Help simplify car washing for this girl
 

Hi all, I just got a MB C320 sports wagon two days ago. I was used to taking my last car to a line car wash for $12.00, but this time I want to try washing the car on my own at least once a month. I hope you can fill in the blanks of what to do and what to use... :o

I. Wash
1. Use an old 100% Egyptian cotton towel. (will this do or do I need to buy chamois at autozone or something?)
2. Use _________ car wash soap with water (which brand do you recomend?)

II. Rinse

III. Dry and Wax
1. Use damp towel to apply Eagle One Spray wax as you dry.
2. Use dry towel to buff and shine.
3. Do steps 1 and 2 per panel, and avoid the sun while doing it (both car and person washing the car).
4. Use ____________ window cleaner (or alcohol with water) and paper towels or newspaper to dry glass windows.

IV. Glean
1. Apply Meguire's Show Car Glaze

Did I forget any steps? And do you recommend other materials? Also, what stuff do I need to clean the interior (leather seats and dasboad)?

Thanks for your help!


Kimmy (new MB owner)

alcohol and water is the best window cleaning along with newspaper i don't use anything else, but i will say using that rain-x stuff does help, as long as you continue to apply it as directed, apply lightly and rub on, wait till a slight haze appears, then apply another coat and buff lightly with soft cloth it really does make a difference, espescially once i added the rain-x wiper blades (buy one get one free) too, keeps the windshield perfectly clear.
-Steven

Kimmy, use Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash (and warm water) and a Griot's Garage boar's hair brush to wash your car. May want to get a Griot's Garage wheel brush for cleaning the wheels.

1st what color is your car?

Any name brand LIQUID CAR wash soap is good?

A 100% cottom towel is great for washing and drying? be aware that many cheap towels that say 100% cotton have polyester in them that could scratch a dark colored paint. I personally don't like chamois.

Be sure to rinse paint with lots of water before taking a cloth to the paint.

A couple dry soft 100% cotton towels will dry a car nicely.

Read some old post on this DETAILING FORUM to learn what products people generally like for dash, rubber and leather.

I like newspaper and Windex for windows, 303 Aerospace Protectant for dash and rubber weather stripping, I like almost all available car wash soaps.

I like Liquid Glass or Griots Garage Carnuba Paste Wax for protection, Just be weary of products that say CLEAN & WAX - then normally don't do either very well.

Be sure to try to clean your wheels more often then once a month to prevent brake dust from embedding into wheels.

You'll get thousand of different opinions so try to formulate a technique that is simple and quick.

Hi, my car has black exterior and black or dark grey leather interior. I'm taking notes from all your answers.

-kimmy

If its black you want to be extra careful when washing it. Use the two bucket method. Its a method a lot of us detailers use to prevent scratches.

Fill both buckets with water. Pour the required amount of shampoo into one bucket. Rinse the car down with a hose. Dip your wash cloth (personally I would buy a Chenille Wash sponge, they are cheap and available at Autozone and are very good on the paint) in the soap bucket and start washing. Do half a panel. Then rinse the wash cloth quickly in the water-only bucket before you dip it back into the soap water. Continue like this until you are done. Rinse the car down.

When you are finished you will notice that the water-only bucket is dirty while the soap water is clean :) Pat yourself on the back, you just avoided rubbing that dirt back onto your paint.

lots of people say a black car should never go into a commercial car wash, only hand wash them.

Make sure all your buckets and towels are clean, small particles on towels or wax applicator pads can mar black paint.

If a towel drops on the ground when washing then replace it with a new towel at that time, and when using a washing machine to wash your soiled towels and applicators use liquid detergent without fabric softeners.


Most importantly, just enjoy the car and the fact you found this site means you can get all the answers to taking care of your car.

www.carcareonline.com has some washing instructions.

Are you a Mercedes Benz Club Member? they have a bi-monthly magazine and in your area they may have tech sessions on weekends where they can put your car on a lift at a Mercedes dealership and inspect things with you there. Plus participating dealerships offer 10% discounts on parts.


Hint, read your owners manual thoroughly, and with your automatic transmission when shifting from park to reverse or to drive make sure you bring the car to a complete stop with a couple second pause for the gear to engage.

Hose it off , wash with cold water and car soap . I have had great luck with Micro fiber cloth and the day-glow color absorber synthetic type chamois. You can wash and dry a car in 20-30 minutes . No lint with micro fiber -super soft - a 20 pack is 16-$20 . Wash the wheels with hot water and laundry soap using a paint brush to get the corners . Spray some tire shine ( wet look spray ) . Your done after the windows .

Check out this link for a video of the 2 bucket wash method:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7598756069207401372&q=showcargarage.com

Also, consider getting a foam ShMitt to use instead of a regular cotton or sheepskin wash mitt. Here's a link to the product and some reviews:

Company:
http://www.dedicationtodetail.com/shmitt.html

Wash ShMitt Review
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2061&highlight=shmitt+review

Wheel ShMitt Review
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2497&highlight=shmitt+review

I just bought a ShMitt and I think it's great.

(No connection with the company that makes it, just a happy customer)

This is what I use.

Rain X blades
 

I never heard of Rain-X wiper blades, Steven. I'll look for some of those. How's the price? More, less, or about the sames as Ansco, etc?

Marketing
 

IMO this is a marketing ploy. I have also seen other ANSCO blades that appear to be similar to their cheaper styles, with Michelin, or Good Year on the box.... I think they were around $2-3 more for what most likely is the same wiper blade with marketing and advertising $$$ added for your convenience. Sold in Mall-Mart.

I wonder if the Mistress has a chamois bustier? Hmmm, now THERE's a thought. Mistress. Oh, Mistress! . . . .

If you're new to the car washing scene. I'd suggest downloading the Griot Detailing handbook at the top of this forum. It will give you a lot of useful information on how to wash and detail your car. It also pushes their products and goes a little overboard on some stuff so determine how much time, effort, and money you want to spend on keeping your car clean.
.
Good luck with owning a black car. I once had a black RX-7. Never again. When it was freshly washed it looked awesome but 1/2 hour later you start seeing dust. There was a song in the 80's by Gino Vanelli with the lyrics that best summed up having a black car:

"Black cars, black cars
Look better in the shade"

I use Meguiar's NXT Wash, it's be best car wash soap I have used so far.