sure thing..

ill post it when its done!

 

I really appreciate it!

 

So after reading your whole write up thoroughly I feel very inexperienced. Lol. Here's what I've been doing.

Spray the truck down, fill a bucket with armory car wash (the gold kind with the wax in it), and go to town using a sponge. After that I spray the whole truck down again and use eagle one wax as you dry with some terry clothes.

For the wheels I've been spraying down and using meguiars hot wheels, spray it down with that and take a soft brush to it. Spray it back off.

For the tires. I have a set of nitto crossteks and the designs on the sides of the wheels are extremely hard to get clean. I was just using the armor all in a can foam spray and then hosing it off but I just switched to the armorall tore gel and I like it a lot better.

I will try some if the things you have listed. Especially the two bucket method. I know I never do a good job washing because I always get a dirty residue left behind. Probably from my single bucket use. And I've only been using spray wax with a clothe.

 

Engine Detailing

ABSOLUTLEY REMEBER THIS TIP!!!!!
Do not wash the engine unless it is cool.

Preparation

Cover/wrap any electrical component that might get wet while washing with a plastic bag (grocery bag) or saran wrap. Parts to cover include the distributor, alternator, fuse box (optional) and any exposed wiring connectors.

Rinsing

In My opinion, a pressure washer is not needed and will only cause you grief. Using the garden hose, rinse the engine bay using low pressure. Just give a quick rinse of the engine bay, not blasting it, and keeping away from the areas of concern you previously covered. Go over each area of the engine and do not let the water run over the same spot for an extended amount of time. The goal is to just wet the area, and rinse any lose debris off.

Cleaning
Use a good all purpose cleaner such as Duragloss APC or Meguiars APC. Simple Green can be used, but it has been reported to etch aluminum....I haven’t seen this happen myself, but others have reported it so be careful.
Spray your fav. APC throughout the engine bay. Let the APC dwell for a few minutes and it will start to break down the oil & grease on its own. Next, grab some various brushes and sponges, (detail brushes, Daytona wheel brushes, tooth brushes etc.) and give the engine a good scrub. Easily accessible areas can be cleaned with the sponge. (underside of the hood, valve cover, exposed paint, etc.) The harder to reach and dirtier areas are what the brush is for. It's fine to spray on a little more APC on areas that you need to while scrubbing.

Rinsing

After you have finished scrubbing and the engine is degreased, rinse the engine bay, using low pressure and let the water run over the engine. You can do more scrubbing with the brushes, and even add a bit more APC to areas that you've missed or need a bit more work. Rinse thoroughly.

Drying

Do not air dry the engine. Using some old MF towels, hand dry each part of the engine bay you can reach. Also some compressed air works good here. Just be mindful not blow the water into unwanted electrical areas. . Unwrap the electrical components and use one of the more damp towels to wipe them down. Then dry them with another dry towel.

Plastic & Hose Detail

To dress and protect the engine and hoses and other under-the-hood plastic , look to use Sonus Trim and Motor Kote, or another top quality product such as Meguiar's vinyl & rubber dressing or 303 aerospace protectant. I personally like the Sonus product because it has never attracted any dust or dirt..
If working with any product except the sonus product, spray the dressing directly onto the towel and then wipe down the hoses and other plastic. The sonus product works a bit differently.

Let the dressing dry before driving, and I suggest leaving the hood open in the driveway in the sun for a couple of hours to ensure it is dry.
And that should do it. You will have a perfectly detailed engine bay worthy of any car show!
Here are a couple pics of the last engine i did with some products.

 

you know man...dont sweat it...many people think washing is washing..and this might be overkill for some, but it is the minimum routine i always follow.

for me, the last time i polished my truck, it took me 28 hours. i put on opticoat to ensure a protected finsh, and ill be damned if im doing that polishing again.

follow these steps and you will be less likely to instill swirls in your paint..Unless you love polishing the clear of your new truck!

 

Interior Detailing

Regular vacuuming and dusting of your car's interior is the best way to keep it looking good. However, surface cleaning alone is not enough. Two to three times a year you will need to detail the upholstery to keep it looking its best.

Personally, I like products that leave a nice matte finish or low sheen, but that is personal preference. My favourite detailer is 1z einszett cockpit premium, but I also like the protection in ultima interior guard plus.

VACUUM

First and foremost, you need to regularly vacuum your car’s interior. There's no special trick here, you just need a good vacuum, and make the time to do it.

First, pull out the floor mats and shake them or bang them to remove any loose dirt. Vacuum the mats and set aside, making sure to really scrub the mats with the vacuum nozzle end to loosen any embedded dirt.

Next, start in the rear area of the vehicle. Push the front seats all the way forward, and use the crevice tool to vacuum the cracks of the seats, and between the seats and carpeted area. Now Vacuum the rear carpet, and make sure you use the crevice tool to vacuum around the seat tracks and under the front seats and any door panels.

Once done in the rear area, push the front seats all the way back to work on the front upholstery. Use the crevice tool to vacuum the cracks of the seats, between the seats and carpeted areas, and around the gas and brake pedals, and then vacuum the carpet in the foot wells and the seats (if the seats are fabric), the console, vents and door panels.

DASHBOARD & CONSOLE

The dashboard and rear deck of a vehicle take the brunt of damage from sun exposure, heat and UV rays. In order to keep your dash from cracking and fading, regular treatment is necessary.

Caring for the dash and console is really pretty easy. Simply wipe them down with a damp microfiber towel every time you wash your car, and treat them with a vinyl protectant once or twice a month. To reduce the effects of the sun's UV rays, use products like 303 aerospace protectant, 1z cockpit premium, or Ultima interior Guard plus which all contain protective UV protectants like sunscreens. These are my personal favorites because they create a nice matte finish. Other glossier products are out there, but they are usually silicone based, and therefore are shinier, and attract dust easily.
Another tip is to use a swiffer duster on the dash and hard to reach areas, but stay away from the pledge and other furniture type cleaners here.

The easiest way to treat the dash and console is to use a foam applicator pad. Always spray your protectant on the applicator, not on the dash or console, and wipe it in thoroughly. This will prevent overspray on your glass and upholstery. Allow the vinyl protectant to soak in for 3 to 5 minutes, and then buff dry to a nice matte finish.
Make sure to also dust and clean out the vents and grillwork. The damp microfiber or swiffer will work great here, but so will a ca of compressed air. If for some reason the plastic or vinyl is heavily soiled, look to a cleaner before the dressing or protectant such as 1z plastic deep cleaner, or ultima interior shampoo.

If your vents are disgustingly dirty, use a cotton swab or foam swab to clean out the dirt. A good vinyl cleaner and protectant works well on a foam swab to clean and beautify vents and speaker grilles.

On consoles with a lot of nooks and crannies, it's best to use a soft bristled brush followed by a towel to clean and protect. This same method works well around buttons and controls on the dash.

DOOR PANELS & JAMBS

Next, time to move to the door panels. Door panels are often made of several materials, including fabric, vinyl, carpet and leather. Vinyl can be scrubbed to remove shoe scuffs. All Purpose Cleaners (APCs) like 303 Aerospace Cleaner, or Ultima Waterless Wash easily remove black scuff marks from these areas.

Thoroughly clean around door handles, pulls and window cranks, using a toothbrush and soapy wash water or for more stubborn stains, APC. Be sure to clean and dry the speaker grilles and the wells on armrests, too. If the door panels have storage pockets, use your sponge or wash mitt to clean in these areas, as they tend to collect a lot of dirt and crud. Next, use your sponge or wash mitt and soapy water to clean all the way around the door frame and the doorsill. When you're finished, dry the door completely with a clean towel, and treat with a spray wax or detail spray such as Duragloss aquawax.

If your door panel is leather or vinyl, be sure to treat it with a leather or vinyl protectant. Fabric door panels can be treated with a fabric protectant, like 303 High Tech Fabric Guard, or CarPro fabric and leather guard to reduce staining and fading.

LEATHER SEATS AND TRIM

The simplest way to prolong the life of your leather interior is to vacuum it regularly. To clean your leather seats and trim, wipe the leather with a soft cloth dampened cloth, or a very soft bristled brush (horsehair brush). Many people have also suggested a 90 per cent water and a 10 per cent woolite mixture, then buff with a clean dry cloth, but I tend to stick to tried and tested leather products such as leatherique and Sonax Leather Foam.

Most leather in cars is a treated or coated leather, and therefore the conditioners in some of the protectants only sits on top of the leather and actually attracts dirt. For me, the damp wipe down usually cleans the seats and trim, but I love having a non greasy dressing on top.

Work the leather protectant into seams, edges and seat backs with a sponge or cleaning cloth, let soak, and buff excess after a few minutes.

VINYL AND PLASTIC PARTS

Spray vinyl, plastic and imitation leather surfaces with 1z einszett cockpit premium or your favorite cleaner. If your cleaner requires rinsing 9if you are using an APC ALWAYS rinse), wash the vinyl and plastic thoroughly with fresh water and a clean microfiber detailing towel.

Next, dry the upholstery with a clean, dry microfiber detailing towel, and allow the vinyl and plastic to dry. Apply your favorite vinyl dressing to restore protection and sheen. I also like to use something called Sonus Total Eclipse..forgot to mention that above. Always look for your dressing to contain UV protection, and I like a mate finish so there is no reflection from the dash onto the windshield when driving on bright sunny days,

One of my favourites is Ultima Interior Guard Plus, and it has the unique characteristic of taking on the original surface finish. So, when applied to a matte finish, Ultima Interior Guard Plus looks flat and applied to a glossy finish, like wood trim, Ultima Interior Guard Plus takes on a high gloss finish.

WINDOWS

The interior glass should be the last thing you do to avoid re-contaminating it during the detailing process.

Always work out of the sun and on dry cool windows. The sun can cause glass cleaner to evaporate too quickly and leave residues.

Lightly dampen your microfiber towel with your cleaner of choice. I recommend Wellworth Crystal Glass Cleaner, or Sonax Glass cleaner. You want to avoid any cleaners with ammonia like Windex, as ammonia can be harsh on tint.

Spray the cleaner on the window, and wipe up and down and then side to side using long strokes. Flip the towel to a dry side to remove any remaining wetness from the windshield. Do the same on the back window.

Be sure to roll down your side windows about half way so you can clean the top edges of the glass. I like to use a fine nap microfiber for glass, or the stoner’s glass cleaning tool, but many report newsprint as a great medium for cleaning windows.

CARPETS AND FLOOR MATS

Most automotive carpets are very durable and will withstand repeated shampooing without signs of damage or wear. Regular vacuuming of carpets is usually enough, but sometimes, you will have to clean stains or spills.

If you don’t have a steam cleaner or extractor at your disposal, one can be rented fairly cheap, or the Bissell mean green machine for 80 bucks at Wal-Mart works great.
Also you could consider spot treating the carpets with a good foaming carpet cleaner such as duragloss Fabric and Carpet Cleaner, or 3m Scotchgard Carpet Cleaner.

Follow these easy steps:
• Spray spots and heavily soiled areas with your cleaner or spot remover
• Fill a bucket with 2 gallons of warm water.
• Lightly spray a section of carpet (no more than 2 square feet at a time) with your carpet and upholstery cleaner. Use an upholstery brush or a sponge in a circular motion to agitate the upholstery. Dip your brush in water to keep it wet, but apply as little water as possible.
• Wipe away the suds with a sponge or a damp detailing towel.
• Empty your bucket of soapy water and refill with clean, warm water.
• Rinse your carpet with clean water by wiping with a damp terry cloth towel. Rinse the soap from your towel often and wring it out. Use as little water as possible, but rinse thoroughly.
• Vacuum your carpet with a shop vac to extract the remaining rinse water.
• Allow the carpet to dry overnight before using.

Once dry, keep your carpet and floor mats looking great, by using use a fabric protectant like 303 High Tech Fabric Guard, or carpro fabric and leather guard.

 

Man your really good! Thanks for all the help! My only thing is I'm looking for products that are cheap and I can find where I live to avoid ordering anything. For example I've been using armor all on the inside, gunk engine cleaner for the engine, and armorall soapy wax for outside, simple green, turtle wax, eagle one spray wax. Just about everything I found at Walmart.

The inside of my truck is my pride and joy. Mai Lu because that's where I spend my time while driving. Everything on the inside of my truck is black. Black carpet, black leather seats, black door panels. I keep seat covers on the front seats. But on the back all I've been doing is wiping them down with a damp clothe, drying them, and then using armor all on them a couple times a week. I pretty much use armor all on everything in the cab.

One thing I've noticed is that on the tops of my door panels next to the window some of the black has kind of faded. Do you know of anyway I could get that to come back out? I can get a pic if need be.

Also I really like things being all shiny. Another reason why I use armor all. That, and it's found everywhere and cheap.

I'm still needing a dressing I can apply to the plastic engine bay parts and hoses that I can find locally (Walmart, advance, autozone). Can I find any of those mentioned by you locally? If not is there any you can recommend?

I will try out the 2 bucket method for washing. Ill probably continue to use my armorall wash though. I really like it. Ill have to read back over your washing write up again but can you recommend some more cheaper/readily available products locally that I could use? For right now I'm really on a budget or I would just go and order everything you listed. And your write ups are probably a little more in depth than what ill ever need. Even though it is nice to know.

If you don't mind me asking where did you gain your knowledge from? Car dealership? Show cars? Just OCD? Lol

 

thanks man;

there is nothing wrong with the products you find OTC at stores such as walmart. But some of the porducts are available at parts stores too like autozone/carquest (im assuming your in USA).

walmarts carry mothers, meguiars, and sometimes surf city...all great OTC options. Also 303 is uaulally available at RV/Marine stores..another great readily available product line.

a picture of the faded plastic would help. a couple things could be happening...could be dirty, could be UV damage, or could be worn or rubbed out where you rest your arms.

basically i always say use what works best for you. some things are easi/nicer to owrk with, but in the end, the procedure is usually more important than the ingredients.

think of it like this...does a corona taste great with a real lemon wedge in it? OF COURSE, does it take good with the fake squeeze lemon juice...yes...still a corona right? just the fresh lime adds a little something...thats what pro type products will do for you. and for what its worth, they usually arent more money than the OTC options your using anyhow! detailing on a budget is great...at least your looking after your rig!

basically my experience started over 20 years ago detailing/repairing and patching gelcoat on million dollar boats and it grownfrom there. also it has always been a great passion of mine, keeping my cars/trucks looking their best. AND most importantly ive learned from a lot of trial and error and wasted time and money!

hope the write-ups help.

 

Here's a picture of the area I'm referring to. I don't usually touch it with my arm so I imagine that it's UV damage.

The most I've ever really gotten into cleaning the outside of my truck was washing it with the armorall wash and the waxing it by hand with the turtle wax. I don't really understand the whole sealer thing or what it is compare to wax? Could you elaborate a little more on the difference between those? Sorry I got so many questions.

 

its hard to tell from that angle, but im guessing what is appearing to me as a shiney spot is what you are referring to as fading.

i take a nail brush, or a toothbrush with some All Purpose Cleaner...dilute it a bit and scrub the area. if its faded, your not going to hurt it anyhow...if its dirty, youll be surprised at how clean it comes. it could be all of the armour all build up there...but again, hard to tell from the angle of the pic.

well sealant vs wax is a good question. a sealant is man made, a wax is not. a selant will last longer than a wax and is usually more durable and resistant to chemicals/soaps bird bombs etc.

they both apply abot the same (sometimes a sealant is easier because the residue is easier to remove), howeve,r some people say that a sealant or coating makes the paint look candied...like a candy apple sort of. it is tough to get teh same warm glow of a carnuab wax from a sealant, but the protection of the sealant cant be touched in my pinion.

no prob for the questions man...i dont mind answering them if i can.