How do I properly wash/polish/wax my car?

[megamx 10+ year member]

Hey guys,

What are the proper ways to do a detailing of your car's exterior? I'm looking for something simpler, rather than a machine example. Preferably the liquid waxes and polishes that Turtle Wax and Meguilers have but I have no idea what the proper steps are.

Thanks

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[Da Undawata Guy 10+ year member]

This is the method I normally do my detailing. Wrote this a while back:

My method is first I do a full rinse, lather, brush/wash, rinse, spot free rinse. Then I chamois the vehicles dry. Then I bust out the clay bar and the Mother's Showtime (quick detail; liqui-wax) and do one area/section at a time >. You spray the Showtime on the paint, and follow it up with the clay bar. Then when I'm done with that entire panel, you spray a few squirts of the Showtime onto a microfiber, and remove all the trailing residue from the clay bar application. This is going to leave a high gloss finish already; however you're not done. At this point, car is ready for Carnauba. I do the same process with that as I do the clay - one area/panel/section at a time - otherwise you're liable to get the wax to dry to long, and thus be much more difficult for removal. Let the wax dry to a light haze, then remove with a microfiber. Once all wax is removed I tend to reuse the lightly sprayed microfiber (from removal of clay residue) to rewipe the entire vehicle in an effort to remove any wax dust.

Then if there is overspray you can go ahead and scrape it off with a brush or some other item.

Hope this helps!

 

[fbi90909 5,000+ posts]

clay bar then wax.

 

[bigbangtheory 5,000+ posts]

There was a nice write up on here sometime ago. Try and go to the search button and type in how to wax your car or something like that.

Not trying to be a dick, but I just don't feel like wasting a long write up as I think my cars come out pretty good.

Ok, I will give a simple idea.

I wash my car with Meguairs soap, rinse it off, then wipe down with a shammy. Then take the duster to it real quick just in case. Then I do one section at a time and apply a thin coat over it and let it set for a few minutes. Don't get too far ahead of yourself. Then I either hand buff it if I feel like it or take my orbital buffer and go to town. I used a nice diaper towl to take off the wax when hand buffing it. I still feel that is the best, but I usually use my orbital buffer, cause it takes half the time off. Then when down, go over with the duster once more and viola. Not really hard. Some people will do more than one coat or polish first, then use a wax. Me, I usually just do a couple coats of wax, usually just one. If it is the first time for the spring, I would do it a couple coats.

I am sure others could chime in. I would still search as there was a really nice write up on it. Much better than I could ever explain.

Ok my hands hurt. And I said I wouldn't explain it, lol!