blr123
13th March 2007, 09:12 PM
Hi guys,
I've been looking around and as I notice people saying "I polished the car"......it's good hearing of people looking after their cars ;)
With regard to POLISHING your cars you should only POLISH your cars twice a year or at least that's what I and most detailers do, my car gets a pre winter detail and a post winter detail and these are the ONLY times my car gets polished.
The reason for this is that most car polish (pure polish being the exception) is abrasive and is used for defect removal over use can cause swirls and cobweb scratches.
Also polish by itself does not offer much long term protection 2 or 3 weeks at best.
What you should do after polishing is apply a sealant and or a wax, I like to apply both sealant & wax from there on it's just an application of your Last Step Product (LSP) from time to time.
The routine for a full detail is as follows: -
WHEELS, TYRES & ARCHES
Wash wheels tyres & arches a good product for this is Megs All Pupose Cleaner (APC) dilute 4 (water) to 1 it can also be used on inetrior fabric, leather, plastic everything really.
Rinse
Apply a dessing to the arches, Autoglym Vinyl & Rubber Care, Megs All Season Dressing are good just spray and walk.
BODYWORK
Rinse and if you have any apply a foam solution.
If foam has been used then rinse.
Wash car using 2 buckets - 1 with the wash solution the other as a rinse bucket (keeps dirt & grime of the car).
Rinse.
Dry using a drying towel.
Apply your choice of polish, when applying any product to the paintwork, glass etc it is VERY important that you apply it THINLY, over application can and will cause streaking.
With very LITTLE prssure buff up.
Apply a sealant I have seen Megs #21 mentioned this is one of the very best sealants available in my opinion, again apply thinly.
Then apply a wax, Megs #16, #26, Collinite 476s, 845 & 915 are very good products and long lasting, and as ever thin is the key.
Then apply a glass cleaner I like either Megs Glass Cleaner Concentrate or AG Glass Polish.
Apply a dressing to all rubber & vinyl i.e Poorboys Natural Look or Megs #40 or AG Bumper Care.
Apply a wheel wax to alloys.
And finally dress tyres i.e. Megs Endurance Tyre Gel.
The above is a full detail done twice per year after that as I say it's an application of you choice of LSP sealant or wax.
One final suggestion I would make is to use a Spray Wax by way of a top up, these can be appled very quickly (10mins or so) and will leave a very nice finish.
Hope this is of interest to some of you ;)
Bryan
I've been looking around and as I notice people saying "I polished the car"......it's good hearing of people looking after their cars ;)
With regard to POLISHING your cars you should only POLISH your cars twice a year or at least that's what I and most detailers do, my car gets a pre winter detail and a post winter detail and these are the ONLY times my car gets polished.
The reason for this is that most car polish (pure polish being the exception) is abrasive and is used for defect removal over use can cause swirls and cobweb scratches.
Also polish by itself does not offer much long term protection 2 or 3 weeks at best.
What you should do after polishing is apply a sealant and or a wax, I like to apply both sealant & wax from there on it's just an application of your Last Step Product (LSP) from time to time.
The routine for a full detail is as follows: -
WHEELS, TYRES & ARCHES
Wash wheels tyres & arches a good product for this is Megs All Pupose Cleaner (APC) dilute 4 (water) to 1 it can also be used on inetrior fabric, leather, plastic everything really.
Rinse
Apply a dessing to the arches, Autoglym Vinyl & Rubber Care, Megs All Season Dressing are good just spray and walk.
BODYWORK
Rinse and if you have any apply a foam solution.
If foam has been used then rinse.
Wash car using 2 buckets - 1 with the wash solution the other as a rinse bucket (keeps dirt & grime of the car).
Rinse.
Dry using a drying towel.
Apply your choice of polish, when applying any product to the paintwork, glass etc it is VERY important that you apply it THINLY, over application can and will cause streaking.
With very LITTLE prssure buff up.
Apply a sealant I have seen Megs #21 mentioned this is one of the very best sealants available in my opinion, again apply thinly.
Then apply a wax, Megs #16, #26, Collinite 476s, 845 & 915 are very good products and long lasting, and as ever thin is the key.
Then apply a glass cleaner I like either Megs Glass Cleaner Concentrate or AG Glass Polish.
Apply a dressing to all rubber & vinyl i.e Poorboys Natural Look or Megs #40 or AG Bumper Care.
Apply a wheel wax to alloys.
And finally dress tyres i.e. Megs Endurance Tyre Gel.
The above is a full detail done twice per year after that as I say it's an application of you choice of LSP sealant or wax.
One final suggestion I would make is to use a Spray Wax by way of a top up, these can be appled very quickly (10mins or so) and will leave a very nice finish.
Hope this is of interest to some of you ;)
Bryan