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How do you wash your Cali?

MichaelB

MichaelB

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299
Vehicle
T6 Cali On Order
Up till now I have not really paid that much attention to washing my cars. Jet wash, bucket of shampo and dry is my routine. Some how this does not seem seem like enough love for my new pride and joy. So does anyone have any advice?

Foam seems to be a common approach but I don't really follow how this would fit in with a full wash routine.
 
This will become a good thread as I know there are many OCD sufferers when it comes to washing their Cali's.

I personally do it myself. If my Girlfriend does it we end in a argument as I go over what she has done as its not to my standard:-
Hard graft of hose (20days left til the ban) , bucket and good quality shampoo.
Only use Auto Glym products as don't trust anything else.
Never use the same sponge on wheels and body work.
Clean chamois.

Never used the clay stuff but was looking at it during a recent Halfords visit!
 
last wash in and out was about 6 hours.

Autoglym products here too.

Really like the Extra Gloss Protection stuff.

But all in choose the day, watch for swirls and use lots of clean sponges, and various polishing cloths depending on what you are doing.
 
Rinse.

Snow foam using a pressure washer (Nilfisk E140)
Blast foam and any excess dirt off.
Hand clean with a wash mitt (Meguiars) and using a bucket with a grit guard. I use Turtle Wax nano shampoo.
Use "open hose" method to rinse.
Dry with two MF cloths.

Once in a while:

Clay (Bilt Hamber)
Polish and Seal (Zaino Z5 Pro)
Seal wheels (Planet Polish Wheel seal and shine)
Tyre spray (to keep supple NOT to make them shiny!)
Windows - AG glass polish
Vacuum inside
Polish plastics (damp MF cloth)
Wet cloth the floor

And if/when the wheels get ground in dirt:
Bilbery wheel cleaner and a Megs wheel brush (just used this on the BMW)

I like and use a lot of AG products but they are not rated the best for every application - in fact to real die hard detailers, they are rather frowned upon as being too mainstream (!!).
 
Sorry to sound thick but what's OCD :?:
 
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) . Symptoms of the disorder include excessive washing or cleaning :rofl
 
Oh thanks Chris I definatly don't suffer from that you ask my kids :rofl :rofl
 
Iain&Shani said:
Bucket of hot soapy water, brush, then hose down and wipe dry with an old tea towel.

Has that made anyone twitch?

shock.jpg
 
Chris said:
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) . Symptoms of the disorder include excessive washing or cleaning :rofl


But for some it will be CDO, so that the letters are arranged alphabetically just like they should be :mrgreen:
 
My car wash technique is the two bucket method and lambs wool mitt!

Rinse car first, one bucket has your car wash in, the other is a bucket of clean water. Dip the wash mitt in the soap bucket,wash a panel or section of car then rinse the mitt in the bucket of clean water. Then back to the soap bucket and repeat. The clean water bucket rinses the grit and crap off the mitt and ensures you are washing the vehicle with clean soapy water.

Rinse off once finished then dry with a microfiber towel or two.

Claying the car is a very lengthy process (for a vehicle of the Cali size) and must be followed by applying a good quality wax to protect the paintwork. The easiest way to tell if paintwork needs to be clayed; when the paint work is clean, run your finger over the paintwork, it should feel like glass with a smooth clean feel. If it feels a bit rough or gritty (even though it looks clean) then Claying will be of benefit.

There are various grades of clay depending on how bad the paintwork is, the stuff you buy from halfords (mcguires quick clay) is good stuff and fairly mild. If you do use it, makes sure you keep the clay/panel being cleaned wet with the supplied spray and keep turning the clay to ensure you always use a clean side. As you clay the car you'll see the dirt coming off on the clay.

Once it's been clayed and waxed any water droplets should roll off the paintwork, it will look great and it's surprising how 'dirty' paintwork can actually be with microscopic dirt and contaminants.

I buy my car cleaning products from http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk they have a very good website including lots of 'how to' tutorials.

For those of you with OCD you can waste loads of time looking through their tips, products etc. I have also found them excellent in providing advise for specific products for specific colours or finishes of paintwork; give them a call or email them and they are usually happy to help. For example, our metallic grey mini has a 'wet' look once polished that brings out the metallic fleck in the paintwork. This is achieved by applying a gloss polish before applying wax. Only needs doing about once or twice a year, but looks amazing after its been done. The guys at polished bliss can advise various types of 'finish' to suit your Cali colour!

All the products I have purchased from them have been easy to apply and easy to remove/polish off, no issues with polish drying and leaving nasty white powdery residue. Some of the products are not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

I have no link or affiliation with his company other than to have used their advice and purchased their products both of which I have found to be excellent, so I am more than happy to recommend them.

PS - "303 Aerospace Protectant" is amazing stuff for cleaning protecting and making any plastic trims inside and out sparkle like new!
 
And there was me thinking you were all crazy and life was too short!

My cars get cleaned when they have their garage service, or if really mucky through a local car wash.


I picked up my new Cali and its on the drive way, :barmy it is gleaming. I think it may be the first thing I get OCD over!
I have not let the children or wife in the van yet until the seat covers are on.
 
Well ours is now dirty after a run to Norfolk and I'm not sure how I'm going to clean it with no hose!
 
johntowers46 said:
I'm with ian&shani, 45 minutes tops and it looks good
Just did my usual wash as above in under 45 mins. I just have to be organised and multi task a bit! Nice and shiney now. It got foul earlier!
 
Wilkinsons polish now on offer at 99p applied with a pair of my old underpants

0198910_l.jpg


Plus

yfronts.jpg


Perfect !
 
My god are you serious. If you put on that polish with those pants. What the hell do you use to buff it.
Please use proper cloths it will save your paintwork. :thumb
 
Calikev said:
My god are you serious. If you put on that polish with those pants. What the hell do you use to buff it.
Please use proper cloths it will save your paintwork. :thumb
Nobbys other posts suggest a distinct lack of anything I'd call "serious" ;-)
 
You're supposed to leave skid marks with the van - not on it...
 
The normal run of business for me, rather than pants, is a lambs wool mitt (not a sponge), two buckets, one to wash, one to rinse, a hose, some good car shampoo, some microfibre cloths to dry it and about 3 hours!

My wife's Mini takes rather less time!

However, the Cali this year has just had a spring clean through Steve's Cleenz based in Tamworth, a full 'detail' and it looks absolutely brilliant. Feels like a new van, ready to get grubby again on our trip to the South of France shortly.........
 
i do it the same as KernowLad.2 buckets etc .having a black van does not help .i just get off on cleaning my vws .just had 4 new tyres fitted .why the wheels were off i spent 15mins under each wheel arc cleaning things up . :D .i get my stuff from here .http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/ this is for ocd guys http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/index.php
i use mags .last touch detailer its clear wipe on wipe off .last 6weeks .but i clean my van every week .http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/detailing-sprays/meguiars-last-touch/prod_225.htmlnot got to the point were i use water fillter yet .but would like one . :shocked
 
My motor is so clean it has gone from blue to silver.

Never any dirt left after I hav used bleach and Brillo pads :eek:
 
Don't know that I'm too particular about cleaning the paintwork outside to the very high standards that some people here seem to require. But I would like to wipe down the plastic interior (dashboard etc) without leaving it looking streaky. What to use? I think someone mentioned a damp MF (microfibre?) cloth? Or is there any cleaning agent that would suit?

Also, the inside of the windows are a bit smeary - Windolene? Or is there a special car/camper interior window cleaning solution?

Your advice would be welcome, Cali perfectionists!
 
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