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Once again it’s below zero degrees and winter detailing can be tricky if you’re dealing with below freezing temperatures and tons of road salt. I like to focus on protection during these winter months and worry less about how beautiful of my paint looks by using tough and durable sealants. These winter detailing tips will hopefully make your winter car care a little easier and give you new ideas to play around with and try for yourself. Depending on your skill level some of these tips will be old news, but hopefully, throughout the next couple of blogs there will be at least a few tips that help you more.

Winter Detailing Tips

It’s best to remove salt from your vehicle as soon as possible. Salt is notorious for prematurely degrading and damaging waxes and sealants.

Use hot water in your wash bucket to help loosen salt and dirt. The warm water also won’t instantly freeze on your vehicle in the colder temperatures and it will help to keep your hands warmer while washing.

Rinseless and waterless washes are great options when the temperature is too cold to use running water. They can be done just about everywhere and do not require any running water beside for filling your initial bucket with rinse less wash solution.

Wear a pair of nitrile gloves over top of your winter gloves to keep your hands dry and toasty.

Use a spray wax or sealant after your wash to help refortify your wax or sealant previously applied.

If you have salt stain on your carpets, floor mats or seats use a solution of half water and half distilled vinegar to remove them. It could take multiple scrubbing sessions and applications to completely remove some salt stains.Your detailing working on the exterior of your car is mostly enjoyed by others as you’re driving around, while the interior matters the most to you while you’re driving. Some aspects of interior detailing can be a pain from disgusting grime to hard to reach cracks and crevices, but these tips should give you a couple new ideas to try while speeding up the detailing process.

Interior Auto Detailing Tips

For interiors that have seen better days and have been neglected, use a leaf blower or air compressor to blow out as much dirt and debris from the car as possible. It helps if you use a carpet and upholstery brush to agitate the carpets and seats to free any dirt that is deep down in the fibers. Compressed air also works great for blowing dirt out of tight, hard to reach places.

Don’t spray cleaners and protectants directly onto delicate areas or electronics such as the center console, dash, unlock buttons/window buttons, perforated leather seats and the plastic gauge cluster. Spray your product onto a towel or applicator pad so you can better control where the product goes and how much product you use.

Start with the top of the interior and work your way down. As your detailing dust and dirt will fall and soil what you’ve previously cleaned it. Work smart, not hard.

Use the least aggressive method and products first. For example, if you are cleaning leather seats and they are slightly dirty, try using a microfiber towel and leather cleaner. If that doesn’t clean the seats to your satisfaction, spray cleaner onto the leather seats (do not do this for perforated leather, spray cleaner into the bristles of the brush) and agitate with a soft brush and remove the cleaner with a microfiber towel after agitation.

If you like the look of carpet stripes they can easily be achieved by using a vacuum and Learn more here by pulling the carpet fibers in opposite directions.

It’s much easier to clean the windshield from the passenger seat and when needed to lean over the center console area. Remember to always spray your glass cleaner onto your glass cleaning towel. To obtain the right hand and arm position, turn your right hand so your palm is facing up and then turn your pinky side down until your elbow is facing up (counter clockwise) and it will be much easier to access the windshield without fighting the steering wheel.

Check to see if your cup holders are easily removable. It makes heavily soiled and stained cup holders much easier to clean as you can leave them to soak in hot, soapy water while you work on other areas of the interior.The Importance of a Clean Microfiber in Auto Detailing Cleaning Microfiber Towels is a common subject in auto detailing, yet doesn’t receive an in-depth explanation. This is a bit strange because clean microfiber towels are ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL COMPONENTS of any Detailer’s equipment and effective detailing procedures. Clean towels become increasingly more important the further along a vehicle moves through the detailing process. Because work should always be performed so that processes are moving forward; offering further refinement with each step toward finished results. Therefore, clean towels are most vital when vehicles reach the final polish stage or final wipe stage. This is the most critical time for a clean cloth, ensuring that no potential harm is caused by dirty or contaminated microfiber towels. This article offers information explaining why microfiber towels require the utmost cleanliness. More importantly, readers will learn how to obtain this optimal cleanliness. The methods described here work equally as well for anything constructed of microfibers such as applicator pads or wash mitts. Sorting Microfiber Towels Prior to Cleaning.

Before tackling how to clean, microfiber must be sorted. Grouping towels for washing will depend upon; their specific usage, soil level, and type of towel. This ensures cross-contamination from wheels or debris are not transferred onto finish paint towel etc. Cleaning Microfiber towels can prove a bit tricky since some towels bleed (usually darker colors) while others may lint. That being said, mixing these types of towels that have a potential to contaminate another type should be avoided. Therefore, wash towels of all the same type together. For example; wash all interior towels with one another, wheel towels together, polishing/compounding towels together, and so on and so forth. In addition to type, evaluating the level of soiling and type of soiling is necessary when pairing towels together when washing. A towel containing grease, hard embedded articles, or other substances or objects which could potentially transfer onto another towel during the washing and or drying process. If soiled beyond recovery of washing, then towels should be discarded, or demoted to a task where they cannot inflict harm on surfaces. Once towels have been sorted by type and by soil levels, they are ready to wash. Objectives of Cleaning Microfiber Towels What is the main purpose of cleaning microfiber? “To get it clean!” everyone will obviously and immediately blurt out, with a half laugh. Yes, this is absolutely true. However, microfiber pile functions optimally when unclogged and statically charged. Because Microfiber’s most significant and prized trait is clinging onto particles or liquids and holding onto them. The Overall objective of Cleaning Microfiber is to leave the individual microfiber fibers (pile) Completely Unclogged. Cleaning microfiber towels should continue until zero contaminants AND detergent remain embedded within the pile (individual strands) of the microfiber.A Basic car wash only removes topical dirt and filth acquired over short term driving. Regardless of how thorough the wash is, car wash soap does not deep clean, polish or restore the paint from damage done by bonded contamination, embedded dirt and staining, and different types of below surface defects. Well-maintained and properly detailed cars are really the only cars that truly benefit from a basic wash and application of a wax or sealant. The idea being that you have already gone through the process of decontamination (which is different from just washing) and either a light polish, which deep cleans the paint to remove embedded dirt and stains or a full polish, which can completely remove oxidation and below surface paint defects (think restoration) and your paint just needs to be maintained by a wash and wax or a maintenance detail.Paint Decontamination is a process that breaks down and removes bonded contaminants such as industrial fallout (another name for pollution), brake dust, rail dust, tree sap and tar that embed themselves into the surface of the paint leaving the surface gritty and rough.

An easy way to check whether or not your car is covered in bonded contamination is to use the Baggie Test. All you need to do is place a sandwich baggie over your hand and feel your paint after washing. The plastic sandwich baggie enhances your sense of touch and makes inspecting your paint easier. If your paint feels rough and gritty that means it’s contaminated. If your paint feels smooth as glass with no bumps or rough patches more than likely it’s free of bonded contamination.

As we went over previously, a light polish is going to remove embedded dirt and stains from your paint but it’s not going to remove or correct any paint defects such as swirls, scratches, marring and etching. A full polish is going to remove a very small percentage of your paint and also remove any below surface paint defects (oxidation, swirls, scratches, etching, etc.) that were only as deep as the amount of paint of paint removed.

example, if you have a wooden tabletop that is 3 inches thick and you accidently scratch the surface about 1 millimeter deep, it’s going to leave an eye sore but it’s not deep enough to structurally damage the tabletop. So what you could do remove the defect is sand the tabletop down to right below the deepest part of the scratch in the table. This would remove the scratch and restore your tabletop to perfect condition without harming the integrity of the table.The same concept behind removing scratches from a wooden tabletop also applies to removing them from automotive paint. The goal of polishing paint is to remove as many or as much of a scratch, swirl or etch as possible without compromising the integrity of the paint. This is why I always approach a situation by using the least aggressive method or product to get the job done properly. I want to leave as much of the paint on the car as possible so if it gets scratched again I can repeat the process safely and still have enough paint on the car to where it can be done multiple times again.

A perfect example of not selecting the right tool for the job is to use a chain saw to cut the table in half widthwise to remove the mirror surface scratch. You’ve drastically shortened the life of the table because the right tool, product and technique were not properly chosen to match the situation at hand.

You love your car and take pride in your ride. You spend good money to keep it healthy, wealthy and wise. You treat your car with respect the same way you’d treat a living being under your care. So, that’s why it’s irritating when it becomes messy and dirty and just plain gross merely days after a detailing.

We get it. We know it’s not always your fault. Other people are just the worst sometimes. They’re always making a mess of your precious living spaces, often giving no thought of the world around them. And who are the worst offenders? Kids. Alright, alright, we know you love your kids. And maybe you somehow even like other people’s children too. But that doesn’t correct the fact they are just plain messy. Seeing a kid with ice cream getting into your car is akin to watching a train collide with a truck in slow motion…. You know that something terrible is about to happen, but there’ just nothing you can really do about it.

On that note: we’re here with your (very important) survival guide to keeping your beautiful car clean and clear and under control. It consists of mostly preventative steps that you can take to stop your car from getting dirty.

So without further ado, here’s our list of the top Eight Ways to Keep You Car’s Interior Clean:

Keep a small trash bag in your car. This is a big one. Your car is like your home: it generates garbage. But unlike our homes, we rarely have a designated location for trash in our cars. And it doesn’t have to be an ugly eyesore! Nope, it can be cute and compact.

Kick off your boots. Before getting into your chariot, try kicking off your shoes or boots from any guck and muck you may have stepped in. Even if it doesn’t feel like there’s anything down there… who knows what could be lurking beneath your feet. This is an especially important piece of advice in the winter.

NO FOOD. This is our personal favorite item on the list, as it’s fully preventative in nature. There’s no better way to clean a mess than avoiding it, to begin with. Sure, you may seem a little Type A, but your beautiful car will be thankful. And so will you.

Change your air fresheners. Air fresheners are a beautiful thing. Cars can be inherently stinky places, what with all the feet nearby and the gas emissions and the close proximity to kids. So keep your space smelling fresh by being consistent with how often you change up your fresheners. The traditional gas-station varieties don’t have very long lifetimes, so maybe buy a few at once.

Vacuum first. Cleaning your car successfully would require an all-together different list. But, when you do decide to get down and dirty with the inside of your vehicle, make sure you vacuum before getting to the details. This is sort of akin to how you need to sweep your kitchen floor before mopping. It gets the preliminary dirt out before you can break out the toothbrush.

Tide To Go. Tide to Go sticks can be lifesavers. If you spill something that could leave a stain, then you’ll be glad you had one around. These won’t actually clean your spill, but if used properly, it will stop the mess from leaving a permanent stain on fabric interiors.

Clean the inside of your car regularly. Okay, so this may not be the most mind-blowing item we’ve got on this list. But it works. By making sure you’re regularly cleaning the inside of your car, you’ll make sure it doesn’t build up any unnecessary and unattractive mess over time.Microfiber is a material that is used in many industries, and it continues to increase in popularity simply because of its effectiveness. This material is created from finely woven polyester and polyimide fibers, both of which are man-made materials. Polyester gives microfiber its durability, while polyamide gives it greater softness. The combination of these materials, as well as the manufacturing process, create a material that stands up to rigorous use and is also suitable for detailing or waxing your vehicle.

Manufacturing microfiber

Before reaching suppliers, microfiber towels go through a lengthy manufacturing process that begins with yarning and advanced warp knitting. The material is then dried, dyed, lint fixed, ironed, rolled, cut and hemmed.

The manufacturing process creates spaces and channels in the microfiber material that pick up and hold dirt, grime and water. As a result, you often do not need to use chemicals when cleaning with a microfiber towel and the material holds liquids without absorbing them completely.

Benefits of microfiber

Many organizations seek out microfiber for cleaning purposes because of its unique properties. First of all, microfiber does not completely absorb liquids; it merely holds them. This ability makes microfiber towels reusable, while other types of materials would need to be thrown out. Because the towels don’t absorb liquid, they won’t collect bacteria.

Microfiber towels are effectively used in cleaning and detailing, especially in the automotive industry. These towels are durable and withstand more washes than other materials. Unlike rougher materials, microfiber will not scratch the paint on cars or leave lint behind. They are ideal for use on glass and other glossy surfaces.

While microfiber towels are particularly popular in the automotive industry, they are used in any situation where cleanup is needed, such as janitorial work, housekeeping, daycare, hospitals and more. Workers in these situations benefit from microfiber because it does not collect bacteria and can be used repeatedly.Properly cleaning your car yourself can be a lot of work, so why not let the experts do it for you? It’s important that your car gets detailed regularly, and not just for looks. Read on to learn why you should get your car detailed at least twice a year—every year: You spend a lot of time in your car. Even if you don’t drive the kids to their sports games or do anything other than drive to and from work every day, you still spend a lot of time in your car.

The average driver spends over an hour in their car every day. And anywhere you spend that much time has an impact on your outlook, mood and well-being. Having a clean car means a more peaceful ride to and from work every day, which means you’ll be able to go about your days more calmly. Your car is a breeding ground for germs. Remember that bit about how you spend a lot of time in it every day? Odds are sometimes you go to work with a little bit of a cold. Those germs stay in your car when you leave. Spilled food and drinks also leave germs behind, which attract more germs. There’s also a certain amount of germs your car is naturally exposed to as you drive around Browse around this site every day. All in all, if your car isn’t regularly detailed, it can be a breeding ground for germs. If you’re sick frequently, maybe it’s time to clean those germs out of your car. You’re not the only one who uses it. Your partner and your children are in your car all the time. Sometimes you’ll pick other relatives up at the station. Once in a while you offer a co-worker a ride home from work.

At some point you might even be picking up some distant cousins or your in-laws, and you certainly don’t want them to see your car dirty. You’ll be giving your family a much more pleasant ride if you get your car detailed regularly. You’ll even be protecting them from dangerous germs that can build up in your car. It helps your car retain value. Like any other piece of equipment, a car needs to be well maintained in order to retain its value. If you someday hope to be able to sell your car without taking an extreme loss, you want to make sure you get it detailed regularly. This helps prevent rust and keeps bad odors from becoming stronger. In other words, it helps maintain your car’s value. Considering that most cars lose quite a bit of value the moment they drive off the lot, anything you can do to keep your car valuable is a good thing. Getting your car detailed is about more than just how nice it feels to drive around in a brand new car. It’s also about providing an enjoyable experience for anyone who gets into your car, keeping you and your family healthy, and maintaining your car’s value.Let’s see why you need to stay away from automatic car wash. It happened to all of us at one point or another… And it’s affected us for the rest of our lives, leaving an imprint of trauma to follow us everywhere we go. There’s no escape from it as adults. We walk around with the shadow of it, knowing that we may never fully heal from the experience. What horrors could I be describing? The horrors of the Automatic Carwash. It came looming and out of nowhere.

Its hungry arches sharp and frightening, waiting to swallow us whole like the entrance to some demonic Haunted House attraction at a carnival in hell. And it gets worse from there. Automatic Carwashes are still the worst, now that we’re adults. But for slightly less irrational reasons than we had when we were kids. They’re not safe for a number of reasons, most of which are completely rational.

So let’s walk through our Hall of Horrors which document why Automatic Car washes are just no good for your car. First of all, they scratch. Just like a rabid monster in the depths of darkness, Automatic Carwashes have claws. The old, touch-bristles these carwashes use to clean your car are rarely cleaned themselves. Because of this, these bristles have old guck stuck onto them, the residue of which is scratched into the sides of your innocent car. Even when they are cleaned, these bristles are sharp and do your car more damage then they do favours. And if these claws of death are not enough to make you go running in the other direction, let’s talk poison. That’s right, these beasts are full of poison (which they shoot towards their unsuspecting victims like from the fangs of a rattlesnake). Of course, we’re only talking about the harsh chemicals that these carwashes use to break the bond between the dirt and your car’s paint job. The chemicals these automatic car washes use are rarely environmentally sound, often utilizing harsh acids that will undoubtedly strip away any protective coating on your vehicle.

If claws and poison haven’t frightened you then high-pressure water systems probably won’t either. But they’re definitely not good for your car. Automatic carwashes use high-pressure water sprays to clean away at the chemicals they’ve slathered your vehicle in. And they can be definitely damaging. The problem presented by high pressure water systems is that they enforce water into areas where water really shouldn’t be going, occasionally damaging your car and its electrical components. What comes next may shock even the bravest of souls, so we urge you to continue reading at your own risk. We’re getting into the darkest, most frightening part of the automatic car wash. Trigger warnings may apply: We all know the worst part of the automatic carwash is always saved for last. And it’s a terrifying finale of epic of proportions. The automatic dryer. Waiting by the exit of carwash like a spider hanging from above. Waiting. Watching. Until you think you’re finally safe. Hanging from above the exit, like a cruel joke, to descend upon you and vacuum your vehicle dry. These dryers are harmful, not just to my fragile psyche but to your cars exterior as well. The drying methods of most automatic car washes are ineffective and can overheat your vehicles exterior. The most effective way to dry your car is by hand. In fact, the most effective way to wash a car is by hand

Once again it’s below zero degrees and winter detailing can be tricky if you’re dealing with below freezing temperatures and tons of road salt. I like to focus on protection during these winter months and worry less about how beautiful of my paint looks by using tough and durable sealants. These winter detailing tips will hopefully make your winter car care a little easier and give you new ideas to play around with and try for yourself. Depending on your skill level some of these tips will be old news, but hopefully, throughout the next couple of blogs there will be at least a few tips that help you more.

Winter Detailing Tips

It’s best to remove salt from your vehicle as soon as possible. Salt is notorious for prematurely degrading and damaging waxes and sealants.

Use hot water in your wash bucket to help loosen salt and dirt. The warm water also won’t instantly freeze on your vehicle in the colder temperatures and it will help to keep your hands warmer while washing.

Rinseless and waterless washes are great options when the temperature is too cold to use running water. They can be done just about everywhere and do not require any running water beside for filling your initial bucket with rinse less wash solution.

Wear a pair of nitrile gloves over top of your winter gloves to keep your hands dry and toasty.

Use a spray wax or sealant after your wash to help refortify your wax or sealant previously applied.

If you have salt stain on your carpets, floor mats or seats use a solution of half water and half distilled vinegar to remove them. It could take multiple scrubbing sessions and applications to completely remove some salt stains.Your detailing working on the exterior of your car is mostly enjoyed by others as you’re driving around, while the interior matters the most to you while you’re driving. Some aspects of interior detailing can be a pain from disgusting grime to hard to reach cracks and crevices, but these tips should give you a couple new ideas to try while speeding up the detailing process.

Interior Auto Detailing Tips

For interiors that have seen better days and have been neglected, use a leaf blower or air compressor to blow out as much dirt and debris from the car as possible. It helps if you use a carpet and upholstery brush to agitate the carpets and seats to free any dirt that is deep down in the fibers. Compressed air also works great for blowing dirt out of tight, hard to reach places.

Don’t spray cleaners and protectants directly onto delicate areas or electronics such as the center console, dash, unlock buttons/window buttons, perforated leather seats and the plastic gauge cluster. Spray your product onto a towel or applicator pad so you can better control where the product goes and how much product you use.

Start with the top of the interior and work your way down. As your detailing dust and dirt will fall and soil what you’ve previously cleaned it. Work smart, not hard.

Use the least aggressive method and products first. For example, if you are cleaning leather seats and they are slightly dirty, try using a microfiber towel and leather cleaner. If that doesn’t clean the seats to your satisfaction, spray cleaner onto the leather seats (do not do this for perforated leather, spray cleaner into the bristles of the brush) and agitate with a soft brush and remove the cleaner with a microfiber towel after agitation.

If you like the look of carpet stripes they can easily be achieved by using a vacuum and by pulling the carpet fibers in opposite directions.

It’s much easier to clean the windshield from the passenger seat and when needed to lean over the center console area. Remember to always spray your glass cleaner onto your glass cleaning towel. To obtain the right hand and arm position, turn your right hand so your palm is facing up and then turn your pinky side down until your elbow is facing up (counter clockwise) and it will be much easier to access the windshield without fighting the steering wheel.

Check to see if your cup holders are easily removable. It makes heavily soiled and stained cup holders much easier to clean as you can leave them to soak in hot, soapy water while you work on other areas of the interior.The Importance of a Clean Microfiber in Auto Detailing Cleaning Microfiber Towels is a common subject in auto detailing, yet doesn’t receive an in-depth explanation. This is a bit strange because clean microfiber towels are ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL COMPONENTS of any Detailer’s equipment and effective detailing procedures. Clean towels become increasingly more important the further along a vehicle moves through the detailing process. Because work should always be performed so that processes are moving forward; offering further refinement with each step toward finished results. Therefore, clean towels are most vital when vehicles reach the final polish stage or final wipe stage. This is the most critical time for a clean cloth, ensuring that no potential harm is caused by dirty or contaminated microfiber towels. This article offers information explaining why microfiber towels require the utmost cleanliness. More importantly, readers will learn how to obtain this optimal cleanliness. The methods described here work equally as well for anything constructed of microfibers such as applicator pads or wash mitts. Sorting Microfiber Towels Prior to Cleaning.

Before tackling how to clean, microfiber must be sorted. Grouping towels for washing will depend upon; their specific usage, soil level, and type of towel. This ensures cross-contamination from wheels or debris are not transferred onto finish paint towel etc. Cleaning Microfiber towels can prove a bit tricky since some towels bleed (usually darker colors) while others may lint. That being said, mixing these types of towels that have a potential to contaminate another type should be avoided. Therefore, wash towels of all the same type together. For example; wash all interior towels with one another, wheel towels together, polishing/compounding towels together, and so on and so forth. In addition to type, evaluating the level of soiling and type of soiling is necessary when pairing towels together when washing. A towel containing grease, hard embedded articles, or other substances or objects which could potentially transfer onto another towel during the washing and or drying process. If soiled beyond recovery of washing, then towels should be discarded, or demoted to a task where they cannot inflict harm on surfaces. Once towels have been sorted by type and by soil levels, they are ready to wash. Objectives of Cleaning Microfiber Towels What is the main purpose of cleaning microfiber? “To get it clean!” everyone will obviously and immediately blurt out, with a half laugh. Yes, this is absolutely true. However, microfiber pile functions optimally when unclogged and statically charged. Because Microfiber’s most significant and prized trait is clinging onto particles or liquids and holding onto them. The Overall objective of Cleaning Microfiber is to leave the individual microfiber fibers (pile) Completely Unclogged. Cleaning microfiber towels should continue until zero contaminants AND detergent remain embedded within the pile (individual strands) of the microfiber.A Basic car wash only removes topical dirt and filth acquired over short term driving. Regardless of how thorough the wash is, car wash soap does not deep clean, polish or restore the paint from damage done by bonded contamination, embedded dirt and staining, and different types of below surface defects. Well-maintained and properly detailed cars are really the only cars that truly benefit from a basic wash and application of a wax or sealant. The idea being that you have already gone through the process of decontamination (which is different from just washing) and either a light polish, which deep cleans the paint to remove embedded dirt and stains or a full polish, which can completely remove oxidation and below surface paint defects (think restoration) and your paint just needs to be maintained by a wash and wax or a maintenance detail.Paint Decontamination is a process that breaks down and removes bonded contaminants such as industrial fallout (another name for pollution), brake dust, rail dust, tree sap and tar that embed themselves into the surface of the paint leaving the surface gritty and rough.

An easy way to check whether or not your car is covered in bonded contamination is to use the Baggie Test. All you need to do is place a sandwich baggie over your hand and feel your paint after washing. The plastic sandwich baggie enhances your sense of touch and makes inspecting your paint easier. If your paint feels rough and gritty that means it’s contaminated. If your paint feels smooth as glass with no bumps or rough patches more than likely it’s free of bonded contamination.

As we went over previously, a light polish is going to remove embedded dirt and stains from your paint but it’s not going to remove or correct any paint defects such as swirls, scratches, marring and etching. A full polish is going to remove a very small percentage of your paint and also remove any below surface paint defects (oxidation, swirls, scratches, etching, etc.) that were only as deep as the amount of paint of paint removed.

example, if you have a wooden tabletop that is 3 inches thick and you accidently scratch the surface about 1 millimeter deep, it’s going to leave an eye sore but it’s not deep enough to structurally damage the tabletop. So what you could do remove the defect is sand the tabletop down to right below the deepest part of the scratch in the table. This would remove the scratch and restore your tabletop to perfect condition without harming the integrity of the table.The same concept behind removing scratches from a wooden tabletop also applies to removing them from automotive paint. The goal of polishing paint is to remove as many or as much of a scratch, swirl or etch as possible without compromising the integrity of the paint. This is why I always approach a situation by using the least aggressive method or product to get the job done properly. I want to leave as much of the paint on the car as possible so if it gets scratched again I can repeat the process safely and still have enough paint on the car to where it can be done multiple times again.

A perfect example of not selecting the right tool for the job is to use a chain saw to cut the table in half widthwise to remove the mirror surface scratch. You’ve drastically shortened the life of the table because the right tool, product and technique were not Click for more info properly chosen to match the situation at hand.

Ceramic coating is an radical auto detailing product used to protect exterior and interior surfaces from common blemish inducing substances. Mainly made up of silica and titanium dioxide, both of these substances collectively form a covalent bond that’s hydrophobic in nature and creates a nano-ceramic shield over the vehicle’s clear coat. This protective shield provides durable protection against common environmental pollutants including insect acids, street salt, and bird droppings, Compounds, trapping,

small scrapes and helps protect the vehicle from the harmful rays of the sun. It’s these possessions, as well as the hydrophobic properties , which divides ceramic coatings against the archaic waxes or sealants.

Hydrophobicity

Before we get any farther, the term ;hydrophobic; is defined as ;tending to repel or fail to mix with water. Hydrophobicity is the physical property of a molecule that is seemingly repelled from a mass of water.

Having a protective shield all over your paint and windshield on a rainy day will help you to see better and water will run off the paint surface. In results you don’t have to worry about water spots. This characteristic also help you to dry your car faster and safer after each wash, and gives you that off the showroom look every time.

Ceramic coating can be used on varieties of surfaces, anything from car exterior paint , rims, caliper ,windshield to interior leather seats , fabric , wood , dashboard .Also, can help you protect your other assets such as leather jackets , purse , wallet or shoes. It will help against premature damage and aging.

It is also protective against water damage swirling, oxidation and UV.

The clean up Cleanup a car that is protected with ceramic coating is far different and not as intensive then cleanup a non-protected surface. With ceramic coatings, then cleanup is as easy as spraying the exterior of a

surface with a hose or a bucket of water. The hydrophobicity of the coat will make dirt, mud, snow, grime, bird droppings, insect acids, road salt and other environmental contaminants to slide off the surface.

Basically it means more time appreciating the street and admiring the large gloss hydrophobic finish of the ceramic coat and not as much time washing your vehicle. With all this additional time on your hands,

an owner of a ceramic coated car can now spend more time enjoying the open road and driving than ever before! what is the difference between wax and ceramic coating An incredibly common question we get asked everyday is What is the difference between wax and ceramic coating . Wax is among the most popular and frequently known products for protection of

vehicles but, in contrast to ceramic coatings, wax is less durable , has a much shorter shelf life and requires far more maintenance. If you have ever waxed a vehicle before you’re well aware of the effort

that is involved and constant upkeep required to maintaining the condition. Yet, with ceramic coatings,vehicles have far less maintenance.

Many of the typical types of car waxes are composed of either, bees wax, paraffin wax, mineral wax, synthetic wax or carnauba wax. When these waxes can be inexpensive and picked up at your community automotive parts shop and applied by the consumer, but most of them don’t protect the

vehicle exactly the identical manner a ceramic coating may. Most waxes can’t be used on surfaces that get really hot , but ceramic coating has higher melting point so it can safely be applied to surfaces that get really hot such as brake calipers , engine and provide protection.

Although waxes tend to be a cheaper than the purchase price of ceramic coatings you usually get what you pay for. In actuality, sometimes can cause damage than any protection to your car. Many waxes applied in rush by people not having enough knowledge of how to apply them. Or the proper applicator pad or cloth will result to add swirl marks , scratches or damages that needs a professional to repair them. But once you bring you car to AAA Auto Spa , our certified and experienced technician will properly apply the ceramic coating to your car and you can rest assure that your vehicle will have the proper protection when you are enjoying your car.

To validate and guarantee the warranty for Ceramic coatings, most vehicles need to have their coated surfaces inspected on at least a yearly basis. You can’t take your vehicle through automatic car washes as most of them will damage your coating and will reduce the life of the coating on your paint. Since washing a coated vehicle is different than non coated one, a professional detailer that is certified in applying ceramic coating needs to inspect the vehicle or wash it properly.

Basically the biggest difference between and ceramic coating is amount of protection you get.These three wash methods tackle different levels of dirty in ascending order. This is because increased levels of topical contamination require different cleaning strategies. A traditional QD is basically a dedicated simple cleaner, since it’s lubricity agents are only suited for dirt removal. Basically, a quick detailer functions as a surfactant; adding lubricity to a surface, allowing for safe removal of dust particles from a paint surface by encapsulating the Continue reading contamination particles in the solution.

This drastically reduces the amount of friction between the dirt particles, the surface, and the removal medium. AQD is safe and effective because the liquid acts a transport vessel, allowing the medium [a microfiber towel] to trap the dust particles within itself This process is called emulsification, enabling safe and complete removal of all topical contamination particles from a vehicle’s surface. Uses Of a Quick Detailer The simple lubricity factor offered by quick detailer sprays, made them the first natural choice for clay bar lubrication. By reducing the friction between the clay and the paint’s surface, the quick detailer allows the naturally tacky clay to effortlessly glide and contour itself over a vehicle’s surfaces.

This removes (by means of embedding the particles within the clay) topical bonded contaminants that contact the clay. Besides dust removal and clay bar lubrication, QD’s and waterless washes have also become quite popular as a drying aid. This assists to reduce micro-marring during drying and the removal of any possible water spots during the drying phase. Waterless Washes as the New Quick Detailer A newer wave of Quick Detailer products have flooded the market in recent years called Waterless Washes. The high concentration of waterless wash solutions allow for great versatility across many processes. Some offer temporary paint protection by imparting a protective layer [wax or synthetic type of hydrophobic sacrificial barrier] to the surface. The formulation of these products creates a surface tension that greatly surpasses that of a traditional quick detailer. This means they repel liquid and help prevent contamination from adhering to the surface.

Also, some products contain gloss enhancing surfactants, allowing even more versatility of use. Waterless Wash solutions have replaced all functions of a QD while offering abilities a QD cannot match. While most waterless wash solutions offer protection, leaving behind a layer of polymers or carnauba wax, there are few which leave nothing behind on the surface. This allows the traditional quick detailer a role as a simple ‘light dust removal by means of simple lubricity.” This is because many conditions exist where contaminants need to be removed from paint with a small amount of lubricity, allowing the surface to remain clean, without adding anything to the working section of paint during the current process. In a day and age when multiple chemicals mix on a vehicle’s surface, a high potential exists for a ‘chemical traffic jam’ to occur.

With many different chemicals present on a surface, the likelihood these chemicals may begin to work against one another increases. This can lead to variety of issues on the surface. Clogging up of the surface (reducing surface tension) and/or inhibiting the bonding of topical products is the most common occurrence. To avoid this, keep a traditional quick detailer on hand and use it when other chemical process are going to follow on a working section. When to Use a Waterless Wash Vs. Rinseless Wash vs. Traditional Wash. Often the question arises, “How dirty is too dirty to use a Waterless wash?” To find out, perform the swipe test. Take a finger and swipe a small section of the dirtiest panel on the vehicle. If it swipes clean to the paint, then a waterless wash may be adequate to safely remove all topical contamination.Using a clay bar will remove embedded surface contamination that still remains after a maintenance wash. Sometimes the contamination removed is not always visible on the paint to the naked eye. After using a clay bar on your paint you will be left with a surface that is as smooth as glass and properly prepped. It is now ready for polish or for you to apply layers of protection. Not only can you clay your vehicles paint, but glass, wheels, lights and more. A common misconception about using a clay bar is that it has an impact on removing swirls and scratches, it does not.There are two common types of clay lube, quick detailers and a combination of water and shampoo solution. The clay bar lubricant provides a slick surface for you to glide your clay over. If you use the clay on paint without clay lube, you'll notice that the clay won't slide across your paint and you can easily add marring and leave behind pieces of clay on your paint which can be a pain to remove.

Many detailers use a quick detailer as their clay lube. We recommend using one that has some cleaning power and little or no protective properties. This helps loosen the embedded contamination from the paint and yields great results. Poorboy's Spray & Wipe is a good clay lube because it's a great cleaner and creates a slick surface to work on.

Another popular option is to use a mixture of Optimum No Rinse and water. It has cleaning agents that help lift contamination from the surface, provides a slippery surface to glide your clay over and cleans up nicely. Simply add 2 ounces of ONR to a gallon of water and you have yourself a great clay bar lubricant.

A Basic car wash only removes topical dirt and filth acquired over short website term driving. Regardless of how thorough the wash is, car wash soap does not deep clean, polish or restore the paint from damage done by bonded contamination, embedded dirt and staining, and different types of below surface defects. Well-maintained and properly detailed cars are really the only cars that truly benefit from a basic wash and application of a wax or sealant. The idea being that you have already gone through the process of decontamination (which is different from just washing) and either a light polish, which deep cleans the paint to remove embedded dirt and stains or a full polish, which can completely remove oxidation and below surface paint defects (think restoration) and your paint just needs to be maintained by a wash and wax or a maintenance detail.Paint Decontamination is a process that breaks down and removes bonded contaminants such as industrial fallout (another name for pollution), brake dust, rail dust, tree sap and tar that embed themselves into the surface of the paint leaving the surface gritty and rough.

An easy way to check whether or not your car is covered in bonded contamination is to use the Baggie Test. All you need to do is place a sandwich baggie over your hand and feel your paint after washing. The plastic sandwich baggie enhances your sense of touch and makes inspecting your paint easier. If your paint feels rough and gritty that means it’s contaminated. If your paint feels smooth as glass with no bumps or rough patches more than likely it’s free of bonded contamination.

As we went over previously, a light polish is going to remove embedded dirt and stains from your paint but it’s not going to remove or correct any paint defects such as swirls, scratches, marring and etching. A full polish is going to remove a very small percentage of your paint and also remove any below surface paint defects (oxidation, swirls, scratches, etching, etc.) that were only as deep as the amount of paint of paint removed.

example, if you have a wooden tabletop that is 3 inches thick and you accidently scratch the surface about 1 millimeter deep, it’s going to leave an eye sore but it’s not deep enough to structurally damage the tabletop. So what you could do remove the defect is sand the tabletop down to right below the deepest part of the scratch in the table. This would remove the scratch and restore your tabletop to perfect condition without harming the integrity of the table.The same concept behind removing scratches from a wooden tabletop also applies to removing them from automotive paint. The goal of polishing paint is to remove as many or as much of a scratch, swirl or etch as possible without compromising the integrity of the paint. This is why I always approach a situation by using the least aggressive method or product to get the job done properly. I want to leave as much of the paint on the car as possible so if it gets scratched again I can repeat the process safely and still have enough paint on the car to where it can be done multiple times again.

A perfect example of not selecting the right tool for the job is to use a chain saw to cut the table in half widthwise to remove the mirror surface scratch. You’ve drastically shortened the life of the table because the right tool, product and technique were not properly chosen to match the situation at hand.we assist in preserving the beauty of a vehicle’s finish indefinitely; as long as the dirt accumulated never rises above a simple dust level. For anything beyond light topical dust and contamination; Waterless Washes, Rinseless Washes, and Traditional Wash are more effective.

These three wash methods tackle different levels of dirty in ascending order. This is because increased levels of topical contamination require different cleaning strategies. A traditional QD is basically a dedicated simple cleaner, since it’s lubricity agents are only suited for dirt removal. Basically, a quick detailer functions as a surfactant; adding lubricity to a surface, allowing for safe removal of dust particles from a paint surface by encapsulating the contamination particles in the solution.

This drastically reduces the amount of friction between the dirt particles, the surface, and the removal medium. AQD is safe and effective because the liquid acts a transport vessel, allowing the medium [a microfiber towel] to trap the dust particles within itself This process is called emulsification, enabling safe and complete removal of all topical contamination particles from a vehicle’s surface. Uses Of a Quick Detailer The simple lubricity factor offered by quick detailer sprays, made them the first natural choice for clay bar lubrication. By reducing the friction between the clay and the paint’s surface, the quick detailer allows the naturally tacky clay to effortlessly glide and contour itself over a vehicle’s surfaces.

This removes (by means of embedding the particles within the clay) topical bonded contaminants that contact the clay. Besides dust removal and clay bar lubrication, QD’s and waterless washes have also become quite popular as a drying aid. This assists to reduce micro-marring during drying and the removal of any possible water spots during the drying phase. Waterless Washes as the New Quick Detailer A newer wave of Quick Detailer products have flooded the market in recent years called Waterless Washes. The high concentration of waterless wash solutions allow for great versatility across many processes. Some offer temporary paint protection by imparting a protective layer [wax or synthetic type of hydrophobic sacrificial barrier] to the surface. The formulation of these products creates a surface tension that greatly surpasses that of a traditional quick detailer. This means they repel liquid and help prevent contamination from adhering to the surface.

Also, some products contain gloss enhancing surfactants, allowing even more versatility of use. Waterless Wash solutions have replaced all functions of a QD while offering abilities a QD cannot match. While most waterless wash solutions offer protection, leaving behind a layer of polymers or carnauba wax, there are few which leave nothing behind on the surface. This allows the traditional quick detailer a role as a simple ‘light dust removal by means of simple lubricity.” This is because many conditions exist where contaminants need to be removed from paint with a small amount of lubricity, allowing the surface to remain clean, without adding anything to the working section of paint during the current process. In a day and age when multiple chemicals mix on a vehicle’s surface, a high potential exists for a ‘chemical traffic jam’ to occur.

With many different chemicals present on a surface, the likelihood these chemicals may begin to work against one another increases. This can lead to variety of issues on the surface. Clogging up of the surface (reducing surface tension) and/or inhibiting the bonding of topical products is the most common occurrence. To avoid this, keep a traditional quick detailer on hand and use it when other chemical process are going to follow on a working section. When to Use a Waterless Wash Vs. Rinseless Wash vs. Traditional Wash. Often the question arises, “How dirty is too dirty to use a Waterless wash?” To find out, perform the swipe test. Take a finger and swipe a small section of the dirtiest panel on the vehicle. If it swipes clean to the paint, then a waterless wash may be adequate to safely remove all topical contamination.

A Basic car wash only removes topical dirt and filth acquired over short term driving. Regardless of how thorough the wash is, car wash soap does not deep clean, polish or restore the paint from damage done by bonded contamination, embedded dirt and staining, and different types of below surface defects. Well-maintained and properly detailed cars are really the only cars that truly benefit from a basic wash and application of a wax or sealant. The idea being that you have already gone through the process of decontamination (which is different from just washing) and either a light polish, which deep cleans the paint to remove embedded dirt and stains or a full polish, which can completely remove oxidation and below surface paint defects (think restoration) and your paint just needs to be maintained by a wash and wax or a maintenance detail.Paint Decontamination is a process that breaks down and removes bonded contaminants such as industrial fallout (another name for pollution), brake dust, rail dust, tree sap and tar that embed themselves into the surface of the paint leaving the surface gritty and rough.

An easy way to check whether or not your car is covered in bonded contamination is to use the Baggie Test. All you need to do is place a sandwich baggie over your hand and feel your paint after washing. The plastic sandwich baggie enhances your sense of touch and makes inspecting your paint easier. If your paint feels rough and gritty that means it’s contaminated. If your paint feels smooth as glass with no bumps or rough patches more than likely it’s free of bonded contamination.

As we went over previously, a light polish is going to remove embedded dirt and stains from your paint but it’s not going to remove or correct any paint defects such as swirls, scratches, marring and etching. A full polish is going to remove a very small percentage of your paint and also remove any below surface paint defects (oxidation, swirls, scratches, etching, etc.) that were only as deep as the amount of paint of paint removed.

example, if you have a wooden tabletop that is 3 inches thick and you accidently scratch the surface about 1 millimeter deep, it’s going to leave an eye sore but it’s not deep enough to structurally damage the tabletop. So what you could do remove the defect is sand the tabletop down to right below the deepest part of the scratch in the table. This would remove the scratch and restore your tabletop to perfect condition without harming the integrity of the table.The same concept behind removing scratches from a wooden tabletop also applies to removing them from automotive paint. The goal of polishing paint is to remove as many or as much of a scratch, swirl or etch as possible without compromising the integrity of the paint. This is why I always approach a situation by using the least aggressive method or product to get the job done properly. I want to leave as much of the paint on the car Click here for more as possible so if it gets scratched again I can repeat the process safely and still have enough paint on the car to where it can be done multiple times again.

A perfect example of not selecting the right tool for the job is to use a chain saw to cut the table in half widthwise to remove the mirror surface scratch. You’ve drastically shortened the life of the table because the right tool, product and technique were not properly chosen to match the situation at hand.we assist in preserving the beauty of a vehicle’s finish indefinitely; as long as the dirt accumulated never rises above a simple dust level. For anything beyond light topical dust and contamination; Waterless Washes, Rinseless Washes, and Traditional Wash are more effective.

These three wash methods tackle different levels of dirty in ascending order. This is because increased levels of topical contamination require different cleaning strategies. A traditional QD is basically a dedicated simple cleaner, since it’s lubricity agents are only suited for dirt removal. Basically, a quick detailer functions as a surfactant; adding lubricity to a surface, allowing for safe removal of dust particles from a paint surface by encapsulating the contamination particles in the solution.

This drastically reduces the amount of friction between the dirt particles, the surface, and the removal medium. AQD is safe and effective because the liquid acts a transport vessel, allowing the medium [a microfiber towel] to trap the dust particles within itself This process is called emulsification, enabling safe and complete removal of all topical contamination particles from a vehicle’s surface. Uses Of a Quick Detailer The simple lubricity factor offered by quick detailer sprays, made them the first natural choice for clay bar lubrication. By reducing the friction between the clay and the paint’s surface, the quick detailer allows the naturally tacky clay to effortlessly glide and contour itself over a vehicle’s surfaces.

This removes (by means of embedding the particles within the clay) topical bonded contaminants that contact the clay. Besides dust removal and clay bar lubrication, QD’s and waterless washes have also become quite popular as a drying aid. This assists to reduce micro-marring during drying and the removal of any possible water spots during the drying phase. Waterless Washes as the New Quick Detailer A newer wave of Quick Detailer products have flooded the market in recent years called Waterless Washes. The high concentration of waterless wash solutions allow for great versatility across many processes. Some offer temporary paint protection by imparting a protective layer [wax or synthetic type of hydrophobic sacrificial barrier] to the surface. The formulation of these products creates a surface tension that greatly surpasses that of a traditional quick detailer. This means they repel liquid and help prevent contamination from adhering to the surface.

Also, some products contain gloss enhancing surfactants, allowing even more versatility of use. Waterless Wash solutions have replaced all functions of a QD while offering abilities a QD cannot match. While most waterless wash solutions offer protection, leaving behind a layer of polymers or carnauba wax, there are few which leave nothing behind on the surface. This allows the traditional quick detailer a role as a simple ‘light dust removal by means of simple lubricity.” This is because many conditions exist where contaminants need to be removed from paint with a small amount of lubricity, allowing the surface to remain clean, without adding anything to the working section of paint during the current process. In a day and age when multiple chemicals mix on a vehicle’s surface, a high potential exists for a ‘chemical traffic jam’ to occur.

With many different chemicals present on a surface, the likelihood these chemicals may begin to work against one another increases. This can lead to variety of issues on the surface. Clogging up of the surface (reducing surface tension) and/or inhibiting the bonding of topical products is the most common occurrence. To avoid this, keep a traditional quick detailer on hand and use it when other chemical process are going to follow on a working section. When to Use a Waterless Wash Vs. Rinseless Wash vs. Traditional Wash. Often the question arises, “How dirty is too dirty to use a Waterless wash?” To find out, perform the swipe test. Take a finger and swipe a small section of the dirtiest panel on the vehicle. If it swipes clean to the paint, then a waterless wash may be adequate to safely remove all topical contamination.

Washing and drying is the foundation of any detail, whether it's simply maintaining your vehicle with a wash and dry or the start of a long detailing process. It's often overlooked that properly washing and drying your vehicle is the single most important step in any detailing process. This is due to the fact that most imperfections (swirls, scratches, water spots, etc.) are added to your paint during the washing and drying phase. With the proper tools, products and technique, you can easily minimize adding imperfections to your paint. There are various methods you can use to properly wash, which will be explained below in detail.There's a few things you want to do to get setup prior to any wash using a hose as your source of water. Properly preparing everything before you start your wash process will help things go smoother, which can help cut down on the time it takes to wash your vehicle. Being able to properly wash quickly will cut down on the chances of water spots forming on your vehicle, which can require a lot of time and effort to remove. To further eliminate any possibility of adding water spots to your paint, you can invest in a water purifier system, which removes any minerals from your water making it nearly impossible for water spots to form.When heavy contamination has built up over time, you may want to utilize a stronger cleaner than just your shampoo, such as a degreaser, to help break up and loosen dirt, tar, sap, bird droppings, and other stubborn forms of contamination. It's usually INTERIOR SHAMPOO SERVICE GTA TORONTO best to degrease prior to shampooing your vehicle, so that as you shampoo your vehicle, it ensures there is no degreaser remaining on your vehicle. It's important to note that most degreasers will usually remove protective layers of sealant or wax, so use as needed. It's important that you know you'll need to re-apply your coat(s) of protection.Using the two bucket wash method is one of the safest ways to maintain your vehicle while minimizing the possibility of adding imperfections to the paint. It's very beneficial to master this technique as it can be used in conjunction with various other washing methods, such as washing with a foam gun and using a rinseless shampoo.

Once again it’s below zero degrees and winter detailing can be tricky if you’re dealing with below freezing temperatures and tons of road salt. I like to focus on protection during these winter months and worry less about how beautiful of my paint looks by using tough and durable sealants. These winter detailing tips will hopefully make your winter car care a little easier and give you new ideas to play around with and try for yourself. Depending on your skill level some of these tips will be old news, but hopefully, throughout the next couple of blogs there will be at least a few tips that help you more.

Winter Detailing Tips

It’s best to remove salt from your vehicle as soon as possible. Salt is notorious for prematurely degrading and damaging waxes and sealants.

Use hot water in your wash bucket to help loosen salt and dirt. The warm water also won’t instantly freeze on your vehicle in the colder temperatures and it will help to keep your hands warmer while washing.

Rinseless and waterless washes are great options when the temperature is too cold to use running water. They can be done just about everywhere and do not require any running water beside for filling your initial bucket with rinse less wash solution.

Wear a pair of nitrile gloves over top of your winter gloves to keep your hands dry and toasty.

Use a spray wax or sealant after your wash to help refortify your wax or sealant previously applied.

If you have salt stain on your carpets, floor mats or seats use a solution of half water and half distilled vinegar to remove them. It could take multiple scrubbing sessions and applications to completely remove some salt stains.Your detailing Home page working on the exterior of your car is mostly enjoyed by others as you’re driving around, while the interior matters the most to you while you’re driving. Some aspects of interior detailing can be a pain from disgusting grime to hard to reach cracks and crevices, but these tips should give you a couple new ideas to try while speeding up the detailing process.

Interior Auto Detailing Tips

For interiors that have seen better days and have been neglected, use a leaf blower or air compressor to blow out as much dirt and debris from the car as possible. It helps if you use a carpet and upholstery brush to agitate the carpets and seats to free any dirt that is deep down in the fibers. Compressed air also works great for blowing dirt out of tight, hard to reach places.

Don’t spray cleaners and protectants directly onto delicate areas or electronics such as the center console, dash, unlock buttons/window buttons, perforated leather seats and the plastic gauge cluster. Spray your product onto a towel or applicator pad so you can better control where the product goes and how much product you use.

Start with the top of the interior and work your way down. As your detailing dust and dirt will fall and soil what you’ve previously cleaned it. Work smart, not hard.

Use the least aggressive method and products first. For example, if you are cleaning leather seats and they are slightly dirty, try using a microfiber towel and leather cleaner. If that doesn’t clean the seats to your satisfaction, spray cleaner onto the leather seats (do not do this for perforated leather, spray cleaner into the bristles of the brush) and agitate with a soft brush and remove the cleaner with a microfiber towel after agitation.

If you like the look of carpet stripes they can easily be achieved by using a vacuum and by pulling the carpet fibers in opposite directions.

It’s much easier to clean the windshield from the passenger seat and when needed to lean over the center console area. Remember to always spray your glass cleaner onto your glass cleaning towel. To obtain the right hand and arm position, turn your right hand so your palm is facing up and then turn your pinky side down until your elbow is facing up (counter clockwise) and it will be much easier to access the windshield without fighting the steering wheel.

Check to see if your cup holders are easily removable. It makes heavily soiled and stained cup holders much easier to clean as you can leave them to soak in hot, soapy water while you work on other areas of the interior.The Importance of a Clean Microfiber in Auto Detailing Cleaning Microfiber Towels is a common subject in auto detailing, yet doesn’t receive an in-depth explanation. This is a bit strange because clean microfiber towels are ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL COMPONENTS of any Detailer’s equipment and effective detailing procedures. Clean towels become increasingly more important the further along a vehicle moves through the detailing process. Because work should always be performed so that processes are moving forward; offering further refinement with each step toward finished results. Therefore, clean towels are most vital when vehicles reach the final polish stage or final wipe stage. This is the most critical time for a clean cloth, ensuring that no potential harm is caused by dirty or contaminated microfiber towels. This article offers information explaining why microfiber towels require the utmost cleanliness. More importantly, readers will learn how to obtain this optimal cleanliness. The methods described here work equally as well for anything constructed of microfibers such as applicator pads or wash mitts. Sorting Microfiber Towels Prior to Cleaning.

Before tackling how to clean, microfiber must be sorted. Grouping towels for washing will depend upon; their specific usage, soil level, and type of towel. This ensures cross-contamination from wheels or debris are not transferred onto finish paint towel etc. Cleaning Microfiber towels can prove a bit tricky since some towels bleed (usually darker colors) while others may lint. That being said, mixing these types of towels that have a potential to contaminate another type should be avoided. Therefore, wash towels of all the same type together. For example; wash all interior towels with one another, wheel towels together, polishing/compounding towels together, and so on and so forth. In addition to type, evaluating the level of soiling and type of soiling is necessary when pairing towels together when washing. A towel containing grease, hard embedded articles, or other substances or objects which could potentially transfer onto another towel during the washing and or drying process. If soiled beyond recovery of washing, then towels should be discarded, or demoted to a task where they cannot inflict harm on surfaces. Once towels have been sorted by type and by soil levels, they are ready to wash. Objectives of Cleaning Microfiber Towels What is the main purpose of cleaning microfiber? “To get it clean!” everyone will obviously and immediately blurt out, with a half laugh. Yes, this is absolutely true. However, microfiber pile functions optimally when unclogged and statically charged. Because Microfiber’s most significant and prized trait is clinging onto particles or liquids and holding onto them. The Overall objective of Cleaning Microfiber is to leave the individual microfiber fibers (pile) Completely Unclogged. Cleaning microfiber towels should continue until zero contaminants AND detergent remain embedded within the pile (individual strands) of the microfiber.A Basic car wash only removes topical dirt and filth acquired over short term driving. Regardless of how thorough the wash is, car wash soap does not deep clean, polish or restore the paint from damage done by bonded contamination, embedded dirt and staining, and different types of below surface defects. Well-maintained and properly detailed cars are really the only cars that truly benefit from a basic wash and application of a wax or sealant. The idea being that you have already gone through the process of decontamination (which is different from just washing) and either a light polish, which deep cleans the paint to remove embedded dirt and stains or a full polish, which can completely remove oxidation and below surface paint defects (think restoration) and your paint just needs to be maintained by a wash and wax or a maintenance detail.Paint Decontamination is a process that breaks down and removes bonded contaminants such as industrial fallout (another name for pollution), brake dust, rail dust, tree sap and tar that embed themselves into the surface of the paint leaving the surface gritty and rough.

An easy way to check whether or not your car is covered in bonded contamination is to use the Baggie Test. All you need to do is place a sandwich baggie over your hand and feel your paint after washing. The plastic sandwich baggie enhances your sense of touch and makes inspecting your paint easier. If your paint feels rough and gritty that means it’s contaminated. If your paint feels smooth as glass with no bumps or rough patches more than likely it’s free of bonded contamination.

As we went over previously, a light polish is going to remove embedded dirt and stains from your paint but it’s not going to remove or correct any paint defects such as swirls, scratches, marring and etching. A full polish is going to remove a very small percentage of your paint and also remove any below surface paint defects (oxidation, swirls, scratches, etching, etc.) that were only as deep as the amount of paint of paint removed.

example, if you have a wooden tabletop that is 3 inches thick and you accidently scratch the surface about 1 millimeter deep, it’s going to leave an eye sore but it’s not deep enough to structurally damage the tabletop. So what you could do remove the defect is sand the tabletop down to right below the deepest part of the scratch in the table. This would remove the scratch and restore your tabletop to perfect condition without harming the integrity of the table.The same concept behind removing scratches from a wooden tabletop also applies to removing them from automotive paint. The goal of polishing paint is to remove as many or as much of a scratch, swirl or etch as possible without compromising the integrity of the paint. This is why I always approach a situation by using the least aggressive method or product to get the job done properly. I want to leave as much of the paint on the car as possible so if it gets scratched again I can repeat the process safely and still have enough paint on the car to where it can be done multiple times again.

A perfect example of not selecting the right tool for the job is to use a chain saw to cut the table in half widthwise to remove the mirror surface scratch. You’ve drastically shortened the life of the table because the right tool, product and technique were not properly chosen to match the situation at hand.

Polishing is the step in the detailing process that yields the most dramatic difference in your paint's appearance. The objective of polishing is to remove imperfections in the clear coat that cause the paint to look dull. Surface imperfections can include swirls, scratches, water spots, etchings, industrial fallout, oxidation, etc. These surface imperfections cause light to fragment instead of passing directly through the clear coat yielding less gloss and depth. When these imperfections are removed, you will reveal the true potential of your vehicle's paint.

A swirl mark is a very thin and shallow scratch on Find more information the surface of your paint, that often comes from washing and drying improperly. Waxes, sealants and most glazes will not permanently remove these surface imperfections at best they will hide them temporarily. To eliminate these imperfections safely and permanently you want to polish the surface starting with a less aggressive polish and using more aggressive polishes as needed. The chemical polishing agents and/or the polishing particles will safely remove the extremely fine imperfections.We recommend only polishing as needed, which is typically around one to two times per year during a full detail. After a thorough multiple step polishing process has been completed you can maintain the finish properly using the correct washing and drying products and techniques. Keeping the paint in good condition will ensure it needs less frequent polishing.While you can polish by hand, it is highly recommended to use a quality buffer for maximum results. When you remove imperfections in your paint, you are working in polishing particles thoroughly and evenly. To do this by hand, you need to use a fair amount of pressure while moving the pad rather quickly. To put it in perspective, the standard in the industry for buffers is the Porter Cable 7424 XP. This buffer can generate 6,800 oscillations per minute at full speed very safely and effectively. Imagine trying to move your arm 6,800 times per minute for hours on end, all while exerting 10 - 15 lbs of pressure on the applicator pad. It's impossible to duplicate by hand and it can be tiresome to do a small fraction of this work by hand.

Another main advantage of a buffer is its ability to work with various pads that help increase the polishing power. For example a blue pad is extremely soft so it's used for extremely fine polishes, but if you use an orange pad it's more dense and can work in a medium cutting polish extremely well. Best of all these pads all use the same hook and loop backing so you simply slap them on and pull them off with ease and no tools are needed. Below we will outline some of the most popular buffers for detailers and what pads and polishes they work great with. There is no one best buffer and there is no one best combination of pad and polishes, however our recommendations come from years of experience and consistently yield excellent results.With so many polish options available, it can be difficult to choose which product will work best for your needs. Each polish has their pros and cons, while a few excel in almost everything. Polishes can vary from a non-abrasive chemical cleaner to a very abrasive compound. The overall objective of polishing is to rid the surface of imperfections. In an ideal world, you would always use the least aggressive polish and pad combination to get the results you are looking for. The problem with going this route is it can be very time consuming to test lots of polish and pad combinations and it can be costly to stock up on multiple polish and pad combinations. As you become more experienced, you will be able to assess your paint and have a good idea what level polish you will need.

As a detailing enthusiast, it is recommended to have at least one polish of each level on hand to tackle any type of imperfection that may come your way. Listed below are the various types of polishes and what each polish is typically used for.

CompoundsCompounds are the most aggressive type of polish and should be used only as needed. Compounds are commonly used on severely neglected vehicles and to clean up wet sanding marks. Compounds will almost always leave behind some marring, hazing, or holograms and should always be followed up with a finer polish and pad combination.

The point of most finishing polishes is to remove very minor imperfections in the paint, such as micro-marring, hazing and holograms. Finishing polishes typically will not remove imperfections deeper than a very light swirl. They are also used to burnish the paint to achieve an exceptional level of gloss and depth.When it comes to selecting the proper pad for polishing, you want to always make sure you take a few things into account:

What polisher are you using? Some pads are designed with certain polishers in mind.

What size is your backing plate? Check the size of the backing plate on your unit.

What size pads do you want to use? For example, if the answer to the question above was 5", make sure you choose 5" - 6" pads. If you want to use something smaller or larger, pick up a different size backing plate first. You never want to use a pad smaller than the backing plate you are using.

What are you trying to achieve? Match the aggressiveness of the polish with the aggressiveness of the pad?

A mismatched pad size, aggressiveness combination, etc. can create unnecessary work while wasting your time and product, so take the time to ensure you have the right pad and polish for the job. Below are all of the pad types we carry with some highlights of each!

Pad Types

Foam Pads

A Foam Pad is a pad that is produced with a cellular structure (can be either open or closed cell), used in paint correction or to apply protectants or cleaners to a surface. These pads come in various styles, made by different manufacturers, each designed for different polishing steps or use with different polishers. Take a look at the list below for all of our foam pad offerings.

Flat (i.e. Lake Country) - All-around pad with a flat smooth face, great for use on various polishers.

CCS - Feature a group of closed foam cells on the surface of the pad, which do not absorb polishes or waxes. Instead, they gradually release these products, providing you with a longer work time.

HDO - Beveled at a 70-degree angle and use of thinner foam and center hold to reduce heat. Designed for use on larger throw polishers.

Force - Super dense foam designed to keep polish on the surface (face) of the pad. Formulated with forced rotation polishers in mind.

Rupes (Flat) - Super durable open-cell foam designed to be used with Rupes polishers and polishes for the best results. Beveled with the front of pad an inch larger than backing.

Rupes (Mille) - Fine pore structure formulated for use with their Rupes Mille Gear Driven polisher and Mille polishes. Thinner profile when compared to their regular flat pads.

Rupes (Rotary) - Open-cell foam that helps provide rotational stability and maintains airflow throughout the pad when using a rotary polisher.

Meguiar's (Soft Buff) - Thin 17.5mm disc design allows for a lower operating temperature and a much smoother and easier feel through the machine. Great when used with your Meguair's polisher, or any other unit you may have.

CarPro (Flash & Gloss) - Made of reticulated polyurethane foam with a 7/8" thick design and beveled profile.

Griot's Garage (BOSS Pads) - Ultra-firm euro foam with an 8mm thick (5/16"), low profile design.

Chemical Guys (Hex-Logic) - Hex-logic grooves and center hole are designed to help reduce and disperse heat from the center of the pad.

Buff & Shine (Uro-Tec) - Made with reticulated (open cell) euro foam of a higher density than traditional foam pads. This design is great for use with these long throw units.

Buff & Shine (Low-Pro) - These pads are engineered with a rubber interface to help reduce heat and improve polishing results, especially on long throw polishers.The primary purpose of a sealant is to properly protect your vehicle from the elements. Sealants are designed to bond to your paint and provide roughly 3 to 6 months of protection. This is significantly longer protection than what a carnauba wax offers, which is typically 3 to 8 weeks. The barrier of protection that sealants provide help minimize contamination from embedding in to your paint and makes maintaining your vehicle significantly easier. Another benefit of a sealant is that it will enhance the look of your paint by giving you sharper reflections and more depth and gloss.

Layering and Cure Times (Return to Top)

Applying multiple coats will increase the strength of the protection and durability of the protection. The most important thing to note is that when you want to apply more than one coat, you have to let the previous coat cure. Each sealant's cure time will vary and environmental conditions (i.e. temperature, humidity, etc.) can impact cure times. Most sealants will cure within 1 - 24 hours and the vast majority of any sealant will be cured within the first hour. If you have the time waiting 24 hours is ideal to be absolutely certain but if you are in a rush waiting a minimum of one hour should still work very well for most sealants.

How Long Do Sealants Last? (Return to Top)

In general, sealants typically last between 3 to 6 months. There are many factors that go into determining how long a sealant will last. Some of the major factors are if your car is stored in a garage or outside, how many miles are driven, the type of weather conditions your vehicle is exposed to, how well your paint was prepped prior to applying the sealant, the frequency of washing your vehicle, and type of shampoo. The key is to reapply your coat of protection before the previous coat runs out. As you maintain your vehicle, keep an eye out for how well the water beads and sheets off your paint. If water begins to pool on your paint, then chances are there is little to no protection remaining and it's advised to apply another coat of sealant. A good rule of thumb is to reapply a coat of sealant once a season (4 times a year).While the idea of "wipe on, wipe off" still applies, the application process of coatings differs quite a bit from both sealants and waxes. Rather than applying to the entire car, waiting some period of time to cure, then removing the residue, a coating application is done panel by panel and sometimes even sections of a single panel due to its quick drying time.

A coating starts as a liquid that is poured onto an applicator and applied to a section of the paint. Coatings react with air quickly and start drying and becoming harder, turning into the resistant layer described above. Before the coating is fully hardened, it needs to be leveled. This is accomplished by wiping off remaining residue from the coated section after a certain amount of time has passed, using a quality microfiber towel.

This amount of time depends on the coating that you're using, but generally speaking it's anywhere from 1 - 3 minutes on the low end, 5 - 10 minutes for some "medium" drying coatings and then 15 - 20+ minutes for slower coatings. It's always a good idea to have a timer handy when working with a coating because you do not want a coating to dry too much before leveling. This will lead to a hazy finish which will at the very least require quite a bit of elbow grease to fix and at worst may require polishing the coated section to fully remove the badly applied coating layer.Similar to the dry times mentioned above, cure times will vary from coating to coating. By "dry time" I'm referring to the coating going from liquid to a more solid state during application, at which point it needs to be leveled with a towel for a proper bond and good looks. "Cure time" refers to the amount of time a coating needs to fully harden and be resistant to the environment and this time starts after the coating is leveled. Most coating manufacturers require a cure time of 24 hours before the coating can be exposed to water that can potentially dry on the surface. Most also require no washing with any detergents for 4 - 7 days after application. Generally, coatings will fully cure anywhere from 1 - 4 weeks. This cure time can be accelerated by using certain lamps to speed up the curing process.

Layering is possible with most coatings, but again, very different than when using waxes or sealants. In the case of coatings, you will usually need to apply a second layer within 30 - 60 minutes of the first layer in order to get a bond with the first layer. Reason being, once the coatings start to dry and cure, they become more and more hydrophobic and resistant to anything sticking, including consecutive layers of that same coating. If you try to apply another layer on top of a coating after a few days, it will simply "reject" it and it would be a waste of time. Most coatings can work with two layers and some 3 - 5 or more, but it will vary depending on the manufacturer. Make sure you consult the label or manufacturer for specifics about layering.

As mentioned in the first paragraph, coatings generally last 1 - 3+ years. This means that a coating will be reapplied much less frequently than waxes or sealants, but that doesn't mean that you can't apply a wax or sealant on top of the coating. It's actually encouraged so as to provide even more protection and protect the coating investment. Due to a coating application requiring polishing prior, you'll want to reapply a coating at a point where it's starting to diminish due to age or when the paint starts looking a bit swirled and it's time again for polishing. This will vary depending on maintenance done to the coated vehicle.

A Basic car wash only removes topical dirt and filth acquired over short term driving. Regardless of how thorough the wash is, car wash soap does not deep clean, polish or restore the paint from damage done by bonded contamination, embedded dirt and staining, and different types of below surface defects. Well-maintained and properly detailed cars are really the only cars that truly benefit from a basic wash and application of a wax or sealant. The idea being that you have already gone through the process of decontamination (which is different from just washing) and either a light polish, which deep cleans the paint to remove embedded dirt and stains or a full polish, which can completely remove oxidation and below surface paint defects (think restoration) and your paint just needs to be maintained by a wash and wax or a maintenance detail.Paint Decontamination is a process that breaks down and removes bonded contaminants such as industrial fallout (another name for pollution), brake dust, rail dust, tree sap and tar that embed themselves into the surface of the paint leaving the surface gritty and rough.

An easy way to check whether or not your car is covered in bonded contamination is to use the Baggie Test. All you need to do is place a sandwich baggie over your hand and feel your paint after washing. The plastic sandwich baggie enhances your sense of touch and makes inspecting your paint easier. If your paint feels rough and gritty that means it’s contaminated. If your paint feels smooth as glass with no bumps or rough patches more than likely it’s free of bonded contamination.

As we went over previously, a light polish is going to remove embedded dirt and stains from your paint but it’s not going to remove or correct any paint defects such as swirls, scratches, marring and etching. A full polish is going to remove a very small percentage of your paint and also remove any below surface paint defects (oxidation, swirls, scratches, etching, etc.) that were only as deep as the amount of paint of paint removed.

example, if you have a wooden tabletop that is 3 inches thick and you accidently scratch the surface about 1 millimeter deep, it’s going to leave an eye sore but it’s not deep enough to structurally damage the tabletop. So what you could do remove the defect is sand the tabletop down to right below the deepest part of the scratch in the table. This would remove the scratch and restore your tabletop to perfect condition without harming the integrity of the table.The same concept behind removing scratches from a wooden tabletop also applies to removing them from automotive paint. The goal of polishing paint is to remove as many or as much of a scratch, swirl or etch as possible without compromising the integrity of the paint. This is why I always approach a situation by using the least aggressive method or product to get the job done properly. I want to leave as much of the paint on the car as possible so if it gets scratched again I can repeat the process safely and still have enough paint on the car to where it can be done multiple times again.

A perfect example of not selecting the right tool for the job is to use a chain saw to cut the table in half widthwise to remove the mirror surface scratch. You’ve drastically shortened the life of the table because the right tool, product and technique were not properly chosen to match the situation at hand.we assist in preserving the beauty of a vehicle’s finish indefinitely; as long as the dirt accumulated never rises above a simple dust level. For anything beyond light topical dust and contamination; Waterless Washes, Rinseless Washes, and Traditional Wash are more effective.

These three wash methods tackle different levels of dirty in ascending order. This is because increased levels of topical contamination require different cleaning strategies. A traditional QD is basically a dedicated simple cleaner, since it’s lubricity agents are only suited for dirt removal. Basically, a quick detailer functions as a surfactant; adding lubricity to a surface, allowing for safe removal of dust particles from a paint surface by encapsulating the contamination particles in the solution.

This drastically reduces the amount of friction between the dirt particles, the surface, and the removal medium. AQD is safe and effective because the liquid acts a transport vessel, allowing the medium [a microfiber towel] to trap the dust particles within itself This process is called emulsification, enabling safe and complete removal of all topical contamination SHAMPOOING FLOOR AND MATS particles from a vehicle’s surface. Uses Of a Quick Detailer The simple lubricity factor offered by quick detailer sprays, made them the first natural choice for clay bar lubrication. By reducing the friction between the clay and the paint’s surface, the quick detailer allows the naturally tacky clay to effortlessly glide and contour itself over a vehicle’s surfaces.

This removes (by means of embedding the particles within the clay) topical bonded contaminants that contact the clay. Besides dust removal and clay bar lubrication, QD’s and waterless washes have also become quite popular as a drying aid. This assists to reduce micro-marring during drying and the removal of any possible water spots during the drying phase. Waterless Washes as the New Quick Detailer A newer wave of Quick Detailer products have flooded the market in recent years called Waterless Washes. The high concentration of waterless wash solutions allow for great versatility across many processes. Some offer temporary paint protection by imparting a protective layer [wax or synthetic type of hydrophobic sacrificial barrier] to the surface. The formulation of these products creates a surface tension that greatly surpasses that of a traditional quick detailer. This means they repel liquid and help prevent contamination from adhering to the surface.

Also, some products contain gloss enhancing surfactants, allowing even more versatility of use. Waterless Wash solutions have replaced all functions of a QD while offering abilities a QD cannot match. While most waterless wash solutions offer protection, leaving behind a layer of polymers or carnauba wax, there are few which leave nothing behind on the surface. This allows the traditional quick detailer a role as a simple ‘light dust removal by means of simple lubricity.” This is because many conditions exist where contaminants need to be removed from paint with a small amount of lubricity, allowing the surface to remain clean, without adding anything to the working section of paint during the current process. In a day and age when multiple chemicals mix on a vehicle’s surface, a high potential exists for a ‘chemical traffic jam’ to occur.

With many different chemicals present on a surface, the likelihood these chemicals may begin to work against one another increases. This can lead to variety of issues on the surface. Clogging up of the surface (reducing surface tension) and/or inhibiting the bonding of topical products is the most common occurrence. To avoid this, keep a traditional quick detailer on hand and use it when other chemical process are going to follow on a working section. When to Use a Waterless Wash Vs. Rinseless Wash vs. Traditional Wash. Often the question arises, “How dirty is too dirty to use a Waterless wash?” To find out, perform the swipe test. Take a finger and swipe a small section of the dirtiest panel on the vehicle. If it swipes clean to the paint, then a waterless wash may be adequate to safely remove all topical contamination.