Advice on Detaining Car- Non-toxic Products?
December 12, 2022 6:59 AM Subscribe
Hello!
I would like to detail my car. What products do I need? Do you have advice on the best way to go about this? I would like to use products that are non-toxic. And, I would like to buy products, rather than having to make cleaners.
Thank you!
Exterior is as easy as any plain car wash solution, but do get something specifically for cars (i.e., not dish soap), as other soaps can remove wax coatings. Start at the top (roof) and work down, doing the wheels last. You don't want to get the grime into your wash cloth from the dirty bottoms and drag it along the paint. Spray to wet, scrub, then spray to rinse, not letting the soap dry and leave spots. That being said, washing in the shade is always best because you get a little time. Use a chamois to dry at the end, get it wet in clean water first, wring it out, then wipe and wring as necessary. Don't put a dry chamois on your paint.
Wheels, you need to figure out what your wheels are made from (i.e., steel, plastic, aluminum, etc), and get a cleaner that is safe for them. Never use Simple Green on aluminum, for example. It will etch. Get a wheel scrubbing brush, spray the wheel cleaner on, scrub to clean, and rinse. Brake pad dust can be pesky, so you will want to use a wheel cleaner vs just your car wash.
Interior, I'd just vacuum and wipe with a moist cloth to get the dust. I HATE Armor All on interiors, it always looks fake and plasticky (and doubly so for the feeling it leaves on steering wheels).
Anything more detailed than that, you're gonna want to hang out on car detailing forums, because the rabbit holes are infinite.
posted by hwyengr at 1:18 PM on December 12, 2022
Wheels, you need to figure out what your wheels are made from (i.e., steel, plastic, aluminum, etc), and get a cleaner that is safe for them. Never use Simple Green on aluminum, for example. It will etch. Get a wheel scrubbing brush, spray the wheel cleaner on, scrub to clean, and rinse. Brake pad dust can be pesky, so you will want to use a wheel cleaner vs just your car wash.
Interior, I'd just vacuum and wipe with a moist cloth to get the dust. I HATE Armor All on interiors, it always looks fake and plasticky (and doubly so for the feeling it leaves on steering wheels).
Anything more detailed than that, you're gonna want to hang out on car detailing forums, because the rabbit holes are infinite.
posted by hwyengr at 1:18 PM on December 12, 2022
Get good quality window cleaner and microfiber rags for inside windowx.
posted by tristeza at 1:53 PM on December 12, 2022
posted by tristeza at 1:53 PM on December 12, 2022
This stuff (playdough-like goop for getting into all the little crevices in the interior) came up on my Yahoo News feed awhile ago, I'm intrigued but haven't tried it yet.
posted by Bron at 7:39 AM on December 13, 2022
posted by Bron at 7:39 AM on December 13, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
I've used Simple Green to wash sail boats (because it is biodegradable). It looks like Simple Green is suitable for cars too.
posted by oceano at 12:00 PM on December 12, 2022