Exterior: Painted Metal Surfaces
BRACE YOURSELVES! Here is the first time you'll hear me advocate the use of dish washing soap, continue reading to find out why.
What you'll need.
When you are planning on giving your vehicle a good cleaning it is important to get rid of everything between you and the paint. Automotive shampoos are specially formulated to leave waxes on the paint to prolong their protection. When you know that you'll be re-waxing it is important to remove all the old wax. Bugs and other elements will find their way onto the paints surface and its important to get rid of them. Always test new products in an inconspicuous area first.
Follow the steps of the simple wash. Keep using the two bucket method. Wash from the top down in straight lines and keep following the contours of the vehicle. Once it is clean use your bug/tar remover to get rid of anything left. Dry the vehicle with a micro fiber cloth and then get our your clay bar. If you did not wash your vehicle with dish washing soap you will want to pre-wax your car to get rid of all contaminants.
Clay bars are not new, their use by amateurs is however. They take a little getting used to but once you get the hang of it its easy. Make sure to follow the instructions on the package. Lubricate the area well and slide the bar in the same way you did the mitt or sponge that you cleaned the car with. Fold the clay bar on itself every so often to end up with a clean surface. You don't want to kneed in sand on your finish and scratch up the paint.
Once you have done the whole car you will notice that there are hairline scratches. Sometimes called spider webs, these scratches compromise the potentially beautiful finish your car has. There exists certain products that can be rubbed into your paint to rid it of very fine scratches. It will not reduce the appearance of the bigger scratches, you'll need to use an electric polisher and compound to get rid of those.
Let the vehicle dry and then apply your favorite wax. Carnauba wax has the deepest and most wet looking finish. Although it is an old technology the newer synthetic waxes do not offer as nice a finish.
Pass over the vehicle lightly with a micro fiber cloth to make sure there is no wax residue or other contaminants that may have fallen on the surface.
Enjoy the attention everyone will give you.