VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Detailing Forum "How-To"

169K views 70 replies 30 participants last post by  adg44 
#1 ·
Since there are a lot of repeat threads in here about "What is the best wax", "How should I wax my car", "Swirl Removal?", "How to properly wash a car", etc etc. This can be a first stop for getting information you may need.
Here is how this works. Everyone choose a subject they wish to explain (that they know very well) and post it. Since there are so many different techniques for detailing a car, repeat posts are fine.
I will do some write-ups later when I have some more time.
But for now, go at it. Happy Detailing!

- Anthony
 
See less See more
1
#52 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (SN2BDNGRZB55)

I would also like to add the "double wash" method.
My friend was a detailing freak (washed his car almost every day, waxed twice a week). and what he would do wash a section (like the roof), rinse, then wash again, and rinse again.
I started using this method and was amazed at how much cleaner my car came out. It really didn't add a whole lot of time to the process of washing the car, but made a HUGE difference on how clean the car ended up.
Try it out, you will be surprised
 
#53 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (mike75bug)

Something came to mind now that is winter....
I usually put more wax on my car in October/November. I don't usually wax and fully detail my car until March, so for a longer period I use 2 to 3 coats of a thicker paste wax (I usually use a liquid wax during spring/summer). With the additonal precipitation - especially in the PNW where I live - you need additional protection for the extra junk and oil coming up off the road and through the rain/snow. I also wash my car more often - I go through a 'touchless' car wash if it's been a heavy week, even if it's raining that day. I don't like carwashes, but the touchless ones are better than the 'soft rag' or bristle washes. I also ONLY do that if it is a particularily heavy precipitation week (sometimes it rains 10-14 days straight around here). Don't buy any of that extra protection junk, just the basic $3-6 wash. It's good to keep the extra dirt off the car if weather doesn't permit spending 30mins outside washing your car, or it it's just really really dirty. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#54 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (SN2BDNGRZB55)

I don't know why I didn't post this before, but here is a REALLY REALLY useful link to Meguiars CarCareRX tool - it asks you a series of questions and makes recommendations for taking care of your paint:
http://www.meguiars.com/carrx.cfm
Of course, it recommends Meguiars products, but if you have a different brand preference you can see the type of products used and how they are applied, and cross reference that to your favorite line of products. Happy Detailing!!
 
#56 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (zapper65)

Quote, originally posted by zapper65 »
Simple, I have a 2001 black Jetta and all I use is the 3M perfect_it line of products

I've heard that 3M is good (that's what a lot of body shops use...although most companies put out the same product at different levels...). Is that a professional/commercial grade product that is usually only available to shops, or is it an available consumer level product. There is a difference, and some products should only be used with certain types of equipment like a rotary buffer, while some are good to go for just a standard dual-action or random orbit buffer that is widely used by at-home detailers.. thanks! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#57 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (SN2BDNGRZB55)

Ok folks, I've been reading with interest the many comments about MF in this forum and I figured I'd better register and help clear up some of the gross misconceptions that are forming. The information being presented here is mostly incorrect.
First of all let me state that I am a textile designer and weaver and have been in the textile business for over 25 yrs. Much of what you read on the internet is hogwash, it is advertising hype and you must learn to read between the lines.
Microfiber is NOT any particular material, it is not strictly polyester, or nylon, or cotton, or cellulose, or whatever. MF is a term used to describe the thickness of a filamant of yarn. The technical term for this is "denier." A yarn of 1 denier is 9000 yards long and weighs 1 gram, microfiber is any yarn below a denier of .2 Therefore MF can be made from man made fibers such as polyester or rayon or it can be natural such as cotton or other cellulose. Microfiber is not any particular weave, when you say 100% Terry MF it makes no sense.
MF filaments are spun together, usually with other materials, to form a single strand of yarn which is then combined with other yarn to make a thread which is used in the weaving of the cloth. Forget about 90,000 or 100,000 thread count, there is no such animal. Forget about thread count completely. Thread count has nothing to do with quality or softness. A good analogy would be that burap can have a higher thread count than a cotton shheet, would you use burlap on your car?
Without going intoi too much further detail suffice it to say that a natural materail is less prone to scratching than a man made. That is not to say that natural won't scratch! What you need to watch out for is the quality of the material and how it is made. It is a difficult thing to determine so the best thing to do is check web sites such as http://www.autopia.org, http://www.showcargarage.com, and http://www.detailcity.com and see what people there like to use. Make an informed decision as to what you think you may want and thenn buy a towel or two from the better manufacturers (stay away from Wal Mart and Costco as they have very inconsistent quality.) Once you get to try the towels you can then decide what is best for you, everyone has their own preferences.
Leo
 
#58 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (DFTowel)

Sorry but I need to elaborate on something. I keep seeing you mention that 100% Terry MF is something new. This is totally false! Terry towels made from MF yarns of various types have been around for 20 yrs! You also say that certain thread counts make a towel terry or poly. This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Terry is a type of weave (the familiar loops you see on towels) it has absolutely nothing to do with content (poly, cotton, whatever) or thread size (MF or not.)
You need to understand that a terry towel can be all cotton non MF, cotton MF, Poly MF, Poly MF with nylon, cellulose MF with cotton, silk!, rayone, linen, etc. etc. etc.
Something else you need to look for in a towel and that is the stitching. Many lower quality MF towels sometimes are sewn with polyester thread which in itself can scratch your paint so be carfull. Also be sure to remove any labels that may be attached.
You also need to be wary of mislabeled products. Many towels labeled All Cotton for example coming from India, Pakistan, and the Orient may not be 100% cotton, don't always believe the labels.
Leo
 
#59 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (DFTowel)

Quote, originally posted by DFTowel »
Sorry but I need to elaborate on something. I keep seeing you mention that 100% Terry MF is something new. This is totally false! Terry towels made from MF yarns of various types have been around for 20 yrs! You also say that certain thread counts make a towel terry or poly. This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Terry is a type of weave (the familiar loops you see on towels) it has absolutely nothing to do with content (poly, cotton, whatever) or thread size (MF or not.)
You need to understand that a terry towel can be all cotton non MF, cotton MF, Poly MF, Poly MF with nylon, cellulose MF with cotton, silk!, rayone, linen, etc. etc. etc.
Something else you need to look for in a towel and that is the stitching. Many lower quality MF towels sometimes are sewn with polyester thread which in itself can scratch your paint so be carfull. Also be sure to remove any labels that may be attached.
You also need to be wary of mislabeled products. Many towels labeled All Cotton for example coming from India, Pakistan, and the Orient may not be 100% cotton, don't always believe the labels.
Leo

Leo,
Thank you for the detailed information about what to look for in a good detailing towel, and especially for clearing up a lot of mis-conceptions about what kind of fibers make what, and what Terry really means. I think most of us are so familiar with the terms "Terry" and "Cotton" in the same sentence that it is generally assumed that a "terry" cloth has to be cotton - I know I did. Also, I did mention in my experience that the towels I have seen advertised (advertised being the key word, as you mentioned) with higher thread counts usually stated a higher polymer/polyester percentage, but that wasn't meant as a rule, just what I had seen in my shopping around various sites and local car shops. Also, I did assume that Terry MF was new, only because MF was new to me in the consumer market in general and I hadn't seen Terry MF towels in the past. I apologize if I miss-informed anybody.
However, I do have a question. Obviously you want to get a towel that is soft and won't have any potential for damaging your paint. So, are cotton towels generally less susceptible to scratching? What is the softest fabric? Also, what does thread count tell you about anything, or does it? Will thread count tell you how absorbent a towel is? What is typically the highest thread count you can get? The MF towels I found are Terry, they are Cotton, and they are MF (although it doesn't state thread count, and they are made in the U.S. so hopefully they are pure cotton). I did get them at Costco, however being skeptical of prior MF experiences, I tested them on an inconspicuous spot on my car before using them all the time. The ends of the towels have been sewn almost like a piping that is very very small - the tufts from the towel actually almost entirely encapsulate them. I tried using the towels on a CD like suggested by Triumph, pressing very hard, and the towels made absolutely not even a hint of a mark.. and they have been great on my car. I guess that makes them a good towel. But, I am curious if there are types of materials that you should AVOID when looking at good detailing towels. Can you elaborate a little?
Thanks so much for your input Leo! It was great for you to jump in an help us enthusiasts make sure our cars had the best of the best!
Jesse


Modified by SN2BDNGRZB55 at 9:46 PM 1-23-2004
 
#60 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (SN2BDNGRZB55)

So, are cotton towels generally less susceptible to scratching?
Yes but that is not to say cotton can't scratch. Nor is it saying polyester will scratch. Abrasiveness is more related to the treatment and production of the yarn rather than what it is.
What is the softest fabric?
That's like saying who is the prettiest girl or what is the best color car! A fabric that feels soft can be more abrasive than one that feels stiffer. Generally, however, softer fabrics are made of natural materials rather than man mades such as polyester. Sometimes softness is due to finishes such as silicone added to the fabric thus folling you into thinking they are soft, much like fabric softners.
Also, what does thread count tell you about anything, or does it?
It means nothing to the end user, thread count is simply the number of threads in a square inch (or centimeter.) Many distributors quote outlandish thread counts like 90,000 or more. 90,000 what? Are they quoting threads or the filaments that make up the threads. Are they quoting both sides or one side of the fabric? Thread count is typically the threads which usually can be counted at about 500 or so, anything much denser you will have a satin fabric which certainly will be too smooth and non absorbent. Forget thread count
Will thread count tell you how absorbent a towel is?
Not exactly, absorbency is more related to the content (cotton, linen, polyester, whatever) However, for a fabric made up of a particular fiber such as cotton for example, a denser weave (higher thread count) mauy be more absorbant than a less dense one. Again, don't worry about thread count.
What is typically the highest thread count you can get?
Depends on the yarn size and the content... FORGET ABOUT THREAD COUNT!!
The MF towels I found are Terry, they are Cotton, and they are MF (although it doesn't state thread count, and they are made in the U.S. so hopefully they are pure cotton).
You are again using the term MF as if it is a particular content, saying something is MF or cotton is wrong... MF refers to a very fine yarn which can be cottnn, cellulose, polyester, rayon, or other fibers.
I did get them at Costco, however being skeptical of prior MF experiences, I tested them on an inconspicuous spot on my car before using them all the time. The ends of the towels have been sewn almost like a piping that is very very small - the tufts from the towel actually almost entirely encapsulate them. I tried using the towels on a CD like suggested by Triumph, pressing very hard, and the towels made absolutely not even a hint of a mark.. and they have been great on my car. I guess that makes them a good towel. But, I am curious if there are types of materials that you should AVOID when looking at good detailing towels. Can you elaborate a little?
Avoid steel wool!
Hard question to answer but my personal opinion is to stay away from man made fibers because they can be inconsistent BUT many people swear by them and never have a problem. To each his own!
The CD test is not gospel! It is only a guide, if the towel scratches the CD it still may not harm your car as the CD is much softer than your car's finish.
 
#61 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (DFTowel)

SO, thread count doesn't matter....? J/K I think we get the picture.
I am trying to grasp the whole MF thing. Okay, so a towel really CAN'T be MF then, right? Tell me if this is right: MF is a type of yarn? So a towel can be made of cotton MF spun yarn, and can be made with Terry loops, but that just basically makes a really dense cotton terry towel, right? Because the yarn is more dense when it is MF spun? SO, these companies are doing some type of irrelevant calculations on how many threads their towels have in each yarn to dupe people into thinking that it has 1000s of times more threads than normal towels basically.
I think I'll stick to your website!!
 
#62 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (SN2BDNGRZB55)

In a nutshell: microfiber refers to very fine yarn below a certain diameter. That is simply all there is to it. It can be any of a number of fibers (cotton, polyester, rayone, nylon, wood!\ fiber, almost anything)
Try to think of it like pasta... spaghetti is thick, angel hair is very thin... but they are both made of the same thing. Same withh microfiber, you can have standard cotton yarn or you can have microfiber cotton yarn.
Clear now?
 
#63 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (DFTowel)

To DFTowel and others:
Whoever answers this gets a prize,
When using a microfiber towel on your paint for polishing and waxing use ________________(varitey/brand/etc) and it can be found at________________.

I currently have three black VWs and I only want to do the best for my cars. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#65 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (DFTowel)

I didn't see too many topics about engine bay cleaning so ill give my 2 cents:
first off spray down the engine bay, and do it after the cars cooled down (its not really that important but people think your having engine trouble otherwise
) be careful around open wires too.
get the Gunk brand engine cleaner (its a canadian product so i dont know if you guys get it) and spray it all on the engine bay, this product removes any dirt or any of that matter, spray it off, for hard hit areas use a brush to help get it off.
Dry off your enigine, then use some WD-40 spray it on the various tubes trimming and valve cover and wipe it down with a dry towel, this will give it a nice shine that lasts
enjoy!
 
#66 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (AudiNick)

Quote, originally posted by AudiNick »
I didn't see too many topics about engine bay cleaning so ill give my 2 cents:
first off spray down the engine bay, and do it after the cars cooled down (its not really that important but people think your having engine trouble otherwise
) be careful around open wires too.
get the Gunk brand engine cleaner (its a canadian product so i dont know if you guys get it) and spray it all on the engine bay, this product removes any dirt or any of that matter, spray it off, for hard hit areas use a brush to help get it off.
Dry off your enigine, then use some WD-40 spray it on the various tubes trimming and valve cover and wipe it down with a dry towel, this will give it a nice shine that lasts
enjoy!

I like the WD-40 tip - used it on other parts too. Thanks for bringing up engine bay - it's important and a lot of people forget it. Another good tip if you don't want to use a lot of high chemical degreasers is ... Simple Green! Most of the time it is watered down for general cleaning, but as it comes in its concentrate form it will make an engine beautiful, and no nasty smell. In fact, it smells pretty damn good! Always let your engine cool before applying water to the engine compartment - it just avoids putting stress on the metal from rapid temperature change. Mist the engine with water. Spray it down with concentrated Simple Green. Let it soak for a good 15-20 minutes but don't let it dry. Then just spray it off. It took off caked on motor oil that I had splashed on the head after topping off. It's "Green" too, enviro friendly. My .02
 
#67 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (SN2BDNGRZB55)

Two things I realized recently that are often forgotten, but really make your car feel like new:
- Clean your door jams! These never come clean when washing the outside of the car. After I wash, I open up all the doors and clean everywhere with a soapy rag. I'm not so concerned about scratches here.
- Don't forget to treat your rubber door seams with your favorite vinyl/rubber treatment. They look so much better when you give them a new black shine.
It's the little things that matter, not those large boring surfaces of color.
 
#70 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (550spyder2276)

550spyder2276, you said the following in the now edited post above:
"There is no such thing as a 100% cotton micro Fiber. ALL microfibers are basically made of super fine strands of Nylon and Polyester."
That statement is 100% wrong and quite irresponsible. I love it when people who know nothing about a product or industry make such outrageous statements. Microfiber cotton filament certainly does exist, in fact, I am looking at a skean of it here in my office. Microfber only refers to the diameter of a filament of yarn, not to it's content.


Modified by DFTowel at 11:43 PM 2-29-2004
 
#71 ·
Re: Detailing Forum "How-To" (DFTowel)

This thread has gotten way off topic of what I intended when I created it.
I will lock this thread now, and start a new one like that which is in the G/J IV forum, with links to topics answering frequent questions.
So, for the time being, please post questions/answers like these in their own topics, so I can link to them later.
Thank you,
- Anthony
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top