What's Your Washing/Detailing Routine?

[MsRN]

I'm curious to see what's worked for people in the forum (and what hasn't). Clay bars? Merino mitts? Magic wands and faerie dust? Rubbing out the finish (lovingly) with a diaper? I've been a faithful customer of the local auto washes, but I think that's about to change, especially now that my little girl's old enough to help (or to play on her own while I do it)! So far, Sonax Wheel Wash (http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=zhpcom-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=B003UT3S6Q) and ONR sound like must-haves. What else? Should I borrow the Festool Rotex RO150 FEQ in the woodshop for polishing/waxing?

Marcus, if you're interested in compiling it, a list of Mafiosi-preferred products and routines might be interesting...or I can try to keep tally in my spare time... :)

[danewilson77]

Prior to winter its a clay, buff to remove swirls, seal with wolfgangs sealant 3.0, then dodo juice hard candy.

Winter I just do a touchless hand wash. When I get home I hit it with mf towel and detail spray...followed by some spray wax.

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[RITmusic2k]

I've taken to washing my car in the evening/at night, so as to avoid water spots. Bane of the black car, those are...

I haven't done a full detail on her yet, but the car gets washed weekly; wheels hand-cleaned every other washing. On a full-wash day, I start with a pre-soak on the whole vehicle, then wash my wheels with a microfiber sponge and a double-strength mixture of Meguiar's Deep Crystal car wash. Because of the godforsaken spokes on these rims, that probably takes me 45 minutes to do all four. I only use a single wash bucket, but I hose off the sponge before re-soaping.

Once the wheels are washed, the bucket gets rinsed out and then a regular strength mix of Deep Crystal. Microfiber/scrubbing sponge/mit thinger gets used here; the car gets washed from the top down, one major section at a time: roof, rear window/trunk/rear bumper, windshield/hood/grille, left side, right side. Each section gets rinsed before the next section gets soaped. This takes me another 25 minutes or so.

After drying the car with a synthetic chamois, I use a 'spoiled' dirty chamois and microfiber towel to wipe down all door jambs and hinge spaces, finishing off with the engine bay, where all visible surfaces get a wipedown with the dirty chamois.

By this time I'm tired of washing, so I don't bother to wax it and I leave cleaning the interior for another day. Then I put everything away and have a beer or five while catching up on Doctor Who episodes.

[M0nk3y]

Car is washed every week via 2 Bucket Method and Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss.
Wheels Cleaned and Sealed every week with Meguiars D104 Degressor, Ez-Detail Brush, and Poorboys Wheel Sealant.
Every two weeks, car is fully stripped of remaining protection and re-sealed and waxed. Wolfgang 3.0 Paint Sealant, Dodo Juice Hard Candy and Rainforest Rub.

It's OCD at a major level

[gr330zhp]

With the ZHP, its 2 bucket technique once a week. Dry off, wheel/tire dressing, vaccuum/wash mats, wipe down all door gaskets and seams. Engine gets a basic wipedown

Every 3-4 weeks, all wax is removed, clay bar and I seal, and wax the finish with either Zymol, Griot's or Meguiars. Depending on what I have. Light speed on my orbitor. The wheel wells are all cleaned with Griot's Wheel Well Cleaner, wheels come off and are all cleaned in the back, muffler tips polished. Engine bay gets a good conditioning.

My Jetta is same steps pretty much, minus the wheel well cleaner and behind rims, that's only in the summer/before shows

[billschusteriv]

This spring it's going to get professionally detailed so I don't personally have to take the hours I know its going to take to bring it back after the mess the PO left it.

I can do a little here and there... but I'm not at the level where I want to attempt fixing the swirl marks or the drivers side door panel.

[spencers]

Normal wash (without a hose)

Optimum No-Rinse wash, 2 bucket method with Detailers Domain wool wash mitt
P21S Gel on the wheels, scrub with a Detailed Image E-Z detail brush
Dry off car with large microfiber towel
Bissel Little Green vacuum interior. Without wash solution unless carpet soiled.
303 Aerospace Protectant for the interior, sparingly applied with microfiber cloth
Invisible Glass on the windows
303 Aerospace Protectant for the engine bay, if I feel like it.

A full detail with a Porter Cable is more involved. I don't care to type that out right now. :)