Starter cleaning kit

Travis Green · 2 Feb 2006

Any recommendations on which products and brand to buy for essential cleaning & maintenance? I am guessing something for the soft top, something for the leather inside the car, something to wash the outer body, and something for the wheels. I have nothing to my name in the cleaning department, would ideally like a kit with all in, but don;t know which brand and also don't want more than the essentials.

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supersport · 2 Feb 2006

Pin your ears back and prepare for the torrent.....

For my part, go with Swissol!

S

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PolarExpress · 2 Feb 2006

For the softtop, I can recommend AutoGlyms Cabriolet Cleaning kit (£20 from Halfrauds). It's very good and does what it says on the tin. Easy to use and apply. Makes it look like new. Beads water for ages.

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Seagull · 2 Feb 2006

Don't know about the soft top cleaning - try motorgeeks.com (or is it .co.uk) but for that sexy body, carress her only with the product made from the tear ducts of angels.

The Z stuff.

Commission please, Phil

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Elite Detailing · 3 Feb 2006

Hi and Welcome

How hardcore do you want to go mate? If your like me then may God help you!

Heres my advice, my advice is tried and tested advice. If you have bucket loads of cash, get the Vintage Zymol. If not, then forget Zymol. I dont want you to think that you need to go out and buy vintage now to achieve good results as you dont.

Its all to do with the prep mate.

If you want to spend a couple of hundred then get the Swissol "best of show" wax along with the cleaning fluid. For shampoo, Meg gold class is more than good enough. Drying? Poorboys waffle weave. For leather? Get Gliptones liquid Leather and conditioner. For the roof? Forget Autoglym-get 303 aerospace. Tyres? get Megs endurance gel give a nice lasting not too shiney look.

With these products you will find it not difficult to apply and the car will look stunning.

If you want to spend less further, substitute the Swissol for P21S. If you love waxing and do it regularly then swap the P21S with Soveran. It doesnt last as long but is a better finish-very nearly as good as the swiss.

You will prob get a load of people tmrw saying get zymol this zymol that, but let me tell you, the P21S will match half the Zymol range and its not as good as the "best of show"

My suggestions are bearing in mind your paint doesnt need any correction.

Also all my suggestions are tried and tested.(Ive tried Zymol,Ive tried Swissol and a whole heap of other stuff)

goodluck

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Travis Green · 3 Feb 2006

Thanks guys. Evidently quite a contentious topic this! And quite involved. I'm new to car cleaning and don't really know what is involved but it seems to be a lot more than I originally expected! I don't really have the time or proper facilities at home to do a good job by the look of things - any opinions on the following plan: bimonthly quick handwash at the local carwash (just to keep major dirt and tar etc off the body) followed by a proper valet every, say, 2 months that will do my soft top, wheels, body, interior, etc using all the right brand cleaning agents - done by people who know what they are doing, have the time to do it. And also how to go about finnding some place that offers this sort of service in the wimbledon/sutton sort of area.

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Elite Detailing · 3 Feb 2006

DO NOT use a car wash mate, please.

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supersport · 3 Feb 2006

You don't need any special equipment,

1) Drive way with car on

2) Water, bucket (one that only used for the car)

3) Soft cotton towels (value 75p from Tesco) - used as sponge and leather

4) Some PH balanced car wash, swissol car bath (about £12) or what ever brand you like.

5) Wash car as ofen as you like, bung towels in washing machine after wards

6) Dry off with a towel, I use two, one gets soaking the other stays dry.

7) Once or twice a year give it the fully monty, with clay bar, cleaner fluid then wax.

8) Wax it maybe once a month, if that.

9) Never use a car wash, evil nasty things!

Simple! When I just wash it, I can be done in an hour!

S

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F1_Dragon · 3 Feb 2006

Agree NEVER use car wash.

I have been using the Z Glasur starter kit I got from Phil. Very happy with the results, even on a Seal Grey car which is not very easy to make look 'wet'.

The kit had pretty much everything i needed (nothing for soft top) i just needed to get a sponge and synth chamois on top which i picked up from Halfrauds (sorry Phil).

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Shed17 · 4 Feb 2006

Re Supersports advice, substitute MF towels for standard cotton towels and when you wash them do not use a conditioner.

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Travis Green · 6 Feb 2006

very good. thanks guys. nice, simple formula, Supersport!

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supersport · 6 Feb 2006

TG, your'e welcome.

Hadn't thought of washing/drying with Microfibre towels. Use one for buffing the wax though.

Never wash any towel with conditioner, they stop absorbing water, not a great property for a towel.

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Tiptronic · 6 Feb 2006

The things that I learn off this site are just beggers belief, always thought that when the towels didnt absorb water that they were cheap rubbish ones, now I know better.

Dz

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F1_Dragon · 6 Feb 2006

SuperS,

Just to clarify, you use towels to lather car, dry car (2 towels) and then to buff wax?

I assume you apply wax with hands, so nothing else needed?

would make life simpler to be able to bin sponge and chamois, they're a b1tch to clean each time....

agree Daz, thought i had my technique down to fine art, but goes to show theres always more to learn!

Migration info. Legacy thread was 44989

Elite Detailing · 6 Feb 2006

Previous poster said:
Quote: Originally posted by F1_Dragon on 06 February 2006

SuperS,

Just to clarify, you use towels to lather car, dry car (2 towels) and then to buff wax?

I assume you apply wax with hands, so nothing else needed?

would make life simpler to be able to bin sponge and chamois, they're a b1tch to clean each time....

agree Daz, thought i had my technique down to fine art, but goes to show theres always more to learn!

Your are kidding me arent you? Dont use a sponge, the sponge belongs in one place only and thats in a bin. Use a lambswool washmitt.

A sponge will just help scratch your car. I hope you are using two buckets aswell. 1 with the shampoo and the other just plain water. each time after washing the car put the mitt in plain bucket and wring out any debris. Then re-shampoo with the other bucket. Personally I use a filter at the bottom of the bucket so that all the crap goes to the bottom and cant get mixed with the mitt.