About to wash my car for the first time...

[rurso01]

I got my 2013 SWP Hatchback on Friday night and am getting things prepared for its first wash in a week or so.

Can someone please list all of the things I would need to buy (starting with NOTHING) to do a scratch free, good solid car wash. I don't need extreme detailing as I plan on doing this regularly.. but more of a Wax/wash, tire/rim and good cloths to use.

Any and all assistance is appreciated as this is my first NEW car and I want to keep this one looking like the day I bought it!

[Stawgn10]

Congrats on the car.
This will take you to the datailing forum, if I did it right. If not you can get there by going to Home -- Tech & Modifying & General Repairs -- Detailing Forum.
Detailing 101 chosing your products and buffing how to

[rurso01]

So after reading the very well written detailing 101, I am still confused. I am a complete noob when it comes to detailing a car or even washing it properly. I do not have the slightest clue how to properly buff a car or even wax a car as I usually just take soap in a bucket and wash the car and then rinse it off...

With this in mind, can everyone list the products used and a brief description on how each product is used and the things I made need to know about it? I would love a good recommendation for soap, wax, MF rags or alternative and if it is truly necessary, a good buffer (though I am truly afraid to do it)

[Stawgn10]

I use either liquid or paste wax depending on how much time I want to spend on waxing the car. I just use microfiber towels to apply and remove. I use polishing compound to remove swirls and minor scratches, I do it by hand no machine. I use detailer spray between washes again with microfiber towels. I go by any wax is better than no wax, so pick one you like. There are a lot of websites devoted to just cleaning products like autogeek or something.

[free2be4ever7]

I use microfibers when drying, not the outside but the door jams and even the interior. I use a man made shammy from pet boys. Deff check out the man made shammy it's amazing. Invisible glass I believe it's called is pretty good window washing product. And also the other day I put rainx on my windows and it works amazing. I imagine it extends the life of the wiper blades too! The soap I use is also from pet boys, I believe it's call zylon or something. Light green bottle. Best soap I've ever used.

[teflon_jones]

Here's a couple of the most critical dos and don'ts for you rather than specifics on the whole process.
1. Never use a pressure washer. This drives water into places not designed to get wet. It's especially bad in the winter because it'll push salt and/or magnesium chloride (whichever they use where you live to melt ice) into all the little nooks, crannies, and crevices on your vehicle, and both of those substances are highly corrosive. The high pressure spray makes it much worse because they get into places they might not otherwise get into, especially narrow places where water gets trapped and the combo of the trapped water, air, and melt agent makes for a perfect environment for corrosion!
2. Always thoroughly wash your car with high volumes of low pressure water as the first step to remove as many particles as possible from the surface so you don't then get those into your wash mitt/towel and sand your paint.
3. Never, ever, never put your wash mitt/towel on the ground or let it sink to the bottom of your wash bucket. Either way it will pick up little bits of grit that will also help sand your paint. Along the same lines, always wash out your mitt/towel with a lot of water the first time you use it (if you don't machine wash it after each use and just dry it), and then after every body panel in case you pick up a speck of dirt. If you drop it by accident, thoroughly wash it with high volumes of low pressure water and/or in a large bucket of clean water.
4. Always wash your wheels, under your rocker panels, wheel wells, and anywhere else low on the car last because they're the most likely places to pick up pieces of grit that can scratch your paint. This will minimize your chances of picking up a bit of grit and then washing your fenders, doors, hood, trunk, and other very visible panels with the grit.

Just a few tips I've used over the years that have prevented me from ever getting any scratches from washing my vehicles.

[rurso01]

Okay so here's what I got today:

5 Gallon bucket
Microfiber knobby wash mitt to scrub car
Tanners Select Natural Shammy Super Absorbant (no edges on it and extremely soft)
8 way spray nozzle and hose
Interior/exterior detail brush
Black Magic foaming All Wheel cleaner. (I love this stuff)
Zymol natural concentrate Auto Wash
Turtle Wax "ICE" premium care spray wax

I still need to get some microfiber clothes for polishing which I hear cobra makes a great edgeless one I can buy.

All in all, how did I do? Good products? Stuff I should take back?!

[rurso01]

I also plan on buying one of those pieces to put at the bottom of the bucket to separate the grime from the wash water

[thescreensavers]

Here is a great video on the topic

How to Wash Your Car (ShowCar style!) - YouTube

[Mikie13]

Usually having two buckets is a good idea...one for soapy water, one for rinse water, otherwise you will just start dipping your sponge/rag into dirty water, which will then be transferred back to the car.

[WRXRayF]

I actually use 3 buckets, all with grit guards. Bucket 1 for clean ONR solution, Bucket 2 filled with clean water for rinsing microfiber mitt, Bucket 3 with its own sponges and brushes strictly for wheels, fender wells, exhaust tips, etc. I use 2 microfiber towels (24" x 36") for drying. I also use some Chemical Guys Quick Detailer after I get the majority of the water off the paint, but before the final drying. I use some cheap Costco microfiber towels to dry the door jams.

In my opinion, the most important things to get to prevent swirling the paint are a high quality washing mitt and some high quality micro fiber drying towels.

[rurso01]

Okay so where is the best place to get those grit guards? I couldnt find them at pep boys when there today. Also the spray wax... do I just spray over a small area at a time and rub with a polishing cloth and then use quick detailer afterward? sorry for my lack of knowledge in this category I've never had to care for a new perfect car before lol.

[Stawgn10]

I just follow the directions on the bottle when applying the wax and I just use the quick detailer between washes.

[Stawgn10]

Sorry, between washes to remove dust.

[thescreensavers]

Okay so where is the best place to get those grit guards? I couldnt find them at pep boys when there today. Also the spray wax... do I just spray over a small area at a time and rub with a polishing cloth and then use quick detailer afterward? sorry for my lack of knowledge in this category I've never had to care for a new perfect car before lol.

Are you thinking of using Spray Wax to wax your car? Stop there and buy an actual wax. Spray Wax isnt very durable.

OTC Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax is a good candidate

Also Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo and Conditioner is a very good OTC Car Soap.