Car Cleaning...What dose everyone use??

**PoBoy** · 06-09-2002, 04:50 PM

So today I decided to detail my car...I ran to a hardware store and came to about 1000 different products. I just want to know what works best instead of buying crappy products that dont work. I dont really want those spray on hose off ones. I am yet to use one that works. I am more than willing to put in some elbow grease as long as it works!

Anyways, here are the categories:

1. Interior Trim
2. Exterior Trim
3. Leather
4. Crome (something that removes everything even if caked on)
5. Carpet/Apolstry Shampoo/Stain Remover
6. Tire Shine/Cleaner
7. Bug/Tar/Rust Remover
8. Wax
9. Fast Wax (something to just spray on and shine it up, but gives minimal protection)
10. Soap (all the same in my book, but if you have a special one)
11. OTHER (I know there are more, feel free to add more)

Here is what I like:
1, 2, & 3 - Armoral products (Original stuff works wonderfully, but dont get it on windows or your paint...it makes it look all greasy..so you have to be very careful when doing exterior trim)

4. Maguare (spelling is wrong but sounds like Macguire) - works well to remove brake dust and shine em up, but there has to be something better. THis stuff you just spray on and rinse off. ITS NOT going to work for anything caked on, but it will do a decent job.

5. Simple Green will get out a lot of stains. Baking soda and ice gets out gum.

6. Armoral Foam stuff works great, but so do them all. Anyone have something that doesnt leave greasy residue on rims when it slides off?

Those are the only products that I really like and I have tried a ton!

PoBoy

**MP3DUB** · 06-09-2002, 04:55 PM

This is all hearsay of course, but ive heard armorall doing bad things to plastic/rubber in the past. and a lot of people swear by meguiars. there are a lot of car detail sites out there that can give you more concrete answers than these, like these sites:
http://www.web-cars.com/detail/index.html
http://www.carcareonline.com/

**magnetik** · 06-09-2002, 07:42 PM

meguiars wet look polish, every three months..... keeps the water beeding all the time. Its a great product and a no-brainer to apply...

and also I use the meguiars car wash, its the hot pink color and smells like candy!!

but serously they work well together...

for carpet I use "polyglaze" carpet shampoo, its in a aero spraypack with a bristle thing on top and smells like lemons. Not sure if u get polyglaze products OS, but any of those foamy carpet clearners (even the home ones) seem to work well.

then I use 'Forumula 3000' instead of Armour All.. its in a bright green bottle. Use that on interior trim (its all plastic in the swift), exteriror stuff like rubber mouds/etc and on my tyres. I found that those spray on tyre shiners spin off onto your paintwork way too quickly....

good idea for a thread tho... I could go on for ages with tips and tricks.... I like to go nuts with cleaning/ cant stand a dirty car at all...

**Callahan** · 06-09-2002, 09:31 PM

One word:

Zaino

That stuff is amazing. Sucks that you have to order it though.

**orangewhip** · 06-10-2002, 01:42 AM

I have heard the Armorall thing too, and have experienced it. The stuff over time actually drys stuff up, especially dashes exposed to the sun.

I had one car that I put it on all the time and sure enough the dash faded and cracked, since then all I do is clean the dash with soapy water and elbow grease and have had no problems.

Of course if you really need some cleaning of the dash there are other products out there for that, but for protecting, I would stay away from Armorall, my 2 cents anyways.

**Aaron Cake** · 06-10-2002, 08:37 AM

Oh man, were do I begin? I usually spend every Saturday during the summer cleaning my car, so I've spent way too much time learning what products work and which ones don't.

Personally, I like the Armorall stuff. It has done a wonderful job of restoring 16 year old plastic and vynal to it's original conditon. There are some of my trim pieces are simply damaged beyond repair (totally faded, stained, etc) and Armorall has put them back to acceptable condition (until I replace them, of course).

I use the Armorall car wash, waxes and polishes, All Wheel Cleaner, dash stuff, etc.

From what I hear from other RX-7 drivers, the Zaino stuff is simply amazing. Too bad it will cost more than actually modding your car.

**Rob** · 06-10-2002, 10:39 AM

For the Crome, Wonder Crome, I don't know what's in it but it works, also Wonder Wheels is great on alloys, seems to eat the break dust, bit scary, but work amazingly.

**PoBoy** · 06-10-2002, 07:38 PM

Ive been using Armorall for about 4 years and it hasnt seemed to deteriorate anything. But thanks for the info on it. Ill keep a watch on. Crome wonder though?? Sounds like i need some of that stuff. Im coming after ya Rob if it doesnt work

PoBoy