How Do You Clean Your Car?

[lxi.]

How to clean car windows and body effectively?

Hi guys.
I have bought a Dzire VDi some time back.
Today, In the morning, gave the car a wash (myself) with running water. I wiped the exteriors, everything was fine.
Normally, I use a wet newspaper and a dry newspaper or colin while cleaning windows. Now, My questions are :
1. How to clean the car windows with less energy wastage!? (My hands start paining!)
2. How to remove the Rust marks (yellow marks appearing on the car body because of some rusting in steel/iron parts) from the car body. (in my City. Colour : WHITE!)

Hope this was enough for you to understand my problem.

Waiting for replies.

 

[sethumurugan]

Re: What Car Care Products Do You Use?

Friends,

What is the best windshield cleaning. I use a simple one ruppe shampoo in windshield cleaner container with watter as suggested by one of my friend when I got my Maruthi 800 in 2008. Iam still continiuning the same even with my Sparky.

But some how I do not know whether it is right or wrong. And now with sparky Iam not happy with this solution. I just saw some post about windshield cleaner. Can some one tell me what it is.

And what is the best available in chennai. I belive I found something like that in Vadapalani Shell petrol bunkshop. But I did not go for it since I do not know much about it. I think it was costed around Rs. 200.

 

[nozzlering]

How do I clean my car? Well myself.
Few months back, I used to stay at an apartment where everyone was using services of apartment wash guys. Nothing wrong in that. I was the only one washing it myself. Some people seem to look down upon me. Well who cares. I continued washing myself. And by the time I was to leave, 2 people have started doing it themselves.
I do it myself because, I really dont believe these guys. I have seen them working. And another reason is, when I am at home, its my vacation time. I have all the spare time.
Normally, I wash my car weekly, but it can be in between also. Interiors, whenever I get time.
My present tools:

• Wash area: Our apartment basement
• Water source: Tap adjacent to my parking lot.
• Formula 1 wash and wax
• Colin Glass cleaner
• Formula 1 wax (monthly)
• 3 sets of microfiber cloth
• 1 artificial chamois cloth
• Lots of newspapers for cleaning glass
• Meguiars interior cleaning/ enriching cream
• Sonax interior cleaner spray
• Armorall tyre clean and shine foam
• Small brush for cleaning tyres
• Brush to remove dust, when not washing (daily use)

I start with a plain water wash, starting from top to bottom. Then I give a shampoo bath to complete car. Then a quick water wash. Wipe out excess water with chamois cloth. And finally use microfiber cloth for shine. Glasses are cleaned with colin and wiped to shine using old newspaper. I feel newspaper works best for all kinds of glass surfaces. I wax on about a month's basis following the instructions on the F1 wax box.
I clean the glasses from inside also. Use meguiars for cleaning the seat covers. And sonax for door trims, dashboard, etc. Floor mats' cleaning is outsourced to my home, where my wife helps cleaning them.
Wheels and mud flaps are brush cleaned. Armorall foam is required to apply once in a month only. All the chrome on the exterior is given finishing touch using old newspaper.
It takes lots of time. But once i finish, I keep staring at the result. I have got compliments from few people too.
But getting it done from professionals give much better results. I went to 3M car care last week. And the result was outstanding. Its unfortunate, the place is quite far from my place. And we cant give expensive washes quite often. And doing this job ourselves does give us a sense of satisfaction.

 

[TSIVipul]

Well,after hearing a lot about 3M,now I am also interested in their service.
So dear DELHItes, just do tell me where the 3M car-care centers are and how to reach there.
Also if possible,then can you people provide me their contact numbers?So that I can book my service date and time on phone itself.

 

[350Z]

Re: What Car Care Products Do You Use?

What is the best windshield cleaning. I use a simple one ruppe shampoo in windshield cleaner container with watter as suggested by one of my friend when I got my Maruthi 800 in 2008. Iam still continiuning the same even with my Sparky.

I don’t think that spending for a separate car glass cleaner is the best idea when a normal household product like Colin can serve the purpose well. Just give it a shot.

So dear DELHItes, just do tell me where the 3M car-care centers are and how to reach there.

Here's the link: 3M Car Care Services India - Where To Buy?

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[allhyundaicars]

Re: What Car Care Products Do You Use?

Friends,

What is the best windshield cleaning. I use a simple one ruppe shampoo in windshield cleaner container with watter as suggested by one of my friend when I got my Maruthi 800 in 2008. Iam still continiuning the same even with my Sparky.

But some how I do not know whether it is right or wrong. And now with sparky Iam not happy with this solution. I just saw some post about windshield cleaner. Can some one tell me what it is.

And what is the best available in chennai. I belive I found something like that in Vadapalani Shell petrol bunkshop. But I did not go for it since I do not know much about it. I think it was costed around Rs. 200.

you don't even have to use any glass cleaner every time. just use plain water and old newspaper and you are good to go.

like nozzerling said , newspaper is the best for cleaning windshield.

 

[mreccentric]

Well, i don't clean my car that frequently, but i used sabena to clean the interiors of doors(plastic), which cleansed well. So sabena with little amount of water works like a magic powder. I use dashboard polish to polish the interiors.

I really need to take car cleaning seriously because I'm not getting much ideas to say.
But, yes it sometimes turns me off to clean it for hours. Any idea of how to get rid of it?

 

[autosafari]

I wash my car myself.

Everyday cleaning is as follows:

1. Dusting with a soft cotton cloth. (one need to practice to glide the cloth over the surface smoothly so as to clear off the dust and not to damge the paint coat with scratches)
2. A wet microfibre cloth to wipe clean all body panels and glass including windshield.
Its highly effective.
Those in my office and some neighbours consider my car as a cleanly maintained one.

Full wash once in two weeks or once in a week sometimes:

1. Dusting with a soft cotton cloth.
2. Rinse with water (from bucket and mug - no water hose/jet to avoid wastage.
3. Apply Formula1 wash and wax (2 cap fulls in a bucket of water) with a microfibre cloth
4. Rinse again with water
5. Once water dry out, then wipe the body panels with a wet microfibre cloth once. (This removes marks due water etc)
6. Then glasses are cleaned with collin. Spray collin and wipe with a cotton cloth.

Last two instances, tried a new method for water conservation.

1. Dusting with a soft cotton cloth
2. Apply Formula1 wash and wax (2 to 3 cap fulls in a bucket of water) with a microfibre cloth
3. Wipe and polish with a dry microfibre cloth when the surface is dry

This is coming out well.

Dash board and door inner plastic panels are cleaned using Formula1 protectant. Once in 15 days or once in a month.

Waxing with Formula1 Carnauba Wax once in three months. (Took 7 hours last time - washing and then waxing and polishing and cleaning glasses with collin, Dash board and door inner plastics with protectant etc)

 

[mreccentric]

Sometimes, the Wheels would be mud-stricken and also you see birds messing up the glass and car body. How do you clean this? I feel sick to clean them.

 

[sethumurugan]

Re: What Car Care Products Do You Use?

I don’t think that spending for a separate car glass cleaner is the best idea when a normal household product like Colin can serve the purpose well. Just give it a shot.

Thank you. Even my wife suggested me that. I tried only once. But somehow I forgot to continue the same. I shall try that.

 

[350Z]

A few common but useful tips from Mitsubishi on car washing.



Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[Vdhingra]

I just can not drive a dirty car. I need to wash it daily and at service center the charges are too high Rs.200 for normal and Rs.250.00 for complete that is under washing also included. And washing your car your self is a job of minimum 30 minutes and a tiresome job particularly in Summer and in monsoon it requires daily wash.So the only way out was pressure washer, I got Bosch Aquatek 100 Plus for Rs.8200 and it hardly takes 10 minutes including wiping and dusting mats. Really its a super machine with five different accessories, although all are not used daily. The best part of washing with it is that it washes all the dirt from below the chassis with such an ease which is otherwise impossible without pressure washer.

 

[allhyundaicars]

I just can not drive a dirty car. I need to wash it daily and at service center the charges are too high Rs.200 for normal and Rs.250.00 for complete that is under washing also included. And washing your car your self is a job of minimum 30 minutes and a tiresome job particularly in Summer and in monsoon it requires daily wash.So the only way out was pressure washer, I got Bosch Aquatek 100 Plus for Rs.8200 and it hardly takes 10 minutes including wiping and dusting mats. Really its a super machine with five different accessories, although all are not used daily. The best part of washing with it is that it washes all the dirt from below the chassis with such an ease which is otherwise impossible without pressure washer.

I'd love to see the pics of your machine and mostly people get the underbody washed within 6 months but you sure want your car cleaned very well everytime

 

[Vdhingra]

I'd love to see the pics of your machine and mostly people get the underbody washed within 6 months but you sure want your car cleaned very well everytime

here are pics, this pressure washer is not meant for cars only, its a multipurpose machine for domestic use.Although all the accessories have their own role But I like the brush the most as it washes the running board and other such parts, where you would not like to touch with hand due to all sort of **** stuck there and stubborn road chemicals, which are hard to remove.
As for under chassis washing is concerned it must be washed regularly as all other dust and dirt is irritatingly visible, forcing you to clean. But the dirt under the body damages the car most although slowly.
Before buying make sure its Bosch ( German) because a duplicate version is also available in market. Both are made in China but have lots of quality difference.

 

[CarCar]

I avoid Dry Cleaning, Parking under direct sun, Pressure wash, washing/detailing under direct sun, carpet mats, car cover in monsoons/humid weather.

I wash my car every fortnight and engine bay probably every 3 months or so.