How to clay, clean and wax paint by hand with Pinnacle Signature Series II

[Mike Phillips]

How to clay, clean and wax paint by hand with Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion and Pinnacle Signature Series II Carnauba Paste Wax

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If you're looking for a simple way to restore your car's finish and you prefer to work by hand, here's a simple approach that the average person can use to get professional results using something you already own... your hands!

This is a 2006 Lexus LX 470 Sport Utility Vehicle, it belongs to Barbara and it's her daily driver. It's parked outside in the coastal Florida weather 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. She was looking for a way she could restore the paint herself without making the jump to working by machine. While she loves her Lexus, her primary goal is to maintain her investment and of course she also wants it to look pretty too!

She doesn't want to take on detailing cars as a hobby, like many people that hang out on detailing discussion forums, instead she wants a simple approach that she can do herself on the weekend.

So here's a system approach using products from a premium line of car care products called Pinnacle. By using a system approach there's a synergistic chemical compatibility between the products with each new product used in the system building off the results the previous product achieved.


Here's Barbara's 2006 Lexus LX 470



The paint has lost it's gloss because the surface has been neglected to the point where it now has a light texture to it...



Here's a close-up of the paint from the picture above, because there's loose surface dirt on the car, before starting you would want to wash the car using a normal car wash approach or in our case we're going to use a Waterless Wash to just clean the front clip.



Later we'll set Barbara up with some Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo which she can use on weekends to wash her car using the normal car wash approach.



Of course we'll share the below two videos with her to show her some of her other options for washing a car, but remember, she doesn't want to make detailing a new hobby, so we'll let her decide which approach she prefers for washing her Lexus...

Show Car Garage Videos
Car Wash Options showcasing the Grit Guard Dual Bucket Washing System

The difference between a Normal Car Wash, a Waterless Car Wash and a Rinseless Car Wash and how to use a Rinseless Car Wash

Detailer's Pride Water Auto Wash




After cleaning the paint to remove any loose surface dirt, the next thing you want to do is to feel the paint to inspect for Above Surface Bonded Contaminants...




You can do this with your clean hand or if you really want to feel the contaminants that have built-up on your car's paint then place your hand inside a clean plastic baggie and then feel the paint. The plastic will intensify your sense of touch and reveal contaminants that you otherwise couldn't not feel.







If you've never used detailing clay before, watch this video which will explain how detailing clay works and how to use detailing clay to clay your car's paint.

Show Car Garage Videos

How detailing clay works and how to use detailing clay to remove above surface bonded contaminants

Next, to show the owner the difference in before and after I've taped-off half her hood and will go through the steps on just one side, then afterwards I'll remove the tape and let her see the difference that can be achieved using just a few high quality products and good technique.


First up we'll have her use Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion to remove any previously applied wax and embedded road grime and air-borne pollutants that washing and claying won't remove.

Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion perfectly prepares the paint for application of wax. It will ensure the wax has a clean base to bond to.


To use Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing lotion, apply using a clean, soft foam or microfiber applicator pad using a back and forth motion. While the goal is to always work clean, working in a back and forth motion will prevent you from instilling circular swirls just in case any dirt particulates enter the polishing process.

Because the Lexus LX 470 is a very large Sport Utility Vehicle it can be difficult to rub out an entire panel at one time, so for vehicles like this you can break a panel up into smaller sections.

After the Paintwork Cleansing Lotion dries to a haze, buff off using a clean microfiber towel.



Next we'll move onto a new section and overlap a little into the previous section.



Then using an aluminum work platform to stand on to reach into the middle of the hood we then worked the inner back section of the hood again using a back and forth motion and overlapping a little into the front section where we started.



Then lastly, we worked the rear, outer section...



This half the hood is now clean and smooth and ready for an application of wax...




While claying will remove above surface bonded contaminants, Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion will remove embedded road grime and pollutants as you can see when we compare the applicator pad we used to a brand new, clean applicator pad.



New, never been used clean foam applicator pad




Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion removes road grime and dirt that stains the paint and will hinder any wax from bonding to the paint. Besides helping your wax to bond better to the paint by removing embedded road grime and dirt staining, you create a more clear finish which will enable your eyes to see the beauty of the color coat under the clear coat as well as sharpen reflections and increase gloss.

After cleaning half the hood...




Now we're ready to apply a coat of wax, for this we're going to use the Pinnacle Signature Series II which is a high quality Carnauba wax that will really bring out a deep, wet shine now that we've properly prepared the finish for waxing.



Using a new, clean soft foam applicator pad, apply a thin even coating in a back and forth motion over the surface, work the wax gently as the idea is to coat over and seal the paint and create a clear, high gloss shine.



Pinnacle Signature Series II Carnauba Paste Wax



Pinnacle Signature Series II premium Carnauba Sax does not need to dry; after applying to a panel, use a clean, soft microfiber towel like the Cobra Indigo Microfiber Towel and immediately remove the wax and then move on to applying to a new panel.




This is a simple approach that leaves a protective coating on the paint while creating a clear, reflective finish with a deep wet shine.



Outside in natural light, it looks like the Pinnacle Signature Series II Paste Wax is floating over the paint... not bad for a simple approach anyone can do in their garage by hand...






Products used
DP Waterless Wash
Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion
Pinnacle Clay Lubricant
Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay
Pinnacle Signature Series II Carnauba Paste Wax
Cobra Indigo Microfiber Towels
Pinnacle Soft Foam Applicator Pads



If you have any questions on the products used in this how-to article, call our Tech Line at 1-800-869-3011

[Dubbin1]

Where is the picture of the tape line after you finished one side?

[Mike Phillips]

Where is the picture of the tape line after you finished one side?

Everyone that reads my articles knows that if there were a picture to capture I would have captured it, fact is the paint on this Lexus was actually pretty swirl-free, as in it didn't have a lot of swirls in in and not really that many scratches, so there wasn't any real dramatic before and after pictures as far as swirls go.

I could have left the tape line off and shown here the same process but I wanted to show the her the difference in appearance and smoothness and thus gloss after claying and using the Pinnacle Paintwork Lotion as compared to what most people would do which is to wash and wax the car and having a strong demarcation line really helps to drive the point home.

After wiping the wax off the passenger side and then inspecting it in person with our eyes, it was easy to see and feel the difference but there wasn't much the camera could capture or I definitely would have snapped a few shots.

Good question and again, anytime there is something dramatic to capture on film, I think my posting history shows I'm pretty good about capturing it and sharing it.

The focus on of this how-to article wasn't about removing swirls though, it was how someone can restore a clean, fresh base before applying a high quality wax and in the process show the average person how they can get professional results while keeping the process simple and easy.

[Dubbin1]

Everyone that reads my articles knows that if there were a picture to capture I would have captured it

I have read all of your articles and most have the tape line shots, I though maybe you just forgot them this time. By looking at the 2nd picture and the last 2 pictures one would think there would be a huge difference.

[Mike Phillips]

I have read all of your articles and most have the tape line shots, I though maybe you just forgot them this time. By looking at the 2nd picture and the last 2 pictures one would think there would be a huge difference.

--> I never forget when I need a picture...

In person you could see a huge difference but the human eyes can examine a surface in dimensions that a camera just cannot capture. Quite frankly I had hoped to capture a real dramatic before and after picture right down the tape line but because there were not a lot of swirls or even scratches there just wasn't any dramatic before and after difference that the camera could capture.

We clayed the entire hood before starting and because claying by itself goes a long ways to restoring a smooth surface that there just wasn't anything left for the camera to capture. Sorry...


Again, the important point was for anyone reading this into the future that has a nice vehicle but they don't want to turn car maintenance into their passion or hobby, then here's a way to get professional results while not using a machine and not doing a hundred steps. It's a normal trend on detailing discussion forums for detailers and detailing enthusiasts to do as many steps as they can think of but this is a small portion of the car owner world.

Our forum is now attracting all segments of car owners and knowing this means offering a balance of articles from multi-step, multi-machine processes to simpler processes that anyone can do and get great results.

If I think back to when I started detailing my first cars, I knew less than the information shared in this single write-up and I'm pretty confident that a lot of people new to doing their own detailing, looking for a simple way to get started will find this exactly what it is, a simple but effective way to get started and get great results.

Later, if they get the detailing bug they can always add more products to their collection and maybe even make the jump from working by hand to working by machine. We want AutogeekOnline to offer a diverse collection of how-to articles, that way we can help a wide spectrum of the car hobby the information they are looking for so they can be successful in their garage.

[trhland]

Mike your awesome!!!! i cant say it enough. im so glad you joined autogeek...keep up the great work

[Mike Phillips]

***Bump***


While most people are interested in working by machine for anyone still working by hand here's a write-up that shows a simple process anyone can do and get stellar results.

[shoeless89]

I've had my eye on Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion for a while now. I think I'm gonna pick some up on my next order!

[fenderpicks]

Hey guys what happen to the cobra indigo towels....?

[Mike Phillips]

Hey guys what happen to the cobra indigo towels....?

One of my favorites... I think we're still in the process of finding a much higher quality replacement.

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