clean off with a brush first, then use a hard sponge or scrub pad. Do not use anything you'll use to clean the wheels on your bodywork next time or it will be full of grit and scratch your paintwork. Brake dust is hard to remove and you'll usually require a chemical brake dust and alloy wheel cleaner. These usually need brushing on leaving for a while then sponging off. As fairly nasty chemicals are used in most of these products wear gloves and avoid contact with your skin.
Step 7: Rinse off.
Time for some fresh clean water. A watering can filled with water (again for perfection filtered) is the easiest method of rinsing off the car .
TIP: Work on one panel at a time starting with the roof, next for UK people do the bonnet (but if your in the USA do the hood)! Also use two buckets - one with clean water for rinsing to avoind grit contamination
Step 8: Dry the car off using a Chamois leather.
They need to be slightly damp to work best and you are buffing the water into small droplets, a mist then a haze then the water is gone. Most people expect the Chamois to work like a towel and soak up the water but it works more like a wiper blade - creating a thin film of water and letting it evaporate itself. Patience is the key.
Step 9: Glass - using a glass cleaning product go over the windows inside and out in a circular motion.
DON'T USE HOUSE GLASS CLEANER - make sure its a proper automotive glass cleaner. This is also the time to fix the stone chips (You'll have to wait for the paint to dry before moving on to the polishing stage.) We are doing an article on stone chip removal so check back soon!
Tip: The best cloth to use on glass is a piece of Hessian which has been hot washed to remove the colour and shrunk. (Window cleaners swear by it.) It's handy to keep in the car for cold morning when the windows mist up. We also recommend the use of microfibre cloths for paintwork, chrome and other areas this leaves a streak free finish.
Step 10: The polish.
Generally you rub it on (in straight lines not circles) to a light haze then buff off. An electronic buffer can really cut the polishing time but be careful. IE: If you used an electric buffer to clean your face it would be quick but hurt. Car paintwork is also delicate and pressure should not be applied and only soft cloths should be used. Use one cloth to apply the polish, another to buff it off and then with a really soft cloth buff up the polish to a showroom finish. Two mist & buff off coats are far better than gobbing on as much polish as you can (the extra is just rubbed off and less shiny residue is left behind.)
The quick method. Jet wash the car down and rub it over. Add your polish to a litre of water and rub it into the paintwork only - don't do the windows. Jet wash to rinse off. Then with a fine sponge rub the car all over with clean water. Squirt your windscreen washer and set your wipers to fast. Go for a drive to dry the car off. Buff off the damp polish residue with a chamois leather and &shiny within 15 minutes.
