Advanced Cleaning Guide

Introduction

Pictures And Full Article Coming Soon

For the two bucket bufties out there here is my guide to using Zaino (and a few other select products) to get your grotty E30 looking smart. Obviously you may replace these products with any similar products that do the same job.

Note: The word polish is one of my new pet hates, please be aware the word polish is technically refering to an abrasive product (when I say technically I mean according to the Oxford English Dictionary's definition!), but depending on the company whose product you are looking at it can also refer to a protectant, please bare that in mind.

It used to only be american companies that called protectants polishes but now european companies trying to break into the larger US market are marketing their protecatnts as polishes and referring to the polishes as cutting compunds, its a mine field of terms so investigate the product first and its usage before you purchase. Zaino polishes are paint protectants and are not abbrasive.

Optional products and Essential products are indicated. Optional stages of the process are linked to other sections in the article. Some products also appear as recomended. There is also a quick reference section at the end of the article.

Products Required

• Bucket 1 (Essential!)
• Grit Gaurd (recomended if your only using one bucket)
• Hose/powerhose/Clean water source. (One of is Essential!)
• Lambs wool wash mit (Essential!)
• Zaino Shampoo (or similar shampoo, Essential)
• Zaino aio AND/OR ZFX (aio recomended, one of Essential)
• Zaino show car polish
• Drying Towel
• 2 x Polish applicators
• 100% cotton terry cloth or other for buffing.

Products Optional

• Bucket 2 (Optional)
• Meguirs Bug and Tar Remover
• Zaino clay bar
• Zaino CS (optional)
• Porter Cable/Orbital Buffer and accersories
• Varios buffers applicators and cloths
• Power hose, snowfoam lance and snow foam

If you want clean wheels you will also need:

• Meguirs Wheel Cleener - for regular wheels (do not use on proper polished surfaces)
• Meguirs/AutoGlym/Autosol metal polish (for you chromy deviants and proper polishing)
• Poorboys wheel sealent (not essential but two coats of thisand your next wash will be a piece of cake)

Methodical Process and Order

Process	Basic Wash	Wash and Protect	Intensive clean and protect	Advanced
Snow Foam				X
Rinse	X	X	X	X
Snow Foam				X
Wash	X	X	X	X
Rinse	X	X	X	X
Dry	X	X	X	X
Clay			X	X
Porter Cable/Orbital				X
Panel Wipe			X	X
Z-aio/ZFX	X	X	X	X
Buff	X	X	X	X
Panel Wipe		X	X	X
Zaino Show Car Polish		X	X	X
Buff		X	X	X
Zaino CS		X	X	X

Heres where things get difficult and a little 'thinky'.

Snow Foam - Using a power washer, lance attachment and correct fluid you can cover the car in foam which encapsulates the dirt and runs off the car after a rinse, it also stops you rinsing or hosing dirt over the paint that may create scratches in the paint. It is also possible to clean your car quickley withought actually touching the car. Simply Foam, Rinse, Foam and then Rinse allowing the foam to sit on the vehicle for at least 15 minutes. I find this is excellant for removing traffic grime after a long journey and saves the dirt 'bedding in' until the next proper wash, it is also safe to do over wax and sealents (fluid dependant), and if you've layered the protectants up properly a couple of snow foam washes will not strip off the protectants completely and still provide protection.

Clay - claying a car removes small contaminents on the paint, its also usefull to do before undertaking a more advanced wash, try it you'll be surprised at the crud thatcomes offin the clay and after the panels will feel as smooth as glass.

Porter Cable or Random Orbitals - Too much to go into here, another article coming soon.

Panel Wipe - Wiping the panel down with a quick detailer (or just a spray bottle with a little wash and alot of water in) and clean cloth helps remove small particles that have landed orbeen blown onto the panel since you last buffed or washed it.

Z aio / ZFX -

Why Don't I use a Sponge?

Have you seen how much dirt and grit they trap? Do you want to drag that all over your paint work? Would you drag sandpaper over it to clean it? Enough said I think.

The Two Bucket Method

Officially (~round these parts!) if you use two buckets you are a "Two Bucket Bufty", however its actually a very good idea. When you use one bucket dirt you wash off your car stays

Originally posted on www.gevans.info

--March109 16:08, 22 July 2008 (UTC)