Cleaning the Exterior

FIRST STEP:

WASHING THE CAR

#1 RULE:

Never use dish soap or laundry detergent to wash your vehicles.
The harsh ingredients that make them effective for cleaning dishes and laundry can strip wax and harm the paint.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Always rinse the vehicle first to cool it off. Inspect the vehicle and remove any tar or contaminants with C-61 PRO^®Sol. Use C-71 Bug Remover if needed. The product to use first to wash all vehicles is C-60 Super Car^™ Wash Liquid at a 100-1 ratio. When speed is the priority, use C-48 Shampoo & Wax. Not only do you get a great shine on your washed vehicle but it cuts drying time in half with the sheeting action of the wax. If you are in an area where "hard" water is present, use C-14 Hard Water Super Suds for greater suds in heavy alkaline water. You will need two pails with soap solution, one for the body and the other for areas with excessive dirt build up (wheels, fender wells, tires, etc.). Always use clean wash mitts. Dirt on your wash mitts can scratch your paint. To avoid repeat trips back to the bucket, it is best to work with lots of foam. A Gilmour Foamer is an excellent tool for this. It saves time and does a great job.

METHOD OF APPLICATION:

Completely cover the vehicle with the soapy solution remembering to get behind the gas filler door, under the bumpers, lower body, mirrors and all exterior surfaces. Using lots of soap will make your job easier by floating away loose dirt. Rinse thoroughly. Use a compressor to dry the vehicle if you have one, it saves time. If not, a chamois will do a good job as well. Ring it out often and make sure it is free of any dirt or grease.

NOTE: If you see some overspray or contamination use C-101 Clay Away^™ 3 along with S-74 Wipeout to "erase" the problem. This product combination may save you from time-consuming compounding.

TIPS TO REMEMBER:

Again, never use dish soap or laundry detergent to wash your vehicles. They can strip wax and harm the paint.
After washing, it is a good idea to dress your moldings with S-93 Prime Shine^™. This high performance dressing will keep any overspray from buffing off the bumper surface. This will make the final clean-up much easier.
Remember not to use your wash mitt on tires and then return to the wash bucket. The silicones from the old tire dressings will rub off on the mitt and act as a defoamer, flattening your suds.
If you have areas such as bumpers, moldings, etc. in need of heavy cleaning, use C-49 Heavy Duty Interior Cleaner at a 10:1 ratio to clean them. Don't allow C-49 to set on the paint too long. Rinse area thoroughly.
Never use a pressure washer when washing your vehicles. Some paints can be damaged by the pressure.

NEXT STEP:

COMPOUNDING, POLISHING AND FINISHING

WHAT CONDITION IS YOUR PAINT IN?:

Before beginning the reconditioning process of any vehicle, you must determine the type of paint you are dealing with as well as the condition it is in. A heavily oxidized finish treated with a clearcoat must be treated differently than a heavily oxidized conventional paint finish.

• If you are unsure of the type of finish on your vehicle click here.
• If you are certain that your vehicle has a clear coat (as 80% of all vehicles manufactured today do) or a conventional paint job, click on one of the options below to continue.

Clearcoat Finish

Conventional Paint Finish

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