TIPS TO KEEP YOUR CAR NEW AGAIN…

• Household detergents should not be used to wash your car their high pH content will remove your car's wax and harm its clear-coat finish.
• Always rinse your car before washing it. The dirt can get caught under your sponge or cloth and will scratch your paint.
• To clean leather interior, wipe with a damp cloth and then buff dry. Follow up with a good leather conditioner
• Avoid car washes that use recycled water because that recycled water may contain salt other contaminants from other vehicles that may be harmful for your cars paint.
• Use a mild soap to clean tree sap, bird droppings and bug splats as soon as possible, the acidity will damage your clear coat if left too long.
• Touch up chips and scratches promptly. Chips and scratches left too long can cause blisters and rust.
• Moisturize your vinyl at least two times a year to prevent drying and cracking. Interior and exterior vinyl should be cleaned and buff dried then applies a temporary vinyl dressing, such as Armor All.
• Remove bumper stickers and window decals gently. Use a hair dryer to soften the adhesive, and then scrape it with an old credit card. Be sure to keep the heat of the hair dryer low to prevent damage to the paint on your bumpers.

TAKING CARE OF YOUR VEHICLE

Washing

Start by THOROUGHLY rinsing the car with a gentle pressure to avoid scratches. Excessive water pressure will cause the dirt to grind at the surface. Some detailers prefer to let the water flow freely out of the hose without the benefit of a nozzle. Use a detergent designed specifically for car washing. Don't use common dish washing detergent, as it is too strong and will remove the wax you want to keep.

There really isn't a lot to washing a car; simply mix detergent according to the manufacturers' directions, dip your sponge or mitt into the bucket and have at it. There are a few guidelines to follow however:

• Use generous amounts of water/detergent. On a relatively small car use three or four buckets. On a medium sized car five or six buckets will do the job. When the bucket gets down to about one-third fill, empty it, give it a quick rinse and refill with detergent/water.
• When you wash a car, do it in sections. Start with the roof, which will make rinsing easier. Then do other sections, such as the front fender, door, rear fender and so on, rinsing thoroughly in between. Always rinse soon after applying so a soap film does not develop. Do not suds up the entire car and then rinse; some of the soap will dry and a film like substance will remain.
• After washing, rinse the entire car just to be sure all the soap is cleared away. Don't forget the nooks, crannies and crevices where soap can hide.
• If the car is particularly dirty, wash it twice. The first washing will take care of the majority of the dirt and the second will complete the job. Some car enthusiasts will wash twice as part of their routine.
• Avoid scratches by using two buckets; one will have your normal car wash detergent, the other will be just water. When you are finished washing a particular area, rinse the wash mitt/sponge in the plain water bucket. This will keep scratch causing dirt particles from revisiting the surface of your car. Another approach is to rinse off with your hose the wash mitt/sponge before dipping it into the car wash detergent.

Polishing

Polishing, as it applies to car detailing, refers to the act of restoring gloss by removing contaminants, restoring valuable oils and smoothing the paint surface. Most polishes accomplish this by being a mild abrasive and some do it by way of a chemical reaction.

We have three basic choices when it comes to treating paint surfaces:

• Polish
• Cleaner
• Rubbing compound

Each of these works by removing unwanted paint, in very small amounts, from the surface of the paint. They vary in their "aggressiveness". Rubbing compound gets rid of the most amount of paint for a given application while polishes remove the least, leaving cleaners somewhere in between. Clearly, removing paint should be taken seriously. The trick is to use a product with the right amount of aggressiveness. For this reason, we recommend starting with an application of polish. If the polish does not seem to have enough of an effect, try an application of cleaner. Using an orbital buffer will make the job go much faster. However, the polish or cleaner should be designed for machine use. If a cleaner or polish application doesn't get the job done, rubbing compound may be the solution. Rubbing compound is a strong abrasive and should be taken seriously. For that reason, you should then turn the task over to a professional. Polishes serve to remove contaminants on the paint surface. This can include airborne pollutants, tree sap, bird droppings and so on.

You're decision to use polishes or cleaners will depend on the condition of your paint and so it is difficult to give any hard and fast recommendations. If the paint looks dull after washing, a polish application could be the next step. If the paint is very dull, to the point of having a certain amount of roughness to the texture, then an application of cleaner is in order. Prime candidates are cars that have not been detailed for a long time and used or even new car purchases.

Swirls

Swirls are those nasty circular lines that show up in bright sunlight and go a long way towards preventing your car from looking "right".

There are a number of swirl removal products available. Some are basically polishes that work by dulling the edges of the scratches; this might not remove the scratches entirely but it can help out the situation considerably. Others work as fillers, placing material in the scratch so that they effectively disappear. Wax and glazes perform a similar function. If you are not satisfied with the results of your swirl remover treatment, consult a detailing professional.

Oxidation

The finish of a car is always wet, even if it is dry. To make sense of this statement, consider the fact that paint needs certain oils to keep its fresh glossy look. Ultraviolet rays from the sun and smog can dry up these essential oils, and the result is a dull and flat finish known as oxidation. If you could look at oxidized paint under a high powered microscope, you would see a surface that looks dry and cracked like the desert.

When it occurs, oxidation appears as dull and dry spots on the finish and usually is first noticed on the flat horizontal areas of the car like the hood, roof and truck. If paint residue appears on your wash mitt, you definitely have an oxidation problem. The solution to oxidation is to remove the uppermost surface of dead paint. To do that we have three basic choices:

WAXING

Once you are comfortable with the condition of the paint, it is time to think of a coating of wax. Wax acts as a paint preserver by helping it to retain certain oils which reduce oxidation. It also serves to protect from environmental hazards such as bird droppings, tree sap, smog and the sun's ultraviolet rays. And it gives paint the depth, gloss and richness that can make all those detailing hours worthwhile.

Wax is available in three forms: liquid, paste and spray. As a general rule, liquid wax goes on easier, but does not last as long as the paste products. Which one you use is your choice. Our only recommendation is that you choose one with a high Carnauba content. Unfortunately, there really isn't any way to determine Carnauba content other than to say that if it is prominent on the label, it's a safe bet. Avoid spray waxes as they are too thin to be of any real use.

We recommend a single application of wax. Don't try to put on a thick application with the intent that you won't have to wax as often because it won't work. You'll mostly end up with an excessive amount of wax residue to remove, making the job more difficult. You are better off waxing more frequently. You can use the round applicators that come with some waxes or are available separately. A damp rectangular kitchen sponge makes a good applicator, as its shape seems to be able to handle the detail areas of a car. A second application on the nose and hood, where the wind quickly wears off the wax will give you a longer lasting wax job.

What Goes On, Must Come Off

If you find yourself struggling to remove the wax residue, then you have probably applied to much wax to begin with, which is a common mistake of first time waxers. If you have applied the correct amount of wax, the residue removal will be minimal.

The hard part is removing the wax residue from the various creases and edges. The edges of the doors, trunk, and hood are simple; just open them and go over the area with a soft cloth. Fixed items, such as side marker lights, radio antennas, windshield washer nozzles, decals and so on are more difficult.

Some detailers use a soft bristled toothbrush. This approach works, although we urge caution as scratches can occur if you are not careful. A toothpick can be effective sometimes. You may even find it worth while to remove some items such as the side markers and license plates before you apply the wax.

How Often?

We recommend that you wax your car once about every three to four months - more if the car is exposed to harsh conditions. When it comes to deciding if it's time for a new coat of wax, the time-honored water beading test can't be topped. While you are doing the wash pre-rinse, notice how the water drops bead up. If the water beads well, you can wait a little longer and if the water does not bead so well, well its time for another wax job.