Need help with order of using products

[LuckyKorean]

Hi this will be my first time detailing. I ordered a Mystery Bucket before and did RW, found my windshield is dirty and before I got to do anything I got sick and ordered some more products. Everything is arriving today. 

 

Things I have to work with:

Ultra foam shampoo

Rinseless wash

Iron remover

Detail spray

Wheel cleaner

ECO All purpose cleaner

Glass cleaner

Leather and interior cleaner

Leather conditioner 

VRT

Tire shine

Glass sealant

Glass boost

Brilliant Glaze

H2O guard and gloss

Visco clay kit

Clay mitt

 

Some products look like they have similar use, like VRT and Tire shine. 

 

On my next day off I plan to do the whole car, the plan I have been running through my head...

 

Interior:

It’s clean, never spilled anything or any stains, regularly vacuumed and dusted. But never used cleaning or conditioning products yet. 

I plan to start by using Leather and interior cleaner, spray onto towel and wipe clean everything. Seats, dash, infotainment, steering wheel, doors.

Then follow up with Leather conditioner, a thin coat because I don’t want things too shiny but I’ll have to spot test to see how I like it. (Not sure if I want it on my steering wheel?) 

After that I need to take care of glass so I’ll clean with Glass cleaner then apply Brilliant Glaze on interior windshield(Haze be gone please) 

Might apply VRT to door panels but haven’t decided yet. Will test it out on trunk black plastic trim first. 

I shouldn’t need Glass sealant or boost on interior right? Sounds like a pain to do. 

 

Metallic Gray Exterior: 

Never clayed, never hand washed till last week. Definitely never sealed/waxed. Few rock chips. Probably some scratches. Ok more scratches. Wheels never properly cleaned. Windshield has tiny specks. 

 

1. Rinse at pay and spray

2. Spray Iron remover all over, Wheel cleaner on wheels then rinse using pressure washer at pay and spray, drive home. 

3. Using Glass cleaner I’ll clean the windshield then apply tons of Detail spray while cleaning with razor blade. Wipe down with Glass cleaner again then use Detail spray with Clay mitt. 

4. Clean glass one more time then apply Glass sealant, wipe down with Glass cleaner. Then top it off with Glass boost. (I really like clean glass) 

5. Rinseless wash inside garage with one bucket of towels. 

6. Open Visco clay kit, using tons of Detail spray I’ll start claying panel by panel. (Plan to use Clay mitt for glass and Visco clay for paint) 

7. I’ll skip polish, honesty too scared as this is first time detailing. I will use garden hose with spray nozzle to rinse after claying. (Should I need to do this? Or just wipe down? Or Rinseless wash again?)

8. Wheels got sprayed and rinsed with Wheel cleaner on step 2. But it’s pretty dirty so I’ll go again but this time use the Red wheel mitt. 

9. I forgot to order Tire and rubber cleaner and Tire brush! Sucks because I have VRT and Tire shine. I’ll try using ECO All purpose with coarse boar hair brush to scrub tires till they hopefully foam white. 

10. Apply VRT/Tire shine to my tires. (Which one first? Or only one? I’m scared of sling) 

11. Applying H2O! Since my paint will be dry I’ll use a damp Double soft to apply and dry Borderless grey to wipe down. For wheels I’ll use cheap microfiber to apply. (Should I H2O on wheels? H2O vs Glass boost on windows?)

12. Brilliant Glaze. I’m not sure if I should apply it on top of H2O. Opinions would help. I currently don’t have waxes. 

13. Show off a clean shiny car to start 2019  

 

Some questions and concerns:

 

1. The biggest concern I have is that I’ve read I should ALWAYS polish after claying. I did baggie test, my car is very grainy/sandy. Scared to polish right now, plus no equipment. Hopefully it’ll be okay? 

2. I didn’t get Paint sealant because my Mystery Bucket had H2O. I read that Paint sealant lasts longer and since I decided to clay, wondering if I should have gotten it. I’m thinking I’ll use H2O alone during this winter(South US) then later when it’s warmer I’ll use Iron remover(it’ll strip H2O off right?) then apply paint sealant without claying again. Or should I clay again? 

3. My parents are getting older and I want to wash their cars. They have 2 White SUVs. All 3 of our cars are 2015, 2016 and 2017. None of them been clayed or any detail done. I plan to do the same process for them but to be honest I’m expecting my Visco clay to be too dirty to use after my car. I have the Clay mitt I used for glass too. Parents cars are white, should I use Clay mitt or get a new Visco clay? Or skip clay altogether for now, just regularly apply H2O till it’s warmer and I’m applying Paint sealant, do all 3 cars after claying theirs? 

 

Sorry it’s a long post, thanks for reading. 

Just really excited to get my car clean  

[camaro2ssblack]

On the interior, clean the glass before you clean the dash.  You don’t want glass cleaner overspray all over your freshly cleaned dash.  

[LuckyKorean]

20 minutes ago, camaro2ssblack said:

On the interior, clean the glass before you clean the dash.  You don’t want glass cleaner overspray all over your freshly cleaned dash.  

Good call. I’ll spray interior cleaner onto towel and wipe the dash after doing glass 👍

[RayS]

3 hours ago, LuckyKorean said:

 

Interior:

It’s clean, never spilled anything or any stains, regularly vacuumed and dusted. But never used cleaning or conditioning products yet. 

I plan to start by using Leather and interior cleaner, spray onto towel and wipe clean everything. Seats, dash, infotainment, steering wheel, doors.

Then follow up with Leather conditioner, a thin coat because I don’t want things too shiny but I’ll have to spot test to see how I like it. (Not sure if I want it on my steering wheel?) 

 

Might apply VRT to door panels but haven’t decided yet. Will test it out on trunk black plastic trim first. 

 

 

 

From your list, I did not see any Interior Detailer, you will want to get some with your next purchase.

 

Since you said the interior is clean, I would not use the Leather Cleaner, I would go with APC diluted 10:1 if you have anything that needs to be truly cleaned.  Then go over the dash, seats and door panels with the Leather Conditioner.  

 

As for using VRT on the door panels, I would not even consider it.  VRT has a tendency to run rather easily and it will stain some clothing, so I would not put it anyplace that you are going to lean or rub against.  Again, go with the Leather Conditioner,  I think you'll like the results on the door panels and trunk trim.

 

Also, for the infotainment center, I use glass cleaner to get rid of all the finger prints and then Brilliant Glaze to to reduce the future finger prints.

Edited December 29, 2018 by RayS

[LuckyKorean]

29 minutes ago, RayS said:

From your list, I did not see any Interior Detailer, you will want to get some with your next purchase.

 

Since you said the interior is clean, I would not use the Leather Cleaner, I would go with APC diluted 10:1 if you have anything that needs to be truly cleaned.  Then go over the dash, seats and door panels with the Leather Conditioner.  

 

As for using VRT on the door panels, I would not even consider it.  VRT has a tendency to run rather easily and it will stain some clothing, so I would not put it anyplace that you are going to lean or rub against.  Again, go with the Leather Conditioner,  I think you'll like the results on the door panels and trunk trim.

 

Also, for the infotainment center, I use glass cleaner to get rid of all the finger prints and then Brilliant Glaze to to reduce the future finger prints.

I didn’t get any Interior detailer cause I thought I could use the Leather conditioner on everything. 

Is the Leather cleaner quite strong? I thought it was for sensitive areas is why I ordered it. 

Didn’t think of Brilliant glaze on infotainment! Mine is losing its shine and it’s pretty scratched up. I’ll definitely give it a shot. 

[falcaineer]

Exciting! You have a good start on your products. I'll weigh in with my two cents, putting your comments/questions in bold:

 

Some products look like they have similar use, like VRT and Tire shine. 

Yes, they're similar, but VRT tends to give a more satin look while TS gives a shinier and usually longer-lasting look. You can apply multiple coats of either one for added effect. Experiment with both to see which one you like more.

 

I plan to start by using Leather and interior cleaner, spray onto towel and wipe clean everything. Seats, dash, infotainment, steering wheel, doors.

LIC is a pretty strong cleaner, so I'd echo @RayS and suggest either the diluted APC or getting some ID. If you decide to still use the LIC, be sure to follow-up with LC as you've said. I personally like to use DS on the infotainment screen to remove and prevent fingerprints.

 

Might apply VRT to door panels but haven’t decided yet. Will test it out on trunk black plastic trim first. 

I don't use VRT inside, but others might and they could also weigh in. I understand @RayS's comments above. The LC will provide plenty of protection and a nice sheen, so I'd suggest that.

 

I shouldn’t need Glass sealant or boost on interior right? Sounds like a pain to do. 

No, those are both for outside only. The GC and BG process is ideal for inside.

 

Never clayed, never hand washed till last week. Definitely never sealed/waxed. Few rock chips. Probably some scratches. Ok more scratches. Wheels never properly cleaned. Windshield has tiny specks. 

Pretty normal. As you learn, you'll be able to tackle these issues and more. The only thing Adam's products can't currently handle are the windshield specks, but there are articles on here about sanding glass, etc., if you're interested.

 

2. Spray Iron remover all over, Wheel cleaner on wheels then rinse using pressure washer at pay and spray, drive home. 

WC should not be applied to wheels immediately after driving. You'll need to wait until they cool down, cool to the touch. Consider doing your wheels at home, if at all possible. Or bring a good book to read while you wait at the pay and spray!

 

3. Using Glass cleaner I’ll clean the windshield then apply tons of Detail spray while cleaning with razor blade. Wipe down with Glass cleaner again then use Detail spray with Clay mitt. 

4. Clean glass one more time then apply Glass sealant, wipe down with Glass cleaner. Then top it off with Glass boost. (I really like clean glass) 

Honestly, this may be overkill. Using the clay mitt and DS, you'll be able to get your glass nice and prepped for the glass sealant and boost.

 

6. Open Visco clay kit, using tons of Detail spray I’ll start claying panel by panel. (Plan to use Clay mitt for glass and Visco clay for paint) 

If you want to save yourself some time, consider using the mitt all over. It works great on all surfaces. Oh, and if you use the clay, don't forget to remove the plastic 😂!

 

7. I’ll skip polish, honesty too scared as this is first time detailing. I will use garden hose with spray nozzle to rinse after claying. (Should I need to do this? Or just wipe down? Or Rinseless wash again?)

Since it's winter, I'd suggest waiting until Spring to polish anyway. Winter will only beat up on your car if you get winter conditions. After claying, you can rinse/wash the DS residue or go straight to the HGG. Going straight to it will still remove the DS residue/streaks.

 

9. I forgot to order Tire and rubber cleaner and Tire brush! Sucks because I have VRT and Tire shine. I’ll try using ECO All purpose with coarse boar hair brush to scrub tires till they hopefully foam white.

Eco APC should work fine on your tires - APC is all Adam's had before TRC. But it might take a bit more time. And don't forget to wet the brush and tires!

 

10. Apply VRT/Tire shine to my tires. (Which one first? Or only one? I’m scared of sling) 

Choose one or the other given my input above. Neither will sling so long as you do a nice, light coat. TS might need a few minutes to dry.

 

11. Applying H2O! Since my paint will be dry I’ll use a damp Double soft to apply and dry Borderless grey to wipe down. For wheels I’ll use cheap microfiber to apply. (Should I H2O on wheels? H2O vs Glass boost on windows?)

If it were me, I'd use the borderless greys only to apply and wipe down, if two are available. The HGG tends to stain white towels like the Double Soft. But if you only have one of each, I'd recommend you dampen/apply with the grey and dry with the Double Soft to minimize the staining. Yes, you can use HGG on wheels. HGG can be applied to every surface, including paint, trim, chrome, glass, etc. - your call on using it on the windshield vs. the boost. If you use HGG on glass, spray it on a towel vs the glass to minimize streaks. If you can somehow spray the car down using the hose you mentioned earlier, that'll make applying the HGG easier and you'll use less product.

 

12. Brilliant Glaze. I’m not sure if I should apply it on top of H2O. Opinions would help. I currently don’t have waxes. 

As a general rule, the most durable product is applied first. In this case, that would be HGG, and then you can apply it on top for added (albeit non-lasting) shine. But Adam in his videos and others on here have applied BG first and have liked the results. You'll get differing opinions, so try it one way this time, the other next, and see what you like most. For me, I'd go HGG and then BG.

 

1. The biggest concern I have is that I’ve read I should ALWAYS polish after claying. I did baggie test, my car is very grainy/sandy. Scared to polish right now, plus no equipment. Hopefully it’ll be okay? 

Using clay can introduce some marring, but it's NOT a necessity to polish every time you clay. In fact, clay can be used during maintenance washes to remove a variety of things from the paint. Just understand it may remove protective layers (e.g., wax, HGG, PS) so reapplying may be necessary and is recommended.

 

2. I didn’t get Paint sealant because my Mystery Bucket had H2O. I read that Paint sealant lasts longer and since I decided to clay, wondering if I should have gotten it. I’m thinking I’ll use H2O alone during this winter(South US) then later when it’s warmer I’ll use Iron remover(it’ll strip H2O off right?) then apply paint sealant without claying again. Or should I clay again? 

Yes, PS will last longer, but you'll be fine with the HGG as a stand-alone sealant until you get it. IR will probably weaken or remove the HGG, and claying again will depend on paint condition, process, etc.

 

3. My parents are getting older and I want to wash their cars. They have 2 White SUVs. All 3 of our cars are 2015, 2016 and 2017. None of them been clayed or any detail done. I plan to do the same process for them but to be honest I’m expecting my Visco clay to be too dirty to use after my car. I have the Clay mitt I used for glass too. Parents cars are white, should I use Clay mitt or get a new Visco clay? Or skip clay altogether for now, just regularly apply H2O till it’s warmer and I’m applying Paint sealant, do all 3 cars after claying theirs? 

I'd suggest the clay mitt for all three to save time - and it'll handle dozens of cars before needing replacement. So long as you keep folding the clay over itself, you should be ok with that, too. And by the way, HGG looks incredible on white!

 

I didn’t get any Interior detailer cause I thought I could use the Leather conditioner on everything. 

Is the Leather cleaner quite strong? I thought it was for sensitive areas is why I ordered it. 

Didn’t think of Brilliant glaze on infotainment! Mine is losing its shine and it’s pretty scratched up. I’ll definitely give it a shot. 

LIC is powerful, but you'll be fine for most surfaces. Just follow-up with LC. I do like having ID to use as a maintenance cleaner, though. As stated above, I like DS for screens.

 

Hope that helps a bit!

[LuckyKorean]

@RayS

I found some time yesterday so I went ahead and just cleaned the glass and infotainment. Glass cleaner then BG was perfect! No streaks and everything is shining. Woke up today and my car was like coconut heaven when I started it. 

 

@falcaineer

That was a long but so easy to read and understand, always like some bold letters. 

LIC is starting to sound like the opposite of what I was thinking when I bought it. 

I plan to use LC in every surface the LIC touches. 

But you mentioned using ID instead of LIC? Does that you use ID as cleaner? Like just spray ID and wipe? Or do you use diluted APC before using ID? 

 

Some other questions I had while reading:

 

It’s winter so how long should I wait to cool down before using WC? I’ll touch test but the good pay and spray is 10 mins drive away. 

 

About the Clay mitt, first time using it, should it be dry or a bit wet? I figure I’ll need to rinse while using it but what about the first time out of the wrap? 

Would it work to use grit guard to rinse or should I take it to the sink to rinse off? 

 

Good to hear HGG looks good on white. I guess I’ll try BG > HGG on one then HGG > BG on the other someday. 

But if HGG can be applied to trim, should I HGG then apply VRT? Or the other way around? 

 

Had as a lot of fun doing the glasses with Glass cleaner and BG. Can’t wait till weather clears up a bit so I can do exterior. 3 days of rain then snow  

[falcaineer]

Sorry about not using bold, but found an easier/faster way to quote you (highlight the section, and the forum gives the option to quote just that portion)...hope this works, too 😉.

 

1 hour ago, LuckyKorean said:

But you mentioned using ID instead of LIC? Does that you use ID as cleaner? Like just spray ID and wipe? Or do you use diluted APC before using ID? 

 

Yes, I use ID as a cleaner. I use it on the dash, door panels, leather, vinyl, plastic, etc. Not glass, and not carpet. Note it's not strong so isn't as effective on really soiled areas, but it works well otherwise and leaves a nice sheen with fresh scent. I recommend you spray onto the towel and wipe vs directly on the surface. I've never used diluted APC on the interior but asked about it here so will add it to my arsenal.

 

1 hour ago, LuckyKorean said:

About the Clay mitt, first time using it, should it be dry or a bit wet? I figure I’ll need to rinse while using it but what about the first time out of the wrap? 

 

Wet car with DS or diluted RW is ideal. Basically, the surface needs to be well lubricated. Here's a video.

 

1 hour ago, LuckyKorean said:

Would it work to use grit guard to rinse or should I take it to the sink to rinse off? 

 

All it takes to clean is a rinse with water and then air dry. Shouldn't need to be cleaned until you're done. Be careful, the red can/will stain towels of left on them. Ask me how I know 😢.

 

1 hour ago, LuckyKorean said:

Good to hear HGG looks good on white. I guess I’ll try BG > HGG on one then HGG > BG on the other someday. 

But if HGG can be applied to trim, should I HGG then apply VRT? Or the other way around? 

 

 

I've posted my results in the "What did you wash, shine or polish" thread but I don't have the energy to find it right now...may do so later and then link here. Never really thought about the order of HGG and VRT as I haven't combined the two. When I apply HGG, that's all I do. But I doubt it makes a difference either way. Perhaps someone else will add on with more.

 

 

Take any pictures? If not, please do and then post them here!

 

 

 

 

[8675309'SS]

Not sure if one of the fellas already mentioned this, but you can dilute your leather and interior cleaner so it’s not so strong. Try 8 parts distilled water to 1 part chemical, or 3:1 as suggested here

 

[LuckyKorean]

@falcaineer

I'll be sure to add pictures as I go and do these steps, it'll be fun to look at them all once I finish.

 

 

@8675309'SS

Sounds like I need to get me some empty bottles... it'll happen as I spray and pour Adam's all over the cars But till then I should get some empty bottles..

[LuckyKorean]

BG on the glossy parts. Still scratched up but definitely glossier. It was actually enjoyable to apply and wipe. I didn’t bother avoiding the cracks between buttons. Just spread on Grey microfiber pad and wiped along. Like on windshield. The display screen actually got BG treatment too! It left a nice satin smooth finish, fingerprint resistant. It isn’t a touchscreen though. 

Coconut heaven until I applied Leather conditioner...

Edited January 2, 2019 by LuckyKorean

[LuckyKorean]

I thought it was stainless but looking at every single spot.. found some marks.

LIC diluted 3:1 plus some elbow grease helped most of them. Here’s some before and after. 

 

I have a beige leather interior, wiped it all down with diluted LIC. It barely changed the color of yellow microfiber towel I used even with plenty elbow grease. Car isn’t old yet and no spillage on leather.

 

But all the wiping left it dry so I dressed some LC on it... now this is where things went downhill for me. 

I wore a mask during this whole process because I don’t like the lifted dust during interior cleaning. 

After applying LC over the surfaces LIC touched, the smell was SO STRONG. I read and saw many videos where people comment that they loved the leather smell, it was part of the reason I bought LC instead of ID but it turns out mine didn’t smell quite like leather, more like chlorine or some other really strong chemical scent.

 

I had headache after 15 min drive to dinner. It has been a couple days now and the smell still hasn’t cleared anyhow. My wife and parents don’t like it either and doesn’t want their cars done with it.

Even the Red interior dressing pad that I applied it with has a strong LC scent, even after hand washing multiple times with hot water and detergent/soap. 

 

I bought the LC on Amazon, sold by Adam’s but fulfilled by Amazon. Tried contacting Adam’s but they couldn’t locate the order details and suggested I do return process through Amazon. 

 

Now I ordered the ID with Odor Neutralizer and took this chance to buy Americana wax and lot of Double Plush since 20% off and to qualify for free shipping(never like paying for shipping )

 

Hope it arrives soon, until then it’s driving with windows down in 35°F 

 

Ordering Americana raised some new questions too. Like how many cars can one 6oz tub do? I’m planning to do HGG then Americana now. Dunno if I should apply BG or just use BG for interior it smells so good. 

[RayS]

Isn't it nice seeing the results of a little bit of effort.  That is part of the reason why I like getting older cars that have been neglected and watching the transformation.  So far your results look good and as you continue to learn the products, the results will improve.  

[LuckyKorean]

1 hour ago, RayS said:

Isn't it nice seeing the results of a little bit of effort.  That is part of the reason why I like getting older cars that have been neglected and watching the transformation.  So far your results look good and as you continue to learn the products, the results will improve.  

So nice! Now I’m thinking about looking for an older car to play with. 

I can feel the difference in my interior but I can’t see it very much. 

It stops raining on Saturday here so hopefully I can do some exterior stuff that day.

It might rain again Monday though, what do you do when it rains couple days after detailing? Full wash or just DS? WW? Or let it just dry 

[falcaineer]

19 minutes ago, LuckyKorean said:

It might rain again Monday though, what do you do when it rains couple days after detailing? Full wash or just DS? WW? Or let it just dry 

 

First, get a little angry 😡. Then cry for a few 😢. Then accept it 🙄. Then, assuming it's just rain residue and not muddy, break out WW/diluted RW (16:1) to clean off the spots (DS works, too), and anxiously await the next full wash 😎.

[ObsessedDetailer]

18 minutes ago, falcaineer said:

 

First, get a little angry 😡. Then cry for a few 😢. Then accept it 🙄. Then, assuming it's just rain residue and not muddy, break out WW/diluted RW (16:1) to clean off the spots (DS works, too), and anxiously await the next full wash 😎.

You and me both Chris!! Been too cold to do anything!

[RayS]

25 minutes ago, ObsessedDetailer said:

You and me both Chris!! Been too cold to do anything!

I agree, I can't stand much more of this 50 and 60 degree weather, I'm ready for winter to be over with.     As @falcaineer said, after a nice rain I get out the WW or DS and give it a touch up, that is for my truck, when it comes to the wife's car, that is already in the garage so I have no excuse for not keeping it clean.   Actually, right now I do because the Mustang is in the garage until the 7th, then it goes back to the paint shop for a couple of touch ups and then I get to seal it up.   The Mustang will be first car that I'll be using Ceramic Wax on it and I'm looking forward to getting to try it.  The trim restorer was shipped from Colorado today along with a bunch of other goodies that I - Cough - Need - Cough...   

 

@LuckyKorean if you search my articles, you'll find the 20+ year old Mustang and Red through the years.  If you ever need advice on a Red vehicle from Motorcycles, riding mowers, Range Rovers and everything in between, just let me know - I think I have done just about all of them.   If the guy that has the Vette I want decides my price is acceptable, then I'll add one more Red vehicle to the collection. 

 

Looking at seat, I do notice a bit of red still on there and it looks like Pen.  Diluted APC is probably your best bet to get it off, but always do a hidden test spot to make sure it does take the color out of what you are cleaning.   When you dilute the chemicals use a distilled water or water that goes through a reverse osmosis system, stay away from regular tap water. 

[LuckyKorean]

1 hour ago, falcaineer said:

 

First, get a little angry 😡. Then cry for a few 😢. Then accept it 🙄. Then, assuming it's just rain residue and not muddy, break out WW/diluted RW (16:1) to clean off the spots (DS works, too), and anxiously await the next full wash 😎.

I do have RW but I have more DS than RW, especially once the signed one arrives 😁 

Say if I pull in the garage, car is wet. Just spray DS/RW diluted on wet car and wipe right? Or wait till next day when most of car is dried? I actually took a picture today after the rain. All that’s been done was RW couple weeks ago so I’m guessing nothing on paint. Would be nice to compare after I detail soon. 

 

 

Wonder if RW has anything that helps beading? Or is this normal naked paint? 

[LuckyKorean]

@RayS

Do you spray and wipe on wet car or wait till car dries? 

Is your car ceramic coated? I ordered Americana to practice I guess before I touch those fancier stuff haha. Curious about Ceramic Paste wax on uncoated car though. 

I don’t have much trim on my car but my mom’s does, all 4 sides. Color hasn’t faded yet but saw Adam’s video on Ceramic trim coating it looked easy and made it black again. 

My wife wants a red car so I might have to ask you things later on. 😀

I’ll try the Eco APC next time. I diluted using normal tap water before. I saw some mention distilled water for this and that but it was just TOO EASY to use tap water instead ☹️

[RayS]

10 hours ago, LuckyKorean said:

@RayS

Do you spray and wipe on wet car or wait till car dries? 

Is your car ceramic coated? I ordered Americana to practice I guess before I touch those fancier stuff haha. Curious about Ceramic Paste wax on uncoated car though. 

I don’t have much trim on my car but my mom’s does, all 4 sides. Color hasn’t faded yet but saw Adam’s video on Ceramic trim coating it looked easy and made it black again. 

My wife wants a red car so I might have to ask you things later on. 😀

I’ll try the Eco APC next time. I diluted using normal tap water before. I saw some mention distilled water for this and that but it was just TOO EASY to use tap water instead ☹️

Do you spray and wipe on wet car or wait till car dries?

It is according to the time, day and what the car looks like.  For the wife's car (Malibu), which is kept in the garage. If it is a nice rain the car was already clean and we went a mile or two to the grocery store, then I will sometimes pull it in the garage and grab the DS or HGG and wipe it down.  I generally do HGG and the next 3 weeks are DS followed by HGG again.  

 

For my truck, which sits outside, I don't do anything with it when it is raining.  When it is nice, it gets washed and then I pull it in the garage if it is sunny out and use Ceramic Boost on it.  

 

Is your car ceramic coated?

I do not have any ceramic coated vehicles yet.  I say yet, because we do plan on getting the wife's new vehicle ceramic coated, but I am not doing it myself.  I plan on taking it to a professional detailer and having it done.   As for the ceramic wax, my daughter just had her Mustang repainted and since we know the vehicle is absolutely clean, we're going with Ceramic Wax.  I also use America and Buttery according the application and intent.  When we are going to out for a weekend or I want the vehicle we are using to really pop, I go over it with Brilliant Glaze just before departure.

 

I'm fortunate to have enough vehicles with the same color, that I can experiment with different techniques and products and then decide what looks best for each.  It has taken a while and a lot of trials to get most of them they way I want them.  Different years, manufacturers and paint pigmentations can give a different appearance according to what product you put on it.  My recommendation to everyone is start with small steps and learn what you like and don't like, including what individual products you like working with and which ones you don't.   Keep a a log and pictures and you'll be amazed at what one year of learning can do.  Most importantly, don't even stop learning - it seems that every day that get on this forums, I learn something new.

 

Here are a couple of links of mine that you may find of interest:

 

[LuckyKorean]

So I finally got around to decontaminating and applying HGG today. Legs feel like jelly and it’s midnight as I type this on bed 😅

Important lesson learned: never start detailing after work.. especially when I gotta clay! 

 

So my process was like:

• Work 10-4 

• Took car to pay and spray, took picture #1 there before doing IR. Now it was quite windy, I had to use A LOT of IR because I’m pretty sure the wind blew most away. Saw some purple but not too much. My paint is gray so not too easy to see. 

• Once I got home I rinsed the car then completed RW. 

• Next I clayed the glass using the Mitt, it was easy and fun. Happy to do it again. 

• Then I opened Visco clay... I think I had a bad time, folding the Clay was tough, making the geo impression was tough, and the Clay was smaller than the Mitt. Plus the car had never been clayed. I had to clay twice for plastic bag test to come smooth! I used the Visco for everywhere except glass and lower paints, used Mitt for those. Pictures #2 and #3 is from claying. As Adam would probably say, I got a lot of crud off so I can go ahead and apply cool stuff on top now. 

• Another RW after claying. 

• Applying Glass sealant couldn’t have been easier. I wiped down glass with GC, did windshield, rooftop(glass), and rear. Sealant was applied then cleaned residue off with GC. I didn’t bother using Glass boost this time. I’ll do that after a wash next time. 

• Now to finish up, I got a pretty darn damp Borderless Gray towel and HGG 😎 started with the hood. I sprayed HGG liberally and wiped with damp towel, dried with Double Soft. Halfway through the car Double Soft was soaked so I end up drying half with a dry Borderless Gray. At this point it was almost 11 PM! My legs were jelly and throbbing. Pictures #4 and #5 show the car all finished but not much to see in the low light garage. 

• Picture #6 shows how much product is left. All bottles were Newly opened, from the left to right(HGG, GC, IR, DS) mini bottle is Glass sealant. I used so much DS, not sure if that’s normal or not. Was scared to scratch too much while claying. But dang DS is some amazing stuff, smells drinkable and it doesn’t leave any streaks, easy to wipe off! Lovely to work with. 

• I had a lot of RW mix leftover, I put lid on bucket, how long should it be good for? 

 

I’ll get more pictures tomorrow out in the sun if it’s sunny. 

[tlbullet]

I think ur first step in ur process is what killed you (working 10-4!! U need to reduce that).  Nice work. 

  I believe you can dilute RW and make it into WW, then use that next time as ur clay lube instead of using your DS! I beleive the ratio Adams suggests is 1:64 with distilled water (i made mine 1:8 just to be safe..still cheaper than using DS). 

[LuckyKorean]

44 minutes ago, tlbullet said:

I think ur first step in ur process is what killed you (working 10-4!! U need to reduce that).  Nice work. 

  I believe you can dilute RW and make it into WW, then use that next time as ur clay lube instead of using your DS! I beleive the ratio Adams suggests is 1:64 with distilled water (i made mine 1:8 just to be safe..still cheaper than using DS). 

I’ll definitely try that next! Once this DS bottle empties I’ll clean it and fill it with blue. Now I’m thinking I should’ve bought a gallon on this 20% off sale.. next time I guess. Didn’t do tires/wheels yesterday, maybe Sunday I’ll get to them. Do you know how to use RW on wheels and tires? Or is traditional rinsing the way to go? 

[tlbullet]

I dont use RW (I convert it to WW) but cant see why you cant just use it as u did on the  paint. 

[falcaineer]

11 hours ago, tlbullet said:

I think ur first step in ur process is what killed you (working 10-4!! U need to reduce that).  Nice work. 

  I believe you can dilute RW and make it into WW, then use that next time as ur clay lube instead of using your DS! I beleive the ratio Adams suggests is 1:64 with distilled water (i made mine 1:8 just to be safe..still cheaper than using DS). 

 

Yep, 64:1 of RW for a clay lube works great (just did it today on a customer's car/pics forthcoming). Here are more dilution ratios, too.

 

 

11 hours ago, LuckyKorean said:

I’ll definitely try that next! Once this DS bottle empties I’ll clean it and fill it with blue. Now I’m thinking I should’ve bought a gallon on this 20% off sale.. next time I guess. Didn’t do tires/wheels yesterday, maybe Sunday I’ll get to them. Do you know how to use RW on wheels and tires? Or is traditional rinsing the way to go? 

 

DS goes quickly when used as a clay lube, so you weren't doing anything wrong. But there are alternate choices, including the RW option above. Also, assuming the car was still wet, that adds to your lubricity on the surface so rest assured you're pretty well set with the combo you used. 

 

I have used RW diluted 16:1 for a WW-like solution on the wheels and tires with decent results (not as good as blast with water, APC and/or WC, etc). I don't want to dip my old rags into the RW bucket. I also now have Tire Armor on the tires to make it a bit easier to remove dirt. Be sure to use old rags as they're gonna get trashed!
And I know you wanted to try your new toys...Visco clay!...but the mitt is perfectly safe for all over and will save you a ton of time next time you decide to take on two jobs in the same day!

 

20 hours ago, LuckyKorean said:

• I had a lot of RW mix leftover, I put lid on bucket, how long should it be good for? 

 

I've kept mine like that for a month or more and used it several times without issue. Just be sure to keep using clean towels only in the solution.

 

Bottom line the car looks awesome....nice work!

[LuckyKorean]

On 1/5/2019 at 9:04 PM, falcaineer said:

Yep, 64:1 of RW for a clay lube works great (just did it today on a customer's car/pics forthcoming). Here are more dilution ratios, too.

Do you wipe off the residue with towel or let it dry then rinse off? 

I wiped the DS off when I was claying panel by panel. Worried about extra scratching but felt weird to leave brown DS to dry on paint. 

On 1/5/2019 at 9:04 PM, falcaineer said:

I have used RW diluted 16:1 for a WW-like solution on the wheels and tires with decent results (not as good as blast with water, APC and/or WC, etc). I don't want to dip my old rags into the RW bucket. I also now have Tire Armor on the tires to make it a bit easier to remove dirt. Be sure to use old rags as they're gonna get trashed!
And I know you wanted to try your new toys...Visco clay!...but the mitt is perfectly safe for all over and will save you a ton of time next time you decide to take on two jobs in the same day!

You were so right about the Clay mitt. I don’t think I’ll open the tub of Visco again. If mitt does mar the paint it didn’t mar enough on my gray car for me to see much difference. I’m gonna use the Clay mitt for parents cars as well now. Maybe Visco for the hood but anything else I’ll mitt it up. 

I have hose with Adam’s nozzle thing set up now so I can spray the car but no pressure washer yet. Plan to do the WC tomorrow with the tires. Should I be worried about getting some WC on brakes or is it all good long as I rinse it off after scrubbing? 

 

Here’s a picture I took out in the sun today, my wife even mentioned how slippery the doors are now 😃👍