Cleaning your Mini - How do you do yours?

[monkeynuts]

What is the best methodical way of making sure when cleaning your Mini that the clean areas stay clean?

Washed mine today and still found dirt and i thought i cleaned everywhere?!

The rear bumper likes the dirt especially near the twin exhaust where the mesh is.

My way of cleaning starts as follows:

1. Spray car with water
2. Shampoo roof first
3. Wash with water straight after
4. Shampoo front windscreen and wash with water
5. Bonnet and front then wash with water
6. around the sides and back
7. Wheels
8. Odd bits like exhaust

This should in theory result in no muck but i still find them under the bonnet and in funny places

Anyone got any suggestions on what to look for and where

[Bilbo Baggins]

One thing that is important is proper utensils for doing the cleaning. I find that a soft long bristled brush works best. This is especially good for cleaning the shelfs at the rear on either side of the exhaust.

Smaller soft brushes for the wheels plus some stiffer ones to scrub between the spokes and a long tin brush to clean the back parts of the rim without having to remove the wheel.

Otherwise your technique seems fine. You may need to be a little more "anal" while washing to be sure you are covering everywhere, twice. Try wiping first in one direction and then go back over the area wiping at 90 drgrees to the first time.

What soap are you using? You want to use a good quality automotive soap that will not remove the wax. Otherwise you will be spending way to much time waxing after each wash.

[monkeynuts]

Firstly, i wish i had as many green dots as you!!!

I use AutoGlym shampoo which i use with a sponge and a brush (which dosnt scratch)

Got some Meguiars Gold Class car wax - which ive not used yet as weather is not good.

got some cloths from Meguiars and Jaffa Cake look-a-like sponges

i want to get some protection for the wheels as i dont want tar sticking to them

[Olly.]

sounds weird but a high pressure hose seems to take a lot of the grim on the mesh, plus it cleans alot of crap out the arches and takes the first layer of brake dust off alloys.

I find it makes washing the car loads easier with one

Olly

[Smurfn]

This is my technique

1. Spray with water
2. Wash roof and body with Meguiar's Gold Class, using a Meguiar's handmitt
3. Rinse
4. Wash windows
5. Rinse - I always wash and rinse the windows making sure I do the front and driver's side last, don't want to leave soap streaks here
6. Rinse and wash wheels using a different rag and old toothbrush to get at the difficult bits
7. Chamois car

[jsteine2]

I never wash the car in the sun and I always use a soft mitt.
Rinse well... lots of water... spray inside wheel wells and behind bumpers... try to spray behind wheels to remove brake dust... begin by washing top, rinse well... wash bonnet, rinse... wash windows on both sides before washing boot... rinse well... begin washing each side... rinse as you go... Wash rear wheels and rinse... wash front front wheels... open bonnet rinse engine box... leave open. Using the damp mitt, open doors and boot and wipe down any dusty/dirty areas rinsing mitt often. Last, return to the bonnet and wipe down any non-sensitive areas with the wet mitt.

I also hand dry using chamois, old soft cotton towels, and finally old 100% cotton cloth diapers... not necessarily in that order... I also dry inside doors, boot and bonnet. I will often wash all windows with a good glass cleaner before waxing.

then... wax on, wax off...

John

[tavis1]

I use the Mr. Clean car wash system it so rocks!
It consists of the following:
1. a special sprayer with three settings rinse, soap, filtered deionized water.
2. special soap
3. water filter.
First you rinse down the car with the regular rinse selected, then you soap down the car and your mit and scrub like you normaly do. then you go to normal rinse and rinse down car. Last step is you select the filtered water and rinse down the whole car. Then leave it alone. When the water evaperates it leaves no spots what so ever, doesn't strip the wax, and saves alot of time. When the outside is drying I'm doing the interior. Chamios can strip wax so be carefull. I use microfiber towels for dusting between washes and for the white rims. They lift dirt up and bring it into the cloth so there is no scratching.
Tavis1

[EBMCS03]

Whats the procedure for the de-ionized water rinse part?? I got the system and it still left some water spots... maybe i didnt rinse using the de-ionized part long enough?

[tavis1]

Quote: Originally Posted by EBMCS03

Whats the procedure for the de-ionized water rinse part?? I got the system and it still left some water spots... maybe i didnt rinse using the de-ionized part long enough?

I rinse like I'm spray painting the car. smooth even over lapping strokes. I start at the top and work my way down. The water should not bead up at all. It should be like sheets of water flowing smoothly off the car. I also like wash the top part of the car first then do all the special rinse stuff, then do sections of the car and if I get regular rinse spray on an area that has been deionized I go back over that area with the deionized water again.
Tavis1

[EBMCS03]

Humm thats what i thought... but for some reason the first time i washed with it... no matter how long i sprayed with the de-ionized water the water still beaded up (only some parts of the car, like the rear qtr panal of the drivers side and boot)... wonder what i did wrong... I'll see if it still happens the next time I wash.

[monkeynuts]

Well washed my car again but this time as the gods shined on i got to use my Meguiars Gold Class wax



As you can see a job well done

[PortRhombus]

Zymol!!!!

[LMB]

Quote: Originally Posted by scooby212

Well washed my car again but this time as the gods shined on i got to use my Meguiars Gold Class wax



As you can see a job well done

I spent six hours cleaning my car today but after polishing I didn't get a chance to wax. Polishing before waxing gives it a nice wet look.

[LMB]

Quote: Originally Posted by LMB

I spent six hours cleaning my car today but after polishing I didn't get a chance to wax. Polishing before waxing gives it a nice wet look.

Since I ran out of time to wax the car today do you think it'll be ok to go over it with Quik Detailer and give it a Wax tomorrow? I haven't driven it since washing so it shouldn't have picked up too much dirt.

What do you think?

[9000RPMan]

Quote: Originally Posted by tavis1

I use the Mr. Clean car wash system it so rocks!
It consists of the following:
1. a special sprayer with three settings rinse, soap, filtered deionized water.
2. special soap
3. water filter.
First you rinse down the car with the regular rinse selected, then you soap down the car and your mit and scrub like you normaly do. then you go to normal rinse and rinse down car. Last step is you select the filtered water and rinse down the whole car. Then leave it alone. When the water evaperates it leaves no spots what so ever, doesn't strip the wax, and saves alot of time. When the outside is drying I'm doing the interior. Chamios can strip wax so be carefull. I use microfiber towels for dusting between washes and for the white rims. They lift dirt up and bring it into the cloth so there is no scratching.
Tavis1

Tavis1 you are so right! I bought the Mr Clean system yesterday at AutoZone for $19.99. I was expecting it to be a lot of hype. I rinsed the car, then applied the Mr Clean Carwash and used my trusty soft sponge to loosen the dirt. At times, I reapplied the soap, as it began to dry. When I rinsed all of the soap off using the filtered water the car had no streaks at all! What really was surprising was the fact that even the windows were spotless! I am highly impressed and recommend this product to anyone.