Tell me what you think?

[Excessive Detail]

Hey guyz, tell me what you think of the this washing technique I've been using:

1. Spray a simple green solution of 1/30 on all lower panels of car, fenderwells, wheels(depending which type), and front bumper(wear all those lovely bugs wind up).
2.Using foam gun cover entire car with foam(acting as a presoak), then completely rinse using just running water.
3.Use two bucket method, with a grit guard in the rinsing bucket.
4.Use a MF mitt or sheepskin mitt to wash with.
4.Before washing each panel, thoroughly soak panel with foam then wash, rinse and agitate mitt in rinsing bucket.
5.Once each panel is washed and rinsed, then move onto the wheels.
6. one final rinse down, still just using running water.
7. Dry with waffle weave towel, Ex: guzzler, then wipe down with qd and mf.

I know most of you foam down each panel in front of you mitt as you go, but do you think just completely soaking the panel with foam is good enough?

Between a mf mitt and a sheepskin mitt, which would you go with?

Also, I was detailing a car today and when I clayed it, well lets just say I have never seen that much stuff on the clay after each panel, it was freakin dirty, I kept reforming the clay after each panel, which lead me to this question, how do you know when its time to ditch the clay, I used half of a dp clay bar, should I use the whole thing next time or is half okay?

Thanks guyz.

[Excessive Detail]

Oh yea, what techniques do you guyz use when claying?

[bluzman]

Oh yea, what techniques do you guyz use when claying?
I usually ditch the clay after 4 or 5 cars, depending on how bad they are!! I clay after washing by following the directions on the box!! Not being a smarta$$ or anything I promise!!:)

[scooterguitar]

First time I used clay and did my Durango, I threw it out it was so bad! Learned a lot since. Cut into sections and it seems to last quite awhile. I usually keep old clay for when I do really bad cars and use it on the lowers and front bumper, that way you aren;t ruining a new bar. I don't know about you guys, but the lowers between rear wheel well and bumper always eem to be the worst of all with tar, pits, and just heavy who knows what sticking on liek super glue!

[Neothin]

try using the simple green in the foam gun. if it acts anything like bug squash, you'll get tons of foam that sticks to panels (which lets the cleaners do their job longer).

don't use just 1 mitt. Use LOTS. By not switching out mitts, you run the risk of swirling the paint. The only way to correct this is by polishing which removes clear. you can replace wash mitts, not clearcoat.

I like to do the wheels first. If you do them last, the water left on the panels is more likely to dry up and waterspot because it's just sitting there while you do the wheels.

after getting most of the water off with the WW, use an electric blower to get water out of cracks and such. it's annoying to have a perfectly clean car and then come out in the morning to find you have waterspots down your door from water that dripped out of the mirrors.

most of us foam at the mitt while we wash? no... i think i'm the only nut that does that!

sheepskin. mf's hold on to stuff to well. they don't release dirt in the rinse bucket.

[justin_murphy]

I've done alot of research on what to wash a car with....mitts and MF are designed to trap dirt inside the fibers and hold it in. I know I'm gonna get alot of slack over this but try this. Go to Wal Mart and buy 2 Soft Bone sponges...they are only 1.13 apiece. Use the 2 bucket method on one side with what you are using now and the other side with the sponges. I was so surprised. Sponges are designed to release the dirt. I had to do this my self. Also, everytime a sheepskin or MF towel dries, it does get a little rougher each time. Especially with car wash soaps.
Try it. Will cost you a little over 2 bucks.

[Neothin]

sponges= no

dirt has nowhere to go when you glide it over the paint. This is an invitation for washing induced swirling.

The way I wash tries to eliminate this. gently gliding the sheepskin over the paint will dislodge the dirt and then the constant stream of foam flushes the dirt away.

I know it's working because my rinse water is just as clean after a wash as it was before a wash.

[justin_murphy]

So what do you suggest for the one's who don't have foamgun or find it economical to use?

[Neothin]

Mitt + 2 bucket method w/ lots of rinsing.

soak the mitt in the soap bucket and with it still soaking wet (aka dripping alot of soapy water) wash part of the panel. The water dripping off will take the place of the foam. the mitt will dislodge the dirt and the the soapy water comming off the mitt will carry the dirt particles away.

walmart also has a nifty little soap sprayer thing in the gardening section. fill the little reservoir w/ soap and it'll add it to the water stream as you spray. The only problem with it is unlike a foam gun that meters the solution, the walmart sprayer dilutes the soap as time goes on eventually leaving you with clear water in the reservoir. I used one for a couple of months before i got my gun.

[Surfer]

I've done alot of research on what to wash a car with....mitts and MF are designed to trap dirt inside the fibers and hold it in. I know I'm gonna get alot of slack over this but try this. Go to Wal Mart and buy 2 Soft Bone sponges...they are only 1.13 apiece. Use the 2 bucket method on one side with what you are using now and the other side with the sponges. I was so surprised. Sponges are designed to release the dirt. I had to do this my self. Also, everytime a sheepskin or MF towel dries, it does get a little rougher each time. Especially with car wash soaps.
Try it. Will cost you a little over 2 bucks.Are those like the Home Depot Grout sponges? On other detailing forums, I've talked to guys who ditched their sheepskin and other mits and only use these cheap grout sponges. Said their very porous so dirt just goes right in and rinses right out, less chance of marring/swirls. I have a couple mitts like sheepskin from pakshak etc, I still get some amrring no matter what. COuld be b/c I live right across the beach and the dirt/dust particles are more like fine sand instead of normal. So some of the guys I talked to were having the same issues, switched to the grout sponges, and now, no more marring.

[Excessive Detail]

try using the simple green in the foam gun. if it acts anything like bug squash, you'll get tons of foam that sticks to panels (which lets the cleaners do their job longer).

don't use just 1 mitt. Use LOTS. By not switching out mitts, you run the risk of swirling the paint. The only way to correct this is by polishing which removes clear. you can replace wash mitts, not clearcoat.

I like to do the wheels first. If you do them last, the water left on the panels is more likely to dry up and waterspot because it's just sitting there while you do the wheels.

after getting most of the water off with the WW, use an electric blower to get water out of cracks and such. it's annoying to have a perfectly clean car and then come out in the morning to find you have waterspots down your door from water that dripped out of the mirrors.

most of us foam at the mitt while we wash? no... i think i'm the only nut that does that!

sheepskin. mf's hold on to stuff to well. they don't release dirt in the rinse bucket.

How often are you talking about switching mitts, during a wash or use a different one every time you wash? How long do you usually keep a mitt until you toss it? I use both a sheepskin and a cobra bone, depending on what car I'm doing and how dirty it is.

[Neothin]

i switch mitts every 1.5 panels or so. I use about 8 mitts per wash. I HAVE used 13 once, but that was when i went mudding with the tC and it was VERY dirty.

i get about 6 months out of my mitts, but i use them 2-3x a week. if you only wash once a week, you'll get more time out of them.