Cleaning after 6 months / 13k miles

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Greenman

Post by Greenman »

Now, I have washed my car a few times over the last 6 months but today was the day for a full detail...

A quick question / survey - When I clay barred the paintwork, which panel do you think was worst?
- roof
- bonnet
- front doors
- rear doors
- boot hatch

Despite the paintwork still bearing up quite nicely, it took a while Autoglym clay bar to clean, the two coats of Super Resin then a coat of High Definiton wax...

A very therapeutic 6 hours....

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Handy Andy
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Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 9:46 pm
Location: Crowborough, East Sussex

Post by Handy Andy »

The top one is worse at it's fitted to the car the wrong way up. :lol: :lol:

I admire you for using a clay bar, I gave then up when I discovered the Clay Mitt. Just as good and a lot easier.
Car sold - but still following Mazda.
Greenman

Post by Greenman »

How do those clay mitts compare?

Do you have to renew the clay or buy a new one?
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jtonline
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Post by jtonline »

Front doors?
Did you use an electric polishing mop or good ol' fashioned elbow grease?
You've certainly got a good finish.
Julian.
Sept. 2015 CX-3 Sport Nav, Dynamic Blue Mica, 1.5 Diesel, AWD, Automatic
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Greenman

Post by Greenman »

Thanks.

Elbow grease to apply, Halfords own brand polisher mop...but looking to acquire a DA unit.

Summer wheels back on, wheel arches cleaned.

Underside and exhausts today. Then the inside.
Last edited by Greenman on Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
Greenman

Post by Greenman »

jtonline wrote: Tue Apr 17, 2018 11:33 pm Front doors?

Correct - front doors, rear doors then boot hatch.

Strange as the doors still sheeted up nicely after a wash but clearly had accumulated a lot of crud.
Handy Andy
Posts: 283
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Location: Crowborough, East Sussex

Post by Handy Andy »

Greenman wrote: Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:48 pm How do those clay mitts compare?

Do you have to renew the clay or buy a new one?
Hi Greenman,

You just use the mitt until it wears out, you don’t replace the clay. I use a Farecla G3 Clay Mitt from Halfords for £15. I usually get about ten full car applications out of one until it shows signs of wear. At £1.50 per car I think that is good value. I recently did a friends Skoda Superb Estate, which is a big car, that had suffered five years contamination from brake dust from being parked in a rail station car park. I did the whole car in less than an hour (honestly) and it brought the panels back to a glass finish. Seeing how bad it was when I started even I was surprised. What a really like is that as opposed the a clay bar there is no kneading or faffing about. Because you use the flat of your hand your hands do not suffer from sore fingers and you can feel through the mitt when the panel is clean.

I use the two bucket method, one with a little shampoo in it for the application and one with clean warm water to rinse out the mitt. You just squeeze it (don’t wring it) and the contamination drops to the bottom of the bucket and you are good to go again.

I also have one that I use on the house and conservatory windows with just clear water. ten seconds per pane then a leather off – job done.

You don’t even have to throw away the old one, mine has been relegated to the kitchen for cooker duties. Spray on the oven cleaner as usual then use the old mitt to remove the grime, inside panels and glass doors. Job done in next to no time and better than the old fashioned scrubbing way.

By the way I also use a Meguiars Lambswool Wash Mitt again from Halfords for £14 for washing the car. Miles better than a sponge, no swirls or marks left behind.

Hope this helps,

Andy
Car sold - but still following Mazda.
DaveG
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Post by DaveG »

Totally agree Andy your regime is the same as mine, clay mitts worth every penny, although many would see us as obsessive with our two bucket system, wouldn't let a wash sponge anywhere near my car paint.
Don't know about you but just as some people find gardening therapeutic, cleaning the car does it for me :lol:
CX3 Sport Nav - Petrol - Auto - safety pack - snowflake white - 2019
Handy Andy
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Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 9:46 pm
Location: Crowborough, East Sussex

Post by Handy Andy »

Yep, the garden is for drinking beer after the car clean.

Garden.jpg

Car sold - but still following Mazda.
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Boyle de Cabbage
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Post by Boyle de Cabbage »

Handy Andy wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:14 am


You just use the mitt until it wears out, you don’t replace the clay.
When claying a car you fold any contamination into the clay bar to reveal a clean surface. I'd be worried that extensive use of clay mitt would eventually do more harm than good.

Also for removing iron embedded in paintwork there are specialized products that pong but save time and scratches.
Mazda paint is crap! Mazda should be ashamed of themselves!.
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