Cleaning product and wax recommendations

[iliria]

Having heard some horror stories about getting your car washed at some places I have decided to go the DIY route. What are the best cleaning prducts and wax recommended for an obsidian black colour? I have heard about CarLack 68 and Collinite 845 but I believe the latter is more suitable for lighter colours?

 

[whitenemesis]

Carla I is a good sealant, I would top it with Collinite 915

If you wish to mask minor swirls try Poorboys Blackhole

 

[iliria]

Carla I is a good sealant, I would top it with Collinite 915

If you wish to mask minor swirls try Poorboys Blackhole

I have been looking for the Carla I but havent been able to find it.

Do I use any type of shampoo to wash the car first and then apply sealant and then Collinite 915? Also is the 915 in liquid form or is it hard wax?

Sorry about all the questions but just want to get it right.

 

[whitenemesis]

Sorry my typo, I was trying to say Carlack69 is a good sealant....

Yes, any neutral pH car shampoo will do, I use Autoglym or Meguires Gold. Just don't use washing up liquid ie Fairy liquid

 

[such01]

I have been looking for the Carla I but havent been able to find it.

Do I use any type of shampoo to wash the car first and then apply sealant and then Collinite 915? Also is the 915 in liquid form or is it hard wax?

Sorry about all the questions but just want to get it right.

Check out this shop; Clean Your Car

Everything you could possibly require once the OCD sets in

Also, depending on the state of your paintwork, after washing, you can use glue / tar / iron remover, then a clay bar / mitt to remove contaminants to achieve a glass like smooth finish. Once the paint is smooth, you can apply a polish to remove any minor marks such as swirls, which really show on black paint. You can do this by hand or machine. next step is a sealant to protect the paint and then you can use a hard wearing wax on top.

If you apply sealant before any paint prep, you will be sealing in anything stuck on the bodywork not removed by washing.

Should only take a "few" hours

Plenty of guides around to help such as:The Worlds Largest Resource for Detailers, Valeters and Car Cleaning

 

[jr2007]

Having heard some horror stories about getting your car washed at some places I have decided to go the DIY route. What are the best cleaning prducts and wax recommended for an obsidian black colour? I have heard about CarLack 68 and Collinite 845 but I believe the latter is more suitable for lighter colours?

I also have Obsidian Black on my car and it can be brutal showing up the swirls. Before moving onto claying and paint correction/swirl masking, it might be better to start building a routine with getting your car clean.

Step1: Hose/pressure wash off the entire car to remove as much dirt as possible. This will make your cleaning stage safer and easier.

Step2: Fill one bucked with clean water (rinse bucket) and the other with water/car shampoo mix (wash bucket). Wash your car with a decent microfibre or lambswool mitt by dunking into the wash bucket, applying the mitt to the car in straight lines and then cleaning it out in the rinse bucket. The idea here is to try and minimise contaminating your wash bucket with gunk from the car.

Step3: Hose/pressure wash off the entire car. Dry the car gently and in straight lines with some good quality microfibre towels. Soaking the towel and wringing it out oddly makes it better at drying.

Step4: Apply some protection like a wax in straight lines and gently buff off with a clean microfibre towel. For your first few washes just use a spray wax.

Recommendations for car shampoo: Autoglym car shampoo http://amzn.to/2eZnmXh or Autofinesse car lather http://amzn.to/2en6gTO

Recommendations for spray wax: Williams waterless wash kit http://amzn.to/2e2VWuB or Meg's ultimate quick wax http://amzn.to/2eZr9nl

Once you have the routine locked down, you can introduce claying your car after the rinse (http://amzn.to/2eyPZGs). This will also remove any existing wax, in addition to bonded contaminants, on the car and is something you should do twice a year. If your swirls are very light, you can fill them with poorboys black hole (http://amzn.to/2eyRXXj) or autoglym super resin polish (http://amzn.to/2e2Yr00) before applying your wax or sealant but for the non-detailing enthusiast this is an unnecessary step. However if you do chose to apply a pre-wax glaze, you will be rewarded with an even better shine on your car whilst it lasts.

In terms of waxes and sealants, the way to look at them is a wax typically has better gloss but isn't as durable, and a sealant is very durable but not as glossy. I have been experimenting with this hybrid sealant from Soft99 recently (http://amzn.to/2eAQpxI) and it is holding up really well so far with excellent gloss levels. Just apply very thinly to the panel (you should barely be able to see it when freshly applied), wait around 5 mins once hazed and then buff off. Do not wait 10-15 mins as it might suggest unless you want an arm workout!

 

[Toobad]

Well, Obsidian Black is definitely the gateway to OCD behaviour The success of the finish is wholly dependent on how much effort you are willing to put in to the preparation. I would suggest you give serious thought to buying or borrowing a dual action machine polisher to fully correct the paint. With the correct cleaning techniques, this is a process you would only have to do once. As a rule sealants will produce the crispest most reflective gloss but many consider the finish somewhat sterile and choose to apply or top off with a carnauba wax. This slightly mutes the ultimate shine but introduces a warmth and incredible depth to the paintwork. You can always put a wax over a sealant but NEVER the other way around. Have a look at this article:

Choosing Paint Protection

Incidentally I have had great success with the Soft99 products and for longevity nothing beats Fusso Coat Dark for your Obsidian Black. Nippon Shine is the UK stockist.

 

[jr2007]

Well, Obsidian Black is definitely the gateway to OCD behaviour The success of the finish is wholly dependent on how much effort you are willing to put in to the preparation. I would suggest you give serious thought to buying or borrowing a dual action machine polisher to fully correct the paint. With the correct cleaning techniques, this is a process you would only have to do once. As a rule sealants will produce the crispest most reflective gloss but many consider the finish somewhat sterile and choose to apply or top off with a carnauba wax. This slightly mutes the ultimate shine but introduces a warmth and incredible depth to the paintwork. You can always put a wax over a sealant but NEVER the other way around. Have a look at this article:

Choosing Paint Protection

Incidentally I have had great success with the Soft99 products and for longevity nothing beats Fusso Coat Dark for your Obsidian Black. Nippon Shine is the UK stockist.

A machine compound or polish is absolutely the best way for an enthusiast to get the best finish (I spent days getting my CL perfect when I got it!), but its quite an advanced step for someone just getting into properly maintaining the cleanliness of their car.

Once the wash and dry routine is nailed down, then try claying for the first time. Once you understand how clay works and when to use it, you can experiment with different sealants and layering waxes on top of sealants. Once you fully understand the purpose of waxes and sealants, and appreciate how they bond to the paint, I think then you are best placed placed to pick up a DA and give refining the paint finish a go.

It takes a while but machine polishing requires all of the prep steps to be perfect. Without mastering those prep steps, the process becomes far too difficult to achieve a satisfactory finish and most novices will be put off.

 

[redjules51]

I currently use Greased Lightning waterless cleaner. I have an obsidian black CLK and know what a pain it can be to avoid the water runs. GL does it for me, not cheap but much better than conventional methods and a damned sight quicker. There are similar products around but this is the first one I used and was impressed.
Twice a year I use Autoglym polish and that has sufficed for the last few years. After all the car is to be used and look reasonable at the same time and this regime satisfys me.

 

[jr2007]

I currently use Greased Lightning waterless cleaner. I have an obsidian black CLK and know what a pain it can be to avoid the water runs. GL does it for me, not cheap but much better than conventional methods and a damned sight quicker. There are similar products around but this is the first one I used and was impressed.
Twice a year I use Autoglym polish and that has sufficed for the last few years. After all the car is to be used and look reasonable at the same time and this regime satisfys me.

I used GL a lot when I had an apartment - water meter plus the car park being on another floor meant waterless cleaning was the way to go! I found the Williams Waterless Wash (http://amzn.to/2dJuzoJ) was much better in terms of overspray - GL sometimes got into places I couldn't quite reach and the white marks would irritate me!

 

[iliria]

Before moving onto claying and paint correction/swirl masking, it might be better to start building a routine with getting your car clean.

Step1: Hose/pressure wash off the entire car to remove as much dirt as possible. This will make your cleaning stage safer and easier.

Step2: Fill one bucked with clean water (rinse bucket) and the other with water/car shampoo mix (wash bucket). Wash your car with a decent microfibre or lambswool mitt by dunking into the wash bucket, applying the mitt to the car in straight lines and then cleaning it out in the rinse bucket. The idea here is to try and minimise contaminating your wash bucket with gunk from the car.

Step3: Hose/pressure wash off the entire car. Dry the car gently and in straight lines with some good quality microfibre towels. Soaking the towel and wringing it out oddly makes it better at drying.

Step4: Apply some protection like a wax in straight lines and gently buff off with a clean microfibre towel. For your first few washes just use a spray wax.

Recommendations for car shampoo: Autoglym car shampoo http://amzn.to/2eZnmXh or Autofinesse car lather http://amzn.to/2en6gTO

Recommendations for spray wax: Williams waterless wash kit http://amzn.to/2e2VWuB or Meg's ultimate quick wax http://amzn.to/2eZr9nl

Once you have the routine locked down, you can introduce claying your car after the rinse (http://amzn.to/2eyPZGs). This will also remove any existing wax, in addition to bonded contaminants, on the car and is something you should do twice a year. If your swirls are very light, you can fill them with poorboys black hole (http://amzn.to/2eyRXXj) or autoglym super resin polish (http://amzn.to/2e2Yr00) before applying your wax or sealant but for the non-detailing enthusiast this is an unnecessary step. However if you do chose to apply a pre-wax glaze, you will be rewarded with an even better shine on your car whilst it lasts.

In terms of waxes and sealants, the way to look at them is a wax typically has better gloss but isn't as durable, and a sealant is very durable but not as glossy. I have been experimenting with this hybrid sealant from Soft99 recently (http://amzn.to/2eAQpxI) and it is holding up really well so far with excellent gloss levels. Just apply very thinly to the panel (you should barely be able to see it when freshly applied), wait around 5 mins once hazed and then buff off. Do not wait 10-15 mins as it might suggest unless you want an arm workout!

I think the 4 steps above that jr has kindly posted are perfectly clear in respect to the process I should follow. Having read a bit about claying I think I shall introduce that step between steps 3 and 4.

I am clear about the shampoos to use and I have the lambswool mitt. When it comes to drying the car after step 2 are microfibre cloths better than chamois?

In respect to sealant and car wax, I thought that the sealant is applied first and then the wax after on top of it? Am I right? Or do you just use one or the other? Also, I assume that Carlack 69 sealant and Collinite 915 wax are good ones to use for the obsidian black?

Once my car is waxed, do I then just pressure wash it or do I use shampoo to clean it as well? Does the shampoo not remove the layer of wax?

Now when it comes to glass care: Any particular glass cleaning products that are recommended? or are they all just as good.

Internal cleaning: Any particular products recommended to clean dashboard and interior of doors?

Alloys: i assume the pressure washing will clean the alloys well enough and I dont need to get any specific cleaners for that?

Sorry for the endless questions guys but I think it is too late for me to keep my OCD at bay

PS: I have no issues with getting the water to the car so no need to go the waterless route. Plus I quite enjoy using the pressure washer

 

[Toobad]

As I said in Post#7 "You can always put a wax over a sealant but NEVER the other way around." Sealants need to bond the virgin clearcoat not float around on a film of wax.

Chamois leathers are generally considered old school. Microfibre is the way to go and for drying purposes a waffle weave towel is popular because of its elevated absorbency. Korean microfiber is prized because it goes through a special slitting process creating strands 100 times finer than conventional microfiber. Look for the Cobra Guzzler Supreme on eBay, it will set you back around £13.

I've not heard of Carlack 69, do you perhaps mean Carlack 68 Car Care Complete (was Carlack 68 NSC)? This is an all-in-one pre-cleaner and acrylic sealant. Any carnauba or sealant based wax would sit very well on top of it.

You should use a pH-neutral shampoo, this will not remove any coatings applied to the paint. Meguiars Gold Class shampoo is some of the best around and available in Halfrauds. It contains added wax too.

With glass, again you want it as clean as possible before applying a treatment. Angelwax H2Go is very popular and cheaper than Rain-X. They have an appriate cleaner in their range too.

For interior/exterior trim I favour CarPro P.E.R.L. It is extremely versatile as it is dilutable so you can alter the shine you desire. It protects from UV so can be applied to anything rubber, leather, or plastic

Wheels need cleaning and protecting from brake dust which is corrosive. Look at Carpro Iron-X fallout remover for major tarnish and for general cleaning, ValetPro Bilberry wheel cleaner. For sealing I favour CarPro DLUX which is a glass coating. Finish Kare FKP1000 is a high temperature wax sealant which will protect wheels but also produces an awesome gloss on paintwork. It is very popular as a winter protection.

Websites like CleanYourCar.co.uk and PerfectlyCleaned.co.uk can supply most of the products I mentioned and often post customer reviews. BTW, you don't have an OCD until you find yourself polishing your wheel weights with a cotton wool bud.

 

[Alex225]

Collinite 845 will be absolutely fine on any colour OP, it's not colour/shade specific

 

[iliria]

As I said in Post#7 "You can always put a wax over a sealant but NEVER the other way around." Sealants need to bond the virgin clearcoat not float around on a film of wax.

Chamois leathers are generally considered old school. Microfibre is the way to go and for drying purposes a waffle weave towel is popular because of its elevated absorbency. Korean microfiber is prized because it goes through a special slitting process creating strands 100 times finer than conventional microfiber. Look for the Cobra Guzzler Supreme on eBay, it will set you back around £13.

I've not heard of Carlack 69, do you perhaps mean Carlack 68 Car Care Complete (was Carlack 68 NSC)? This is an all-in-one pre-cleaner and acrylic sealant. Any carnauba or sealant based wax would sit very well on top of it.

You should use a pH-neutral shampoo, this will not remove any coatings applied to the paint. Meguiars Gold Class shampoo is some of the best around and available in Halfrauds. It contains added wax too.

With glass, again you want it as clean as possible before applying a treatment. Angelwax H2Go is very popular and cheaper than Rain-X. They have an appriate cleaner in their range too.

For interior/exterior trim I favour CarPro P.E.R.L. It is extremely versatile as it is dilutable so you can alter the shine you desire. It protects from UV so can be applied to anything rubber, leather, or plastic

Wheels need cleaning and protecting from brake dust which is corrosive. Look at Carpro Iron-X fallout remover for major tarnish and for general cleaning, ValetPro Bilberry wheel cleaner. For sealing I favour CarPro DLUX which is a glass coating. Finish Kare FKP1000 is a high temperature wax sealant which will protect wheels but also produces an awesome gloss on paintwork. It is very popular as a winter protection.

Websites like CleanYourCar.co.uk and PerfectlyCleaned.co.uk can supply most of the products I mentioned and often post customer reviews. BTW, you don't have an OCD until you find yourself polishing your wheel weights with a cotton wool bud.

Sir, I truly thank you for the thoroughly fantastic reply. (I hope I have fulfilled your wish in your signature).

May I ask, does the wax contained in the Meguiars Gold shampoo not interfere with the sealant that I am applying after washing the car? Or is it in too low amounts to affect it? By the way Carlack 68 is what i meant (and not 69 which was a typo).

So the wheels need to undergo the same process as the rest of the car as well then. I.e. wash, seal and wax.

And i can use the Finish Kare FKP1000 on both car and wheels instead of the Collinite?

Collinite 845 will be absolutely fine on any colour OP, it's not colour/shade specific

The only reason i asked was because I read on another thread here that apparently the 845 is better for lighter colours. Being new to the detailing I thought to check just to be on the safe side. Little did I know what I was letting myself in for

 

[Toobad]

A sealant is generally applied between 1 -2 times a year, each time requiring a strip back to virgin clearcoat. A wax over the top is called your Last Stage Protection or LSP and should be considered sacrificial. Hence it needs to be reapplied every 1-2 months. The wax in the Meguiars shampoo is just giving your wax coat a weekly boost. At no time should you consider applying any further sealant without stripping off all the wax first. The Carlack 68 Complete Care is a pre-wax cleaner so if you have used the Meguiars for the initial washing you can rest assured the Carlack 68 will have removed the microscopic amount that has been deposited.

You could always put Carlack Longlife over the Carlack 68 Complete Care as they are both acrylic based and are designed to compliment each other. You will get a very crisp and sterile finish with amazing flake pop but the majority of black car owners seem to prefer the extra warmth and depth of gloss that only a carnauba wax can deliver.

Finish Kare is a wholly synthetic wax-like paste. It is extremely hard wearing, temperature resistant, beads water like crazy and is so glossy the marketing department promotes it as a "second clearcoat". For this reason many choose it for their winter protection. It works well on wheels because its high temperature characteristics prevent hot particles from the brake pads burning through the wheel lacquer and starting the corrosion process. So yes, this product covers both your paintwork and wheels.

 

[iliria]

A sealant is generally applied between 1 -2 times a year, each time requiring a strip back to virgin clearcoat. A wax over the top is called your Last Stage Protection or LSP and should be considered sacrificial. Hence it needs to be reapplied every 1-2 months. The wax in the Meguiars shampoo is just giving your wax coat a weekly boost. At no time should you consider applying any further sealant without stripping off all the wax first. The Carlack 68 Complete Care is a pre-wax cleaner so if you have used the Meguiars for the initial washing you can rest assured the Carlack 68 will have removed the microscopic amount that has been deposited.

You could always put Carlack Longlife over the Carlack 68 Complete Care as they are both acrylic based and are designed to compliment each other. You will get a very crisp and sterile finish with amazing flake pop but the majority of black car owners seem to prefer the extra warmth and depth of gloss that only a carnauba wax can deliver.

Finish Kare is a wholly synthetic wax-like paste. It is extremely hard wearing, temperature resistant, beads water like crazy and is so glossy the marketing department promotes it as a "second clearcoat". For this reason many choose it for their winter protection. It works well on wheels because its high temperature characteristics prevent hot particles from the brake pads burning through the wheel lacquer and starting the corrosion process. So yes, this product covers both your paintwork and wheels.

Ah I know now where I was getting confused. I thought the Carlack 68 was a sealant and it is a shampoo instead.

In terms of wax i might try both a carnuba wax for the warmth and the Finish Kare in order to see which one I might like best.

Now to take this one step further: I have seen that quite a few orbital sanders can be used with the appropriate pads to buff/shine the wax. Is this something I should consider or will I get similar results by hand (without having to spend all that money)?

 

[Toobad]

Carlack 68 is a hybrid all-in-one sealant. It contains cleaners that will strip off all previous coatings but, at the same time, will add back an element of acrylic wax protection. Carlack Longlife is then usually used to top off and reinforce this initial protection for increased longevity.

Since Finish Kare is also a sealant you could try that first then add a carnauba wax over it at a later date to alter the paintwork's reflective properties. You will also alter the beading properties as carnauba wax tends to produce bigger beads than a sealant.

If you are considering a polishing machine to buff up your coatings because hand buffing is too hard then you are simply applying too much product. The paint surface will accept no more than a couple of microns. If you slather it on you are just expending unnecessary money and effort to remove most of it again. Think of it as applying fumes to the surface and you will never have any trouble with removal.

 

[iliria]

Carlack 68 is a hybrid all-in-one sealant. It contains cleaners that will strip off all previous coatings but, at the same time, will add back an element of acrylic wax protection. Carlack Longlife is then usually used to top off and reinforce this initial protection for increased longevity.

Since Finish Kare is also a sealant you could try that first then add a carnauba wax over it at a later date to alter the paintwork's reflective properties. You will also alter the beading properties as carnauba wax tends to produce bigger beads than a sealant.

If you are considering a polishing machine to buff up your coatings because hand buffing is too hard then you are simply applying too much product. The paint surface will accept no more than a couple of microns. If you slather it on you are just expending unnecessary money and effort to remove most of it again. Think of it as applying fumes to the surface and you will never have any trouble with removal.

Perfect, it's making sense now in my head. Sorry for being slow and thank you for your patience.

 

[iliria]

Right, ordered all the following:

Cobra Guzzler Supreme drying towels.
Meguire Gold Class shampoo
CarPro Perl
CarPro IronX
ValetPro Bilberry
Finish Kare 1000P
Carlack 68 Car Care Complete
Collinite 915
Angelwax H2Go
Angelwax Vision
Meguire lambswool mitt
Foam applicator pads
Dodo Juice supernatural buffing towels
(and two buckets )

Three last questions I have: Can I apply Finish Kare over the Carlack68 sealant? What is the best clay bar to use? Is there a particular air freshener recommended (possibly an all natural product)?

 

[Toobad]

Blimey, that OCD is really taking hold! You're definitely not afraid to splash the cash but then I'm told the streets of Cheshire are paved with gold. Do tell us which Premier League team you play for.

1. Since the Carlack and Finish Kare are both sealants they can indeed be layered. You will get the pre-wax cleaning abilities of the Carlack which you can then over-coat with the extremely hard wearing and ridiculously shimmering gloss of the Finish Kare. It also has a reputation for insane water beading. You then have the option to top off with the Collinite 915 which will slightly mute the crisp sterile reflectivity and produce a warmer mile-deep gloss effect.

2. Clay bars are considered somewhat old school these days. The clay mitt is the modern alternative and it uses a grabby rubber polymer surface to decontaminate the paintwork. The major advantage is that the mitts are so much easier and quicker to work with. There's no continual folding to get a clean surface and they are reusable around 50 times. If you drop it on the ground, it is not Game Over. There are specialist lubricating solutions like Dodo Juice Born Slippy to use in conjuction with your clay mitt/bar but, TBH, a slightly stronger mix of your Meguiars Gold Class shampoo in a plant mister will do the job well enough.
This is what I use: German Clay Mitt
You can get this one at Halfrauds: Farecla G3 Clay Mitt

3. The choice of air freshener has to be a subjective thing. Personally, I like the smell of napalm in the morning. Two of the bigger names in the detailing world are Jelly Bean and California Scents. If you are after a longl-lasting eco-friendly air freshener then have a look at the California Scents Xtreme range. It is made from a very high percentage of pure perfume oil. You could always go old school and grab some essential oils from Holland & Barratt. Put a few drops on a wooden clothes peg and clip it under one of the seats out of sight.
They usually have some promotion running: Aromatherapy Oils

You do know the next stop on the slippery slope of extreme detailing is machine polishing, right?