Car Cleaning Items - Best Buys?
Discussion
Surprised to not find a Car Cleaning/Detailing section of the forums albeit if I've missed it please tell and I'll scurry off there instead...
In the meanwhile, wondering what people's thoughts are on the best Car Cleaning products from their experience, Auto Glym vs. Meguiars vs. the more boutique stuff etc.
A specific urgent point at the moment is wheel cleaning, both chemicals and brushes/mitts etc which would be good. Just finished a bottle of Car Plan stuff which I wasn't that impressed with, and while I find the Halfords wash mitt/glove effective, it takes about a week for the brake dust to grow out from under my nails...
Any thoughts/suggestions welcome!
In the meanwhile, wondering what people's thoughts are on the best Car Cleaning products from their experience, Auto Glym vs. Meguiars vs. the more boutique stuff etc.
A specific urgent point at the moment is wheel cleaning, both chemicals and brushes/mitts etc which would be good. Just finished a bottle of Car Plan stuff which I wasn't that impressed with, and while I find the Halfords wash mitt/glove effective, it takes about a week for the brake dust to grow out from under my nails...
Any thoughts/suggestions welcome!
It’s a bit low down but there’s a dedicated bit for you,
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&...
I use:
All Purpose Cleaner = Flash or Tesco floor cleaner. Lets be honest G101 APC is just Flash.
Detailing brush = Pastry brush from Poundland.
Wheel cleaner = Foaming wheel cleaner from Poundland.
Degreaser for detailing the engine bay = Elbow grease from Poundland
Car Shampoo = Whatever my dad has at his house in a five litre bottle or washing up liquid.
Shed life.
All Purpose Cleaner = Flash or Tesco floor cleaner. Lets be honest G101 APC is just Flash.
Detailing brush = Pastry brush from Poundland.
Wheel cleaner = Foaming wheel cleaner from Poundland.
Degreaser for detailing the engine bay = Elbow grease from Poundland
Car Shampoo = Whatever my dad has at his house in a five litre bottle or washing up liquid.
Shed life.
Belle427 said:
To be honest the Autoglym Isle in halfords will suit any home enthusiast.
Thats coming from someone who's been down the detailing rabbit hole.
This, with a trade card it’s even betterThats coming from someone who's been down the detailing rabbit hole.
For me, I use:
Autosmart G101 for the tyres & arches
Autosmart smartwheels for the wheels at various dilutions depending on the state of them
If needs be I follow it up with a hit of gtechniq W6 fallout remover
I use Halfords soft brushes for the tyres, spokes & wheel nuts holes
An EZ detailing large brush for the barrells & arches
My advice. If you want Autoglym stuff, then 4 bottles of anything will be £30+ in Halfords etc.
On Facebook Marketplace there are many people selling the Autoglym car care kits that you get with new cars (Autoglym Lifeshine Paint Protection). For £25-30 you get 8 bottles of stuff from shampoo, wheel cleaner, tyre dressing, etc etc along with cloths, sponge and a synthetic drying chamois all in a handy case.
Sometimes I think: Shall I buy a few items in Halfords for £25, or shall I go overboard and buy another kit? I have 6 kits now.
On Facebook Marketplace there are many people selling the Autoglym car care kits that you get with new cars (Autoglym Lifeshine Paint Protection). For £25-30 you get 8 bottles of stuff from shampoo, wheel cleaner, tyre dressing, etc etc along with cloths, sponge and a synthetic drying chamois all in a handy case.
Sometimes I think: Shall I buy a few items in Halfords for £25, or shall I go overboard and buy another kit? I have 6 kits now.
The two products I would highly recommend are:
Chemical Guys Speed Wipe - Quick detailer that repels dust. It really does. My car tends to get dusty rather than dirty as it's garaged but this stuff really does help keep the dust levels down. I have tried a plethora of quick detailers over the years but once I found this one, I only ever order this one now.
Bilt Hamber Speed Wax - So effortless to apply compared to other waxes. Still beads months later, again, once I found this, I only use this wax now.
Chemical Guys Speed Wipe - Quick detailer that repels dust. It really does. My car tends to get dusty rather than dirty as it's garaged but this stuff really does help keep the dust levels down. I have tried a plethora of quick detailers over the years but once I found this one, I only ever order this one now.
Bilt Hamber Speed Wax - So effortless to apply compared to other waxes. Still beads months later, again, once I found this, I only use this wax now.
I have used the Auto Glym Custom Wheel Cleaner on wheels for some time now. It seems to do a good job of dealing with the brake dust and they always come up looking sparkly (though I do tend to spend as much time on the wheels as the whole of the rest of the car!).
Spray all over first wheel, leave a couple of minutes, use the small wheel brushes (look like paint brushes) and clean water to clean all around the spokes and brake caliper etc, large wheel brush (big one on a stick that looks like a duster) to get in behind and clean the inside of the rim. Spray on the next wheel and then while you give that a couple of minutes rinse the first wheel. Then repeat the process on all the other wheels. Once the rest of the car is clean and dry I then use the Alloy Wheel Seal, which seems to make the job a lot easier the next time round vs. not sealing them.
Spray all over first wheel, leave a couple of minutes, use the small wheel brushes (look like paint brushes) and clean water to clean all around the spokes and brake caliper etc, large wheel brush (big one on a stick that looks like a duster) to get in behind and clean the inside of the rim. Spray on the next wheel and then while you give that a couple of minutes rinse the first wheel. Then repeat the process on all the other wheels. Once the rest of the car is clean and dry I then use the Alloy Wheel Seal, which seems to make the job a lot easier the next time round vs. not sealing them.
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