We are Moving

Please visit our new and revamped site at www.AutoPlusDetailing.com.  There you will be able to find new posts and even more great detailing tips.  We are also adding a detailing forum for people to discuss issues, products, and ask the Pros questions.  Enjoy the new site!

www.AutoPlusDetailing.com

Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew info@AutoPlusDetailing.com

TOP 5 CAR WASH SOAPS/ SHAMPOO

1. Lucky Earth Car Wash:
Lucky Earth “Waterless” Car Wash Cleans, Polishes & Protects without using water. Lucky Earth’s signature product is made with water, natural surfactants (the cleaner) derived from coconut, and silicone.  The surfactants break up and lift the dirt from the vehicle’s surface, while the silicone allows the dirt to be easily whisked away without scratching.  In addition, the silicone leaves a smooth feel and glossy shine on automobiles, boats, and all types of motorsports and watercraft.  The 32 oz. spray bottle of “Waterless” Car Wash can also be used inside vehicles on the dashboard, leather seats, doors, and any other non-fabric surfaces.  You can get about 7 to 10 car washes per bottle. Must be used with microfiber towels.
Clean up to 8 to 10 Cars.





 

2. Ecolo Green Car Wash:
ECOLO-CAR is a non-wax, water-based, coconut soap, organic polymer blend that washes and polishes without additional water. Spray on every surface of your vehicle except on fabric. It dissolves the dirt particles on contact, lifting them from the surface to protect from scratching. The protective coating leaves a long lasting shine. Biodegradable, non hazardous, V.O.C. compliant, contains no petroleum distillates, non-corrosive and anti-static.
Clean up to 6 Cars.

3. Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner:
Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner is a rich and luxurious product designed to both wash and condition paint in one easy step. The premium formula gently foams away tough dirt, road grime and contaminants without compromising wax protection. Ultra rich paint conditioners clear away debris to reveal color and clarity, leaving paint looking radiant.


 





4. Sonus Gloss Shampoo:
Sonus Gloss Shampoo has what your car needs:
* Gloss conditioners to prevent spotting and streaking.
* Neutral pH for gentle cleaning.
* Proper lubrication to prevent scratching.
Sonus Gloss Shampoo is a gentle car wash concentrate that safely cleans.  Special lubricants buffer your car's delicate paint finish, protecting it from scratching and swirl marks.  Dirt and grit safely slip away.Sonus Gloss Shampoo conditions and restores wax protection as you wash. The Sonus formula is optimized for use on modern clearcoat finishes, creating a freshly waxed appearance and protection every time you wash.  Special polymers protect and shine for lasting beauty.


5. 3M Car Wash Shampoo:
3M Car Wash Shampoo is a gentle-cleansing liquid gel which will not remove wax, yet easily washes away all traces of grease, dirt and grit that have accumulated since your last wax. After your wash, your car should feel as nice and slick as it did the day you waxed it. Car Wash Shampoo is 100% safe for all clear coats, and phosphate free! Conditioners in the formula moisturize the paint, while fighting against water spots.
Clean up to 15 cars

Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew info@AutoPlusDetailing.com

TOP FIVE TIRE SHINE PRODUCTS

1. Armor All Extreme Tire Shine:
Deep black, shiny tires make your car look incredible, but the shine never seems to last. Extreme Tire Shine Gel is our most advanced formula, engineered for extraordinary results that last for weeks. As a pioneer in tire care, we developed an incredibly rich, powerful gel that adheres to your tires, forming a resilient, durable shield. And it's fortified with high molecular-weight silicone that will preserve your tires' intense, captivating shine and rich, black look.
Delivers serious wet black shine that lasts for weeks
Rich, durable gel coats for a smooth, even look — without messy over-spray
Protects against harmful elements that can cause cracking & fading




2. DuPont – Teflon Tire Shine, 22 oz:
DuPont introduces the only tire shine with Teflon surface protectors for a long-lasting, clear, “wet look” shine. It bonds to tires and won’t leave a greasy mess. The non-stick Teflon coating leaves an invisible protective barrier to help repel new dirt, road grime and brake dust build-up for a long-lasting, clear, “wet look” shine.
Features:
* Leaves a clear, “wet look” shine that’s completely dry to the touch.
* Coating will not “sling” off tires while driving – leaves no greasy mess on your car.
* Spray on, walk away – no wiping required.
* Non-petroleum-based formula helps tires resist browning, drying and cracking. DuPont – Teflon Tire Shine, 22 oz.



3. Meguiars hot shine Tire Spray:
Protect your tires from the detrimental effects of neglect. Hot Shine High Gloss Tire Spray keeps your tires young and resilient, while making them look super! Meguiar’s Hot Shine High Gloss Tire Spray uses water-resistant polymers, combined with anti-ozonant technology (UV inhibitors) to arrive at a formula that lasts for weeks. Through rains and washings, Hot Shine hangs on and keeps your tires looking black and glossy.
The first adjustable width spray nozzle on a tire dressing (patent pending) is found on this product, making a potentially messy job so much neater. No more drips, runs or overspray! Always work on cool clean tires. Adjust sprayer to narrow or wide, depending on the girth of your tires, spray on the shine and walk away. The thick formula penetrates, rejuvenates, nourishes and conditions the rubber, giving an unmistakable high gloss, wet-looking surface that says “pampered.” The glow nicely complements any vehicle.
Control the level of shine by adding another layer, or buffing off excess Hot Shine for a more subtle glow. Excess product should be wiped away anyhow, to avoid sling-off. Expect weeks of gloss and protection with just one application!


4. BLACK MAGIC TITANIUM TIRE WET SPRAY:
Go beyond the ordinary for the longest-lasting shine around! Take your vehicle's appearance seriously? Now, get the intense, super-wet-looking shine you crave and with the Scuff-Defense formula helps keep your tires looking great for up to four weeks! Safe top of the line performance and shine outlasts the leading aerosol tire shine competitors on the market. Perfect for high performance tires. Contains 16 oz.
* Intense, Super-Wet-Looking Shine You Crave
* Lasts Up To Four Weeks
* Scuff-Defense Formula Keeps Tires Looking Great





5. EAGLE ONE WET TIRE SHINE (23 OZ.):
Formulated to provide a long-lasting, ultra-black glossy shine that will complement great-looking wheels. Our special formula also limits residual spray or "sling" on paint and wheels. When used with Eagle One Tire Swipes, it can be applied to your tires with little or no waste.
* Ultra-black, glossy "wet look"
* Spray or wipe on
* Low "sling" formula
* Water-resistant, long-lasting





Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew info@AutoPlusDetailing.com

How to remove swirl marks

 What are Swirls…?

Swirl marks are scratches in the finish. Sometimes these scratches are microscopic in size and only visible in bright light, like direct sunlight or very intense artificial lights. Other swirl marks are very deep and are easily visible in just about any lighting condition.

Swirl marks can generally be placed in two categories, which describe the origin of the swirls.
a.) Cobweb-effect also called spider web scratches, car wash scratches, towel scratches etc. Its visual appearance of the thousands, and even hundreds of thousands of tiny scratches inflicted into your car's finish through normal, everyday wear and tear.
b.) Buffer Swirls or Holograms
Buffer swirl, also referred to as holograms, are circular scratches grooved into the finish through either the improper use of a rotary buffer, or using the wrong pads and chemicals with the rotary buffer. Buffer swirls can either be very deep or very shallow, depending on how forcefully they were created and depending on the products and type of pad used while buffing.

What causes swirl marks?
Here are the ten most frequent causes of swirl marks:
I. Polishers/buffers with the incorrect pad or an untrained operator.
II. Harsh polishing compounds and paint cleaners.
III. Towels and applicators containing polyester threads.
IV. A dirty chamois or a chamois that has not been properly maintained.
V. Wiping down a dusty or dirty car with a dry towel.
VI. A dirty car duster or a car duster used on a car with too much dirt on the surface.
VII. Not keeping your wash mitt or sponge properly rinsed.
VIII. Automated car washes with brushes and other wipers.
IX. Not rinsing your car completely before washing, or not washing your car thoroughly before drying.
X. Using a car cover when the car or the cover is not clean.

How do we remove swirls?
Options for reducing or removing swirls, spots and minor paint blemishes:
1. Temporarily hide swirls marks:
In this procedure, Swirls can be visually hid by polishing the surface with a non-abrasive polish. These polish round off the top edge of swirl, robbing sunlight of a sharp edge to cause a reflection. When you buff off the polishing residues, fillers will stay in the depressions. Finish it by applying wax or paint sealant to hide swirls. As mentioned above, these procedure only hide swirls not remove it. Swirls may be visible in certain light conditions and reappear as the wax ages.






2. Remove the swirl, water spot or paint defect:
In this procedure, firstly remove top layer of paint or clear coat that contain the swirl by using circular machine polisher which is designed to remove paint. These polishers will do better job than manually. Deeper swirls, water spots or light scratches require three steps:
a.) Compound
b.) Polish
c.) Finish

Compounding involves abrading away the area surrounding the scratch or blemish until the defect is no longer visible. Polishing removes compounding haze and restores surface gloss. It creates highly reflective finish ready for waxing. Finishing protects the surface with wax or sealant. It can be accomplish manually or with a dual action polisher.


Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew info@AutoPlusDetailing.com

One of our readers posted a results video! Check it out

 A reader of our blog posted a video of his results after reading our how to articles.  If you have a video showing your results let us know and we will share it too. This car looks great and really shines. Glad to see these tips are helping people get the results they are looking for.



Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew info@AutoPlusDetailing.com

Proper use auto detailing clay

Auto Detailing Clay Basics

If detailing clay is new to you, you might be thinking, “What is detailing clay and what can detailing clay do for my car?” The short answer is that auto detailing clay removes from the paint what washing cannot. For the long answer, read on!
Auto Detailing Clay Bar is an engineered resin compound used to remove contaminants from the surface of your car’s paint, glass, fiberglass and metal. Detailing clay can be natural or synthetic, though most manufacturers utilize synthetic clays.
Auto detailing clay is similar to the stuff you played with as a kid, but the clay used for detailing is usually much more elastic. The elasticity gives the detailing clay excellent durability as it is rolled, flattened, smashed and stretched over and over again.
Plus detailing clay is designed to stand up to the kind of contaminants that your childhood clay never had to face, i.e. industrial fallout, rail dust and brake dust. These contaminants pierce paint finishes, glass and metal and remain stuck on your vehicle through rain, car washes, and even polishing. The only way to remove these pollutants is detailing clay.

How Does Auto Detailing Clay Work?
Detailing clay glides along the surface of your paint and grabs anything that protrudes from the surface. The particles stick to the clay and therefore is removed from your vehicle. The surface being clayed should always be wet with clay lubricant to prevent loose debris from scratching the vehicle.

Used properly, detailing clay is completely safe and nonabrasive. Its a much better option than polishing to remove these contaminants because clay doesn’t remove any paint.
There are two different grades of clay currently available to the public. One is a medium grade detailing clay designed to clean the vehicle once or twice a year. This grade of clay removes wax along with anything else on the vehicle. We’re talking CLEAN.

Your other option is a fine grade that’s relatively new to the industry. This detailing clay removes everything the medium clay removes and it is gentle enough to use monthly or as needed for spot cleaning. If you’re someone who’s meticulous about clean, shiny paint this clay is for you.

All detailing clay requires the use of a clay lubricant to prevent scratches as you gently rub the clay on the vehicle. 

What Does Detailing Clay Remove?
Your vehicle is under constant assault from airborne pollutants. Brake dust, industrial fallout, acid rain deposits and rail dust all can adhere to your vehicle. These contaminants often contain metal particulates, which accounts for the ease with which they penetrate the clear coat to attack the paint below. These contaminants then oxidize, and they allow rust to spread beneath the clear coat. Tiny orange spots today, total paint system failure tomorrow! Detailing clay removes these contaminants in
order to keep the paint healthy and vibrant.
Detailing Clay also removes stubborn sap, tar, and bug remains. Detailing clay works wonder on glass as well. Try some the next time you’re washing your windows. You’ll be amazed at the results!

Do You Need To Clay?
Chances are, the answer is yes. The surface of your vehicle faces assaults from the environment every time it’s out in the weather. Each road trip brings new insults from roadway debris, exhaust films, and airborne pollution. They will splash, mar, and embed themselves in that beautiful paint job you’ve labored over. Vehicles can accumulate these contaminants any time, any place – even at the dealership.
The Bag Test: There’s a simple test that will indicate whether or not you need to clay. Wash and dry your vehicle, put a plastic sandwich bag over your hand and lightly rub your fingertips over the paint. If it feels gritty or rough, your paint is contaminated.
Use a high quality detailing clay bar and a clay lubricant to clean your paint before applying wax or polish.
The Bag test will tell you if you need to use detailing clay.
Waxes and paint sealants will adhere better to clean paint and the shine will be more uniform and vibrant. Sounds like a win-win situation!

To Use Clay:
Clay is available in 2 to 8 oz. bars. Two ounces is enough to do three or four vehicles. On average, a vehicle will need to be clayed twice a year. At this rate, one 2 oz. clay bar will last you 18 months to 2 years if used on the same vehicle.
NOTE: To optimize both the quality of your claying and the clay's useful life, avoid soap and water as a lubricant. They will prematurely deteriorate today’s clay compounds. Use only clay lubricants.
Wash and dry your vehicle.
Spray a small area with clay lubricant, no bigger than 2 square feet.
Gently rub the clay bar back and forth across the wet area. It will grab at first. This means that it is pulling contaminants out of the paint. When it glides
freely, the paint is clean.
Wipe the area with a microfiber towel and use the clay lubricant to remove any clay residue. Rub your fingers across the paint now; it should be as smooth as glass. If it’s not, repeat the process. Reshape the clay bar as needed to expose a clean surface. Keep the clay well-lubricated.
Continue these steps until you’ve clayed the entire vehicle. Clay does a marvelous job on glass and chrome, too.
Store the clay bar in its original case if possible, or in an airtight plastic bag. Spray it with lubricant to keep it moist. Do not allow the clay to freeze and do not store it in temperatures above 200° F.

Quick review guide:
Mist a 2 x 2 sq. ft. section of paint with clay lubricant.
Rub the clay bar across the wet paint until it no longer grabs the surface.

Always follow claying with a wax or sealant. Clay will remove existing wax and may leave tiny holes where contaminants have been removed. They must be sealed in order to protect the paint from corrosion.

Note: Detailing clay does not remove oxidized paint or fill in blemishes. If your paint is mildly oxidized, clean the paint with clay and then use a polish to remove the oxidized paint. If the oxidation is severe, polish first because the oxidized paint may flake off as you clay and ruin the clay bar.

Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew info@AutoPlusDetailing.com

Show your ride to win great prizes! How detailed is your ride?

We want to see how you have used the tips and advice from AutoPlus Detailing to detail your ride.  Share a before and after picture along with a short description of the steps involved, and post the photo's on our FaceBook page.  At the end of this weekend, on March 28, 2010, we will select the top three detailing jobs.  The top three ride will receive the same detailing products that we use at AutoPlus Motorcars.  Let's see those reflections!

First place will receive Meguiar's car wash and wax kit!

Second place will receive Meguiar's NXT Wash!

 Third place will receive Black Magic Tire Wet Foam!

Good Luck to all those who enter!
Be sure to post all photo's and descriptions on AutoPlus's fan page.

Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew info@AutoPlusDetailing.com

Meguiars Soft Wash Gel Review

This is remarkably thick car wash gel that is super rich and super concentrated. It is unlike any other car wash on the market. It blends expensive conditioners and optical brighteners to enhance the brilliance of the paint finish...and it won't strip off wax protection.
So far, this is the best car wash soap/gel we have used. This product really makes the water sheet out evenly over the whole car.  Even tho you should always dry your car with a shammy, if you wash it properly with a wash mit and make sure to get every spot, you almost dont have to dry it off because it will dry so evenly.  At a price point of under $8 we highly recommend this product.







Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew info@AutoPlusDetailing.com

Dangers of touchless/ drive through car washes

Touchless car washes today use Hydrofluoric acid as a first step and then an alkaline to neutralize the acid then high pressure water to wash cars. Hand washing is MUCH preferred, don’t use an automated car wash period, touch less or not, there are a variety of reasons: You should never, under any circumstances use a car wash that requires you to let another person drive your vehicle onto the ramps or into the wash, notice the disclaimer

“No responsibility for damage to customer’s vehicle.”

Local by-laws require car washes to re-claim or recycle water. This means they have two choices.
a) They can collect the water in tanks and pay to truck it away to a recycling centre.
b) They can filter and then recycle the water (dependant on how often the filters are cleaned/changed) will effect how much dirt content there is. Recycled meaning re-use the same water, which may include any road dirt/grit that is not filtered out is used to high-pressure (1,000PSI) wash your vehicle (somewhat similar to sandblasting) the final rinse is usually twice-filtered re-cycled water, this is to give the appearance of a clean surface on the vehicle.
c) To help clean the recycled water they use a chemical like Presidium Orthophosphate (TSP) and have the chemical formula Na3PO4. It is a highly water-soluble ionic salt. Solutions of it dissolved in water have an alkaline pH; this does a great job stripping your wax / sealant. TSP is generally not good for cleaning vehicles because it can corrode metal.

Other thnigs to consider before using a drive through car wash:

•To remove snow/sand/road dirt and grit without agitation (brushes etc) requires the use of very strong chemical cleaners.
•Probably the most important is that this type of automatic car wash use high-pressure water and strong alkaline detergent to clean vehicles that will strip the wax/polish
•You will also need to renew the vehicles sealant / wax to ensure the paint surface protection on a regular basis to counteract the effects of the harsh detergents.
•Also be aware of those that use ‘wheel guides’ as they will cause scratches / etching to the wheel surfaces, as many wash facilities will not accommodate either the tyre width or the clearance, thus causing sidewall damage
•Vehicle with lower than ‘standard’ suspension (Corvette C6 and other sports cars) should also be aware the wheel guides could cause body damage
•As an alternative in colder winter months I would suggest using a waterless vehicle cleaning product Protect All’s Quick Easy Wash (QEW)
•If you get a chance, attend a car wash / wax vendors symposiums where they give demonstrations of the different soap products that these type of facilities use, as a Chemical Engineer they scare me.. You'll come away a convert to never using them again, on any vehicle.

If you have no choice but to use a touchless car wash check out this article for tips on what to look for. Tips for driving through car wash

remember that the best way to keep your car looking it's best is by using our step by step guide on the proper way to wash your car. Proper Washing and Drying Techniques 

Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew @ UrbanAndrew@gmail.com

Photo's from our upcoming DVD- remove scratches that are to the metal

Learn to remove scratches that are all the way down to the metal.  With the easy how to steps in our DVD you will be able to remove deep scratches without repainting the door. Learn other tips and tricks that will not only save you a lot of money but also time.

Here we can see the scratch all the way to the metal on the car door.

A glaze compound is added as the last step to ensure the repainted scratch is no longer visivle







Want to really learn how to detail? Order a copy of our easy to understand, Auto detailing DVD that show step-by-step instructions. For information on how you can order an AutoPlus Detailing DVD contact Andrew @ UrbanAndrew@gmail.com