New to the Game and nee a little guidance

[Jonathonn7]

Hi, need a little help on supplies to wash and keep the vehicle looking good. Purchase a 2016 ford escape in December here in the midwest where the winters are cold and wet and snow and ice. Over the several months I have tried to wash the vehicle at least once a month during the winter time. I would just take it up to the car wash and spray it. Now it's getting warmer here and I've started to wash the car at least once a week if I can at the car wash.
After reading many post on your site, I would like to make sure I'm dong everything correctly. I have have a hose and unlimited water at my home. I have purchased some microfiber towels, however I need more. I have 2 Mcguire waffle weave towels, sponge, Mcguire mitt, and one bucket and some microfiber towels of different colors, z towels or something.
I would like to know what kind/type of car wash soap to use, and for tires also. Do I need to wax the car the first year? Also do I just use a microfiber towel to wipe down the inside of the car?
I would really appreciate any advice and sorry if this is a very silly question. I would like to order supplies today if possible.
If I've missed something, please feel free to add. (Explain to me like a 2 year old)

[Setec Astronomy]

Well, of course you can look at this in a very simple, superficial way, or a highly detailed way, or somewhere in-between.

Arguably washing is the most important aspect of car care, as you can easily quite quickly swirl your car to dullness by using poor practice. There are many good car washes, as well as tire cleaners.

You asked if you need to wax the car in the first year, I think most members here would say you need to wax it in the first week, if not the first day. Also you will want to put something on your trim, as that will fade quickly and be more difficult to restore in some respects than your paint.

Do you have a garage you can work in? If so you may want to consider looking into rinseless washing for the winter months.

Here's some quick product suggestions:

Wash:

Duragloss Car Wash Concentrate #901 (http://www.autogeek.net/duragloss-car-wash-concentrate.html)
Optimum Car Wash is a concentrated auto shampoo that washes away grime on your car & protects wax. (http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-car-wash.html)

Trim:

Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant, rubber trim sealant, rubber protectant, exterior trim products, metal sealer (http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-trim-sealant.html)

Spray Wax and easy sealants:

Wolfgang Deep Gloss Liquid Seal, paint sealant (http://www.autogeek.net/spray-on-paint-sealant.html)
Optimum Opti-Seal 8 oz. Free Bonus! New & Improved! (http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-opti-seal.html)
Optimum Car Wax is a spray wax made with real carnauba and synthetic paint sealants for protection & shine! high-grade carnauba wax and silicone (http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-spray-wax.html)

Rinseless Washes that leave protection:

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax, no rinse car wash, rinse free car wash, optimum no rinse (http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse-wash-and-wax.html)
Wolfgang Uber Rinseless Wash, no rinse car wash (http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-uber-rinseless-wash.html)

Some of the Optimum products listed have UV absorbers as part of the product, which is pretty cool.

[Mike Phillips]

First... since this is your first post to our forum...


Welcome to AutogeekOnline! :welcome:





I would like to know what kind/type of car wash soap to use, and for tires also.



Most any quality brand name will do a great job of getting your car clean. I only use a foam gun to wash my truck and the wife's Mercedes-Benz and for a foam gun you want a high sudsing soap. I use the McKee's 37 Xtreme Car Wash Shampoo.





Do I need to wax the car the first year?



Yes.

Despite all the bad information floating around your new car dealerships (the sales people), and the blogosphere, clearcoat paint is still paint and the BEST thing to do is to regularly wash and wax the paint to keep it clean, shiny and protected.





Also do I just use a microfiber towel to wipe down the inside of the car?



Sure. If it's just lightly dusty then a little water on a clean microfiber towel will remove the dust and most of the oily skin smudges you leave where ever your skin touches a surface.

The interior of the wife's SL500 is leather and vinyl and I only use Black Label Leather & Vinyl Coating. Keep the interior looking and feeling perfect.





I would really appreciate any advice and sorry if this is a very silly question. I would like to order supplies today if possible.
If I've missed something, please feel free to add. (Explain to me like a 2 year old)



Always ask questions, it's better to get quality information than guess when it comes to the second most investment most people ever make outside of their house.


:)

[brettS4]

I personally believe that you're better off not washing your car at all rather than washing it with poor quality towels and mitt. Road grit isn't good for a car, but it's nothing compared to the swirl marks that scratchy towels will cause. But it sounds like you're already aware of that.. good!

Pick up a second bucket right away. One is for clean water, the other is to rinse the grit off your mitt before sticking it into your clean water.

[shagnat]

One very very very important point that brettS4 brings up is towels..... PLEASE do yourself a HUGE favor and get the best microfiber towels you can get for your exterior. I learned this the hard way (typical) and the cheap Chinese MF towels are total crap. Once in a while yo may find some that are acceptable, but, the Korean MF towels are waay better.

Case in point, one night I grabbed one of my cheap Chinese towels to wipe off a few bugs from my trunk lid (they were just hanging out back there) and the next day when the sun was out...... OMG !!!! the amount of swirls was unbelievable. Understand I do not have a garage queen..... it's a DD and I keep in somewhat decent looking condition, not obsessive about my car, but, keep it clean with a bit of shine and care to the entire exterior.

I'll NEVER make the mistake of not using the proper product(s) or el-cheapo MF towels ever again.