TOGWT

Detailing products ‘Starter kit’ should comprise: Car wash concentrate- Wash / Rinse buckets (1 each)- Wash mitt (2)- Waffle Weave drying towel (1)- Detailer’s clay- Polish- Micro fibre towels (4)- Carnauba wax and/or Polymer sealant- Quick Detailing (QD) Spray- Leather cleaner / Conditioner- Vinyl dressing- Glass cleaner- Wheel brush- Wheel cleaner- Tire dressing- I would also strongly suggest purchasing a random orbital buffer and some foam pads JonM

Spray 303™ Cleaner & Spot Remover onto a clean, dry Microfiber cloth and gently wipe surface, it may take one or two passes. JonM

Navigation or DVD Screen: The screen is highly static and tends to attract dust like a magnet; so do not attempt to remove dust with a dry cloth. Use a 100% cotton towel or the Zeiss Lens Cloths suggested (and electronics `safe' anti-static cleaner (Kiwi Brands EndustTM for Electronics or Plexus) oil and wax free, also works well on both computer monitors and television screens. JonM

It would depend upon the condition of the vehicles surface and what you consider a level of detail you would be satisfied with. An approx time estimate for detailing: Wash 1.0 –1.5 hours Clay 1.5 – 2.0 Polish 2.0 – 3.0 Apply sealant 1.5 – 2.0 Apply wax 1.5 – 2.0 Interior 2.0 3.0 Tyres / wheels 1.5 –2.0 Once the vehicle is fully detailed regular maintenace would ensure that this level of detail could be maintained without this much of a time commitment JonM

A 5:1 solution of distilled water / Woolite will clean a headliner, but it won't remove a burn mark. What material is the headliner made from, if its a light coloured viynl and the burn mark has left a brown stain, a weak solution of peroxide may 'bleach' it out.

·Apply an engine de-greaser (Autoglym Engine Cleaner) or a citrus-based general cleaner (P12S Total Auto Wash) by lightly spraying the lower parts of the engine first and then working upwards. ·Enable the cleaner to work by allowing dwell time (but do not allow to completely dry) ·Do not allow the de-greaser to dry or remain on painted surfaces, and be sure to dilute with water before drying with a cloth. ·For heavily soiled areas agitate with a nylon engine cleaning brush and a diluted citrus-based cleaner (P21S® Total Auto Wash) JonM

I would begin with removing the 'water spots and the brown spots could be rust blooms that also should be removed and the surface neutralized before they stain the paint system and attack the base metal under the paint JonM

For odour from the air conditioning unit (1Z Klima-Cleaner) is an effective means for removing odour-causing bacteria, fungi and other germs. Spray into the interior A/C vents and allow product to work for 30 minutes. It creates a healthier and fresh smelling environment for the interior of your car. This type of product kills the bacteria that causes the mold/smell Tip- turn off the AC but leave the fan running for the last minute or two before turning off the ignition to help dry the condenser and surrounding area. Also check the cabin air filter, change as necessary JonM

Here are some notes on this subject- Notes: 1.The question was also asked if clear touch-up should be used as a final coat to repair chips on clear coat paint. There are two viewpoints to this question. The purist will say yes, the paint has a clear coat and thus, the repair should also. The process is the same as previously described, except the clear coat is substituted for the last 2-3 coats or paint. The practical world says no. The touch-up paint is different from the original paint and is formulated only as a touch-up paint. Once it is applied it should, according to the manufacturer, match well enough to be all but invisible. 2.I have found this to be the case with the numerous repairs on the many cars/colours, I have completed. If you are using the original paint as a touch-up (I have not done this with a clear coated car), then my understanding is that you should use the clear as a topcoat. The colour coat of some paints will many times be relatively dull in appearance. These paints rely on the clear coat to provide the "shine." Try one chip in an area that is not that visible. If the process works, then continue with the rest. If not try the clear coat top layer. 3.Avoid driving vehicle for about 24 hours after completing repairs and wait approximately 14 days before the application of polish and final protection 4.Thoroughly mix paint in a small plastic cup to ensure even mixing / colour 5.Apply a small amount of paint at a time and allow air-drying for 2-3 hours before the application of further coats. 6.Apply multiple coats of colour paint, not one heavy application and you will obtain a far better finish 7.Touch-up paint should be cured after 24-48 hours, allowing you to sand the area flat (apply masking tape around repair to avoid any exterior paint damage) and/or apply a sealant / wax protection

Removing Oxidation or scratches from Vehicle headlights, Brake lights (polycarbonate) – Most vehicles now have a protective, transparent, plastic lens covering the headlights to protect expensive lamps (headlight assemblies range from 500-$700+) from flying stones and road debris. They discolour over time, becoming opaque and cloudy; these lenses can severely restrict the amount of light reaching the road. The lens has a silicone-based coating applied to its outer surface, some manufacturers apply two different types of coatings to the outer surface of the lens, these coatings are mainly for UVR protection, but are also for impact and abrasion resistance, once the coating (s) fail the lens surface will occlude (clouding or yellowing) While most of the cloudiness is on the surface, severely discoloured lens cannot be brought back to optical clarity. If you live in a southern state, this discoloration can become noticeable in as little as two-years Application Methodology: •Use a solvent type cleaner (Klasse All-In-One) if this does not remove the oxidation use a plastic polish • Meguiar’s PlastX contains a microscopic diminishing abrasive, which requires a little pressure when applying it to enable these abrasives to remove the discoloured plastic and expose new plastic. Or Renovo Plastic Cleaner •Plastic Cleaners can be used to clean and condition Perspex as well as flexible plastic but is not suitable for use on glass. •Prior to application of a plastic polish ensure that the window is clean and free from dust particles by washing with a soft cloth and warm water. •It is not advisable to use cleaning detergents on plastic. •Shake the bottle thoroughly. Plastic polish can be hand or machine applied •Using a random orbital buffer with a 3.5-inch backing plate and a 4-inch (LC White) polshing pad or a terry cloth applicator •Place a small dab (about ½-inch diameter) of plastic polish on the foam pad or applicator. •Place the pad on the lens surface and turn on the machine (speed #4) •Polish the lens repeatedly in a left-to-right and an up and down pattern. •Continue polishing until all the polish is gone •Wipe the lens with a damp Microfiber towel •Inspect the lens, repeat the polishing process 2-3 times as necessary •Plastic polish will not remove clarity defects that are within the plastic but it will remove external/surface scratching and oxidation (yellowing) JonM

Welcome Jon JonM

Removing Oxidation or scratches from Vehicle headlights, Brake lights (polycarbonate): Most vehicles now have a protective, transparent, plastic lens covering the headlights to protect expensive lamps (headlight assemblies range from 500-$700+) from flying stones and road debris. They discolour over time, becoming opaque and cloudy; these lenses can severely restrict the amount of light reaching the road. The lens has a silicone-based coating applied to its outer surface, some manufacturers apply two different types of coatings to the outer surface of the lens, these coatings are mainly for UVR protection, but are also for impact and abrasion resistance, once the coating (s) fail the lens surface will occlude (clouding or yellowing) While most of the cloudiness is on the surface, severely discoloured lens cannot be brought back to optical clarity. If you live in a southern state, this discoloration can become noticeable in as little as two-years Application Methodology: ·Use a solvent type cleaner (Klasse All-In-One) if this does not remove the oxidation use a plastic polish · Meguiar’s PlastX contains a microscopic diminishing abrasive, which requires a little pressure when applying it to enable these abrasives to remove the discoloured plastic and expose new plastic. Or Renovo Plastic Cleaner ·Plastic Cleaners can be used to clean and condition Perspex as well as flexible plastic but is not suitable for use on glass. ·Prior to application of a plastic polish ensure that the window is clean and free from dust particles by washing with a soft cloth and warm water. ·It is not advisable to use cleaning detergents on plastic. ·Shake the bottle thoroughly. Plastic polish can be hand or machine applied ·Using a random orbital buffer with a 3.5-inch backing plate and a 4-inch (LC White) polishing pad or a terry cloth applicator ·Place a small dab (about ½-inch diameter) of plastic polish on the foam pad or applicator. ·Place the pad on the lens surface and turn on the machine (speed #4) ·Polish the lens repeatedly in a left-to-right and an up and down pattern. ·Continue polishing until all the polish is gone ·Wipe the lens with a damp Microfiber towel ·Inspect the lens, repeat the polishing process 2-3 times as necessary ·Plastic polish will not remove clarity defects that are within the plastic but it will remove external/surface scratching and oxidation (yellowing JonM

If you are willing to put in some (quite a bit actually) time you could prove to yourself that you could improve your cars paint. Surface Preparation Methodology JonM

Temperature conditions: These are the temperatures and conditions that are relative to the application of car care products; the most important is the actual surface temperature of the vehicle. The other things that will have a direct bearing on this is the humidity as this will effect the cross-linking (cure) time, excess humidity will also affect ‘how’ a wax or sealant dries (i.e. it may cause hazing or clouding of the surface) The other climate related condition that should be avoided when applying car care products is direct sunlight, as this will dramatically increase the surface temperature compared to ambient temperatures causing the product to dry prematurely and may render it ineffective. Surface Temperature (Actual surface temperature of the vehicle) between 50 and 80oF, products will work well within a much broader temperature range, (40° to 90° F) but the best results will be achieved in the 60° to 70° F range surrounding air temp (ambient or room) must be 55oF + to ensure the minimum vehicle surface temperature of 50oF(recommended as a minimum by most manufacturers) The products mentioned by SWO3ES will work at higher temp/sunlight up to a point... Melting Point (Fracture/evaporation temperatures): Polymers 350oF, Silicone oil 350oF, Mineral oils 200oF, Synthetic blends (Carnauba wax / polymers) 200oF, Carnauba wax 180oF, and Bee’s wax 130oF, in actual practice the high temperatures frequently encountered by vehicles from the radiation causes wax compounds to melt, for example, a painted surfaces exposed to ambient temperatures of 85oF in direct sunlight, will obtain a temperature of 195 degrees or more. It should be noted that there is a range of temperatures at which melting begins and that the 'melting point' is the end point of that range JonM

1. Next, buy a vegetable brush that you will use to get some of the deep-set grime out. Use the brush and cleaner. along with a cotton towel until the dirt is gone. Follow with the conditioner (smells like a brand new baseball glove...Mmmmm) and follow directions for a great-smelling and clean leather seat. A: You will find a brush designed to clean vegetables is too harsh for leather hides and will cause scratching. Groit’s has a horsehair brush that is designed for leather hides 2. Another excellent conditioner (according to a coworker) is Connolly Hide Care. It softens the leather noticably, although it does not smell like leather the way Zaino does. You can read about it at: http://www.autogeek.net/conhid.html A: Connolly Hide Care is an excellent (British) leather product it is meant for un-coated leather (90% of leather used in US and Japanese vehicles is urethane covered) it usually reacts with the covering, at best it sits on top of the leather causing stains to anything that comes into contact with the seating surfaces at worst it will have a negative reaction with urathane I’m in agreement with SWO3ES a 5:1 solution of Woolite / distilled water is the best cleaner JonM

Title: Soft Scrub Cleaning Agent Non Bleach Quote: As an aside I spattered some soft scrub on my carpet and it made a light spot on the carpet. This soft scrub is strong mojo and should be used only when less intrusive methods of cleaning do not work. But know this stuff works. I wonder what would cause a light spot on carpet…couldn’t be bleach because the title says non-bleach, must be mojo then I would strongly advise against the use of bleach, sorry mojo on leather hides JonM

Jon, I spoke to manufacturer of one of these products in the UK. He told me that the Teflon does not actually bond to the paintwork; instead it acts as a catalyst to the chemical reaction that got the product to bond to the paintwork. The maker (DuPont Chemicals) states that for Teflon to work requires heating the surface to be treated to 680oF with heat is its catalyst. Polymers will form a molecular bond to paint but with out the required catalyst (heat) it will not form a better ‘non-stick’ type surface than any other polymer product. JonM

This subject is becoming my most FAQ- Teflon ®: A synthetic polymer formula produced by Dupont Chemicals, they state;" The addition of a Teflon® fluoropolymer paint does nothing to enhance the properties of any car wax, we have no data that indicates the use of Teflon® to be beneficial in car waxes. Teflon® requires a temperature of 680°F for it to sinter or bond to a surface." Unless you can heat the surface to the required temperature, Teflon will not bond, the claim that it will provide a ‘non-stick’, slippery surface is nothing more than marketing hype (i.e. brand recognition) JonM

Seat Belts: ·Clean seat belts with a Woolite® distilled hot (120oF<) water solution. ·For spot stains use a fabric cleaner (303 Cleaner & Spot RemoverTM) ·Pull the belts from the retractor and gently close the door on the belt, clean and allow to air dry before opening the door and retracting the belt. ·Do not use bleach or strong detergents, or dye on the seat belts as this may severely weaken them and render them ineffective in a crash. Once fabric is dry apply a fabric protection (303TM High Tech Fabric Guard) JonM

Matthew_McNally- you are correct they no longer carry a gey/black foam pad (teach me to use an old write-up) sorry mate. I don't apply wax with a machine (perhaps others don't either so Autopia stopped carrying them, who knows) This is my method-slightly dampen a DF™ Concours Towel and use it to apply Souveran wax to your car. It will not scratch the surface and will apply wax in an even and consistent manner. JonM

Best qualities of a cutting and polishing pad in one! Use the Sonüs DAS Orange Foam Pad to remove swirl marks, light scratches, water spots and medium oxidation. This foam pad works great with Einszett Ultra Polish and Autoglym Paint Renovator. This pad is not as aggressive as most yellow cutting pads, yet it achieves 90% of the work without dulling the clear coat finish. Follow the Sonüs DAS Orange Foam Pad should always be followed with the DAS Green Foam Pad and a finishing polish. Gently clean, perfect and improve gloss with the Sonüs DAS Green Foam Pad Sonüs DAS Green Foam Pad is to be used on clear coats to remove minor swirl marks and light oxidation. The Green pad works great with Einszett Paint Polish and Meguiar's Dual-Action Cleaner/Polish to restore gloss lost due to low maintenance or extreme environmental conditions. To remove heavy oxidation, excessive swirl marks and minor scratches, first use the Sonüs DAS Orange Foam Pad with paint cleaner. Create and maintain superior gloss and radiance with the Sonüs DAS Blue Foam Pad! The Sonüs DAS Blue Foam Pad is to be used on clear coats for final gloss polishing and pre-wax cleaning. When used with a pre-wax cleaner or fine polish, such as Sonüs Paintwork Cleanser, it will improve overall gloss, but it will not remove paint defects. This pad works great with Sonüs Paintwork Cleanser, Meguiar’s Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner, Klasse All-In-One, P21S Paintwork Cleanser, and Einszett Metallic. Apply your favorite wax Souveranor sealant by machine! Use the Sonüs DAS Grey Foam Pad to apply liquid waxes and sealants. The silky-smooth texture of the grey foam applies a thin, even coating of wax or sealant protection. The Sonüs DAS Buffing Bonnet is the easy way to remove polish and wax residue and bring out a radiant, high-gloss finish. The polishing advantage of our edgeless microfiber towel is now available in the Sonüs DAS Buffing Bonnet for your Porter Cable Polisher. Our DAS Buffing Bonnets can be used after polishing to remove light polish residues. These bonnets are superb for removing single-step products like Klasse All-In-One and Autoglym Super Resin Polish. The DAS Buffing Bonnet has just the right texture to apply a super thin layer of Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze or Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection, which require a very light coating for easy removal and best gloss. The DAS Buffing Bonnet fits over any 6-7 inch foam pad. The DAS Orange Foam Pad is the ideal density. JonM

Water Spots: These fall into one of two categories: a) Surface water spots -alkaline watermarks (water spots) are calcium and magnesium salts that deposit on the surface after the water has evaporated, the minute crystals bond to the surface and are not re-dissolvable in water. Rainwater also contains alkaline minerals that alight on the paint film surface and as the water evaporates leave white `water spots' on both the paint and glass surfaces. B) Below surface (etched) water spots- are caused by acid rain or industrial fallout causing a chemical reaction, if left for any length of time they will etch the paint film surface leaving a concave circular mark. Etched water spots are one of the most difficult paint defects to remove so be patient as it will probably take more then one attempt to remove them. 1a) Removing surface water spots from paint film surface- Methodology ·Use detailing clay to remove any `hard' surface granules ·To dissolve the alkaline-based, surface/etched mineral water deposits try one or more of the following; 1) 2:1 solution of distilled water/distilled white vinegar 2) Distilled water/Isopropyl Alcohol (adjust ratio as required) 3) Equal parts distilled water/distilled white vinegar/Isopropyl alcohol. ·Use a clean spray bottle and 100% cotton micro fibre cloth to apply the solution to the paint surface ·Wipe off any residue from the paint surface and dry with a damp waffle weave towel ·If any `water spots' remain apply distilled white vinegar or Isopropyl alcohol un-diluted to a 100% cotton micro fibre towel, using a medium/heavy pressure on glass surface, for stubborn spots use an abrasive polish as in (1b) 1b) Removing etched water (below surface) spots from paint- Methodology ·These can be removed by using detailer's clay to remove any hardened surface deposits ·Then using a machine polish, Iz einzett TM Metallic Polish or Iz einzett TM Paint Polish and a cutting (LC Orange or Yellow) foam pad (speed # 4) to level the surface ·Work on a very small area at a time (2-foot x 2-foot) until the polish has run out ·Repeat this process two or three times, as necessary ·Reapply surface protection once spots have been removed. JonM

Q: Has anyone used soft scrub and what were your impressions? A word of caution, do not be tempted to use household cleaning products for automotive cleaning as they are formulated for very different purposes and could cause damage. (As you stated “I tried soft scrub even though their web site said it should not be used for cleaning leather.”) Q: Have you found anyway to remove old ground in dirt that would do less harm then soft scrub? Leatherique's Prestine Clean and then follow with a leather conditioner JonM

Q:1. Is it good to moisturize leather seats? A leather conditioner we put ‘moisture’ back into the leather in the form of oils Q:2. Does it make the leather last longer? 3. Will it prevent/bends creases in the leather?4. Will it discolor the surface? 2. Yes, 3. Yes and 4. No Q:5. How often should/can it be added? Schedule: Once every 30-60 days, Arizona, Florida and Texas, especially in summer, for northern climates between 90-120 days, use a leather conditioner to restore these natural oils and keep the leather soft and supple. (Criot's Leather Care, Autoglym Leather Care Cream, Zanio Z10 Leather in a Bottle or Zymol Treat leather cleaners are all good maintenance products) Q:6. Any specific brands to suggest? What type of leather does the vehicle have? Different bands are formulated for different types of leathers? JonM

The aesthetics of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least, the only best wax or sealant that really matters is what looks 'best' to you... It really does all come down to; 85% preparation, 5% product, 7% application method and the balance is in the ‘guy’ of the beholder. JonM