Still need to use the 2 bucket method with grit guards. I have a foam gun and foam cannon. I still use the 2 bucket method w/ grit guards. I use CG's citrus wash N gloss which is good stuff.

BTW if you use dish soap keep in mind it removes wax and usually thats why you use it.
I have a bunch of sealants and waxes depending on colors. Some that makes metallic pop, some the make solids deep, and some that protect like no other.

What do you use to "protect like no other?" I just used Klasse All-In-One and 2 coats of Poor Boys carnuba paste on my black 97 4runner. I have it sitting in the sun now and am worried about paint oxidation.

Actually when I first bought my black 2000 4runner I wish I would have taken pictures of the paint. It was terrible, swirled up, heavy water spotting, the works. Took me hours to get it right. I've been using Menzerna PowerLock Sealant followed by Souveran.

The PL gives the paint awesome clarity. I was being told that the paint looked better then my glass (5% tint) at that time the glass had spots until I took some duragloss and my Da to them. The Souveran gave it a deep wet look. I currently dont have any pictures of it now as it's been almost 3 months since I've waxed it. I may wash it this weekend and throw on another coat of wax.

But the stuff you're using should protect the paint rather well. I've heard nothing but good things about both. Matter of fact I have some PB's Natty Red on the way.

But another thing to think about is that our paint (202) is a single stage paint so it will fade over time. If you've kept most swirls out of the paint all you would need to do is polish it once a year at the most.

Thanks for the reply. I actually used the Natty red and love it. Very easy to apply and remove so I doubled up. My 4runner had very little paint care before I bought it so I used Menzerna polishes on my porter cable to remove the damage. Everything looks great except my hood which gets "cloudy." I will try the powerlock sealant next time I wax.

I prefer PBR and Natty Light. Makes the job a lot more enjoyable.

You're suppose to let the dressing dry first (usually around 15 minutes or so) before driving your vehicle...

Pinnacle swirl / wax and a Porter Cable buffer



and

Personally I am not a huge fan of using a lot of soap in a foam gun for cleaning (strict runoff laws) but I prefer waterless for a maintenance washes. I use products from Chemical Guys (Car Wash, Wax, Polishes, Microfiber Towels and Best Auto Detail Supplies - Chemical Guys Professional Car Care Products - Wholesale and Retail).

Weekly Wash:
Spray off mud & dirt with water
Ecosmart (5:1) on painted surfaces (spray, wipe, buff)
Nonsense (20:1) on trim and plastics (spray & wipe)
Allclean+ (10:1) and Signature Series Orange Degreaser (15:1) on rims and tires (spray, scrub, rinse)
Silk Shine on tires
Stoner Invisible Glass on windows & mirrors

Have Fun Cleaning!

Once I tried the waterless wash-n-polish and I have been hooked ever since. I am pretty lazy and will not wash, dry, wax, and buff.

Now I just spray, wipe, and buff. I have never had an issue with scratches. The key is to lubrication and a cool dry surface. The more soil and dirt, the more you spray on. Only use clean micro cloths. I have even fixed a friends buffer marks.

Now I am sure there are guys and gals in this forum that could truly challenge that but everyday driving and road grime has not ever been an issue. I wouldn't say never but 99% of the time I will ONLY use the waterless. Besides, it doesn't waste water.

I was so impressed with the product I sell it now. haha

It is the only thing I use on the bike.

It definitely makes things a LOT easier. I also am placing an order for some more chemicals soon, been using the same gallon of ECOSMART for a little over a year and a half now and still have a quarter gallon left, I'm hooked on Chemical Guys now. I an affiliate so thats how I promote, they make great products all biases aside, but to each his own.

They also have free videos on their YouTube on products and how to detail, but take each video with a grain of salt.

Cheers!

This was on the Chemical Guys site so I figured I'd post it to help people out. In all reality most of us are just going to wash, wax and/or seal (hopefully), and put on some dressing (maybe).

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I'll add this tidbit to this thread. I've worked for many upholsterers here in Hampton Roads over that last 30 years, 1 of the shops i worked at offered automotive carpet cleaning which consisted of:
removal of the carpet from the car/truck, spray an entire bottle of spray nine on the carpet when laid flat on the asphalt/sidewalk, then thoroughly scrubbed with a long handled brush, like you'd clean your boat with. After a good scrubbing, a thorough rinse w/ a water hose is necessary, the carpet was then hung over a step ladder in the sun to speed up drying.
Once dry, the padding underneath was wire brushed/wire wheeled off and replaced, then reinstalled in the car.

Obviously this process would only make sense to do on a carpet worthy of putting back in. Molded carpet prices have come down considerably since then. Just offering up an option to bring some life back to a dirty filthy carpet in your ride.

Just finished wash+clay+Klasse AIO+2 coats of carnuba for that deep sparkle. Here's a few shots.

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Westley's Blech White (yes, spelled that way) is a great way to get your tire lettering to pop again.

I've also used it on the interior of various vehicles to really clean them up, mainly center consoles that your arm sits on all the time. Not sure if it dries it out considerable or has adverse effects, but it's worked for me in the past.

You guys have pretty good idea of the steps needed to wash a car... I will say in the original write up there was a large error in regards to what towels to use. Never use old rags or towels. They will scratch the heck out of the finish. Always use a microfiber cloth whenever cleaning, waxing, polishing, etc. Don't know if any one else caught this but it is a big no no and an easy way to put the hurt on your paint.