# What products do I need to start with



## zahiry (Sep 1, 2016)

Hi Everyone, 

I'm new to the detailing world and I was wondering, which products would I need to start of with to start detailing on my BMW F10 (Silver)?

From pre-wash to waxing? Cleaning wheels? Leather interior?

I don't mind going for budget first then splash out a little when I get into it.

Thank you


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## AndyN01 (Feb 16, 2016)

Hi.

Not too long ago I was a :newbie: too.

Suggestions:

Read the forums and the guides including those from the supporting vendors.

Be very specific about how you want to start and get the products for that. Build up slowly. 

Let's say start with washing and decontaminationg paintwork as this is the first thing you'll need to do.

So, you might decide on snow foam, shampoo, clay and iron and tar remover with a nice wash mitt and drying towel.

There's a massive selection and you'll get more suggestions than you can shake a credit card at so be careful otehrwise you'll end up with dozens of products and be completely confused and broke .

So maybe go for:

one snow foam (I like Bilt Hamber or Car Chem),
one shampoo (for me Car Chem or Britemax), 
some clay (I prefer my Car Chem cloth to a clay bar but it's a very personal choice - and no, I'd never heard of it either) 
some tar remover (Car Chem) 
and iron/fallout remover (Bilt Hamber)
drying towel (Britemax Uber towel)

Get a microfibre mitt (I like my Gtechniq one) and a couple of buckets to wash with the "Two bucket method" - aka - TBM).

Take the time to learn how to wash a car properly. It's really easy to add swirls and other "damage" to paintwork with poor washing technique. This will muck up whatever you buy to correct things later on.

Find a good supplier - the supporters on here is a good place to start - have a read of their reviews. 

Pay your money - get itchy fingers waiting for the stuff to arrive and then.....hope it doesn't rain....:lol: and then.......

Give it a go .

Good luck.

Enjoy yourself and ask whenever you feel you'd like a bit of help.

Andy


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

I post this whenever anyone asks this question - read through the PB guide before you spend anything. Enormously helpful guide to all the basic concepts in detailing, explaining the _why_ as well as the what.

Like Andy above I was a n00b not so long ago (and would still hardly call myself experienced, mostly just a lot poorer )

For cleaning wheels, I would look at a general alkaline (but non-caustic) wheel cleaner like Angelwax Bilberry or Auto Glanz Alkalloy, diluted into a spray bottle, coupled with a suitable microfibre wash mitt. You'll also find there's a huge variety of brushes designed to help you clean the insides ("barrels") of the wheels. Different people like different things with these, depending on their wheels, techniques, etc - there's no right or wrong if it gives you the results you're looking for.

Cleaning leather is a bit of a minefield, happily one I've never had to stray into, never having owned a car with leather upholstery! I'd suggest posting in the "Interior" forum regarding what you have in your car to seek specific advice - we have some manufacturers and suppliers of specialist cleaning products on the forum who will be able to advise you.

For me, snow foams are one type of pre-wash, they do (ideally) need a power washer to work well. Personally (although I do have a power washer) I just use a pump sprayer for applying a pre-wash (which happens to be Bilt Hamber Auto Foam at a 4% dilution). There are pros and cons to either approach. A pump sprayer and hosepipe will still give you good results and don't cost much when you're getting going and working out what you want to do.

There are more different waxes out there than most of us have had hot dinners, varying in price from not much to an awful lot. Again, much of the amazing finishes you'll see on here are in the prep so don't get suckered into spending big money on waxes before you've learnt the preparation steps. Also bear in mind that waxes are part of a larger group of products known as LSPs or Last Step Products, which can include sealants, coatings etc, so waxes are not your only option for protecting the paintwork.

On a more general point, you'll see lots of products being discussed on here, and new ones will sometimes get hyped as the "next big thing". Now there really have been some "product breakthroughs" in detailing - arguably microfibre towels and non-acidic fallout removers could be said to be two of them, but to be honest you don't need to spend a fortune to get good results. A lot of it is learning proper technique and being able to do them well and thoroughly. Don't rush - if you're limited for time, do a test patch, do half the car, but rushing is going to lead to an inferior job (and very probably do some damage you'll have to spend time and money putting right later on).

Finally, don't forget to get yourself some protective gloves. Most of the chemicals you'll come across are hardly death on a stick, but none of them are things you'd want to leave on your skin for any length of time (if at all). The thicker, heavier duty nitrile gloves seem to be best.

All that aside, welcome to the forum :wave:, ask lots of questions, they're a friendly bunch hereabouts :thumb:


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## Kam09 (Apr 11, 2014)

Yep read the above comments, I was in the same position few months ago but I just did some hard research for hours on end! Luckily I had enough time to make a list and splash out at the recent waxstock show, saved quite a bit of money!
I'm still building my arsenal but not going overboard on things like waxes..
I've made purchases on the back of reviews on here e.g autoglanz, Bilt hamber, gtechniq, britemax and finish kare..


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## pjm1 (Aug 15, 2016)

Re: cleaning leather, I've used two very very different techniques for two different situations.

1) my new car. Leather is in good nick (it's 3 yo and "new" to me only) so I just use Dr Leather wipes. Remember that auto leather is effectively sealed/treated so there really is a limit to what it will absorb and leech easily. I find Dr L works pretty well to keep it looking and feeling nice.

2) my wife's car - used for the transport of two young children who seem to spend most of their time eating sticky foods and drinking juice-based drinks whilst in the car. At least as far as my cleaning has detected! For this "monster" job I mixed up 50:50 of distilled vinegar and oil. The latter was just whatever I had to hand (either sunflower or rapeseed probably) - put in a jam jar and shake. Use a medium brush and scrub liberally. Worked a treat at getting some horrific dried-on crud and stains out of the black leather.

Needless to say the kids are banned from stickiness when travelling in my very light-coloured leather interior!


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## zahiry (Sep 1, 2016)

pjm1 said:


> Re: cleaning leather, I've used two very very different techniques for two different situations.
> 
> 1) my new car. Leather is in good nick (it's 3 yo and "new" to me only) so I just use Dr Leather wipes. Remember that auto leather is effectively sealed/treated so there really is a limit to what it will absorb and leech easily. I find Dr L works pretty well to keep it looking and feeling nice.
> 
> ...


Thanks pal.

Will be looking into cleaning the seats when I think they need some TLC. They seem to be in good nick (front seats).


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## zahiry (Sep 1, 2016)

AndyN01 said:


> Hi.
> 
> Not too long ago I was a :newbie: too.
> 
> ...


Thanks Andy. I'll look into the products above before I make my first purchases.


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## zahiry (Sep 1, 2016)

I've already purchased some chamois leather cloths. Would they still be good to use to or would you recommend me buying a drying towel?


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## zahiry (Sep 1, 2016)

Also any recommendations on lances for a nilfisk pressure washer? I don't want to be spending more than £25 if possible.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

zahiry said:


> I've already purchased some chamois leather cloths. Would they still be good to use to or would you recommend me buying a drying towel?


Bin those and buy good quality drying towels. There are lots of great drying towels around. One will dry a full car without being wrung out.



zahiry said:


> Also any recommendations on lances for a nilfisk pressure washer? I don't want to be spending more than £25 if possible.


User, Steve from Wath, sells snow foam lances for around £20. I bought one from him around 3 years ago and not had any problems.


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## zahiry (Sep 1, 2016)

Blueberry said:


> Bin those and buy good quality drying towels. There are lots of great drying towels around. One will dry a full car without being wrung out.
> 
> User, Steve from Wath, sells snow foam lances for around £20. I bought one from him around 3 years ago and not had any problems.


Thanks pal. I'll look into a drying towel. Any recommendations on where to buy from /brand?

I'll get in contact with Steve. Do you know his handle by any chance?


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

zahiry said:


> Also any recommendations on lances for a nilfisk pressure washer? I don't want to be spending more than £25 if possible.


http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=383491


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## Jue (Aug 1, 2016)

Well I am very, very new to all this (not as a business) but bought a Autoglym drying towel & a load of microfiber clothes + a load of Autoglym products from Halfords in the 3 for 2 offer they had running. Never thought that using microfiber clothes could make such a diffrens to a job. Still looking through all the great info on this site.


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## zahiry (Sep 1, 2016)

steelghost said:


> http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=383491


Looks a really good review. I need a lance anyway so I'll give that ago than anything from Ebay for the same price.

Has anyone tried the snow foam for themselves?


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## zahiry (Sep 1, 2016)

I've bought the lance mentioned in the above link, can't wait to get it.

As regards towels and mitts, I'll be saving up to buy some good ones (Auto Brite Towel), for the time being I've got a simonz washing mitt (http://www.tesco.com/direct/simoniz-microfibre-wash-mitt/486-4910.prd?source=others) and the chamois cloths I have for drying. I've also got some microfibres cloths to clean the wheels.

What do you reckon for starting off with?


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

I'd say your wash mitt is the one thing to spend some money on. Every time you wash the car you have the risk of marring and swirls, so a good wash mitt can make a big difference to the long term condition of the paint. I can recommend the Microfibre Madness Pad or mitt, others prefer the deep pile merino sheep wool pads. Either will be safer for your paint that the Simoniz one - I'd keep that for your wheels :thumb:


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## zahiry (Sep 1, 2016)

So far I have bought the following:

Snow foam and lance
Microfiber wash mitt
Shampoo
Towel
Wheel cleaner

All have been purchased from Monstershine (Thanks Steven)

Not sure if I needed a wheel cleaner, on second thoughts I would have gone with a fallout remover which could've been used on the tyres.


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