Stop Torturing Your Car's Paint! <P>I have seen too many people torture their car's paint when with the same or less effort they can wash and polish their paint to perfection and be very kind to their car finish at the same time. <P>Not say that this is the only way to wash and wax only saying that this is how I wash and wax. Just sharing. No product names have been used.<P>WASHING; Start with a garden hose and with a with a strong stream of water wet and pre-wash the complete car. You are trying to flush off as much dirt as possible in the water stream. Next into the bottom of a fresh clean pail pour in 2 to 3 times the manufacture's recommendations of a liquid car wash and add a gallon of water. Lots of suds are OK. Using a clean lambs wool wash mitt soak it completely in the pail and try to bring as much water and cleaning solution to the car. Start washing. On the hood use long back and forth strokes from the front bumper to the windshield. NEVER use a circular washing motion! Rinse with lots of fresh water and go on to the next panel after you have shaken the wool mitt in the pail to remove any trapped dirt. On the roof use same long strokes from the windshield to back window, By now you should be catching on, wash the trunk from back window to bumper. On the side panels and doors use the same long strokes vertically from the window to ground. NOTE: the wool wash mitt is deep enough and soft enough so if some grit is trapped between it and your paint it will go into the wool and be less likely to torture and scratch your paint. The washing liquid is also slippery to slide and lubricate dirt off, that is why you use 2 to 3 times the amount. NEVER wash in a circular motion!!! If you cause scratches with long straight strokes they will be less likely to catch the light and be noticeable. A circular scratch will always catch some of the light. Important: One last step with the water. Remove the spray nozzle so you only have the bare hose end with water coming out in a strong stream. Starting with the roof completely soak it and after you take the water away let it sheen off. Done properly 80 to 90% of the water will sheen off. You will have very few water drops left. Repeat on all panels. It really is amazing to watch. <P>DRYING: After sheeting the water off you will dry. Only use cotton or micro fiber towels. Test the thread that binds the edges by burning a bit. If it balls up in a black bubbling burning blob it is polyester and do not use. If it burns like a thread and smokes it is cotton. Next step tear out the label so you are only left with a cotton towel. Labels will scratch! You will be purchasing several of the thickest and plushest towels possible. NOTE: do not make the mistake I made by buying colors that are compatible with your bathroom. My wife simply took them over for the master bath so choose a "Car color". Time to start drying. Hold the towel by the outside top corners and lay the towel on the paint surface. You may pat the towel if you choose. DO NOT RUB back and forth or in a circular motion!!!. Lay on lift off. Lift the towel and go to the next section to be dried. You will not get all the water only 98%. Next using a micro fiber towel go back over the car and finish the drying with the same long strokes in the same direction you washed the car with. Do not use circular motions, ever! Wash your towels in a load by themselves and DO NOT use fabric softener because it will leaves streaks when drying and buffing. Store in large clear plastic bags or containers. <BR>Take a break... [img]http://www.autopia-carport.com/forums/avatar.php?userid=2090&dateline=1024722513[/img] ... continue... <P>WAXING (POLISHING): Fooled you!! First you are going to clay your finish. Once maybe twice a year. Lubricate a small section of the vehicle to be clayed (approximately a 3-ft x 3-ft area). You can use the manufacture's lubricant or your car wash mixture. Keep it well lubricated. Using adequate pressure, begin rubbing the Clay Bar over the lubricated section to remove contaminants. Use same long straight strokes in the pattern you washed the car with. You can actually feel the contaminants being removed and as the section becomes smooth, simply rinse and wipe the area with your 100% cotton towel and continue in small sections until the entire vehicle is complete. Follow manufacture's directions and as one side of the Clay Bar becomes soiled, simply flip to the other clean side. After both sides have been used, pull, stretch and refold the Clay Bar to expose a fresh clean side. When pulling, stretching and folding no longer exposes a clean side, discard and use a new piece. Note: Occasionally inspect the Clay Bar to make sure there is no heavy dirt or debris present Drop it on the ground once and throw it away! Unless you planned ahead and put newspaper under the area you are working in. Rewash ... you know the proper method so just do it. <P>Apply the wax or pre wax of your choice in the same pattern of strokes you wash with with. Never in circular motions, only straight long strokes. Apply sparingly with a micro fiber cloth, cotton or sponge applicator. <P>BUFFING; I recommend a random orbital buffer. I use matching plush cotton wash clothes or micro fiber over the buffing head to buff the finish. I find that wool buffing pads can't be kept clean enough and seeing as how you will use several are also expensive. Your plushest face cloth works very well. A better buffing cloth would be a micro fiber cloth.<BR>You will require... hose, pail, wool wash mitt, car wash fluid, [img]http://www.autopia-carport.com/forums/avatar.php?userid=2090&dateline=1024722513[/img] several plush cotton towels and face cloths, several micro fiber towels and face cloths, clay bar, lubricator, pre wax, wax, random orbital polisher and sunglasses because you will have the brightest most reflective car finish you can imagine.<P>Just my 2cts <p>[ 06-27-2002: Message edited by: Easily Distracted by Blondes ]

Nice work Robert, people today just take the time to do it properly. If your proud to be the owner of the vehicle then you should treat it like your proud of it, give it the best. Now I'll throw in a brand name for car care products, Zaino. I've used their products on the vehicles I restore for my customers and I swear by Zaino, yes I'm prejudice. Their stuff works, it costs more than regular store bought products, ie; Mothers, Meguiers, etc. but its worth the extra for that great finish. Glad to hear you clay that often, most car owners don't even know what claying is or they think only body shops do that. Keep up the fine advice column there Abby, errr Robert. [img]images/icons/wink.gif" border="0[/img]

Thanks C.F.Massie; <P>I am touched by your kind words.<P>I also use Z1; Z2; Z5; Z6 and Z18 and can't recommend them too much. <P>I think that this forum is all about helping other enthusiasts out and most require exterior maintenance help. I have culled these tips from many sources and am pleased to share them here. Robert

I hate to tell you that I disagree.... but I do. <P>Keep your car as dry as possible. Water is one of the ingredients that promotes rust. If you must wash your car with water, use distilled water not your garden hose. Some water supplies have clorine which is a rust catalyst and others have hydrogen sulphide which is a weak form of sulphuric acid. Others have disolved minerals which will spot the paint.<P>Claying is a form of abrasion. This is not a good thing. Use cleaners that do not wear the paint off of the surface of your car.

Where would I find the ZAINO product line??<BR>I'm from the back woods and no one here heard of Zaino. Heck, most people here did not know what a REATTA was---they thought it was some type of boat race. Anyhow, I plan to use Zaino on my Reatta, Skylark, Rolls, and Yugo!!! Chow for now---I'm lookin forward to the "HOG" Roast and I don't mean the Harley Owners Group...

<A HREF="http://www.zainobros.com/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.zainobros.com/</A>