Detailing

Car detailing is becoming a big thing in the UK with the emergence of Detailing World and the increasing number of online detailing shops selling all the latest detailing products from the States. There is no better time to get into detailing and keep your Puma pristine.

Within this section I will give a guide as to how I have detailed my Puma, all the pictures show the finished article. This section will develop overtime and in progress pictures will be displayed.

I am no where near being an expert in this field and am providing details of what works for me. For more in depth information into detailing I would thoroughly recommend signing up to Detailing World, however be warned, once you get into this detailing your wallet will take a massive hit!! Those waxes are so hard to resist!

Pre-Rinse

This is always the first stage I adopt whether I am giving my car a quick wash or a full detail. The pre-rinse involves soaking the car, via a Gilmour Foam Gun, with Detailing World Snowstorm foam. The foam is left to dwell for about 5 minutes before being rinsed of with water.

This stage helps to remove some dirt and grit particles prior to washing, this helps to reduce the chances of inflicting swirls to the paintwork during the wash process.

Wash

For the wash I use Meguiars Shampoo Plus and a lambs wool wash mitt to help prevent inflicting swirls on the paintwork.

The recommended approach for washing is using the two bucket method whereby one bucket contains water with the shampoo solution and the other bucket contains clean water and a grit guard.

The wash mitt should first be placed in the bucket with the shampoo solution and used to wash part of the car. The wash mitt is then rinsed in the other bucket of water against the grit guard, any grit/dirt that may have accumulated on the wash mitt is wiped off and left at the bottom of the bucket with the grit guard. This leaves both the bucket with the shampoo solution and the wash mitt clear from grit/dirt.

Clay

Clay is used to remove any bonded contaminents from the bodywork such as tree sap, tar and industrial fall out. If you run your finger over the bodywork and it feels rough, it probably requires claying. Claying helps leave a smooth glass like finish.

Clay comes in the form of a bar, like soap. To use it break it in half and need the clay in your hands until it's fairly soft. Use a lubricant such as Meguiars Last Touch and spray it on the area of bodywork that you are going to clay, then rub the clay over the bodywork.

If the clay starts to feel tacky against the bodywork you need to use more lubricant. Also, keep needing the clay to keep it soft and to prevent any contaiments from being rubbed back onto the bodywork and causing scratches.

Polish/Sealant/Wax

This section contains three stages:

Polish - cleans the paint work and prepares it for waxing.

Sealant - provides an extra protective layer and adds shine and depth

Wax - adds further protection and brings some bling to the paintwork providing a deep wet shine.

There are many products on the market from a range of companies including Poorboys, Autoglym, Meguiars to name but a few.

The most common and easily available brands on the market is Autoglym. From Autoglym for the polish stage use Super Resin Polish and for the the Sealant stage use Extra Gloss Protection. Autoglym do not have a wax.

More current choice of product is Poorboys Professional Polish, followed by Poorboys EX-P Sealant and rounded off with P21s wax.

When polishing I apply the polish using a Meguiars Foam Applicator and apply one panel at a time. When I have applied the polish I removed the polish using a microfibre cloth. When I have finished apllying the polish I move onto the sealant stage.

Again sealant is applied using a Meguiars Foam Applicator. Using the applicator makes it easier to apply a thin even layer across the panel. The sealant is applied to the whole care and left to cure for one hour. After an hour the sealant is removed using a mucrofibre cloth.

To add a deeper shine the wax is applied one pnael at a time using a Meguiars Foam Applicator and the buffed off using a microfibre cloth.

Arches and Wheels

Many people forget about the arches when cleaning their car. Cleaning the arches is one of those details that can add to the overall finish of the car. To clean the arches I spray the arches with Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner and leave to soak in. If the arches are particularly dirty I would then scrub the arches with a small brush. Following this hose the arches down and you'll be amazed with the finish! If you have plastic arch liners you could add further by applying something like Autoglym Plastic and Bumper Shine.

The appearance of the wheels can make or break the appearance of the car. For the initial clean I use Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner to assist with removing any stubborn dirt and then hose down. I normally use a small sponge for cleaning the wheels but there are some good wheel brishes on the market that can make the process of cleaning the wheels easier. This is something I need to invest in!

When I am happy with the cleaniness of the wheels I add some protection which adds extra shine but also makes it a lot easier to clean the wheels in the future. My product of choise is Chemical Guys Wheel Guard. I apply to layers of this wax to each wheel and it then provides phenominal protection and makes it very easy to remove any brake dust during future washes.

Engine

A clean car is not complete without a clean engine bay. I give my engine a good clean approximately twice a year and give it a quick wipe over on a monthly basis.

For the big clean I follow the following steps:

Cover all electrical components with kitchen foil

Spray the whole engine with Autoglym Engine Cleaner

Agitate the dirt on all parts sprayed with the engine cleaner using a radiator brush

Spray the engine lightly using the hose to remove the agitated dirt

Give the engine a quick wipe over with a cloth.

Spray all plastics with Autoglym Plastic and Bumper Shine and then buff to a nice finish.

Where to Buy Products

There are now a whole host of online companies where you can purchase an assortment of detailing goodies. The companies I have ordered from and recommend are: