Car cleaning supplies

[Sam]

Ok, leather seats, dashboards, instrument panel, center console. What product do you use? I would prefer to keep fewer products and mostly, with the top down in the convertible, I get a lot of dust/dirt on the dashboard and instrument panels. I have glass cleaner, and I am thinking Amorall is not the best for leather seats. Would prefer to get stuff at Autozone or Walmart for convenience.

 

[wvu_law_dawg]

A lot of care dealerships use tire shine on the console and dash to give it that "new car" look.

 

[thecoalition]

the whole black magic line of products has always been used in my family since i can remember. i swear my dad had stock in them or something he had every single product and used all of them every other weekend when he supervised while i washed his truck

 

[Pescara]

Detailing the family fleet is one of my favorite chores. I use the following:

light cleaning: Armorall general purpose cleaner. Magic Eraser to remove scuffs.

interior vinyl and plastic: either Meguiars or Vinylex depending on the level of shine I want.

leather -- Lexol, cleaner and conditioner

exterior rubber -- Forever Black (also good for blacking the side of shoe soles).

exterior paint -- a few years ago I switched from polish/carnauba wax to clay bars and the Klasse system -- All-in-One Polish followed by Glaze. The 10 oz. containers are pretty much a lifetime supply.

You can get all of the above except the Klasse at Pep Boys/Autozone/car washes. I don't know if Klasse is sold at auto parts stores, but you can get it and just about everything else for car care at properautocare.com. More than you want to know about detailing you can find out at autopia.org

 

[Austin]

Sam, you can spend lots of money on car care products. Similar to wetshaving products. Check out this site:

http://www.poorboysworld.com/

They have great products that are reasonable. I have use their products for several years.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I have been detailing cars for 20 years now. If I am going to name a company that has outstanding products it is Meguiar's. They have a comsumer line and a professional line of items. I prefer spray bottles to those wipes in a can. They have a great leather cleaners and conditioner. To help you out a small bit they have a car care RX on their site, it may help guide you a bit in what you are trying to do. The reason I mention this company is that you can get the items almost anywhere. Car Care RX

 

[airplanedoc]

Meguiers products across the board for me. They have you covered

 

[mmack66]

www.autopia.org

 

[Sam]

I will probably hit McGuires at Autozone. Seems like, for interior, I can get a leather cleaner/conditioner, and then an all purpose cleaner and then regular Windex for Windows. Shampoo carpets and mats with the hand attachment to our home upright shampooer.

They have an all-in-one product, pricey a bit $12 for 16 ounces, at poorboys I think

 

[maxroach]

I have been detailing cars for 20 years now. If I am going to name a company that has outstanding products it is Meguiar's. They have a comsumer line and a professional line of items. I prefer spray bottles to those wipes in a can. They have a great leather cleaners and conditioner. To help you out a small bit they have a car care RX on their site, it may help guide you a bit in what you are trying to do. The reason I mention this company is that you can get the items almost anywhere. Car Care RX

+1. Their pro line is top-notch, and their regular stuff is at least as good as the rest of the market.

 

[galopede]

I put my car through a car wash late 2008. Just waiting for the good weather to do it again.

 

[thebikingengineer]

+1 on Poorboy's world products. I haven't detailed in a long time, but their products were always some of the most effective. Love the Leather Stuff for most interior work, and the Trim Restorer is nice when the water-based dressings weren't cutting it. If you make more than one or two orders the owner will sometimes slip an extra microfiber towel or a couple of sample bottles in with your order, very cool stuff.

 

[Wilpar76]

Whatever you do, don"t use Armor All. It will expedite the drying of your rubber and leather goods in the vehicle. It will make them look good, but for whatever reason it seams to draw moisture out instead of lock it in for a nice shiny finish.

 

[Kouros]

Soap and water in a bucket with a clean microfiber cloth is the safest method.

 

[airplanedoc]

whatever you do, don"t use armor all. It will expedite the drying of your rubber and leather goods in the vehicle. It will make them look good, but for whatever reason it seams to draw moisture out instead of lock it in for a nice shiny finish.

+100

 

[pauls51]

One of my favourite passtimes also..

Between Pinnacle and Poorboys your car will look like it has come out of the showroom!!
http://www.pinnaclewax.com/

 

[Penn]

Oh yes, fine shaving and automobile detailing do go well together.

If you want to really go to town or dial in a specific routine, check out the forum and tutorials over at AutoGeek.net. Excellent merchant, too, with real-deal satisfaction guarantees and price matching. I'm using mostly DP products from AutoGeek right now, many of which are multi-purpose.

 

[Sam]

Ok, no Amorall. I used SOn of a Gun last night to quickly go over the inside of the car since dust was present after having the top down. I checked out McGuire's recommendations per the link provided and Poor Boy I will ask him recommendations, but $10 or so for 16 ounces seems not high, but higher than something in Walmart, but then again, it probably conditions better and has more UV protection? Ill also check out Auto geek this morning.

I am not fussy, fussy, but I do notice when I see a car going down the road and the tires shine and the paint looks factory fresh. I also want to keep the seats and dash from cracking.

Edit: The autogeek site, could not find individual products, but a group of them for $225.00. Not gonna happen
I like the McGuires site. If someone wants to PM me, it would help if you can recommend things for me for the following:

1) dashboard and seats seem mostly to attact dust when I drive with the top down. Want to make sure I condition the seats. There is an all-in-one leather cleaner and conditioner, and then there are products that would protect the dash, car handles, wood grain trim and seats all-in-one also. Don't know if it is better to get separate products or not.

2) i am tuff on the carpet mats as far as dress shoes tearing up the portion right under the floor pedal. Other than that, few stains so regular vaccuuming would be good and I have Resolve for my carpets that I would use.

3) Windex or some special glass cleaner? I do have rainex for the outside windows.

4) Tire shine product and do I need a product for that brake dust that makes the wheels so cruddy looking so quickly or is that something that is going to be there no matter what?

5) Spray wax for touch up?

This would be a system to keep the car looking sharp but short of a full detailing I guess.

 

[Stubblefield]

Some great recommendations here. For polish/wax I use Zaino products, but I have had great results with Meguiars also. For the dash I use 303 Aerospace Protectant, it cleans and protects the dash, plastic bits, and does a great job of cleaning rubber. For Glass, I use Stoners, it gives me the best results with no streaking.

 

[airplanedoc]

Sam

1. Try a California dash duster, Its small works really well picks up all the dust, and you can keep it in the car.
2. I just use carpet cleaner/spot remover on mine Something with scotchbright seems to help.
3. I just use windex then rainex over that.
4. You will have to use whatever rim cleaner meguiars has for the rim material on your car, chrome, AL, FE, Mag etc. For the tires I like the Hot Shine in a aerosol can, it seems to have better control for me. YMMV
5. I really like the quick wax/detailer for a quick touch up, it sprays on and you just wipe off, and it looks like you just waxed the car. If you have a decent wax job already on the car, its just touch up stuff and does not last long.

I really like the California Water Blade and Dash Duster, My car does not sit long enough to need the car duster but I am sure it works well.

For the rest of my brushes for tires/rims/ dash vents, under the hood Etc. I find the cheap ones at Wallyworld or the autoparts store work just as well as the expensive ones from Meguiers.