# steps to detailing a car



## Rich0811

Just to get an idea on what steps people take while cleaning there car which will help me and i'm sure others to get an idea themselves what the best way to go about cleaning car is.

i.e pre wash, wash, clay, wash, polish, wax, dry.... etc

Thanks

Rich


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## Avanti

There is no one method set in stone and no proven best method.
It's prolly more prudent to adopt a method you find most suitable to suit the condition and need.


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## Typhoon

Sort of this but varies on car, condition, time and weather....

Before Pics
Power Wash
Snow Foam
Wheel Clean
APC Engine Bay, Arches and Sills etc
Wash (2 bucket)
Clay
Jet Wheel Arches and Sills
Wash Bay
Clean gutters, shuts etc
Wash again
Dry
Optional Paint Correction, IPA wipe and wash and dry again....
Vacuum
Shampoo Carpet and Boot
Leather Clean & Creme
Clean Dash, Interior Plastic & Interior Glass
Paint Cleaner (rotary)
Black Hole or similar treatment if required.
Wax (read seleant depending of which car)
Shine (rotary)
More Wax (wait)
Treat Exterior Plastic (especially my dumb Audi grill), chrome trim and Metal Parts 
Treat Arches
Treat Wheels (wait)
Treat Tyres
Shine Wheels
Treat Engine Bay
Treat all door n boot seals
Shine (rotary)
IPA crevices and over wax
Exterior Glass
More Shine (hand)
Quick after pics

Wait for it to rain.....
Take beer or drugs for back pain...:lol:


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## Jordan

often, i fill my bucket up with some fairy liquid,
wash it with a sponge, then throw the rest over when im finished, then give it a rinse with the hose, then polish it with a rag and some mer, 

does the job


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## Typhoon

What he said +1


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## sootysteve

jason2800 said:


> often, i fill my bucket up with some fairy liquid,
> wash it with a sponge, then throw the rest over when im finished, then give it a rinse with the hose, then polish it with a rag and some mer,
> 
> does the job


u may also find a soft broom is good for the roof, gets the hard to reach areas.


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## fozzy

Typhoon said:


> Sort of this but varies on car, condition, time and weather....
> 
> Before Pics
> Power Wash
> Snow Foam
> Wheel Clean
> APC Engine Bay, Arches and Sills etc
> Wash (2 bucket)
> Clay
> Jet Wheel Arches and Sills
> Wash Bay
> Clean gutters, shuts etc
> Wash again
> Dry
> Optional Paint Correction, IPA wipe and wash and dry again....
> Vacuum
> Shampoo Carpet and Boot
> Leather Clean & Creme
> Clean Dash, Interior Plastic & Interior Glass
> Paint Cleaner (rotary)
> Black Hole or similar treatment if required.
> Wax (read seleant depending of which car)
> Shine (rotary)
> More Wax (wait)
> Treat Exterior Plastic (especially my dumb Audi grill), chrome trim and Metal Parts
> Treat Arches
> Treat Wheels (wait)
> Treat Tyres
> Shine Wheels
> Treat Engine Bay
> Treat all door n boot seals
> Shine (rotary)
> IPA crevices and over wax
> Exterior Glass
> More Shine (hand)
> Quick after pics
> 
> Wait for it to rain.....
> Take beer or drugs for back pain...:lol:


It's not until you read a list like this that you realise why the weekends go so fast and there's no time for anything else. :buffer::buffer:


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## Mick

sootysteve said:


> u may also find a soft broom is good for the roof, gets the hard to reach areas.


and dont forgot, most importantly, a big rubber blade to get it properly dry :lol:


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## karl_liverpool

if im doing a full works it ends up about 35-40 stages. and around 4 hours just on the washing stage


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## wrxmania

mick1985 said:


> and dont forgot, most importantly, a big rubber blade to get it properly dry :lol:


Forget the blade - a dishtowel from under the sink will do or just wipe the water off with your sleeve and let the rest dry off in the sun ;-)

(let's hope nobody takes some of these "tips" seriously!)

Brian.


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## David.S

what about the local scouts at tesco


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## GR33N

I prefer a local Polish hand car wash personally, they seem to get a beautiful stain finish on the paintwork lol


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## Dubjunkie

brilo pad on the wheels!!!!


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## Gleammachine

Typhoon said:


> Sort of this but varies on car, condition, time and weather....
> 
> Before Pics
> Power Wash
> Snow Foam
> Wheel Clean
> APC Engine Bay, Arches and Sills etc
> Wash (2 bucket)
> Clay
> Jet Wheel Arches and Sills
> Wash Bay
> Clean gutters, shuts etc
> Wash again
> Dry
> Optional Paint Correction, IPA wipe and wash and dry again....
> Vacuum
> Shampoo Carpet and Boot
> Leather Clean & Creme
> Clean Dash, Interior Plastic & Interior Glass
> Paint Cleaner (rotary)
> Black Hole or similar treatment if required.
> Wax (read seleant depending of which car)
> Shine (rotary)
> More Wax (wait)
> Treat Exterior Plastic (especially my dumb Audi grill), chrome trim and Metal Parts
> Treat Arches
> Treat Wheels (wait)
> Treat Tyres
> Shine Wheels
> Treat Engine Bay
> Treat all door n boot seals
> Shine (rotary)
> IPA crevices and over wax
> Exterior Glass
> More Shine (hand)
> Quick after pics
> 
> Wait for it to rain.....
> Take beer or drugs for back pain...:lol:


If this method works for you then great, but seems a lot of over-use of the rotary. Why would you "shine" using the rotary?


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## ianrobbo1

Gleammachine said:


> If this method works for you then great, but seems a lot of over-use of the rotary. Why would you "shine" using the rotary?


because by the time he's done all the rest he's probably knackered like I would be !!!:lol:


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## Gleammachine

Basic protection step by step guide- http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=124145


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## Typhoon

Gleammachine said:


> If this method works for you then great, but seems a lot of over-use of the rotary. Why would you "shine" using the rotary?


Really 'cause it works for me..Red Hex Logic gives a great 'shine':buffer:

Any yes ianrobbo1 is also correct 2 missing discs in my spine makes it a no brainer....


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## c6152

wow thats alot...post 7


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## -Kev-

Typhoon said:


> Really 'cause it works for me..Red Hex Logic gives a great 'shine':buffer:
> 
> Any yes ianrobbo1 is also correct 2 missing discs in my spine makes it a no brainer....


it won't be the pad that gives the shine, whatever polish is used will do that


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## The Cueball

Rich0811 said:


> Just to get an idea on what steps people take while cleaning there car which will help me and i'm sure others to get an idea themselves what the best way to go about cleaning car is.
> 
> i.e pre wash, wash, clay, wash, polish, wax, dry.... etc
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Rich


There are thousands of post in here within the Studio and Showroom section where people have taken lots of time, care and attention to display how they detail a car, and how good the results can be.....

What is wrong with looking through them????


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## Tavli

Dubjunkie said:


> brilo pad on the wheels!!!!


That's no joke, i actually know of someone whose daughter went out to wash his car for him with one of those sponges with the green scourer, ALL OVER IT, yeah the entire car was covered in scratch marks. OUCH!!! and the best bit........The car was BRAND NEW!!!!!!!! 

:detailer:


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## chillihound

I avoid the supermarket car park washers like the plague, I think they must wash with a bucket of pure dirt, rinse with liquid dirt then polish with mud.


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## Typhoon

Just watched our local eastern european hand car wash crew cleaning their wooly wash mitts....

1) Place on ground (ahhhhh nooooo)
2) Jet Wash the mitts around the ground (kidding ?????)
3) Shake and start work on a ...... 59 plate Porsche

Guess they gererate work for people on this Forum......


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