JPs GT Introduction to Detailing 101

Welcome to JP's General Tech Introduction to Detailing 101.

I'm willing to take this topic on for a couple reasons.
1. I believe that proper detailing care does just as much as regular mechanical maintenance for your car and as much, if not more, for the value of your car.
2. I thoroughly enjoy the work, and the reward of a job well done. I can spend hours in the garage, beer, music and the olfaction of the whole experience.
3. I also see the need to step up in this section of the forum.

My aim is to create both a jumping off point to quality detailing as well as create a coffee shop where we can throw ideas and techniques around. Detailing is not an exact science. Although there are some basic following points, its more like a religion...Or a cult, LOL. I also would like to keep it simple, using easily available products at reasonable prices.

Chemical Guys J97 Paste Wax White Brazilian Carnuba Wax (8oz)
$1,499.00
Swissvax OBSSSSD Luxury Carnauba Wax (200ml)
$899.99

In the future I will expand to include the following (and more) breaking them into different threads so that each can be discussed individually...
-basics related to the detailing basics
-shop setup
-proper washing techniques
-wheels and tires
-interior dash and plastics
-leather
-glass, mirrors & lights
-claybar
-exterior uncoated plastics
-modern chrome appliques
-wax & DA waxing
-minor paint correction

I will start with a few links I have found useful...

>Ammo NYC
Ammo NYC -YouTube channel
Larry has invested a lot of time into his business & product line and has created a lot of content for people to view. I have never used any of his products, but he uses his knowledge and is willing to try fringe ideas with decent results, something I can connect with...and he track days a 964.
>Detail Hunters by AutoGlanz
The Detail Hunters -YouTube channel
Ive used these videos to see others techniques and tips.
>Chemical Guys
Chemical Guys training videos
Lots of training here on their website.
>For those in Canada, I use the following suppliers...most items are available other places
eshine.ca -Colburg, ON, free ship over $150cdn
prodetailingsupplies.ca -Mississauga, ON, free ship over $150cdn
autoobsessed.com -Edmonton, AB, free ship over $150cdn
carzilla.ca -Calgary, AB, free ship over $90cdn...good shipping rates if not free.
NAPA Canada -rim cleaner, tire cleaner, quick detail spray
Canadian Tire -car shampoo, bug remover, microfiber
PartSource -basic compliment of Chemical guys products
>For those in the USA, Here are some links for supplies and info
autogeek.net
detailersdomain.com

I have researched and found different products, all of which I will cover in each specific topic and include the reasoning behind choosing each product. As a disclosure, I will cover the tried and tested ways I know and experiences pertaining to detailing. I lean toward doing things the old way, where you have to be committed to completion, I don't do fast products or shortcuts.

Here is a collection of acronyms I will be using

APC - all purpose cleaner
DA - dual action electric polisher
MF - mircofiber towel
QD - quick detailer product
LSP - last step product

Before beginning there are some 'Shoulds' and 'Musts' that need to be covered.

-The products used in cleaning and waxing have ingredients from both natural and man made sources. These products can be allergens, irritants and carcinogens. It is very important to read all labels before use to familiarize how to properly apply/use and to check for warnings before handling products.
-Proper ventilation is key to personal safety as some products off gas things like petro-solvents. Good ventilation will also aid in products setting up or flashing off timely making applications and removals easier.
-Storage and use of products is paramount in maintaining the quality of detailing products. All products should be kept closed when not in use, including spray bottles turned to OFF. Containers should be kept in a cool dry place with like items being careful to not store with grease/oils or silicone products.
-Having a dedicated area to work such as a shop or garage is paramount. Being sheltered from the elements including wind is important to maintain a clean environment to complete the detailing. Ensure the area is thoroughly cleaned before hand, free from abrasive materials such as sand & dirt, metal grindings & filings, oils & grease etc. Sweep floors well ahead giving time for dust to settle or use a shop vac to clean up and under benches etc.
-Bench tops should be cleared of tools and parts. Cover surfaces with cloths or liners to provide a clean work area each time.

Here is a list of basic detailing items used

Microfiber towels(MF)
These are the tool that you will be using to apply, remove, buff, clean with various products. I purchase a couple large packs at Canadian tire yearly when on sale. I dont spend a lot on overly high quality towels, I choose to burn through a large quantity of less expensive towels. Higher quality towels would be valuable in a professional setting were the towel use and turnover would be daily. They are expendable over time and you should develop a system by which you grade their condition throughout the cloth's life.

All MF get used once and placed into a bag for later cleaning. Be sure to sort the cloths into 2 different bags. #1 bag for quality rags and a #2 bag for silicone based or abrasive products. The two should never be mixed(more on this later). These 2 bags will get laundered separately.
I keep my clean MF in 3 small Rubbermaid containers and grade them as follows...
BIN #1-new - Only used for Last Step Product (LSP) work. I will use these MF towels only on top waxes or final sealants for the 1st year. I will reserve these towels for cars with new or high quality paint, usually summer use or non-DD cars. Dispose after each use into the #1 Wax soiled can.
*These need to remain clean and free from abrasive and silicone products!
**At the end of the season these get marked with a "I" using a sharpie and placed in the #1 bin.
BIN #1-year2 - Used for regular waxing, sealants and polishes (not compounding). I will use these with Quick Detailer(QD) to claybar paint surfaces and to work base products such as polishes, cleaner waxes etc. Dispose after each use into the #1 Wax soiled can.
*These need to remain clean and free from abrasive and silicone products!
**At the end of the season these get marked with a "II" using a sharpie and placed in the #2 bin.
BIN #2-year3 - I use these cloths for general cleaning and with QD for emergency cleanup such as bug spatter, bird bombs etc. You can use these towels for polishing glossy trim with waxes and sealants, such as exterior mirror mounts, non-body colour door handles, headlight buckets, grills etc. Dispose after each use into the #1 Wax soiled can.
*These need to remain clean and free from abrasive and silicone products!
**At the end of the season these get marked with a "III" using a sharpie and placed in the #2 bin.
I will also use these towels for paint correction such as compounding scratches and wet sanding paint chips. Once I have used MF for this, they will go into the #2 Compound & abrasives soiled can.
**From this point any compound or silicone soiled towels become "Post Grade".
BIN #3-year4 - These towels now no longer get used on painted body panels. By now, the towels will appear rougher and will have lost their softness, they become pilly like an old shirt. I will use these for general clean work, with window cleaners, leather cleaners and protectants and All purpose cleaners (APC). Also these towels will be used to wipe down door jambs and inner door metal. Dispose after each use into the #3 Silicone & post grade soiled can.
**At the end of the season these get marked with a "XXX" over the "III" using a sharpie and get placed in the post grade bins.
Post Grade-kept separate - This is the final stage of the Microfiber, I use these to polish chrome trim, buff trim black and plastic protectants or any silicone or abrasive polishing products. I keep these towels on a separate shelf (same shelf as my silicone based products) in these bins where I don't have to handle anything to grab one reducing fugitive silicone prints.

MF Care - Towels can be washed in your home washing machine on a WARM setting. Again, do not launder #1 dirty bag (wax & polish products) and #2 dirty bag (silicone & abrasive products) together. In fact, launder the #1 before #2...simple laundry process, ask your mom .

There are dedicated cleaners available through any of the detailing suppliers usually listed as microfiber cleaners. These cleaners work to remove new and cured wax products, polishes as well as abrasives and silicone based products from towels and help to keep the pile of the towel soft. Many people also use a cup of vinegar as a cleaning agent which nets decent results as well.
***NEVER...NEVER put MF in the dryer!!! The heat will destroy the towel and cause it to degrade sooner.***
Only hang dry your towels in a clean dry environment indoors. I have a clothes line across the garage I can extend when needed to air dry clothes, wash mitts etc. pretty much all summer long.
Warning about Silicone - Silicone based products can affect how well your wax and polishes adhere to the paintwork, much like in a paint booth, silicone can ruin your hard work. Keeping the work area free from silicone requires diligence to keep tasks separate. Always clean your shop and surfaces before waxing and polishing, but always try to leave your silicone product jobs to the end of your detailing including interior and exterior. This can also be extended to the MF care and use as silicone will cause the fibers in the towel to mat and stick together. Once a cloth has been used with a silicone product, it immediatly becomes "Post Grade".
Article about silicone...
eshine.ca/blogs/articles/is-silicone-bad-what-is-silicone-1
Most of my microfiber towels are 12x12". I also have some larger 12x18" towels I will use occasionally to dry cars if required. As they get older, I will mark them "Clean side" and use them to place polishers, pads and other detaining equipment on while working so as to keep a clean work area. My garage serves multiple duties and isn't dedicated to detailing.

Wash Buckets
When cleaning your car the end result is not only to clean the car but to keep from damaging the paint in the process. These both should be in your head all the time. One of the best ways to ensure you provide the best clean with the least damage is to use what is called the "2 bucket method". With two buckets, you will use one bucket as a rinse for your wash mitt. Inserting the wash mitt into the rinse bucket cleans the dirt off your mitt and allows you to scrub the mitt to loosen dirt and debris. Next you will insert the wash mitt into the second bucket, this water is what you will apply to the car for washing. Repeat the cycle as you clean.

When you purchase buckets for washing, A 5gal/20L pail is a good size. Never reuse a repurposed bucket, buy a new fresh bucket. Look for buckets with a grit guard included or purchase grit guards separately. I like to purchase them as a set as some grit guards don't always fit every bucket. It is also important to mark the buckets to differentiate the two not only during washing, but from one wash to the next. I marked my rinse bucket with an orange decal around the rim...Choosing different colours or marking 1 and 2, what ever gets you going!

These two buckets will always and only be used for washing the cars body and only used with your car soap. Any other use can subject your paint to contamination physically or chemically. Storing chemicals and wash accessories in the bucket when not in use is also no-bueno, it promotes possible cross contamination with chemicals such as wheel acids, silicones or cleaners too harsh for paint.

In the above picture you will see that I have 3 buckets. I use the 2 grey for washing the cars body and trim. The white bucket is used for washing wheels, tires and wheel well liners. Keeping the wheel and tire water and accessories separate from the body wash buckets is paramount to maximizing cleaning ability and mitigating risk to your paint. The shine and beauty of your car depends on it.
Wash Bucket Care - Always wash out all buckets when you have completed cleaning, starting with the cleanest bucket working to the wheel bucket. Leaving dirty water in your buckets will cause fine dirt and oils to collect along the sides of the bucket making it harder to keep the buckets clean for next time.
Wash Mitts - These are the workhorse of the wash cycle. Your wash mitts are what touches your car, helps to loosen dirt and softly massages your paint to cleanliness. Much like baby skin, paint is delicate and tender...Would you trust just any mitt on your baby's skin! There are many types of mitts available and all have value for various jobs. Do not be afraid to have multiple mitts. Not only do i have mitts for the paint, I also have mitts for various cleaning jobs such as the wheels, rocker panels or door jambs. I purchase a new wash mitt at the beginning of each season, all the existing mitts get downgraded 1 level. The body wash mitt gets downgraded to door jamb duty, door jamb mitt gets reduced to rocker panels and rocker panel mitt gets lowered to wheel status.

Wash Mitt Care - While washing with a wash mitt, avoid wringing it to release water. This will only embed dirt deeper into the fibers but will also stretch the material causing the mitt to lose its soft pliability needed to softly caress your car's paint. After each wash, thoroughly clean all soap residue from all the wash mitts. I accomplish this by filling the cleaned wash buckets 1/2 full with water. Drop each wash mitt into the corresponding bucket (ie: body mitt into the clean wash bucket, unclean mitts into the rinse bucket and wheel mitts into the wheel bucket.) squeezing and releasing the mitts while submerged in the water until all dirt and grit has been released and the bulk of the suds have been removed. Empty and rinse the buckets and repeat the process until there are no more suds coming from the mitts. This usually only takes 2 times. After cleaning the mitts, I swing them forcefully in a pendulum motion to eject as much water and stubborn debris. Only hang dry your wash mitts, drying thoroughly before storage. Keep the mitt used on the paint separate from the "unclean" mitts and do not store them together when not in use. Microfiber wash mitts can be washed in the same fashion with the same cleaners as Microfiber towels above.
***NEVER...NEVER put Wash Mitts in the dryer!!! The heat will destroy the mitt and cause it to degrade sooner.***

Above is my CarPro wash mitt. It is not only dedicated to washing my car's paint, but it is dedicated to my car period. This mitt is not in circulation with any of my other mitts. The CarPro lambs wool mitt is soft and holds a lot of wash solution. It also has long fibers that fall into crevasses and between panels lifting dirt from places short fiber mitts can't reach. The long wool fibers also seem to release dirt and debris easily as well. This style of mitt is my recommendation for washing car paint with extra love.
***NEVER...NEVER machine wash this style of wash mitt***
Bug Sponge - The purpose if a bug sponge is pretty much self explanatory. They are composed of a sponge wrapped in a woven material, much like the wet side of a squeegee at a gas bar. Using the bug sponge on windshields will make short work of hardened insect splats. Also you can run it along the edge of your wipers to clear any body parts and clean the wiping edge. Use in conjunction with the soap in your wash buckets much the same way as you use wash mitts.

Special care must be taken when using a bug sponge on painted surfaces. I would only consider as a last resort as insect exoskeletal remains can be very abrasive. When using the sponge do not apply pressure, pass the sponge back and forth slowly over the area allowing the sponge to do the work. To alleviate the need to use bug sponges on paint, be sure to maintain a quality coat of wax or sealer on leading edges and faces of your car, such as the front bumper, hood, a pillars, top of windshield, mirrors and headlights. Sponges can be used with bug cleaning products, but after washing with these cleansers, a recoat of wax or sealer will be required.

Detailing Brushes -
There are many brushes available for various duties. It is important to dedicate brushes to specialized jobs and not to cross contaminate your work areas.
Wheel Brushes - These brushes are usually designed to reach in between spokes or have long fibers to clean in recesses on rims. Longer brushes will allow you to clean your wheel barrels if you have a lot of spokes. Both the brake residue on your rims and the cleaners used can have an adverse effect on you cars paint and brushes should be cleaned thoroughly after every wash.

Utility Brushes - These brushes come in handy in your kit for jobs such as scrubbing floor mats (fiber or rubber) or scrubbing tires.


Brushes that mount into a variable speed drill, or a Dual Action (DA) polisher make carpet shampoo jobs easy and quick.
Interior Detail Brush Assortment - Having an assortment of fine bristle brushes can help get dirt and dust out of hard to reach area while cleaning your interior. Even the lowly toothbrush is indispensable when trying to clean between plastic seams. Qtip can reach into vents and tight areas and have some absorbent ability to remove residual cleaning products.

Horse Hair Brush - Much like the brushes used to polish shoes, cleaning solutions can be lightly worked into leather to help lift dirt and grime without damaging the surface of the leather.


Applicators - These items range in design and use based on which product you are working with and the desired outcome. Some applicators are used on a regular basis while cleaning and others at specific times such as wax or sealer application. Keeping wax and silicone uses separate is paramount here as well. Some can be washed and some are disposable at the end of their cycle.
Foam Applicators - These will be the first applicators most people will use. Used for applying liquid tire shine or trim black on a large area, the applicator in picture #1 has a profile design that can help apply products to items with irregular depths such as over tire lettering. The applicator in picture #2 works well when you are trying to apply a product where you want a nice even level finish. The hex pattern helps to spread the product. This can be useful for applying thick liquids and gels like trim black or silicone trim protectant. In picture #3, these I have heard referred to as "UFO pads" due to their shape. I use these to apply waxes and sealants by hand in areas where my DA polisher wont reach as they are only about 3 1/2" in dia. You will find that these pads are particularly dense and are easier to use with thicker products like paste waxes and cream sealers or polishes. Although foams come in many shapes and sizes, generally the design of the applicator surface will dictate how well it performs. Usually these are made of a closed cell foam however they will still absorb some product.

Microfiber Applicators - I usually use these applicators with cleaning agents or where wiping a surface clean is required. Microfiber applicators usually don't perform well at applying waxes etc. due to the fact that they are very absorbent leading to product waste. But the do have their uses.

Foam Block Applicators - Lastly, these applicators are somewhat specialized for the purpose of applying ceramic/nano coatings. They are made of a small celled foam rubber like material with a soft applicator bonded to one side. This design keeps the product close to the area where it is needed. This applicator is not used directly on the surface, instead it is wrapped in applicator material as per product manufacture's recommendation.

Cheap Kitchen Foams - I use these as short term use, disposable applicators to apply vinyl protectant to interior plastics. They spread a nice even layer without over coating. I then will buff off any extra with a "Post Grade" MF so as to not leave a tacky feel to interior panels, buttons or handles.

Applicator Care - Generally you wouldn't clean a silicone infused applicator as once they are sufficiently soiled they would be disposed. MF applicators with cleaning agents or waxes/sealants could be washed with your #1 Quality MF towels. Once fully dried, they should be stored in a container so as to keep them from being contaminated or soiled with dirt, dust or abrasive substances.

Dual Action Polisher - Here we get serious into detailing! The DA allows you to accomplish tasks muggles don't even know exist. Much like Neo in The Matrix, this is taking the red pill. From simple tasks such as applying a wax or sealant all the way up to repairing blemishes in paint, this is the tool.
The Dual Action polisher, uses a double motion for polishing. Not only does the backing plate spin in a circular motion around its axle, it has an off-center connection that makes the backing plates “shake”. This creates very small circular motions while rotating on its axle. -detailingwiki.org

Although DA polishers come in different shapes and have various differences they all generally accomplish the same tasks. When looking for a polisher some things to consider are weight, ergonomics of both controls and hand holds, size and spindle thread for accessory attachment like backing plates. For beginners, a polisher with speeds in the range of at least 2000-5000 orbit rate is minimum requirement giving a decent range to work with.
DA Backing Plates - Usually sold separately, the backing plate is the tool head you will use to attach various grades of cutting or polishing pads. The pads are held on by hook & loop (Velcro). This allows for quick pad changes. Backing plates come in various sizes, usually 3.5", 4", 5" & 6" diameter with 5" being the most common.

Once you get a polisher, be sure to mark your backing plate. This will help you monitor pad rotation and will greatly aid in honing your DA skills. This is not just a noob trick, I still do it to this day.

DA Pads - The pad is what contacts your paint and works in harmony with the product to achieve the desired outcome. This is a balance as pads can be for "cutting" such as removing a scratch or for "buffing" such as applying products or working them out. Understanding the product is key to deciding what pad to use. Pad selection can be difficult early on, but with a little research and some guidance you will easily understand how to choose the appropriate pad. Good pads are of a "closed cell" design and come from various manufacturers, but all accomplish the same tasks. Chose a particular product line and try not to mix different manufacturers as the pads are usually designed in a linear range from cutting to polishing abilities.

Choose any name brand reputable company such as Lake Country, Chemical Guys, CarPro, Griot's or Rupes, among many others. I use Lake Country pads, I am setup with many of them and have had excellent results.
Pad Care - Cleaning pads after each use makes keeping them in top condition easier. There are pad cleaning solutions designed to help lift wax or compound from within the pad. I clean my pads with Dawn dish soap, but be sure to thoroughly rinse the pad so as to not leave any residues. Dry fully and store in a suitable container.


Conclusion
Listed above are the basic tools used in Auto Detailing. Most any job can be accomplished using these basic tools. These will be the items I will be using in my detail threads. Not mentioned would be a suitable Shop Vac, a small stool can be great to ease reaching low areas comfortably as well as a selection of various products found around the house like paper towel, water in a spray bottle, masking tape...and cold beer!

Feel free to ask questions or comment on the content above. I will continue to update any info as things change in the market and new tools and products arrive. Post below if you have tried or try in the future any auto detailing tools and how they worked out...As with any detailing, pics speak volumes.

Thank you,
JP
edited for updates

 

I think this one is done...On to what is next...