What detailing have you done today?

[SRGTD]

Yes of course the filler cap gets attention, it goes without saying.    Aerospace 303 is its friend. 

Oh dear! I should've just done it and not asked I'm not sure I'm up to all this detailing malarkiness

But you did ask.   Why the embarrassment? I'm only teasing. I do the filler cap by hand along with the bodywork with wash mitt, them dry off as we all know its one of the much loved water traps, then it gets a lick of dressing (303) just to restore the colour.  Any decent rubber treatment is good for it, or just give it a wipe out with a damp cloth.  How far you go is up to you. 

+1 for cleaning inside the filler cap each time I wash my car. As my Polo has the hard black plastic wheel arch liners (not the carpet type) inside the rear arches as well as the front, all the arch liners also get a good clean each time the car gets cleaned.

It's getting worse! Still, what the eye can't see

But the brain knows it's there. Left untouched and wallowing in filth whilst the bits you can see sparkle   

Watts, now don't tell me that next time you wash your car, you won't think about washing your wheel arch liners now that the seed has been planted. Oh, and don't forget the inside of the exhaust tailpipes

[Booth11]

Hi Booth11, your car looks amazing! Which pre wash snow foam do you use first?

Hi, I use ValetPro Advanced Neutral Snow Foam.  http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=1087

It's very very effective stuff and is a little less shaving foamy than some which means it clings long enough to encapsulate the dirt but then runs off properly taking the muck away with it. 

I also follow it with ValetPro Citrus Pre Wash which I use as a second phase pre-wash to further deep cleanse before letting loose with a bucket and mitt.  It means that much of the work is done in a 'touchless' method meaning much less work to do with a mitt and therefore reducing the risk of swirls at the mitt stage.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=728

Been using this 2-step pre wash approach for a few months now and have to say the car is the cleanest it's ever been and cleaner that any other car I've had.

[Wolfie67]

Hi Booth11, your car looks amazing! Which pre wash snow foam do you use first?

Hi, I use ValetPro Advanced Neutral Snow Foam.  http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=1087

It's very very effective stuff and is a little less shaving foamy than some which means it clings long enough to encapsulate the dirt but then runs off properly taking the muck away with it. 

I also follow it with ValetPro Citrus Pre Wash which I use as a second phase pre-wash to further deep cleanse before letting loose with a bucket and mitt.  It means that much of the work is done in a 'touchless' method meaning much less work to do with a mitt and therefore reducing the risk of swirls at the mitt stage.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=728

Been using this 2-step pre wash approach for a few months now and have to say the car is the cleanest it's ever been and cleaner that any other car I've had.

Thanks for the info. I will take your advice and try it out.

[I wanted a GTi]

While we're at it do people dry their wheels? I don't but I don't wash the car at home so the short spin home does the trick.

In this photo the car has covered about 50 miles so there is some dust on it.

[Watts]

It's getting worse! Still, what the eye can't see

But the brain knows it's there. Left untouched and wallowing in filth whilst the bits you can see sparkle   

Watts, now don't tell me that next time you wash your car, you won't think about washing your wheel arch liners now that the seed has been planted. Oh, and don't forget the inside of the exhaust tailpipes

I do clean the edges but not much further. BUT, I do clean inside the exhaust just not too far.
Anyway, some of us have to go to work now so I'm off before someone tells me to clean the engine bay

[hepton]

Washed it.  Last done two weeks ago and a fair bit of summer detritus on it.  Hot out there today with the full sun.  Usual double pre-wash with VP Advanced snow foam and VP Citrus pre wash.  Wheels washed and 2 bucket wash.  Dried, then all glass done with with Obsessive Detail Glass Cleaner and sealed with OD Rain Repellent sealant, bar the windscreen which got Gtechniq C2 as did the wheels. Tyres dressed with Achem Hi Shine and tailpipes usual Mother Mag & Aluminum treatment.

All done.

















 
A bit of DBP flake in the sun

stunning as usual ....great pics too..

[deltarikk]

Hi Booth11, your car looks amazing! Which pre wash snow foam do you use first?

Hi, I use ValetPro Advanced Neutral Snow Foam.  http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=1087

It's very very effective stuff and is a little less shaving foamy than some which means it clings long enough to encapsulate the dirt but then runs off properly taking the muck away with it. 

I also follow it with ValetPro Citrus Pre Wash which I use as a second phase pre-wash to further deep cleanse before letting loose with a bucket and mitt.  It means that much of the work is done in a 'touchless' method meaning much less work to do with a mitt and therefore reducing the risk of swirls at the mitt stage.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=728

Been using this 2-step pre wash approach for a few months now and have to say the car is the cleanest it's ever been and cleaner that any other car I've had.

With the PA lance I ended up winding the dilution adjustment all the way to end of minus marker (fully clockwise nozzle facing away from you) to get what I thought was an effective clingy foam?... had about 1.5" of Auto Finesse Avalanche solution in the bottle topped up with cool water. Not tried any other foams yet so I'll try tweaking things next time, possibly had it too thick.....took me half hour to jet the foam off the drive afterwards 

[dubber36]

While we're at it do people dry their wheels? I don't but I don't wash the car at home so the short spin home does the trick.

In this photo the car has covered about 50 miles so there is some dust on it.

You must dry your wheels, otherwise rust particles off the brake discs will get held in the moisture left on the wheels. This will cause reddish brown streaks inside the wheels.

[deltarikk]

While we're at it do people dry their wheels? I don't but I don't wash the car at home so the short spin home does the trick.

In this photo the car has covered about 50 miles so there is some dust on it.

I must admit in the past I haven't always dried off wheels and relied on taking it for a spin but after joining the forum I found WoWo site and ordered a few things including wheel drying towel which I used first time at weekend, really pleased with it. I guess it depends on how much time you've got when cleaning and if you're being stared at by your other half waiting to go out! 
What I've found useful for cleaning wheels is the wheel woolies brush kit set from CYC, the smallest one perfectly fits the little groove I have on mine just behind the spokes that runs round the rim, flexible handles mean I can get all way round without too much knuckle damage.

[I wanted a GTi]

While we're at it do people dry their wheels? I don't but I don't wash the car at home so the short spin home does the trick.

In this photo the car has covered about 50 miles so there is some dust on it.

You must dry your wheels, otherwise rust particles off the brake discs will get held in the moisture left on the wheels. This will cause reddish brown streaks inside the wheels.

Ah right, I'll start drying them in that case although I can't see anything on the inside of the wheels, they are shiny black.