*CLEANING*

[[han]]

how do you all do yours, and what do you use!?
just curious as to how people do it. - i'm not bothered if you don't clean yours, nor am i bothered if you do it rubbishly, i want to know what gets the best final effects and whart steps you take.

debating on spending the whole day giving the cab a good clean over, as i've not had much chance yet, wondering what else i might need to buy!

thanks guys.

[Uruk Hai]

First I wet the car with the hose and then I use a bucket of hot water with Meguiar's soft wash gel in it, I use a Meguiar's super thick microfibre wash mitt and rinse it off in a separate bucket of water before putting it back in the bucket containing the wash gel. I then dry the car with a hydro blade and chamois, once dry I use Autoglym bumper care on all the relevant surfaces (including the window rubbers). Next if I can be ass'd and have the time I go over the the car with Meguiar's body scrub and then Meguiar's NXT Tech wax (Polishing in straight lines from front to back, not circles), then its just a case of cleaning all the glass and lights etc. To be honest its not often that I clean the car this thoroughly (ususly just a wash, bumper care and clean the windows !) and after completing all the above I would need to lie down in a cool dark room for several hours, sometimes aiding my recovery with a takeaway 

[monzablue16v]

Right then!! this is my method of a Sunday full car clean, I meant to do a how to for this. Beware I love Autoglym!!

You will need:
hosepipe/pressure washer
2 new clean buckets
nice new decent sponge
Autoglym Bodywork shampoo conditioner
Autoglym super resin polish
Autoglym Ultra Deep Shine
Autoglym hydro blade squeeqe
Autoglym hood treatment for yours Han
Autoglym Fast Glass
Autoglym Bumper Care
Autoglym Interior shampoo
Nice tin of decent dash polish
Decent Stockinette polishing cloths (Halfords do a cheap roll of them)

First take a picture of it uncleaned!

1. blast the crap off it with a hosepipe or pressure washer

2. get some Autoglym bodywork conditioner shampoo.

3. Fill a new bucket with warm-hot water, new sponge, add the Autoglym shampoo to the bucket

4. get another bucket with just hot water in this is for rinsing the dirty sponge in.

5. give it the washing of it's life start at the top and work down put plenty of water on the car you will get wet if done properly and always rinse the sponge in the plain water bucket before going back for more soapy water. Don't forget to open the doors and do the sills A pillar B pillar. not so much water this time.

6. hose off and check for missed spots.

7. once hosed don't let it dry out too much as it dumps all the salts in the water onto your nice clean paintwork.

8. get your Hydro blade and sweep the water from the car, check for grit on the blade before each stroke.

9. the car should be mostly dry now it's time for some more elbow grease.

10. get a nice new polishing cloth and apply autoglym super resin polish in a circular motion leave it to dry to a dusty white powder before step 11. Don't get it on arches and plastic as it can be hard to get off.

11. Get another new polishing cloth and in circular motions remove the polish from the car. this will give a good shine.

12. If it's the first time you have done it get another polishing cloth and do it again this time it will polish up much better and the cloth should stay pretty clean.

13. another new cloth and remove the polish again,

14. now break out the ultra deep shine this stuff is the shiznit.

15. another new cloth and apply the UDS in circular motions cover the car and let it dry to a haze.

16. Another new cloth and wipe it all off it will ping as it sees sunlight.

17. Get the bumper care out and 2 new cloths apply it to the bumper and black plastic trim and rub in with the cloth you can leave it on or wipe it off up to you I leave it on. It might need a couple of goes if it's never ben done.

18. Fast glass and cloths and do the windows.

19. interior shampoo and work the interior grime loose.

20. nick the missuses/mums Dyson stand it on a car mat to stop doghouse and then vaccum the entire car out.

21. Nice tin of good dashboard shine and polish the dash but not the steering wheel, pedals or, gearleaver.

22. Han you need to do your hood as well the results I've seen are great but never used the stuff as I don't drive a cab read the instructions should be straightforward.

23. stand back and take photos of it sparkling.

I don't work for Autoglym but I love the stuff and it always makes the car look loads better.

Before a good clean and polish


Afterwards

[Uruk Hai]

That puts my effort to shame  :embarassed:

[Dinky]

ive read so many different write ups on what to use, which order to do it in and how to do it..basically i think its a case of trial and error, use the products you find the most effective and however you wanna do it..ive always went with the whole top to bottom method followed by the windows, interior etc..all the fiddly bits..
megs wheel cleaner is cool..
everyone has said that using the meg claybar works wonders on the bodywork....
there are cleaning write ups on matey matey, the mk1 forum and vortex, if you wanna looksee..

Dinx

[[han]]

yeah i've seen many diff ways, just wonfering what people use, im anal with my cab.. bit like our joe with his car... 

thanks diane. yoou use the cab roof stuff from autoglym don't you? gettin a new roof soon, seeing what they reccommend, but i heard the asutoglym is good from gibby.

[*Dubby*]

At the moment, I'm using the patented method of one bucket of soapy water and a flexiblade, in teh dark on the polo, and the corrado hasn't been washed since June  

I still say Zymol is best - my little brother's (black) corsa had loads of swirling, a quick wash followed by Zymol HD Cleanse and then a coat of Zymol Carbon Wax soon got it nice and smooth again  

I've yet to try a claybar, and I've only heard good things about Meguiars products (especially the shampoo).

Have a look on Volksdevil  

[Organisys]

Don't use a sponge - use a mit. with 2 buckets. clean water in the second for rinsing.
Clay worth while every now and then, or if it's never been done. Megs is an ok starter clay.
I used p21s cleaner/polish and p21s wax for the first time the other day. good stuff. no white residue at all.
polish not as aggressive as Autoglym though.

[Dinky]

yeah ive used the hood cleaner...i dont think i really got the benefit of it with my cab roof being new anyhoo..
ive decided i wanna take mine off, do my rear window properly and put the roof back on tighter..
dont worry han, im anal about the cab as well...shud really put more effort in thou..
my mother likes zymol *cos it smells like coconut*
i think i go between products tbh...i currently hav zymol,megs n autoglym..

yeah..i always rinse first, then wash the car, then rinse again.. 

Dinx

[[han]]

lol, i've got allsorts but i'm looking to buy new stuff now with the cab. altho i bought a litre of autoglym super resin polish for £8 when at mw, so got plenty of that left! but ultra deep shine is great for dark colours, so might invest now i'm really fussed about the car!!!