My washing regimen?

Hey TW - wanted to hop on here to get all your input on my washing regimen for the exterior. Don’t have any specific products for each job yet. That’s a whole beast in itself doing all the research. Just trying to see if I’m missing any steps. Brand new to detailing so appreciate any insight!

1. Clean wheels/tires
2. Pressure rinse
3. Foam Cannon/agitate any extra dirty areas
4. Rinse off soap
5. Dry
6. Clay bar
7. Paint correction
8. Apply wax or ceramic coating

 

Much more detailed than mine:

Can’t remember last wash, so get gas, pay extra $10 for car wash, drive into car wash, and done

 

There's no need to dry before clay bar, in fact it's a waste of time as you want the car wet when you use the clay bar. I would wash the truck to get the loose debris off of it, rinse, then either spray a fresh coat of soap on with the foam cannon and then clay bar (the soap will provide the needed lubrication for the clay process) OR if you rinse off the soap and don't have any left in the cannon you can keep the car wet and apply some quick detailer spray panel by panel as you do the clay bar (the quick detail provides the lubrication in this scenario).

I'm not sure if it works quite as well as real clay but I've been using a synthetic "clay" pad recently and am loving it for how quick and easy it is to use. Which means I use it more often. After a wash/rinse I can quickly spray with more foam and go over the car with the synthetic clay pad in probably a quarter the time it'd take me with a normal clay bar.

I also highly recommend the use of IronX or other product for pesky ferrous materials - especially on wheels to prevent brake dust from building up.

 

That is pretty much the process, some add in an iron remover and maybe a tar remover (chemical decontamination) step in there between your steps 5 and 6.

If you're going through the effort to paint correct then skip out on the wax. And by ceramic coating skip out on most of the spray coatings unless it's something like Gyeon Can Coat or some others that aren't typically found at the auto stores or walmart. Now if you weren't doing clay and paint correction and just going for a "wash and wax" by all means use one of them.

For help with the polishing process check out videos made by Car Craft Auto on youtube or Apex Detail.

 

Ahhh appreciate the insight! Makes sense on skipping drying before claying. I plan on grabbing Chemical Guys clay bar + lube combo so think I’m going to go that route. Looking into IronX as well!

 

Paint correct, are you washing truck?? You’re covering badges of honor.

 

Thanks for the insight as well! Will def check out those links.

Debating if paint correction is even needed. I bought my rig used about a month ago, 2018 OR in cement and the paint is pretty good overall. I just noticed some swirls on the hood. Hmmmm

 

Start at the top of the vehicle. Tires/wheels clean last.

 

Man I’ve seen conflicting theories on this. For my old 03 4runner I used to go from the top - down. However after some research, folks have been recommending wheels/tires first to ensure none of those products get on an already clean panel

 

I guess that'll depend on how careful you are with the tire/wheel cleaning products.

I use Simple Green and a nylon bristle brush to clean tires/wheels. I keep the truck wet until wash is done, then I dry. I don't play around with clay bar or other show car stuff. I will remove tar and such. Wax.....maybe, depends on how I feel and available time.

 

You can always do it down the road, though know if you do clay without polishing you're likely going to add more swirls. Something else polishing does is deep clean the paint so whatever protection you use will bond better. This is more critical of a coating meant to last 1 year plus, almost a requirement. Again something like a spray from autozone I wouldn't be as concerned if you were skipping the paint correction.

There's obviously many ways and methods to washing but I'd generally say the opposite, though when I rinseless wash I do wheels after. Wheels first usually because you're using harsher chemicals than the paint washing and where you're using brushes and slinging more onto painted surfaces which you'll catch with the rinse and car shampoo. Though it's a little less of an issue with trucks than cars, especially when lifted.

 

That’s a good point. I guess I can wait on the paint correction. If I decide to just do wash/wax - you’re saying claying isn’t necessary?

 

That's what I do.

I use a tire gel so nothing over sprays to the paint.

 

I'm not saying it's not necessary, if you've got contaminants use it. I'm saying it will create swirl marks when you use it whether it be clay or the synthetic clay.

Polishing would fix the marring by clay, plus it benefits from not pulling those bonded contaminants loose when you're spinning a polishing pad on it.

 

I dont think clay is needed every time. Wash my truck about every month but only clay once a year (if needed) in almost 5 years I've clayed twice and thats about all it's really needed.

 

I would recommend these for ease of use. The Speed Shine gets really good reviews. I like the synthetic clay but for most of us novices pretty much any clay product would be fine.
https://www.griotsgarage.com/product/speed+shine.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=fn
https://www.griotsgarage.com/product/brilliant+finish+synthetic+clay.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=fn

Not all of us consider them badges of honor. For me, a bigger badge of honor is fixing damage to your truck and keeping it looking good condition rather than just neglecting it.

It doesn't really matter, both ways work. I personally always wash the car first, then wheels. If you clean the wheels first then you need to dump your buckets and refill them for the wash. I do my car first then use the resulting semi-dirty water to clean the wheels. I would never use dirty water from cleaning the wheels to clean the car. I use two bucket method so even my "dirty" water is not that dirty. I like to let the wheels soak (simple green) while I wash the car.

I personally wouldn't worry about swirls from clay. I'd much rather incur a few swirls but have the paint decontaminated opposed to just leaving it as-is. The contaminants doe continued damage and are hard to remove the longer you leave them on there. So, IMO, removing them is a top priority. Even if you aren't going to polish I'd do the clay to decontaminate and leave a cleaner surface for your wax to adhere to.

 

What do you mean by paint correction? You cut the clear every time you wash it?

 

Should’ve clarified. But no I’ve washed it once in the month that I’ve had it. For this next wash specifically I wanted to do some detailing for paint upkeep and prep traction. For subsequent washes I’d just keep it to wash/wax

 

What do you think about a clay and polish in one?

Surf City Garage 488 Beyond Clay - 8 oz.

https://www.amazon.com/Surf-City-Garage-488-Beyond/dp/B001Q7WZY0

They might be more products like this but this is the first one I thought of.

 

I've never heard of such a thing and would be surprised if anybody in the top 30 brands of detailing products has such a product category. Clay and polish do different things and the very nature of each process is different. Now a polish that does minor paint correction and as it breaks down leaves a wax/sealant/coating sure, plenty of those exist. These are referred to as "All in one"

Never heard anybody else whether it be a pro, hobbyist or a detailing product rep make such a claim. I still hold by the process that nearly everyone else follows and that is to which is to do mechanical and chemical decon then machine polish before laying down a coating. Otherwise I'd rather not have the added swirls from claying, I'd just spray on the protection of choice and move on. Hell I'd reach for something like McKees Hydro Blue or Carpro Hydro2 and be done with it since using one of those products will take about 2 minutes post wash.

Everyone is free to follow their own process, when it comes to clay I'm of the same opinion as these guys when it comes to clay.