Most swirls and RIDS occur during washing and cleaning. Our focus will be identifying and minimizing the risks of swirling during the cleaning process.

Basic Premise: The paint is touched last with the cleanest tools. Paint should have dedicated tools and equipment. That means paint-use-only wash mitts, towels, and brushes. These tools will never touch anything else, and will always be clean. You cannot risk having dirty tools, and the only way to make sure they are clean is to always keep them clean. Once you use a brush on a silicone-dressed tire, for example, it is contaminated for life and should never touch paint ever again.

We start by washing the engine. This way we will not have to lift the hood again, and any degreaser  or dressing overspray will be promptly washed off completely during the exterior wash.

The next area to clean are the wheels and fender wells. Similarly to the reasons for washing the engine first, cleaning wheels and wells involves lots of spraying strong cleaners. Some of it may get onto your paint. Once you wash the wheels you will not have to touch them again with your wash mitt.

Now that we have cleaned the dirtiest parts, we can concentrate on taking our time to clean the paint.

Detailer’s Theorem: Risk of Swirls approaches zero if and only if GritGuard/Clean Bucket+Clean Mitt > 2

Use 2 Grit Guards. They are the single best $10 you will spend on your car.

Use 2 buckets. They are cheap. Use them only for washing your car. No Mr. Clean, no Lestoil, no Mop&Glo, no trash.

Use clean wash mitts. Wash them after each time they are used. Use new ones when they get soiled or worn.

Use any car washing shampoo. Do not use Dawn or any dishwashing detergent. Do not use laundry detergent. You not need eat off your paint, keep your dishwashing utensils in the kitchen sink. Many car wash shampoos have bug and tar removers. These will also strip wax, so you will need to reapply your protection. Others have shine enhancers. They are fine, but short lived. Buy half a gallon.

Washing removes the loose contamination from your finish. Now clean, if you pass your hand over the paint you may feel some asperities. This could be embedded contaminants, mineral deposits, tar or tree sap, or other challenging contaminants. Before polishing or waxing, you will want the surface to be as clean as possible. This is where the clay bar come in handy.

Clay Bars have been around for about 2 decades. Invented in Japan specifically for vehicle paint decontamination, it took some time to reach the United States. But once it did, it revolutionized the DIY Detailing Market, helping take the market from basically niche to mainstream. Why? Because it gave the average Joe the power to completely prep his paint easily and without harsh chemicals.

The clay has removed any fillers or old coatings the washing did not remove. Now that the finish is “sterile” we can inspect it for swirls and defects, and make the determination to either polish or reapply wax and/or sealants.

Polishing with a Dual Action machine like the Porter Cable 7424, Griots Garage DA, or Meguiar’s D110 DA is very easy, and safe. Although considered slightly more advanced than the basic steps needed to care for your finish, the second part of the video shows how to apply sealants with the Porter Cable, which is the best method for applying sealants. It provides the most consistent and thinnest possible coat. This means the sealant coat will be even and will cure as fast as possible without the need for a second coat. Although a second coat is recommended, it is really only to cover any missed areas or patches in the first coat.

For those of us that need a clean car in the snow season, here is a video and an article showing one way to safely wash your car with a 2-bucket method

LINK > http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/how-to-safely-wash-your-car-in-the-winter/

Next we have a pair of videos showing a typical process and some highlights of how we approach caring for your car.