Cleaning products- what do you guys use?

[sid369]

I don't own the X5 yet, but I like to come this forum and read the posts and most of you take good care for your car.

I am getting in washing my car at home and doing some research into which products to buy. Would love to hear what you guys use and which products and tools you swear by.

I am interested in getting an electric power washer and a foam lance/canon.
I have so far looked in to Adams Polishes Shampoo and Chemical guys Mr. Pink and Meguiar's shampoo and I think all of them do a good job, the meguiar's being the cheapest.

Also looking for interior cleaning.

I know its recommended to do a 2 bucket wash, but I really don't have the time, so can I rinse the car with water and then foam it up and rinse and towel dry?

Someone said that doing this will leave scratches (how), they recommended to use rinseless instead.

Can someone explain?

Any other comments suggestion would be great.

[Chem14]

Kranzel power washer

Ammo NYC exterior and interior products (others will recommend different brands, your choice)

Spotless water system

Grit guards with buckets

Good lambswool wash mitt

Boars hair brush for leather cleaning

Wheel woolies

GSM300 microfiber towels

Waffle towels for drying

Leaf blower or master blaster for drying, especially for black paints

This is a good starting g list for doing the wash correctly.

[MarineOh3]

I just switched over to all Nanolex... So I will have to wait a little while before giving an assessment. But for a while I was using largely Adams and Griots for general washing and you really can't go wrong with either of those two. Adams car shampoo smells amazing. Tried Chemical Guys and I never really liked their stuff as much.

Good call on the pressure washer and foam cannon.

For detailing I have yet to find better polishes and sealants than Menzerna. Their PowerLock is incredible. But.......

I switched over to Nanolex because it's supposed to be great stuff. I am waiting on a box of goodies from Detailers Domain and plan to give our new X5 the treatment as soon as I can. PLUS, I can get Si3d here in Germany which is supposed to be a phenomenal sealant.

Hope this helps

[MarineOh3]

Originally Posted by Chem14

Kranzel power washer

Ammo NYC exterior and interior products (others will recommend different brands, your choice)

Spotless water system

Grit guards with buckets

Good lambswool wash mitt

Boars hair brush for leather cleaning

Wheel woolies

GSM300 microfiber towels

Waffle towels for drying

Leaf blower or master blaster for drying, especially for black paints

This is a good starting g list for doing the wash correctly.

Kranzel power washer is a must... If you have $1200 laying around for a power washer. My $150 Amazon special did the job just fine too though.

[sid369]

I am reading some stuff which concerns me about pressure washer and foam canons. A lot of folks are saying that it is time consuming to attach the canon to the pressure washer and just getting the pressure washer out vs. just attaching the foam gun to the garden hose and you are ready to go.

Now the only difference is that the foam gun will have less suds and runny and also use more soap than the canon.

Is it really that difficult to attach the canon to the electric washer.

I have been looking at the
AR blue clean
Greenworks
and even the harbor freight pacific (cheapest)

[MarineOh3]

Originally Posted by sid369

I am reading some stuff which concerns me about pressure washer and foam canons. A lot of folks are saying that it is time consuming to attach the canon to the pressure washer and just getting the pressure washer out vs. just attaching the foam gun to the garden hose and you are ready to go.

Now the only difference is that the foam gun will have less suds and runny and also use more soap than the canon.

Is it really that difficult to attach the canon to the electric washer.

I have been looking at the
AR blue clean
Greenworks
and even the harbor freight pacific (cheapest)

AR blue clean is what I have. You can usually find a good deal on Amazon.

Invest in a few quick releases and any concerns about time involved to switch out foam canon with spray lance will be forgotten.

If you want to learn more than you ever thought possible about the processes of washing and detailing, go on YouTube.com and search Matt Moreman. He's on here as Money2536 you will be astonished.

[Doanster]

OP, the products/brands aren't really going to matter for you. It's the process and care you take in washing and cleaning. If you're already concerned about the time it takes with the two bucket method, then yes, a power washer and foam cannon will not be for you as there are extra steps in "lugging" the washer out, hooking everything up, etc. and then still properly washing and drying.
Like others have mentioned, start reading/watching up. YouTube (Chemical Guys, Ammo NYC, etc.), AutoGeek, Detailed Image...

[sid369]

Originally Posted by MarineOh3

AR blue clean is what I have. You can usually find a good deal on Amazon.

Invest in a few quick releases and any concerns about time involved to switch out foam canon with spray lance will be forgotten.

If you want to learn more than you ever thought possible about the processes of washing and detailing, go on YouTube.com and search Matt Moreman. He's on here as Money2536 you will be astonished.

Can you point me to the quick releases that you mentioned. I was going to get the AR blue clean and then read on the autogeek forum that how hard it is to attach a foam gun because of propriety connectors etc. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-cannon-3.html

For the foam canon I was thinking of the MTM hydro 2600 psi on amazon.

[MarineOh3]

Originally Posted by sid369

Can you point me to the quick releases that you mentioned. I was going to get the AR blue clean and then read on the autogeek forum that how hard it is to attach a foam gun because of propriety connectors etc. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-cannon-3.html

For the foam canon I was thinking of the MTM hydro 2600 psi on amazon.

https://www.detailersdomain.com/coll...uick-connector

As far as foam canons are concerned, I'm not convinced most of them aren't the same thing just marketed by different people. MTM foam canon is fine and I had no compatibility issues switching the foam canon with the pressure washer. If you do have an issue, Lowes will have everything you need. But I think you will be fine.

As a previous poster iterated, the products you use, especially for general washing, matter less than your technique. You can create swirl marks in paint with $40 car shampoo just as easily as with $3 car shampoo. Research and learn from others' mistakes.

[Chem14]

Watch this

[P1]

Let's be honest: a foam cannon is fun, but is it really absolutely crucial for a daily driver? It's not, and it's time consuming. Let me tell you what works just fine:

1) Buy a nice sponge (Detailer's Domain Uber sponge is what I use) and some nice shampoo. I use Duragloss 901, my favorite.

2) Buy two buckets, and a single grit guard.

3) Wash the vehicle carefully, going from top to bottom. I use a separate sponge for the low portions of the vehicle, as that usually gets extra dirty.

4) Rinse the vehicle off using the flooding method, and then dry with a nice microfiber.

If you follow the above steps, you will not ever scratch your paint. I know I haven't in all the years I've been washing cars.

I don't personally use coating on my vehicles, and instead use products like Swissvax waxes or Menzerna Power Lock sealants.

[Chem14]

Also get some good in ear head phones. I use this time to detach and get an hour or two break from the wife and kids.