Car wash supplies
#1
07-22-2018, 08:59 PM
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 21
Rep Power: 0 
Car wash supplies
I’ve decided to attempt to start washing my Panamera Turbo myself once in awhile and wanted some recommendations on what exterior and interior products your using and can recommend.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!
#2
07-23-2018, 08:03 AM
I would get:
- foam jet
- good car wash concentrate
- 2 full size buckets
- 2 bucket grit guards
- microfiber wash mit or whatever good quality wash device you want (I prefer hand held as those on a telescopic stick do not clean as well)
- wheel soft brush
- pressure washer (or water hose with concentrating nozzle if you choose not to )
- electric compact size high cfm air blower (or car dryer - more $$$)
- chemical guys VSS (awesome product - if you will do paint correction)
- chemical guys V36 + V38 products (awesome too - if you do paint correction)
Some get chemical guys products, other buy off the shelf at Walmart. IMO, both work well.
Foam jet works real well to remove grime, etc.
Do washing in shaded area if you can, or do it later in evening.
1. Use pressure washer to clean off coarse dirt from car
2. Use foam jet with pressure washer, spray foam all over car including wheels, tires, etc
3. Wait for 5 minutes to let foam work
4. Rinse the foam off the car thoroughly
5. Fill 2 buckets with grit guards inserted into each. One bucket is wash bucket. Other bucket is rinse only
6. Add favorite wash to one bucket to make sure you get lots of good suds
7. Using favorite wash mit/device to dip into wash bucket, wash small section of car (like roof + edges)
8. Using pressure washer, rinse the section you just washed
9. Dip wash mit into rinse bucket and rinse well
10.Dip the rinsed mit into the wash bucket
11.Wash another section of car (like front windshield + hood + front fenders)
12.Rinse the washed car sections
13.Dip wash mit in rinse bucket to rinse well
14.Dip wash mit in wash bucket and wash next section of car
15.Repeat until you washed entire car and rinsed it. Good idea to soak previously washed sections as you wash new sections of car. Keeps water from drying on car surface (prevents visible water spots especially on dark/black paint)
16.Use wheel wash mit/tool, to wash wheels, calipers, etc. Rinse well in bucket as long as you wont use on paint again
17.Keep making sure car is wet throughout the process
18.After car washed, use the car dryer/compact high cfm leaf blower, to dry car (start at top/middle, continue to outside of roof, then from top to bottom). Make sure to get all crevices like door handles, other trim, etc. Blow all water off with blower. Tip: Do windows as early as you can, so water does not dry on them, or you will use glass cleaner to make the glass spot free.
19.After car dried, put your toys away (rinse foam jet to keep nozzle clean), go for a nice ride in your newly washed car.
If you want to go an extra step, after washing car (before drying it), use clay and clay lube, to clay car one section at a time. Clean off the section before moving on to next. After car clayed entirely, you can use a dual action buffer & chemical guys VSS (or V36+V38). VSS is both cutting and finishing agent (as compound breaks down stops cutting and starts buffing). V36 takes off swirls, V38 gives glass finish.
Tons of videos on their site to show you how.
Good luck. Takes time but makes it worth while after you see the result.
- foam jet
- good car wash concentrate
- 2 full size buckets
- 2 bucket grit guards
- microfiber wash mit or whatever good quality wash device you want (I prefer hand held as those on a telescopic stick do not clean as well)
- wheel soft brush
- pressure washer (or water hose with concentrating nozzle if you choose not to )
- electric compact size high cfm air blower (or car dryer - more $$$)
- chemical guys VSS (awesome product - if you will do paint correction)
- chemical guys V36 + V38 products (awesome too - if you do paint correction)
Some get chemical guys products, other buy off the shelf at Walmart. IMO, both work well.
Foam jet works real well to remove grime, etc.
Do washing in shaded area if you can, or do it later in evening.
1. Use pressure washer to clean off coarse dirt from car
2. Use foam jet with pressure washer, spray foam all over car including wheels, tires, etc
3. Wait for 5 minutes to let foam work
4. Rinse the foam off the car thoroughly
5. Fill 2 buckets with grit guards inserted into each. One bucket is wash bucket. Other bucket is rinse only
6. Add favorite wash to one bucket to make sure you get lots of good suds
7. Using favorite wash mit/device to dip into wash bucket, wash small section of car (like roof + edges)
8. Using pressure washer, rinse the section you just washed
9. Dip wash mit into rinse bucket and rinse well
10.Dip the rinsed mit into the wash bucket
11.Wash another section of car (like front windshield + hood + front fenders)
12.Rinse the washed car sections
13.Dip wash mit in rinse bucket to rinse well
14.Dip wash mit in wash bucket and wash next section of car
15.Repeat until you washed entire car and rinsed it. Good idea to soak previously washed sections as you wash new sections of car. Keeps water from drying on car surface (prevents visible water spots especially on dark/black paint)
16.Use wheel wash mit/tool, to wash wheels, calipers, etc. Rinse well in bucket as long as you wont use on paint again
17.Keep making sure car is wet throughout the process
18.After car washed, use the car dryer/compact high cfm leaf blower, to dry car (start at top/middle, continue to outside of roof, then from top to bottom). Make sure to get all crevices like door handles, other trim, etc. Blow all water off with blower. Tip: Do windows as early as you can, so water does not dry on them, or you will use glass cleaner to make the glass spot free.
19.After car dried, put your toys away (rinse foam jet to keep nozzle clean), go for a nice ride in your newly washed car.
If you want to go an extra step, after washing car (before drying it), use clay and clay lube, to clay car one section at a time. Clean off the section before moving on to next. After car clayed entirely, you can use a dual action buffer & chemical guys VSS (or V36+V38). VSS is both cutting and finishing agent (as compound breaks down stops cutting and starts buffing). V36 takes off swirls, V38 gives glass finish.
Tons of videos on their site to show you how.
Good luck. Takes time but makes it worth while after you see the result.
#3
07-23-2018, 01:56 PM
Nice details in the post above.
If you want to get crazy, join the Facebook Group "Obsessed Garage"...you will find all the answers and more there...but be warned, they will yell at you for using Chemical Guys products, LOL...I use CG so whatever.
Some great places to get the best products and info are:
Obsessed Garage website: obsessedgarage.com
Esoteric Car Care (my favorite): esotericcarcare.com
Auto Geek: autogeek.net
Detailers Domain: detailersdomain.com
You all find everything you need at these websites.
Esoteric is great for info and they only sell a handful of high quality products and that's my go to place.
If you want to get crazy, join the Facebook Group "Obsessed Garage"...you will find all the answers and more there...but be warned, they will yell at you for using Chemical Guys products, LOL...I use CG so whatever.
Some great places to get the best products and info are:
Obsessed Garage website: obsessedgarage.com
Esoteric Car Care (my favorite): esotericcarcare.com
Auto Geek: autogeek.net
Detailers Domain: detailersdomain.com
You all find everything you need at these websites.
Esoteric is great for info and they only sell a handful of high quality products and that's my go to place.
#4
07-23-2018, 07:01 PM
Great. Thank you for the links. The only products I used from CG so far are the VSS, V36 and V38. Work awesome. Especially VSS.
I will have to check them out. Like I said, work is long but once you see the result, you feel like you won a lottery.
I will have to check them out. Like I said, work is long but once you see the result, you feel like you won a lottery.
#5
07-23-2018, 07:35 PM
CG stuff is good, not great, but it is consistent.
I’m moving on from CG after much research a feedback from many detailers.
My current set up, that I’ll be using in my new to me Panamera that is is great need of a paint correction, is Jespar Correcting Compound using yellow CG hexlogics pad...followed by Sonax Perfect Finish using white CG hexlogics pad...and I haven’t decided on what sealant I’m going to use yet to lock it all in. Looking at Jescar Power Lock + or CarPro Reload, or maybe something else.
I’ll also use Gyeon Prep after before I use a sealant.
My total plan of attack will be:
1. wash with foam cannon (using CG Honeydew)
- dry car
* wheels are washed using this great stuff I found called “TUGA Devil Special Wheel Cleaner” followed by Gyeon Iron. I then top the wheels off with CarPro Hydro Lyte 2. *this wheel cleaning combo makes the wheels spotless and shiny!!
2. Clay bar car using Chadwick’s Triple Play as the lube.
- wipe down using MF towel
3. Jescar Correcting Compound w/ Yellow Pad
4. Sonax Perfect Finish w/ White pad
5. Gyeon Prep
6. Sealant TBD
Best case, this should all take me about 4 hours.
I’m moving on from CG after much research a feedback from many detailers.
My current set up, that I’ll be using in my new to me Panamera that is is great need of a paint correction, is Jespar Correcting Compound using yellow CG hexlogics pad...followed by Sonax Perfect Finish using white CG hexlogics pad...and I haven’t decided on what sealant I’m going to use yet to lock it all in. Looking at Jescar Power Lock + or CarPro Reload, or maybe something else.
I’ll also use Gyeon Prep after before I use a sealant.
My total plan of attack will be:
1. wash with foam cannon (using CG Honeydew)
- dry car
* wheels are washed using this great stuff I found called “TUGA Devil Special Wheel Cleaner” followed by Gyeon Iron. I then top the wheels off with CarPro Hydro Lyte 2. *this wheel cleaning combo makes the wheels spotless and shiny!!
2. Clay bar car using Chadwick’s Triple Play as the lube.
- wipe down using MF towel
3. Jescar Correcting Compound w/ Yellow Pad
4. Sonax Perfect Finish w/ White pad
5. Gyeon Prep
6. Sealant TBD
Best case, this should all take me about 4 hours.
#6
07-23-2018, 11:14 PM
4 hrs? You must be speedy Gonzalez.
I expect full day to do that. Maybe I'm just slow.
Been waiting until I get all my maintenance out of the way, then focus on exterior. Interior almost flawless except very light swirl on ext. Painted console. Have pads in order for thg hat already.
I expect full day to do that. Maybe I'm just slow.
Been waiting until I get all my maintenance out of the way, then focus on exterior. Interior almost flawless except very light swirl on ext. Painted console. Have pads in order for thg hat already.
#7
07-24-2018, 03:07 PM
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 21
Rep Power: 0 I would get:
- foam jet
- good car wash concentrate
- 2 full size buckets
- 2 bucket grit guards
- microfiber wash mit or whatever good quality wash device you want (I prefer hand held as those on a telescopic stick do not clean as well)
- wheel soft brush
- pressure washer (or water hose with concentrating nozzle if you choose not to )
- electric compact size high cfm air blower (or car dryer - more $$$)
- chemical guys VSS (awesome product - if you will do paint correction)
- chemical guys V36 + V38 products (awesome too - if you do paint correction)
Some get chemical guys products, other buy off the shelf at Walmart. IMO, both work well.
Foam jet works real well to remove grime, etc.
Do washing in shaded area if you can, or do it later in evening.
1. Use pressure washer to clean off coarse dirt from car
2. Use foam jet with pressure washer, spray foam all over car including wheels, tires, etc
3. Wait for 5 minutes to let foam work
4. Rinse the foam off the car thoroughly
5. Fill 2 buckets with grit guards inserted into each. One bucket is wash bucket. Other bucket is rinse only
6. Add favorite wash to one bucket to make sure you get lots of good suds
7. Using favorite wash mit/device to dip into wash bucket, wash small section of car (like roof + edges)
8. Using pressure washer, rinse the section you just washed
9. Dip wash mit into rinse bucket and rinse well
10.Dip the rinsed mit into the wash bucket
11.Wash another section of car (like front windshield + hood + front fenders)
12.Rinse the washed car sections
13.Dip wash mit in rinse bucket to rinse well
14.Dip wash mit in wash bucket and wash next section of car
15.Repeat until you washed entire car and rinsed it. Good idea to soak previously washed sections as you wash new sections of car. Keeps water from drying on car surface (prevents visible water spots especially on dark/black paint)
16.Use wheel wash mit/tool, to wash wheels, calipers, etc. Rinse well in bucket as long as you wont use on paint again
17.Keep making sure car is wet throughout the process
18.After car washed, use the car dryer/compact high cfm leaf blower, to dry car (start at top/middle, continue to outside of roof, then from top to bottom). Make sure to get all crevices like door handles, other trim, etc. Blow all water off with blower. Tip: Do windows as early as you can, so water does not dry on them, or you will use glass cleaner to make the glass spot free.
19.After car dried, put your toys away (rinse foam jet to keep nozzle clean), go for a nice ride in your newly washed car.
If you want to go an extra step, after washing car (before drying it), use clay and clay lube, to clay car one section at a time. Clean off the section before moving on to next. After car clayed entirely, you can use a dual action buffer & chemical guys VSS (or V36+V38). VSS is both cutting and finishing agent (as compound breaks down stops cutting and starts buffing). V36 takes off swirls, V38 gives glass finish.
Tons of videos on their site to show you how.
Good luck. Takes time but makes it worth while after you see the result.
- foam jet
- good car wash concentrate
- 2 full size buckets
- 2 bucket grit guards
- microfiber wash mit or whatever good quality wash device you want (I prefer hand held as those on a telescopic stick do not clean as well)
- wheel soft brush
- pressure washer (or water hose with concentrating nozzle if you choose not to )
- electric compact size high cfm air blower (or car dryer - more $$$)
- chemical guys VSS (awesome product - if you will do paint correction)
- chemical guys V36 + V38 products (awesome too - if you do paint correction)
Some get chemical guys products, other buy off the shelf at Walmart. IMO, both work well.
Foam jet works real well to remove grime, etc.
Do washing in shaded area if you can, or do it later in evening.
1. Use pressure washer to clean off coarse dirt from car
2. Use foam jet with pressure washer, spray foam all over car including wheels, tires, etc
3. Wait for 5 minutes to let foam work
4. Rinse the foam off the car thoroughly
5. Fill 2 buckets with grit guards inserted into each. One bucket is wash bucket. Other bucket is rinse only
6. Add favorite wash to one bucket to make sure you get lots of good suds
7. Using favorite wash mit/device to dip into wash bucket, wash small section of car (like roof + edges)
8. Using pressure washer, rinse the section you just washed
9. Dip wash mit into rinse bucket and rinse well
10.Dip the rinsed mit into the wash bucket
11.Wash another section of car (like front windshield + hood + front fenders)
12.Rinse the washed car sections
13.Dip wash mit in rinse bucket to rinse well
14.Dip wash mit in wash bucket and wash next section of car
15.Repeat until you washed entire car and rinsed it. Good idea to soak previously washed sections as you wash new sections of car. Keeps water from drying on car surface (prevents visible water spots especially on dark/black paint)
16.Use wheel wash mit/tool, to wash wheels, calipers, etc. Rinse well in bucket as long as you wont use on paint again
17.Keep making sure car is wet throughout the process
18.After car washed, use the car dryer/compact high cfm leaf blower, to dry car (start at top/middle, continue to outside of roof, then from top to bottom). Make sure to get all crevices like door handles, other trim, etc. Blow all water off with blower. Tip: Do windows as early as you can, so water does not dry on them, or you will use glass cleaner to make the glass spot free.
19.After car dried, put your toys away (rinse foam jet to keep nozzle clean), go for a nice ride in your newly washed car.
If you want to go an extra step, after washing car (before drying it), use clay and clay lube, to clay car one section at a time. Clean off the section before moving on to next. After car clayed entirely, you can use a dual action buffer & chemical guys VSS (or V36+V38). VSS is both cutting and finishing agent (as compound breaks down stops cutting and starts buffing). V36 takes off swirls, V38 gives glass finish.
Tons of videos on their site to show you how.
Good luck. Takes time but makes it worth while after you see the result.
marks the local car wash created on my paint! When I picked up my black Panamera Turbo from the dealer the paint looked perfect. Now I can see those annoying swirls from the local hand wash created. Anything you can suggest to make those go away and how to avoid creating them myself in the future?
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#8
07-24-2018, 05:32 PM
Yup. Car wash = swirl marks, no matter which one.
When someone else washes too, they wont care and you will pay price by having the markings. Need polishing and buff to get out. Plenty of info, some time involvement and you will have it as new on your own.
When someone else washes too, they wont care and you will pay price by having the markings. Need polishing and buff to get out. Plenty of info, some time involvement and you will have it as new on your own.
#9
07-25-2018, 08:24 AM
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Des Moines
Age: 48
Posts: 80
Rep Power: 30 
Junkman2000 on youtube. Really great advice and how-to videos.
End Thread
Don't wash it in any autowash that touches the car. Avoid touching the paint whenever you can. Use fresh clean sponge for all foam baths.
I recommend Ceramic Coating because it makes maintenance of the car, especially black, much easier.
Anything by Meguires is good generally, but I've been switching to Chemical Guys somewhat.
Everything said above.
End Thread
Don't wash it in any autowash that touches the car. Avoid touching the paint whenever you can. Use fresh clean sponge for all foam baths.
I recommend Ceramic Coating because it makes maintenance of the car, especially black, much easier.
Anything by Meguires is good generally, but I've been switching to Chemical Guys somewhat.
Everything said above.
#10
07-26-2018, 06:36 PM
Registered User
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Massachusetts
Age: 76
Posts: 74
Rep Power: 11
#11
07-26-2018, 08:34 PM
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Des Moines
Age: 48
Posts: 80
Rep Power: 30 Get some ultra low cut and med cut Mirror glaze polish.
With a microfiber and your fingers your can work swirls out. It just takes a lot longer than using a random orbital.
Start eith medium and finish with ultra fine. Use very soft microfiber towels, or hexlogic pads.
With a microfiber and your fingers your can work swirls out. It just takes a lot longer than using a random orbital.
Start eith medium and finish with ultra fine. Use very soft microfiber towels, or hexlogic pads.
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