DFB'S LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF DETAILING - UPDATED MARCH 2024

[DFB5.0]

@DFB5.0 that's great and helps a lot, thank you

Repco and The Detail Store also retail Big Boi, although I would direct you to Detailing Shed as Nick is super passionate about his business, building it from a hobby to a full-time gig.

Search big boi | Repco Australia
BigBoi Collection – The Detail Store

BigBoi BlowR & WashR Flo (detailingshed.com.au)

Let me know what you go with.

Sponsored

 

[GT 550]

Will do.

Thanks @DFB5.0 Nick has been a pleasure to deal with in the past.

 

[DFB5.0]

I have just updated a couple of products on the chemical list:

-P&S Absolute replacing McKee's N-914 in the Rinse-less / Water-less Wash category.

-Koch Chemie ASC and Optimum No Rinse added to the Interior Quick Detailer category.

-Angelwax Bliss added to the Interior Scent category.

 

[The Demon]

Hey D. I just found this thread. Didn’t even know it existed. Fantastic job. Unless I missed it in here I have a question for you. I accidentally got some liquid wax on the black trim below the door. I just noticed it this morning so it’s all dried and white of course. Do you have a recommendation on what to use to get that off?

 

[Bikeman315]

Hey D. I just found this thread. Didn’t even know it existed. Fantastic job. Unless I missed it in here I have a question for you. I accidentally got some liquid wax on the black trim below the door. I just noticed it this morning so it’s all dried and white of course. Do you have a recommendation on what to use to get that off?

Guess you missed this one too.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/wax-off-of-rocker-panels.181977/#post-3668021

 

[The Demon]

Guess you missed this one too.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/wax-off-of-rocker-panels.181977/#post-3668021

I did miss it, I’ve been trying to stay away from the site because of all the political bullshit that is allowed. The arguing back-and-forth and the bickering between people is turning me off. Love going to look at the memes but other than that I will only come here for a question that I have, other than that no.

 

[MAGS1]

I did miss it, I’ve been trying to stay away from the site because of all the political bullshit that is allowed. The arguing back-and-forth and the bickering between people is turning me off. Love going to look at the memes but other than that I will only come here for a question that I have, other than that no.

I get that, a lot of these threads seem to get political quickly these days. Can’t even watch a football game without being barraged with ads, seems like there’s no escaping it.

 

[DFB5.0]

Hey D. I just found this thread. Didn’t even know it existed. Fantastic job. Unless I missed it in here I have a question for you. I accidentally got some liquid wax on the black trim below the door. I just noticed it this morning so it’s all dried and white of course. Do you have a recommendation on what to use to get that off?

The cheapest solution to this is a pencil eraser. If you like spending money like I do, then look into a bottle of Meguiar's M39 -

This is one of those old school products that Meguiar's has buried in their catalog. You won't use it often, but it's well worth having on hand.

Vinyl Cleaner | Meguiar's M39 Mirror Glaze Heavy Duty | Obsessed Garage
Amazon.com: Meguiar’s M3916 Mirror Glaze Heavy Duty Vinyl Cleaner, 16 Fluid Ounces : Everything Else
Meguiar's M39 Mirror Glaze Heavy Duty Vinyl Cleaner, M3916, 16 Oz - Walmart.com

I did miss it, I’ve been trying to stay away from the site because of all the political bullshit that is allowed. The arguing back-and-forth and the bickering between people is turning me off. Love going to look at the memes but other than that I will only come here for a question that I have, other than that no.

I tend to stay out of threads that are clearly posted to get a raise, I'm only here for cars and car related topics.

I would recommend looking into the ignore function, it filters out the usual protagonists or those who are just here to bring people down. I only respond to stuff like that when the person is being a dick and needs to be put back in their place. This is also one of the reasons why I prefer to stick to Forums rather than Facebook as it seems to filter out a lot of that.

 

[The Demon]

I used to the Adams graphene tire treatment this weekend. Love it. I’ve always hated the others for being so wet. This gives the perfect sheen.

 

[DFB5.0]

I used to the Adams graphene tire treatment this weekend. Love it. I’ve always hated the others for being so wet. This gives the perfect sheen.

Excellent!

I only added it to an order out of curiosity, not because it was labeled with "Graphene". It ended up surprising me with how it looks and the ease of application.

 

[Lorne34]

Thanks for this great reference. Trying to "dial in" my products and tools

 

[Johnny Rockit]

I spent the last two days reading every post in the cabinet thread. My head is spinning.
This book is much more detailed ( no pun...) than what I had prepared to ask you for a quick guide for beginners.
My only request would be an outline of the process from top to bottom.
Do you jump around depending on how much work is needed for a particular area?
Personally, I am not sure if I will go waterless/rinseless based on being somewhat unable to use one arm for anything strenuous. And keeping inside the garage while performing each step is pretty much mandatory.
Do I start in the under the hood, then do the body wash, wheels/tires, then the interior?
My apologies if it was already covered. You are a pretty talented individual. Thank you for taking us along for the ride.

 

[DFB5.0]

I spent the last two days reading every post in the cabinet thread. My head is spinning.
This book is much more detailed ( no pun...) than what I had prepared to ask you for a quick guide for beginners.
My only request would be an outline of the process from top to bottom.
Do you jump around depending on how much work is needed for a particular area?
Personally, I am not sure if I will go waterless/rinseless based on being somewhat unable to use one arm for anything strenuous. And keeping inside the garage while performing each step is pretty much mandatory.
Do I start in the under the hood, then do the body wash, wheels/tires, then the interior?
My apologies if it was already covered. You are a pretty talented individual. Thank you for taking us along for the ride.

Firstly, keep in mind that this thread was created and formatted to be a reference, giving the reader options for the best products in each category or detailing task. I wouldn't necessarily say you need to use a product from each category every time you wash the car. So, for example, you have never used an iron remover and aren't sure which one to get, the list offers a starting point for which to consider. Or, which towel is best suited for leveling a ceramic coating.

So having said that, for the average maintenance wash, you would need a tire cleaner, wheel cleaner or soap, soap for the paint, drying aid, glass cleaner, interior detailer and a tire dressing. If, for example, you have an accumulation of bugs on the front bumper and a few tar deposits from a road trip, then you would add a bug and tar remover products to that list.

In terms of my workflow, I tend to follow a pretty set routine, only changing if I need to address certain aspects. Below is a modified version of what I wrote in another thread which I will link below -

Your car wash workflow | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

A maintenance wash on the Mustang takes me 1.5 - 2 hrs depending on if I'm relaxed and taking my time. If I need to hustle, I can have it done in just over an hour. For me, a maintenance wash is all about preserving a state of cleanliness and reducing the need to “deep clean”.

1. I get the car into to position, fill my buckets, set up the pressure washer and select my tools and chemicals. Having everything set up and products ready to go improves your efficiency.

**If you intend on cleaning/washing the engine bay, do this first before starting the wheels to avoid splatter onto freshly washed painted surfaces.**

2. Wheels are always first. Working wheel to wheel, rinse the wheel, tire and wheel arch with water. Scrub the tires with a stiff bristle brush and P&S Brake Buster. Wheels are then washed with normal car wash soap from my foam cannon and a variety of brushes and wash mitts. Use a wheel cleaner here instead of soap if needed. I will also attend to the wheel arches and exhaust tips with the same soap/wheel cleaner.

3. Rinse the car down thoroughly.

4. Foam the car top to bottom with soap. I cycle through a few different soaps, I'm a hussy when it comes to products. Koch Chemie GSF, CarPro Reset and Shine Supply Shift are my favorites.

Please bare with me here, because this is where I deviate from the traditional two-bucket method. I have one bucket filled with clean water, apply the soap to the car via a foam cannon and then work around the car, rinsing the wash mitt in my bucket between panels. My reasoning for this method is that my "good" cars never see wet or dirty roads, at the most, I'm really only cleaning off a layer of dust and perhaps some bugs. So I don't use the two-bucket method. I like how the foam cannon gets the soap directly on the car for heavy lubrication. Now, if your car is actually dirty, the two bucket method is generally a better choice.

5. Thorough rinse.

6. Drive the car into the garage, blow the car down with a blower.

7. Complete the drying process with a towel and drying aid. Again, I cycle through a few drying aids including Bead Maker, OG Drying Aid, P&S Paint Gloss and Meguiar's Last Touch. I use the same product and a separate towel to do the door jambs.

8. Open the hood, remove any lingering water, wipe over the engine bay in general, using the same drying aid as the paint.

9. Clean the exterior glass, interior glass every few months. Gyeon Glass is the one I grab the most.

10. Vac the interior, mostly the drivers side. I generally don't need to use an interior cleaner, although I will damp a microfiber with ONR or Carpro InnerQD and wipe over most surfaces.

11. Last and my favorite steps, the wheels and tires. I go over the wheels to remove any drips of water, using a drying aid here, same thing for the exhaust tips. I then apply tire dressing, again playing with different products, usually NV Onyx, OG Tire Dressing or CarPro Perl.

12. Move the car into it's parked position and put the cover on.

This video is a condensed example of what I typically do -



That is my typical routine for a soap and water wash. I have also started to do rinse-less washing, a different process that can save time if the car is only dusty. For the most part, the steps are similar to a soap wash, with a few exceptions. It's also something that can done in the comfort of your garage.

1. Make up a rinse-less wash solution in a bucket, then add multiple microfiber towels to soak in the bucket. Make a pre-soak solution in a sprayer using the same product at the recommended rate.

2. I typically skip the wheel arches and tires for this process. Sometimes, if the car is on the dirtier side or I do want to address the tires, I will do a pre-rinse from a garden hose, scrubbing and rinsing the tires at the same time, then moving the car back into the garage.

3. Pre-treat sections or the whole car with your pre-soak solution.

4. Remove a towel from the bucket, wring out until only just dripping and then fold into quarters. Start by washing the upper surfaces, flipping the towel to a clean side or swapping it out as often as necessary. A towel never go's back into the bucket, keeping the bucket solution clean.

5. You can dry the car in one hit or in sections as you finish a panel. I typically start by washing and drying the hood, front quarter panels and front bumper first. I then wash and dry the roof, glass, trunk, doors and rear bumper. I use a towel and drying aid at this stage.

6. Optional - I sometimes add a couple more wheel-only towels into the bucket and follow the above process to give the wheel face a quick clean.

7. From here, follow the rest of the soap and water process; glass, interior, tires ect.

This video shows the rinse-less process very well -

 

[Johnny Rockit]

I already have a box of different products along with RAG towels.
I will definitely watch the video.
Your quick reply is appreciated more than I can possibly express.

 

[derklink]

Amazing info here, thank you. I love detailing my car but have very limited time, so I am keeping things simple. I have Chemical Brothers products but want to test out some other stuff.

Sponsored