protected for awhile, so long as they are not automatic car wash people.....

if they go to the automatic it's the touchless....and it's not daily lol.....so you suggest no brilliant glaze than?  do you suggest even claying the car then?  you suggest just paint sealant and than Americana? 

I'd do a inside outside wash job with paint sealnt and americana. Seems fair enough and I love this particular combo except I have patriot not americana

so no brilliant glaze....should I even clay the car then? 

I have not had any issues with waterless, Rinsless, and many other chemicals that i wash. Are you using the microfiber cleaner or regular laundry detergent, not sure if that would matter but I use a dedicated microfiber detergent. Try running a empty load with some vinegar through the washer, it will help with cleaning it anyways and you can score wife points there lol

I'll give that a try....I'm not using any kind of microfiber cleaner....just using plain ol' laundry detergent....not sure that should have a difference.

The spots are almost like the color of the detail spray......

Interesting.  I have not noticed anything like that on my end.

 

Just to put it out there, what "chemicals" were on your towels that you washed?  I'm almost thinking that maybe some of the items you removed from the car (road grime, bug guts, interior "grease", etc...) could have caused this.

Nothing out of the ordinary, the first wash with the double soft was just some Americana paste wax....and some waterless wash towels with some light dust on them....same with the second load.....just a few waterless wash towels with just some dust removed from the car.