Hey everyone,

I haven't seen a poll for this topic yet so I figured we could do a quick poll of the best cleaning products.

Please nominate your choices for:

Best Wax

Best Spray Wax

Best Polish

Best Car Wash Soap

Best Tire Shine/Cleaner

Best Wheel Shine/Cleaner

Best Towels

Best Interior Cleaner/Protectant

Best Glass Cleaner/Protectant

I appreciate any feedback....Maybe a moderator could post a poll.....

 

Best Wax

For a Carnauba wax I will easily say P21S or S100. I've used both and they're awesome. Really great look on dark vehicles, excellent topper, and super easy to apply. Make sure you use micorfiber with these products as with cotton towels will leave some of the oily residue behind because you buff these waxes off before they dry.

For a Cleaner Wax my vote goes to Mother's Cleaner Wax. Easiest one I've worked with and it really does a good job when combined with a quality orbital. I used it often when customers need polishing but don't want to pay for it.

There are a few synthetic waxes I love. Klasse Sealant Glaze, Poorboy's EX-P, and Einszett Glanz Wax.

Ease of use easily goes to Poorboy's EX-P. And when working out in the blistering sun the coconut smell will make you think you're working on the beach.

Einszett is easier to apply than Klasse SG and I really like it for what it is. It has really decent durability. They have a new formula about to be released though so I'm not sure what it'll be like.

If you want a nice dark paint finish and great durability, then Klasse Sealant Glaze is where you want to go. It's somehwat difficult to work with but three coats of this stuff will last you well over 6 months. And you can tell it really makes the paint darker.

Best Spray Wax

All the Spray waxes I have used haven't been that great. BAF/PRO has one that's decent but I wouldn't consider it a straight up spray wax. It's called Fast Trak and you still need to spread it with an applicator. But it's applied pretty quick and as long as you don't over do it, then it buffs off easily.

There are several waxes which can be applied with an air brush. I know Bud Abraham of Detail plus has one which he recommends to the high volume detail places. Basically spraypaint the wax on the vehicle and have some guy's buff the residue off.

Best Polish

Einszett Metallic Polish is my favorite. I've used a lot of other ones but this one works great. A little harder to find and a little more expensive but you really do not need a lot to polish a vehicle.

Best Car Wash Soap

Valugard's car soap is simply awesome. It's part of their ABC system and it is Step C, but it's a car soap. It pretty concentrated and works great. Really suds up well. I order it in 5 gallon buckets and it's not that expensive even with shipping. Grab some of their wash mitts too. Excellent and hold a LOT of water.

Best Tire Shine/Cleaner

I just use a degreaser on tires. Stoner's APC right now as I have a 5 gallon bucket. But I've used BAF/PRO's Green Nitro before with great success. I find it has more to do with dwell time and using a good brush to work over the tires. Get a stiff nylon bristled ones for black walls and a brass bristled ones to do white letters.

I use Stoner's Trim Shine on my tires for dressing. Works well and is pretty cheap. Five gallons of it is $55 delivered on your door. The bulk is water-based. If you want a solvent based one, then get it in the aerosol cans.

Best Wheel Shine/Cleaner

BAF/PRO's Wheelie Clean. It's super concentrated. I have a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff and it'll make 55 gallons of working solution. Buy a bucket and you'll never run out. lol

Best Towels

Mine are all a mix and I've forgotten what they all are microfiber wise. I know I got some of Poorboy's window cleaning towels and they're awesome for windows. Really work well.

I've gotten some cheap ones in the past and they're not worth it. Lots of linting even after having washed them. I find the lint to be less of a problem on the paint but it's really when you run them over the window you'll see it.

Best Interior Cleaner/Protectant

BAF/PRO's Heavy Duty Interior Cleaner. It comes concentrated so you can mix it to your neads. Super dirty, super strong. Light dirty, pretty weak. It works great on vinyl, dashes, seats, and carpeting.

Best protectant I have to go with 303 Aerospace. It has super high UV protection since it is meant for boats. It's also water proof and dires almost 100%.

Best Glass Cleaner/Protectant

Best Glass Cleaner is Stoner's Invisible Glass. It works great.

I find Glass cleaning is more based on good towels and technique than product. But the product helps. PRO's Aerosol Glass cleaner works well. I've used it well with it steaming off the windows and it was able to clean and give a streak free finish.

 

Wow thanks for your in-depth feedback.

 

Honest opinion... there are too many good products to list. Each has an individual use on individual colors in individual environmental conditions for individuals.

 

I just bought some of Meguiar's gold class car shampoo and conditioner. I will only EVER use this stuff again. Feels like shampoo and you can put your hand in the suds and really feel the difference. It almost feels slimy, which means lubrication for your paint.

 

I would agree. Pick some good products, the best tools, and learn the proper procedures to using them. If you do that, you will be pleased with the results of many products.

As you go along, you will find the products that YOU like the best.

 

I like Megs#9 for polish because it worked so well for me. As far as wax, I'm now a big fan of Mothers FX synwax, mostly because it is soo easy to use.

 

If it helps any, maybe you should ask our experts to poll the best products for your particular color and what conditions you live in.

 

I love this poll, going to think about it while I'm at work tomorrow and post my thoughts.

- Chris

 

OK, I'll bite.....

Wedgewood Blue is my color and Baltimore is my condition

BTW is there any real benefit to an orbital buffer? It seems anytime an electrical appliance is mentioned it's a PC.

 

The PC is a bit more versatile than the OB in my opinion. It offers a little safer swirl/blemish removal method in that it's a dual action machine (oscillation in two directions)...

It's a bit more expensive but, it's a bit more versatile.

RP

 

best glass cleaner in my opinion is stoners invisible glass....i also use poor boys to clean my truck.

 

Most people mention it because it's the most affordable. I personally have never used a PC so I have no clue what it's like. I have a DeWalt Random Orbital sander that comes with a velcro backplate. Pads fit on there perfectly.

Mine has a non-removable dust catching device on it but it doesn't get in the way or affect anything. The other is the DeWalt has a more powerfull motor and it can go a little faster. I haven't been able to get mine to bog down under extreme pressure at all. Never used a PC so I can't comment on what it's like though. It might be the same. The DeWalt is more expensive though. Think I've seen it online for around $160, but it's ready to go when you get it. Just have to get some pads too.

 

That's the thing... If I wanted to bog my PC down, I can... pretty easily in fact. That's one of the things that makes it a safer machine in my opinion (ie: burning paint). I'm not sure I could skortch a painted surface if I wanted to with the PC (even with a dry cutting pad) and, in my book, that's just fine. I have a rotary buffer (Makita) if I decide that I really need to go after a finish to remove blemishes and such (and can DEFINITELY cause smoke on a finish with that machine... LOL!)(god, I loved that tester hood from the junk yard...hahaha!).

I'm sure the DeWalt is a fine machine... I just think that, for the average, everyday, shade-tree warrior, you might want to use something that is a bit more user friendly and forgiving under normal situations... The PC is DEFINITELY forgiving pending you use it with some degree of common sense. The Dewalt might be equally as forgiving but, based on Intel's description (which, by the way, Intel has been detailing, like many of us, for several years), it might be better to go with the PC...

RP

 

RP, do you use foam or terrycloth pads to apply whatever it is you're using at the time? I seem to remember you suggesting a foam pad in a different thread somewhere but I'm not sure I'm correct. Also whats the best polishing pad?

Thanks for helping out the students of detail......

Jeff