[bpcbrad]

Best thing to wash your car with....hand held wash mitt. DO NOT use a sponge-this will scratch the paint over time.

Best thing to dry the vehicle with....a chamois-best one to use-The Absorber. DO NOT use a towel.

Best thing to clean windowns with....newspaper and GM foam glass cleaner-although any glass cleaner will do. Newspaper does not streak or leave little white dust particles and it's FREE!

Best thing to get bugs off windshield....a piece of steel wool (not brillo pad) in one hand with wash mitt in the other. The steel wool cuts the glass down making it smoother without scratching the glass.

All these methods are safe and used in dealerships and detail shops. Happy cleaning!

 

[Interfire]

Waffle weave to dry the car with, and use microfibers. But everyone will have their preference. And use the 2 bucket method when you wash.

 

[WildMan]

I picked up an Absorber after reading another thread here and I love it!
What is the 2 bucket method?

 

[Interfire]

1 bucket with soap and water, and 1 to rinse it out before soaping again. Helps minimize debris as you wash so you don't scratch the paint.

 

[bristol16]

i use a bucket of water and a sponge. works great and saves time

 

[Blackrider]

I've been using the Simonize version of the "Absorber" and I’m not overly happy with it, it’s hard to handle and it seams to be leaving small scratches. I can get them out with a polish and wax but they shouldn’t be there in the first place. I think I’ll switch over to the Absorber.

I spend about 6 bucks per car wash at the coin op, I give the car a full spray down, then take out the mitt and start wiping the car down, rinsing out the mitt every 15 seconds or so. Once the cars whipped down completely I take a rag to the plastic trim at the bottom and give that a good scrub down getting any crap off it. After that I take another rag and do the rims, then rinse the entire car. Work great.

 

[WildMan]

2 bucket method

Cool. Thanks for the info.

 

[Interfire]

Little late, but no problem

 

[coupe]

Best thing to wash your car with....hand held wash mitt. DO NOT use a sponge-this will scratch the paint over time.

I agree to not use a sponge but a mitt isnt the only answer for safe cleaning.

Best thing to dry the vehicle with....a chamois-best one to use-The Absorber. DO NOT use a towel.

I agree not to use a bath towel but the absorber said to be the best is subjective.

Best thing to clean windowns with....newspaper and GM foam glass cleaner-although any glass cleaner will do. Newspaper does not streak or leave little white dust particles and it's FREE!.

This is also subjective and its in *your* opninion.

Best thing to get bugs off windshield....a piece of steel wool (not brillo pad) in one hand with wash mitt in the other. The steel wool cuts the glass down making it smoother without scratching the glass.

This is also subjective, this is what works for *you*.
You cant cut down glass with steel wool unless you are using a very abbrasive steel wool. If you do this you will induce scratches that you wont be able to remove.

All these methods are safe and used in dealerships and detail shops. Happy cleaning!

I wouldnt follow anything that a *pro-detailer* or *dealership* uses or does. Most of my work is fixing their hack jobs, its very frustrating.

 

[palema]

I picked up an Absorber after reading another thread here and I love it!
What is the 2 bucket method?

 

[w3ap0n-x]

I wouldnt follow anything that a *pro-detailer* or *dealership* uses or does. Most of my work is fixing their hack jobs, its very frustrating.

I used to love the jobs that came in that had frequented the swirl-o-matic car washes and dealership jobs. I could hear the register "ching"ing in my head.

 

[markpetersonii]

Best thing to wash your car with....hand held wash mitt. DO NOT use a sponge-this will scratch the paint over time.

Best thing to dry the vehicle with....a chamois-best one to use-The Absorber. DO NOT use a towel.

Best thing to clean windowns with....newspaper and GM foam glass cleaner-although any glass cleaner will do. Newspaper does not streak or leave little white dust particles and it's FREE!

Best thing to get bugs off windshield....a piece of steel wool (not brillo pad) in one hand with wash mitt in the other. The steel wool cuts the glass down making it smoother without scratching the glass.

All these methods are safe and used in dealerships and detail shops. Happy cleaning!

I was wondering if the steel wool idea would be a good idea for the whole windshield if you have little scratches on it. Would it help get rid of the little scratches?

 

[w3ap0n-x]

I was wondering if the steel wool idea would be a good idea for the whole windshield if you have little scratches on it. Would it help get rid of the little scratches?

No. If you scrub hard enough, though, it will create a bunch more. For a windshield the best bug remover is a sponge with netting over it (don't use it on your finish) or one of the new bug sponges from (can't remember manufacturer's name but I got it off autogeek). Stoners makes a pretty good bug/tar remover but you have to let it sit and work for awhile.

 

[TheGuyz]

Wow just got and tried and ABSORBER after reading this thread. Best investment and best results by far.


Any interior cleaning tips?

 

[w3ap0n-x]

Clean as much as you can while the surface is DRY. Smack the carpet with your hand or a rubber mallet to dislodge small particles and dust within the fibers. Whatever dirt particles you do NOT remove dry will be turned into mud and mooshed down into the pile.

Your vinyl and plastic surfaces can be cleaned with a towel dampened with warm water and a light solution of Ivory liquid soap.

If you do have to use liquid on your carpet do not saturate the carpet (slightly damp only) and dry the carpet as quickly as possible. The longer it takes to dry the more dirt from deep within the pile will wick to the surface and make the carpet look dirty again...probably more dirty than what it did before you saturated it.

For painted interior parts the same rules as exterior panels apply.

 

[w3ap0n-x]

Best thing to wash your car with....hand held wash mitt. DO NOT use a sponge-this will scratch the paint over time.

Best thing to dry the vehicle with....a chamois-best one to use-The Absorber. DO NOT use a towel.

Best thing to clean windowns with....newspaper and GM foam glass cleaner-although any glass cleaner will do. Newspaper does not streak or leave little white dust particles and it's FREE!

Best thing to get bugs off windshield....a piece of steel wool (not brillo pad) in one hand with wash mitt in the other. The steel wool cuts the glass down making it smoother without scratching the glass.

All these methods are safe and used in dealerships and detail shops. Happy cleaning!

I can't stand it anymore...I don't know what detail shops use some of these tips but I hope to God they never get hold of my car.

A sheepskin wash mitt (the REAL stuff...with actual sheep SKIN inside and hair outside) is my washing instrument of choice. The hair is thick enough that particles will work deep within the hair and not be rubbed against your finish, yet when immersed in water release particles with ease. Don't scrub..ONE swipe with the mitt, flip, then one more swipe. Rinse water and soap water in seperate buckets. I agree...don't use a sponge.

Best thing to dry a car with? Chamois suck. Sorry...but they blow. A towel I have to get wet before it will dry? Use a large microfiber towel. In this day and age, no drying or wiping instrument used on the surface of a properly washed car should be made of anything but quality microfiber. A pack of three to five will cost the same as the skin of a dead deer that turns into the magic carpet of Aladdin after it has dried.

I freaking hate newspaper. Smears that damn newsprint ink all over the place and gets on my hands or gloves and I have to wash or put on new gloves and I have to be careful not to rub it across the finish. Screw newspaper. Use microfiber. God made microfiber soft and paint finish safe yet highly absorbent for a reason...so that we can have nice automobiles.

The words "Car" and "Steel Wool" should never be used in the same sentence...hell, they should never be used in the same CONVERSATION. Don't use steel wool on your car...seriously. If you want to get a sponge with the netting material over it that is fine. Hell...you could even use a chamois if you've got one sitting around. "Cuts" the glass down without scratching it? Is it from Krypton and has superpowers under a yellow sun? "Cutting" glass is "Scratching" glass. Don't use steel wool.

These methods are for shortcutters who don't care if the car looks like shit as long as it doesn't have dirt on it. Steel wool? Lol.

Edit: Why is this stickied? Do we like the idea of a couple hundred G6s driving around with newsprint ink-filled scratches all over their windows?

 

[markpetersonii]

You are awesome! WAY to make everyone feel bad about cleaning their cars wrong! haha!!

 

[Devriesd]

I disagree

Yes it is laughable that anyone would use regular steel wool to clean the glass. however, I would have to disagree as I have some very soft steel wool that DOES NOT make scratches in the glass and is EXCELLENT at removing bugs off the windshield. It was given to me by the guy who repaired my windshield. I'm sorry though I do not know the specific kind. I will try to find out and we can debate this a little further.

Moral of the story is still DON'T USE REGULAR STEEL WOOL!

 

[Daniel]

I agree with weapon x micro-fiber all the way
i have about 30 medium towels and 4 large ones Ive tried other methods deer skin scratches and the worst California car blade years ago one use scratched the hell out of the spot and i threw that crap out. You just cant beat micro fiber

as for the steel wool your probably thinking of 00 steel wool the size just like sand paper at like 2000 grit i wouldn't yous it. IMO although Ive never had problems getting bugs of.

 

[w3ap0n-x]

If you get a gentle hooker do you think there's any less chance of her giving you herpes?

Don't use steel wool on a car. Ever gotten a car and wonder, "What made these little nicks in the windshield?" Years of rock salt or sand from winter...or pebbles from gravel roads.

Over time steel wool (even the gentle hooker kind) will scratch your windshield. If I make someone feel bad but keep them from messing up their car...well, then I don't feel too bad about it.