The 10 Do-Nots of Detailing
We've all read articles on car detailing telling you what you should be doing and the best ways to do things, well, we've put together a few need-to-know 'do not's' you need to remember when detailing your pride and joy.
1.
Do not wash your car in direct sunlight or on a super-hot day. Yes, for you personally, a lovely summer's day is the perfect weather for going out and washing the car. However, you do need to be careful just how hot a day it is. The product can dry too quickly meaning you'll probably end up rushing the job resulting in the need to run over every inch with a quick detailer to get rid of inevitable streaks and watermarks, as well as dried on the product.
2.
Don't use a sponge. We get asked about this time and time again, but a sponge is one of the worst things you can use to wash your car. The flat surface attracts dirt, with it sticking to the surface. We advise using something with a deep pile that is cushioned and absorbs the dirt, making sure to wash out regularly into a second bucket. Dip the rinsed mitt back into the soap bucket before going back to the car.
3.
Don't use an aqua blade! You'll just end up dragging any dirt across the paint's surface, which is never a good thing. Rinse off thoroughly before drying off with a microfibre drying towel, or try our renowned Aqua Deluxe Drying Towel.
4.
Don't spray any wheel cleaner on hot or warm wheels; doing this will cook the solution onto the wheel, ruining the wheel's finish. Try and refrain from washing the car for a short time after driving it just long enough to allow the wheels and brakes to cool down.
5.
Do not get polish on plastic or rubber trim. It will stain it. It will come off by using a nail brush together with a good cleaner, but it will take a very long time and will ruin the trim in the process. It's just not worth it. Don't do it.
6.
It might sound a simple one, but don't rest bottles on paint. Doing this could result in water rings it could scratch the paint and it's overall not good for the paint or its finish.
7.
Do not apply a sealant after any wax layers. Sealants have been designed to bond with clean paint. If there are wax layers present, the sealant will not be able to bond properly and the next time you wash the car the sealant will just wash off. It's a waste of sealant and your time applying.
8.
Don't apply Auto Finesse Aqua Coat to a freshly-waxed car. It can react with the wax in a negative way, getting into the pores of the wax. If you happen to get Aqua Coat on a waxed panel, it's best to strip it back completely and reapply your wax layers.
9.
Do not tumble dry. Cloths are effectively made from plastic fibres so applying heat to them will fuse the fibres together, resulting in thicker, coarser fibres which will scratch the paint.
10.
Last but very much not least, don't use a dropped clay bar or wash mitt. A wash mitt can be rinsed or washed after use, but a dropped clay bar should be put straight into the bin. There's no coming back from that, unfortunately.
