4. Wax - Now that your paint is clean, healthy and beautifully deep, it's time to protect it and all the work you've put into it. Wax may add a little depth or shine, but its main purpose is to armor your paint from its surroundings. A good wax will protect against UV degradation and other environmental hazards (remember the tar and bird bombs?). A good wax will be easier to remove the longer it stays on the car. This is because it's bonding to the paint and the carrier is evaporating. I've personally waxed a car, gone out to dinner and a movie (in a different car
) and then removed the wax. I recommend waxing by hand with a foam applicator pad, as it's both easier and faster than using a buffer. Wax removal should be done in these three steps: 1) Breaking the Surface - Use a terry or microfiber towel and go over the entire car. The goal isn't to remove very much wax, but to break the surface so that the wax is ready for step two. 2) Bulk Removal - Just what it sounds like, the removal of all visible wax. This step will take the most towels and the most time. 3) Final Polish - This step is best accomplished with a microfiber or flannel towel. Go over the entire car one last time and buff to a shine!
Some words on wax: Once upon a time, liquid waxes were crap marketed to the lazy consumer. Today though, they can be just as good as their paste counterparts. However, remember that liquid wax has extra stuff in it to make it liquid, so 16oz of liquid isn't as much wax as 16oz of paste, though it's likely the same price. Paste will also not splatter while using the buffer (if you choose to do this). Try to wax 4 times a year. A non-buildup wax like Blitz can be layered to create stronger protection, which I recommend just before winter weather sets in.
5. Maintenance - This step is everything you do for your paint between detailings. It mostly includes getting the really nasty stuff off your finish ASAP. This means carrying a bottle of Meguiar's Quik Detailer or One Grand Show-Off spray in your trunk with a couple of terry or microfiber towels. If you walk out to your car and there's a huge bird bomb on it, take the time to get it off right now. If you drive home through some road construction and get tar behind the tires, take it off at your next stop. I know this seems anal, and it is. Just keep in mind that bird droppings and certain other environmental hazards contain acid, which will etch your paint in a hurry. The longer they stay on your paint, the deeper and more permanent the blemish will become. Be especially careful removing bird debris, as it will usually contain gravel. Saturate, blot, then wipe carefully. A note: When Quik Detailer becomes difficult to wipe off, the car needs wax. If you use cleaners or polishes on spot jobs, don't forget to re-wax those areas too!
6. Details - This section is about all the other stuff necessary to make your car beautiful. It's choppy and in no particular order, but it's here.
Windows - I like Eagle 20/20. It's alcohol-based, not ammonia-based, so it doesn't smell as strong, but it still cleans really well. I'm currently using Eimann-Fabrik Clear Vision, which I like better, but it's more expensive and only available online. Either way, use a microfiber towel to do the windows. The advantages of microfiber for windows cannot be overstated. If your windshield is badly spotted or won't clean with glass cleaner, try your clay bar on it. I like to wash the windows while the wax is curing. This way, no overspray will bugger up your detailing work.
Plastic & Vinyl - For the interior: Vinylex, 303 Aerospace or Harly Poly-Guard. These are cleaners as well as protectants, so don't be afraid to use them as such. I wouldn't use my regular detailing pad for cleaning though, get a terry towel. If you can't find these, (they're difficult to find retail, but easy online) Meguiar's #40 Vinyl and Rubber is pretty good. For the outside of the car, I use and highly recommend, One Grand ERV. I use a terry pad to apply ERV to all exterior plastic and vinyl.
Tires - I used to use Meguiar's Endurance Tire Gel, but they changed their formula and added silicone, so I had to switch. Silicone is the ingredient that makes Armor-All so greasy and attract dirt and dust. Armor-All also contains a bleach byproduct, so it will actually make plastic gray faster than with no protectant at all. So I've switched and now use One Grand ERV on the tires as well. Of course I have a separate applicator just for this, an EagleOne tire swipe from Wal-Mart, cut in half for my low-profile sidewalls.
Wheels - There are three main wheel finishes out there: Clear-coat, Polished and Chrome. The chrome and polished wheels need to be polished with chrome or metal polish respectively. Most of us though have clear-coated wheels. This means that the aluminum has been painted and therefore can be cared for just like the body of the car. Wash your wheels every time you wash the car. Wax them every time you wax the car. It's that simple. If you think it's silly to wax wheels, remember this: They'll be easier to keep clean and they'll be protected. Brake dust is extremely corrosive, especially to aluminum (ironic huh?) so wax those puppies!
Chrome and other Metal - First, ensure that it's not coated. Then use Eagle One Nevr-Dull or Mother's All Metal Polish.
Leather - Leather is easy to care for if you remember it needs two simple things: Cleaning and Moisture. Your leather's biggest enemy is you. The leather absorbs sweat and when it dries it leaves the salt behind. As the salt sits in the pores, it acts as both a desiccant and an abrasive, simultaneously drying and eroding your leather. Other dirt and grime will also attack leather along the way. All of this nastiness can be cleaned with one wonderful product: Lexol Leather Cleaner. Normally, I use a terry pad for both the cleaning and conditioning of leather, but a 100% horsehair brush, normally used for buffing leather shoes, can be used with Lexol for more stubborn stains. After cleaning, condition the leather with Lexol Leather Conditioner to replace the natural emollients removed by cleaning and time. You should clean your leather about twice a year, more often if you sweat a lot or are otherwise harder-than-average on your leather. Condition quarterly and/or after every cleaning. Don't forget the other leather bits like armrests, door panels, shift knob and steering wheel. I personally clean and condition my wheel and shift knob more often than the rest of my leather since my grubby paws are on them every day, while I'm usually driving in jeans or a flight suit. Leather will stay supple and beautiful for decades if cared for properly, but will fade and crack before the note's paid off if it's not.
Fabric - This includes seats, headliners, and any other cloth covered surfaces in the car; one word: Scotch-Guard. OK, maybe that's technically two words, but it's the only way to truly protect your seats and other cloth items from staining. Once they get dirty, try to clean them more sooner than later, as stains tend to set with time, and will sometimes reappear if left untreated. Any good household fabric cleaner will do. A little steam cleaner is also great for interior detailing.
Carpets - Again, Scotch-Guard. Buy the blue can specifically for rugs and carpets. For cleaning, Meguiar's makes a good carpet cleaner, but any good household product will do. Once a year, take advantage of a sunny day by washing your carpets with the hose and scrub brush and laying them out on the driveway to dry. Many stubborn stains can only be removed this way. Be sure ALL the soap is rinsed out, or it will harm the carpet, reduce its pile and make carpet dandruff when it dries. You can also use a steam cleaner if you own or want to rent one. I highly recommend a set of winter mats. These are the rubber floor mats that most auto-makers are offering these days. After-market ones are available, but the OEM ones seem to fit better and usually have a nice logo and pattern to make them look less out of place. They tend to run about $50 for a front set, or $90 for four. They are worth their weight in gold, especially if you live anywhere that's wet, muddy, or snowy
Instrument Cluster - If you're like me, you hate scratches and dust on the plastic covering your instruments. Prevent them by dusting often and dusting carefully. I learned the hard way not to vacuum this piece, as the nylon bristles on the brush attachment will scratch badly. Instead, keep a microfiber cloth in the glove box. Use it to keep the dash and consoles dust free. It also works wonders at cleaning the haze off the inside of the front windshield. It's even awesome at cleaning eyeglasses. As for cleaning and polishing the instrument plastic, Plexus is THE stuff to use. On the instrument panel, be extra careful not to crack or cave it in. Plexus will also polish wood to a better-than-new finish. I've found that Plexus works best if it's allowed to dry and then buffed out, vice buffing right away.
Miscellany - For removing sticky stuff like old stickers, air-bag sticker residue from sun visors, and adhesive from debadgings, use Goo-Gone (yes this is a real product); WD-40 works well too, but it makes a bigger mess and it's petroleum based. Buy your detailing towels in bulk; I recommend yosteve.com or microfibertech.com for all your detailing towel needs. If you want to go old school and use terry towels, be sure they're all cotton, as polyester will scratch. Test the edge finishing for poly threads by holding a lighter to them. If they char, they're cotton; polyester will curl and melt. Don't forget to completely remove any tags!!