washing car often, is it bad?
This is probably the worst advice you could have given.
Ok, Some background on me. I manage an auto parts store, out speciality is paint and body work.
1: What kind of soap are you using? PS: If you use dish soap to wash it you strip the wax off the car everytime you wash it.
2: Waxing your car more than once a month probally isn't the best thing to do. If when you spray the car the water beeds up, you dont have to wax it. Use some quick detailer.
3: If you really feel the need to "wax" your car get some polish instead, this will bring the paint color back and its not as harsh on the clearcoat.
4: If you really want to go crazy, Meguiers makes a 3 step system, YOU HAVE TO DO ALL AT ONCE. Step 1 is a cleaner, this takes off all the old wax that has been put on right down to the clear. As well as all paint contaminants. Step 2 is a polish this gets rid of swirl marks and very fine scratches. Step 3 is a wax this gets rid of slightly harsher scratches and deeper swirl marks. This leaves a nice shine as well as protect the paint. When you remove step 2 and 3 is it VERY important to remove it only rubbing in a either front to back or side to side motion. NO CIRCLES (this causes swirl marks).
1: What kind of soap are you using? PS: If you use dish soap to wash it you strip the wax off the car everytime you wash it.
2: Waxing your car more than once a month probally isn't the best thing to do. If when you spray the car the water beeds up, you dont have to wax it. Use some quick detailer.
3: If you really feel the need to "wax" your car get some polish instead, this will bring the paint color back and its not as harsh on the clearcoat.
4: If you really want to go crazy, Meguiers makes a 3 step system, YOU HAVE TO DO ALL AT ONCE. Step 1 is a cleaner, this takes off all the old wax that has been put on right down to the clear. As well as all paint contaminants. Step 2 is a polish this gets rid of swirl marks and very fine scratches. Step 3 is a wax this gets rid of slightly harsher scratches and deeper swirl marks. This leaves a nice shine as well as protect the paint. When you remove step 2 and 3 is it VERY important to remove it only rubbing in a either front to back or side to side motion. NO CIRCLES (this causes swirl marks).
Last edited by BURNALL_4; Jun 29, 2007 at 01:10 PM.
i work at a car delership detaling cars part time, I wash my white evo at work at least 2-3 times a week. then when i feel that the paint dosn't have that "glass feel" to it anymore i wax it. i use liquid wax and wax it probley wax it once a 3-4 weeks. make sure to wax the hell out of the cf wing to so it dosnt fade.
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: Northwestern, PA
A polish is actually taking off a thin layer of clearcoat. That's how they work in removing scratches and swirl marks from your paint. You can get very mild polishes, but you have to know what you're buying, as well as the proper technique for application.
A wax, unless it's one of the cleaner types which contain other ingredients, is not designed to harm your clearcoat in any way. If it does, than it's something in the way you're applying it that's the problem.
As I said, you're getting a lot of really bad advice in this thread from some of the posters. Again, do yourself a favor and spend some time on Autopia.org where the people are fanatical about keeping their car not only clean, but free of marring. It can be a little overwhelming at first, but take the time to dig into it and you'll find it's more than worth the effort.
WOW, lots of misinformation on this.
This is my normal med/light swirl removal....
Wash with foam gun, & boar hair brush using Menzera, or Zymol car wash
Clay, Megs blue clay, or other quality clay, microfiber towels, & detailing spray of choice.
Polish with Menz 106, 85rd, or SIP. Pad, product & speed are dependant on the paint & condition. For the EVO it's 106, Green LC pad, 1400RPM's on the Metabo
Menz FPII, or glaze with the rotary or DA
Menz FMJ on a black pad with the DA, let it sit for at least 30min (good time to wax the wheels, & do the trim)
Apply second coat, let sit 30min
Top with my fav carbuba. Zymol, Swisswax, P21s(best cheap stuff out there) or Pinnacle.
You can wash your car every day if you choose. The key is using the proper tools. Good quality car soap is a must, so is a good wash mit & microfiber towels to dry it off.
I use a Boar Hair brush to wash the car, with a foam gun, & lastly filtered water from the hose. This method puts in 0 swirls & scratches, & since I do it about once a week, the car is never really dirty enough to have to "SCRUB" it. You should NEVER scrub the car, the dirt should come off easily. If not, use some solvent, a hot towel, or clay.
Now on to the clay, if you want to keep the car looking nice, you have to clay it. Claying removes all the imbedded dirt & containments. This will let the wax bond better, allow you to clean the paint better & make it easier to remove the swirls. Clay does not remove any swirls, in fact, it can put swirls in if you use the course clay.
Now the paint is all cleaned up, you have to use a paint "cleaner" AKA, a compound, or heavy polish. This is the ONLY way to remove swirls, and you need a machine. A standard porter cable DA will help, but take hours. Really, the ONLY way to get the car 90% swirl fee is with a rotary buffer.
Now, after the buff, you use a polish to bring out some shine, remove any buffer marks, & put some oils & gloss in the paint. This can be very effective with a hand polish, or on a PC DA. But now the car is glowing, but you have no protection. Most hand polishes, do not remove many swirls, just the top light ones, they mostly contain fillers to hide the swirls. Using your hand, you can polish the car for a week & not get more paint off then 2min with a buffer.
For cars that sit out side, carnuba is not the way to go, it will not last long. A good quality sealant will give the best protection & longevity. You can top the sealant with a good carnuba. Wax/seal by hand or with a DA.
You really only need to get this done once or twice a year. Redo the wax/sealant 4-6 times a year depending on where you live, & how you drive.
Wash car when it looks like it needs it.
If you don't follow this, the car will get get worse over time, & need more work to bring it back. If you do anything, make sure you do a proper wash, to cut down on swirls, keep wax on the car, & clay it at least once a year.
Most quality waxes you can apply once a week if you want to. But some of the cheaper (dept store, auto pars store) contain silicones, & other synthetic crap. These can build up & dull the paint. The cheap Zymol cleaner was @ Wallmat (it's not really Zymol, it's rebadges Turtle wax) will build up over time. Only use it to clean the pain, & use a straight wax more regularly.
I detail high end cars part time, just yesterday I worked on a Ferrari F355 & last weekend was a Ferrari 575 Super America.
This is my normal med/light swirl removal....
Wash with foam gun, & boar hair brush using Menzera, or Zymol car wash
Clay, Megs blue clay, or other quality clay, microfiber towels, & detailing spray of choice.
Polish with Menz 106, 85rd, or SIP. Pad, product & speed are dependant on the paint & condition. For the EVO it's 106, Green LC pad, 1400RPM's on the Metabo
Menz FPII, or glaze with the rotary or DA
Menz FMJ on a black pad with the DA, let it sit for at least 30min (good time to wax the wheels, & do the trim)
Apply second coat, let sit 30min
Top with my fav carbuba. Zymol, Swisswax, P21s(best cheap stuff out there) or Pinnacle.
You can wash your car every day if you choose. The key is using the proper tools. Good quality car soap is a must, so is a good wash mit & microfiber towels to dry it off.
I use a Boar Hair brush to wash the car, with a foam gun, & lastly filtered water from the hose. This method puts in 0 swirls & scratches, & since I do it about once a week, the car is never really dirty enough to have to "SCRUB" it. You should NEVER scrub the car, the dirt should come off easily. If not, use some solvent, a hot towel, or clay.
Now on to the clay, if you want to keep the car looking nice, you have to clay it. Claying removes all the imbedded dirt & containments. This will let the wax bond better, allow you to clean the paint better & make it easier to remove the swirls. Clay does not remove any swirls, in fact, it can put swirls in if you use the course clay.
Now the paint is all cleaned up, you have to use a paint "cleaner" AKA, a compound, or heavy polish. This is the ONLY way to remove swirls, and you need a machine. A standard porter cable DA will help, but take hours. Really, the ONLY way to get the car 90% swirl fee is with a rotary buffer.
Now, after the buff, you use a polish to bring out some shine, remove any buffer marks, & put some oils & gloss in the paint. This can be very effective with a hand polish, or on a PC DA. But now the car is glowing, but you have no protection. Most hand polishes, do not remove many swirls, just the top light ones, they mostly contain fillers to hide the swirls. Using your hand, you can polish the car for a week & not get more paint off then 2min with a buffer.
For cars that sit out side, carnuba is not the way to go, it will not last long. A good quality sealant will give the best protection & longevity. You can top the sealant with a good carnuba. Wax/seal by hand or with a DA.
You really only need to get this done once or twice a year. Redo the wax/sealant 4-6 times a year depending on where you live, & how you drive.
Wash car when it looks like it needs it.
If you don't follow this, the car will get get worse over time, & need more work to bring it back. If you do anything, make sure you do a proper wash, to cut down on swirls, keep wax on the car, & clay it at least once a year.
Most quality waxes you can apply once a week if you want to. But some of the cheaper (dept store, auto pars store) contain silicones, & other synthetic crap. These can build up & dull the paint. The cheap Zymol cleaner was @ Wallmat (it's not really Zymol, it's rebadges Turtle wax) will build up over time. Only use it to clean the pain, & use a straight wax more regularly.
I detail high end cars part time, just yesterday I worked on a Ferrari F355 & last weekend was a Ferrari 575 Super America.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Menasha, WI
well i have an 06 TB and u know how hard it is to keep black clean, i live in the city so the car gets dusty and dirty within a few days. i hand wash my car at least once a weak and sometimes twice. im starting to think the black looks sorta dull, it looks like light black, not dark at all. some dude with a 03 TB said my car didnt even look TB he said the black look kinda light. am i messing up the paint job? how else am i suppose to keep the TB clean if i dont wash it?
Not to say that *no one* on here knows how to detail their Evos since I've seen pictures that put mine to shame, but an Evo board probably has about 5% of people that know good advice for car detailing just as a car detailing message board has about 5% of people that can give me good advice on how to mod my Evo... make sense?
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Menasha, WI
WOW, lots of misinformation on this.
This is my normal med/light swirl removal....
Wash with foam gun, & boar hair brush using Menzera, or Zymol car wash
Clay, Megs blue clay, or other quality clay, microfiber towels, & detailing spray of choice.
Polish with Menz 106, 85rd, or SIP. Pad, product & speed are dependant on the paint & condition. For the EVO it's 106, Green LC pad, 1400RPM's on the Metabo
Menz FPII, or glaze with the rotary or DA
Menz FMJ on a black pad with the DA, let it sit for at least 30min (good time to wax the wheels, & do the trim)
Apply second coat, let sit 30min
Top with my fav carbuba. Zymol, Swisswax, P21s(best cheap stuff out there) or Pinnacle.
You can wash your car every day if you choose. The key is using the proper tools. Good quality car soap is a must, so is a good wash mit & microfiber towels to dry it off.
I use a Boar Hair brush to wash the car, with a foam gun, & lastly filtered water from the hose. This method puts in 0 swirls & scratches, & since I do it about once a week, the car is never really dirty enough to have to "SCRUB" it. You should NEVER scrub the car, the dirt should come off easily. If not, use some solvent, a hot towel, or clay.
Now on to the clay, if you want to keep the car looking nice, you have to clay it. Claying removes all the imbedded dirt & containments. This will let the wax bond better, allow you to clean the paint better & make it easier to remove the swirls. Clay does not remove any swirls, in fact, it can put swirls in if you use the course clay.
Now the paint is all cleaned up, you have to use a paint "cleaner" AKA, a compound, or heavy polish. This is the ONLY way to remove swirls, and you need a machine. A standard porter cable DA will help, but take hours. Really, the ONLY way to get the car 90% swirl fee is with a rotary buffer.
Now, after the buff, you use a polish to bring out some shine, remove any buffer marks, & put some oils & gloss in the paint. This can be very effective with a hand polish, or on a PC DA. But now the car is glowing, but you have no protection. Most hand polishes, do not remove many swirls, just the top light ones, they mostly contain fillers to hide the swirls. Using your hand, you can polish the car for a week & not get more paint off then 2min with a buffer.
For cars that sit out side, carnuba is not the way to go, it will not last long. A good quality sealant will give the best protection & longevity. You can top the sealant with a good carnuba. Wax/seal by hand or with a DA.
You really only need to get this done once or twice a year. Redo the wax/sealant 4-6 times a year depending on where you live, & how you drive.
Wash car when it looks like it needs it.
If you don't follow this, the car will get get worse over time, & need more work to bring it back. If you do anything, make sure you do a proper wash, to cut down on swirls, keep wax on the car, & clay it at least once a year.
Most quality waxes you can apply once a week if you want to. But some of the cheaper (dept store, auto pars store) contain silicones, & other synthetic crap. These can build up & dull the paint. The cheap Zymol cleaner was @ Wallmat (it's not really Zymol, it's rebadges Turtle wax) will build up over time. Only use it to clean the pain, & use a straight wax more regularly.
I detail high end cars part time, just yesterday I worked on a Ferrari F355 & last weekend was a Ferrari 575 Super America.
This is my normal med/light swirl removal....
Wash with foam gun, & boar hair brush using Menzera, or Zymol car wash
Clay, Megs blue clay, or other quality clay, microfiber towels, & detailing spray of choice.
Polish with Menz 106, 85rd, or SIP. Pad, product & speed are dependant on the paint & condition. For the EVO it's 106, Green LC pad, 1400RPM's on the Metabo
Menz FPII, or glaze with the rotary or DA
Menz FMJ on a black pad with the DA, let it sit for at least 30min (good time to wax the wheels, & do the trim)
Apply second coat, let sit 30min
Top with my fav carbuba. Zymol, Swisswax, P21s(best cheap stuff out there) or Pinnacle.
You can wash your car every day if you choose. The key is using the proper tools. Good quality car soap is a must, so is a good wash mit & microfiber towels to dry it off.
I use a Boar Hair brush to wash the car, with a foam gun, & lastly filtered water from the hose. This method puts in 0 swirls & scratches, & since I do it about once a week, the car is never really dirty enough to have to "SCRUB" it. You should NEVER scrub the car, the dirt should come off easily. If not, use some solvent, a hot towel, or clay.
Now on to the clay, if you want to keep the car looking nice, you have to clay it. Claying removes all the imbedded dirt & containments. This will let the wax bond better, allow you to clean the paint better & make it easier to remove the swirls. Clay does not remove any swirls, in fact, it can put swirls in if you use the course clay.
Now the paint is all cleaned up, you have to use a paint "cleaner" AKA, a compound, or heavy polish. This is the ONLY way to remove swirls, and you need a machine. A standard porter cable DA will help, but take hours. Really, the ONLY way to get the car 90% swirl fee is with a rotary buffer.
Now, after the buff, you use a polish to bring out some shine, remove any buffer marks, & put some oils & gloss in the paint. This can be very effective with a hand polish, or on a PC DA. But now the car is glowing, but you have no protection. Most hand polishes, do not remove many swirls, just the top light ones, they mostly contain fillers to hide the swirls. Using your hand, you can polish the car for a week & not get more paint off then 2min with a buffer.
For cars that sit out side, carnuba is not the way to go, it will not last long. A good quality sealant will give the best protection & longevity. You can top the sealant with a good carnuba. Wax/seal by hand or with a DA.
You really only need to get this done once or twice a year. Redo the wax/sealant 4-6 times a year depending on where you live, & how you drive.
Wash car when it looks like it needs it.
If you don't follow this, the car will get get worse over time, & need more work to bring it back. If you do anything, make sure you do a proper wash, to cut down on swirls, keep wax on the car, & clay it at least once a year.
Most quality waxes you can apply once a week if you want to. But some of the cheaper (dept store, auto pars store) contain silicones, & other synthetic crap. These can build up & dull the paint. The cheap Zymol cleaner was @ Wallmat (it's not really Zymol, it's rebadges Turtle wax) will build up over time. Only use it to clean the pain, & use a straight wax more regularly.
I detail high end cars part time, just yesterday I worked on a Ferrari F355 & last weekend was a Ferrari 575 Super America.
to everything you said... my only concern is that your process may make lots of people on here go 
Do you post on Autopia.org at all?
Instead of picking through LOTS of erroneous statements on this thread, I'll just say: go to Autopia.org!!! Read through their guide to detailing and read, read, READ as much as humanly possible from the message boards if you care about your car looking good. The boards are populated with LOTS of professional detailers that are for real -- not the hacks from the local car wash. Beyond that, most everyone is extremely nice and caring and legitimately wants your car to look like it's ready to win a car show. As with these boards, read up, search for your specific questions and then ask if it really hasn't been answered.
Not to say that *no one* on here knows how to detail their Evos since I've seen pictures that put mine to shame, but an Evo board probably has about 5% of people that know good advice for car detailing just as a car detailing message board has about 5% of people that can give me good advice on how to mod my Evo... make sense?
Not to say that *no one* on here knows how to detail their Evos since I've seen pictures that put mine to shame, but an Evo board probably has about 5% of people that know good advice for car detailing just as a car detailing message board has about 5% of people that can give me good advice on how to mod my Evo... make sense?
You actually can hurt your paint by washing it "too often." The main reason for marring and swirls is improper methods of washing your car. Think about it. When you wash your car. Your physically scrubbing off the dirt thats laden on the vehicle. Proper washing techniques go a long way. Having a very durable surface on top of your clear coat (sealant or wax) also helps prevent the scratching.
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
BBS is correct. I suggest reading the following for all your detailing needs: http://www.griotsgarage.com/index.jsp?subPage=12 ... Click on the PDF Adobe icon in the upper left to download a wonderful resource for anyone that wants to treat their paint right.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Menasha, WI
Yeah, I guess I forgot how much their "guide" is "Buy Sonus this, buy Sonus that"... it's been a while since I looked at the guide for the first time and *really* read through it. In their defense, the Sonus stuff I use is really nice... just a little pricey. In terms of finding products to use, it's best to read the "detailing product discussion" tab and also looking at Click & Brag to find out what people use on their cars and why they stick with it.
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Lebanon & UAE
Hey, Iown a black ix and it's a ***** keeping it clean. especially living in a desert area like dubai...Ok so black is gorgeous when clean, but it's bound to be dirtty within an hr from cleaning !!
Waxing sure helps. All colors fade in time. I dont mind the dust, hate dents and scratches and would watch out for those !
Its true that my car is always ehhmmm 'dirty' coz of the bloody sand and dust everywhere...but it's the ride I enjoy. my 0.02p !!!
cheers
Waxing sure helps. All colors fade in time. I dont mind the dust, hate dents and scratches and would watch out for those !
Its true that my car is always ehhmmm 'dirty' coz of the bloody sand and dust everywhere...but it's the ride I enjoy. my 0.02p !!!
cheers
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