Sigh: how do YOU wash your car?

[Ponceleon]

So the short of the question stems from me walking into my dealer with my old CT200h and walking out with a shiny new NX300h (which I absolutely love).

This past weekend was the first full-on beautiful day and I took the car to the car-wash (the do-it-yourself one with the spray gun and foaming brush etc.) My understanding is that washing your car at an automated car wash will wreck your paint job, so I assumed the do-it-yourself type was better. I checked the brush and it seemed soft enough. Yet, after I finished washing and drying the car, I noticed a few small scratches, which I can only assume came from the brush.

So, for someone who does not have a drive-way where I can hand-wash my own car, what do you recommend to keep your car's finish the best it can be? Also, for those tiny scratches, any thoughts on how to buff those out yourself?

I went to Target to look at what they had car-washing wise and saw a lot of different types of shammies, products and whatnot. I'll probably youtube this very basic question, but suddenly I feel like and idiot and am curious how folks on the forum take care of their car-washes?

 

[RAL]

Good question! My father taught me a cheap and easy way to wash a car. He used a slow-running hose and a very soft cotton cloth. (I've had my best luck with a wash mitt that feels like soft fur when dry.) Gently wipe with the cloth while directly hosing the surface you're wiping. Keep the cloth constantly well rinsed as you progress. He never used soap. But, we lived in Miami, Florida and never had to deal with winter-time road salt! If you do use soap, I've read dishwashing soap is very harsh, so buy a good soap specifically for car washing. Oh, and most important, try to never use a brush of any kind no matter how soft except maybe on the tire rubber. I've never found a brush soft enough that didn't leave finish swirls.

Some paint colors are more vulnerable than others to micro-scratches on the finish. From my experience Obsidian shows swirl marks no matter how soft the cloth. There are some great liquid polishes on the market specifically made to remove micro-scratches. [I have found they even help remove such scratches from interior clear and shiny black plastics which are notorious for scratching . . . like the clear plastic in front of the gauges on the dash, and shiny black plastics on the console. Don't laugh, but I stole one of my wife's un-used soft make-up brushes to dust those surfaces to prevent micro-scratching.] Exterior Metallics are also somewhat vulnerable to finish scratches.

I try to only use high quality touch-less pressure washes (preferably laser-guided) when there is a lot of dirt/grime on the car. You never need worry about surface finish scratching. Such a wash cleans all the tiny crevices far better than can a hand wash . . . even the wiper blades. And many also offer steam power-wash of the undercarriage too . . . great to remove road salt.

Now that I'm older and lazier . . . I tend to rely only on the touch-less washes. You never have to touch the surface finish which preserves that 'new car' sheen. You may not have access to a reasonably priced touch-less wash in which case I am sure the other folks here will have good tips for effective hand washing/polishing.

Congratulations on your new NX300h . . . and Good luck!

BTW - I have used a liquid micro-scratch remover called scratch out by kit. I think I got it at Target. It works great, better than some of the expensive brands.

 

[mmcartalk]

I was going to recommend SCRATCH-OUT for those minor scratches and other paint problems, but RAL beat me to it.

First, congratulations on your new NX. Except for the higher roof, you will probably find it easier to clean than a CT, as the CT sits very low and it is hard to clean underneath. And with an NX, you won't have to stoop down as much to clean the lower parts.

If you don't have a driveway and/or a hose, I'd use one of those coin-operated washes with the hand-held sprayer, but ONLY for the underside and up inside the wheel-wells to get dirt and salt out. Use the power-sprayer underneath and in the wells as needed, but give the brake rotors, exhaust pipes, and some lower-engine components underneath time to cool a little....you don't want to spray hot metal with cold water. And be careful if the power-sprayer is really powerful...you don't want so much water pressure that it breaks or weakens something. For the rest of the car, use a simple bucket and sponge and refill as necessary. Start with the roof, since water flows down, and wash/rinse/dry. Then do the side windows, windshield/rear glass, rinse, and dry. Then do the fenders, bumpers, wheels, etc......work your way down and wash/dry one panel or component at a time.

Then, when the outside is done, vacuum out the interior with a small hand-held or battery-powered vacuum (the car wash may have a larger, more powerful one). You can use a damp towel to wipe off the windows inside...if the dampness level is correct, you won't have to dry them off as an extra step. Be careful washing and drying mirror-faces, as they can scratch or be damaged easier than regular window glass. Then, use a detail brush to clean the dust off cracks/corners, etc....in the dash and console.

Then, enjoy your clean car.

 

[Ponceleon]

Thanks! this was exactly the kind of simple advice I was looking for. Thanks guys.

As for touch less car washes, I looked around the Boston area in Yelp but didn't find a lot of places that looked any good. Anyone from MA that has a favorite place?

 

[bnizzle87]

I knew purchasing a black car would force me to research techniques and products that would not only bring out that gloss that only black paint can reveal but also minimize swirls or paint defects.

I do a full detail every other month, utilizing a two-bucket wash method with a grit guard and foam gun to start off. Products that I have used predominantly without fail are from brands such as Blackfire, P21S, Sonax, Chemical Guys, and 22ple. I never dry in a circular action, nor do I wash my car with any heat on the body. And thank goodness for my Porter Cable! I used to wax by hand, and the efficiency on one of these is well worth the investment.

I keep seeing these pop up car detailing side businesses, and while I know it is more cost effective and definitely less time and energy-consuming, I pride myself on the elbow grease and joint paint associated from detailing my lowered Obsidian. It has never been easy, and it does take a lot out of me, but it gives me a great deal of accomplishment to keep this now seven year old vehicle in as close to showroom quality as the day I purchased her.

I'll most likely not purchase another black vehicle, but I will always continue to maintain the luster of my IS F. Those who have seen my efforts know how involved I am with car detailing and it really has forged new friendships with those who love cars or are just attracted to well maintained ones.

 

[mmcartalk]

I knew purchasing a black car would force me to research techniques and products that would not only bring out that gloss that only black paint can reveal but also minimize swirls or paint defects.

Try this for the scratch/swirl problem. Best stuff I ever used, and inexpensive as well. Works not only on LIGHT scratches/swirls, but also scuff-marks, paint-discolorations, oxidation...almost anything that mars the top layer of clear coat. For deeper stuff, of course, you need a body shop or more extensive work.