Tips for Decontamination

Decontamination is often overlooked by the average person.  Those that are familiar with detailing clay probably spend an hour claying their car when necessary.  There are newer clay alternative products on the market that make this task much faster and easier.  

Consider a clay towel (speedy prep towel) or a pad for a DA polisher.  There are also blocks that can be purchased.  These products last for 5-25 cars and if dropped, can be washed off and reused. They can also reduce your claying time to 15 minutes.  The disadvantage to these products is that they are much more aggresive and if used incorrectly, will result in marring the paint.  It's important to recognize this situation and make adjustments as necessary.  

• Place a sandwich bag over your hand and run your fingertips over the paint to feel for contamination and determine if claying is necessary.
• After a wash, don't dry your car if you plan to clay, this is a wasted step.  Just over concentrate your clay lubricant a little to compensate for the extra water on the panel.
• Only use a small portion of your clay at a time.  50-80 grams is plenty.  A 200 gram bar should yield at least 2-3 portions of clay.
• If you drop your clay, throw it out.  Debris in the clay can scratch your paint.
• Use relatively slow motions and light pressure.  Moving very fast and using a lot of force is going to change the effort from gently shearing to aggressively grinding.
• Check the clay bar often and reshape as necessary.  Depending on the condition of the vehicle, that may be once every panel or once every square foot.
• Use plenty of clay lubricant as this reduces the risk of marring.
• Use a dedicated clay lubricant.  These are designed to remain slippery even as they start to dry.  Soaps have a very sharp cut-off from being slippery to sticky as they dry.
• Work relatively small areas and dry them immediately to ensure suspended contaminants don't have the opportunity to resettle on the paint.

Chemical Decontamination

When we use the term chemical decontamination we are generally referring to the use of a chemical to remove a contaminant from the car.  As the name suggests, we are using chemistry rather than mechanical abrasion to remove the contaminant, though, the use of a towel may introduce some mechanical forces.  We often choose this method because it minimizing contact with the paint, reducing the chance of scratches and marring.  It can also dissolve certain contaminants, making it safer to wipe away. 

When undertaking chemical decontamination it's important to identify the type of contaminant and choose the appropriate chemistry to remove it.  Most OTC products have done the work for us by labeling there product as a bug remover, tar remover or water spot remover.  But a key piece of this is understanding the chemistry at work, because if you have chosen poorly, you might as well have gone straight to a mechanical abrasion.  Below are the basic guidelines for choosing a chemical cleaner

Alkaline prodcuts (All Purpose Cleaner) - Organics - soiling, bugs, birdbombs

Acidic Products - Inorganics - Metals, fallout, mineral deposits

Solvent Products - Petrochemicals - Tar, grease, tire dressing sling

It is always best to address any contamination immediately as it will be easier to remove and reduce the risk of damaging the surface.  Always try a mild cleaner first, such as a quick detailer, before trying a stronger cleaner

Always follow the manufacturer's directions.  Never let these chemicals dry on the surface.  If you want to extend the dwell time, apply the product to a towel and place the towel over the affected area, this will help loosen any stubborn deposits

Snow Foams

This may be a relatively new term to many people, but the name conjures up images of thick lather and shaving cream.  This is absolutely possible, but it requires the right tools and may not be as effective as you think.  Read on for a discussion of the pros and cons of snow foams and how to choose one that's right for you.

As a professional, I rely on snow foam as part of my normal wash procedure.  It can cling to the paint well and help to soften and break down soiling on the paint before I even touch the car.  There are a variety of types, from very strong alkalines to remove heavy contamination, to pH neutral that is very safe for the paint.  I feel this is an essential part of my wash procedure for dirty cars.  It also looks like you are at the car wash and is visually appealing to onlookers.

There are a few downsides to these products that you need to consider before committing to the investment.  You need a pressure washer and a pretty strong one.  Mine gas unit is 3000 psi and I can get a nice thick foam.  My electric unit is 1600 psi and the foam is lackluster at best.  You should plan to use quite a bit of product too, on the order of 4oz concentrated product diluted in the container.  Do also consider that even with that thick foam, only a small portion is actually in contact with the paint and doing any work.  It's much more important to find a product that clings well and has a long dwell time, rather that just the thickest foam.  There aren't very many options available in the US currently unless you choose a product designed for an automatic car wash.  Chemical guys makes Honeydew Snow Foam and Bilt Hamber's autofoam has recently become available in the US.  I tend to make my own snow foam mixture though.  In my case I use Chemical Guys Citrus Wash + Gloss for it's high foaming and good clinging properties and I will augments that with an all purpose cleaner or dedicated snow foam.  In my case those are Bilt Hamber Surfex HD and Ultimate Snow Foam (respectively).  This combination smells great, produces tons of foam, cleans and clings very well.  

Wax Primer

When you walk into the auto parts store you are bombarded with a shelf full of products called 'wax'.  The term has also found it's way into detailing terminology as a verb, that is: to apply wax.  While the term wax can be used generically to define a last step protectant,  many detailers will be a little more choosy in their use of the term.  You may hear them say they are going to 'seal' your car rather than 'wax' it.  We'll discuss sealants in a future article, today we fill focus on the product most people THINK they are apply to their car. 

Here's the deal though, with a few exception, what you find in the auto parts store isn't a pure wax.  There's really no way to get a 'pure' wax.  Pure carnauba wax comes as flakes and is as hard as concrete, you'd never be able to apply or remove it.  So what we mean by 'pure' is a product that doesn't contain any dedicated cleaners.  Look carefully at the label next time, there's a good chance your container says 'cleaner wax'.  While this isn't a bad thing, it's important to recognize that a cleaner wax is actually a form of an all-in-one.  It's good at cleaning paint and good and protecting it, but not great at either.  A cleaner wax is a good product to use if your paint has oxidation or embedded soiling and you want to combine the steps of deep cleaning the paint and protecting it in one.  But if the paint is in good condition or you've  polished the paint with a dedicated polish, then the cleaner wax is a wasted step.  

Carnauba wax in general does not have great durability, it will normally last about 4-6 weeks depending on your environment, and is not very resistant to chemicals.  What it lacks in durability, it makes up for with it's looks.  It's often described at a warm, wet glow and many other types of protectants strive to achieve this look.  In reality, you would be hard pressed to see the difference between a sealant and wax side by side, but that subtle difference does exist.  It's important to remember that the 95% of the looks is in the prep rather than the protectant.  To complicate matters, even most waxes today have some sealant mixed in to increase durability and that can take away from the subtle difference in looks.  

There is no right or wrong protectant to use on your own car.  If you have the time to regularly apply a carnauba wax to your car, then  by all means do so, many people consider waxing as their therapy.  I generally recommend a carnauba wax for show cars and garage queens.  Waxes will last much longer on these vehicles and take them over-the-top in looks.

If you do decide that a wax is what you prefer, make sure you look carefully for a pure carnauba wax rather than a cleaner wax.  There are many great options out there and I've listed a few of my favorites below.

• Son1c Wax Carnaubavore
• Dodo Juice
• Pinnacle Signature Series II
• Poorboy's World Natty's Red Paste wax

Basic Wheel Cleaning

This is the dirtiest part of the car and should be cleaned first as the grime and cleaners may sling on to the paint.  This step should include the wheels, tires and arches.  You may also want to do the initial cleaning of the exhaust tips at this time as you will use a similar brushes and cleaners

I always start by spraying the cleaner on the wheels to start breaking down the dirt.  While that dwells, I will spray the tire and arch and agitate them. Once the tires and arches are done, I'll go back to the wheel and agitate the cleaner.  Finally, rinse all 3 at the same time.  Do this process working only one corner at a time so that the cleaners to not dry on the surface.

Here's some of the tools and tips for each part:

Wheels 

Spoke brush, wheel woolies, lug nut brush, brush or mitt for face.  Spray first and allow to dwell while doing other parts.

•       Specialty Cleaners – Safe for 99% of wheels. Targeted iron cleaners

•       Alkaline Cleaners –Careful Use, may damage some finishes, best for organics

•       Acid Cleaners – Worst Case Scenario, best for inorganics

Arches

Long handle brush with long flagged bristles, alkaline All Purpose Cleaner (APC)

•       Always enter from the bottom. 

•       For lowered cars, use a jack or leave them alone (see no evil).

Tires 

Short handled brush with short, stiff bristles (carpet brush), alkaline APC

•       Start spraying from the bottom, promotes even distribution and avoids runs that can create an uneven cleaning

Final

Rinse wheel, arch and tire at the same time.  Work one corner at a time.

Basic Wash & Wax Tips

For some people have a detail done is a regular occurrence, but for most it's a special event.  Once your vehicle has been detailed, it's essentially to keep up with regular wash and waxes to maintain the condition.  Frequent washing also limits bonded surface contaminants that require more effort to remove.  Below is some general guidance for washing and waxing.

• Always use the two bucket method for washing.  Using grit guards further reduces the risk of wash induced swirls.
• Dry your car with the sheeting method or a dedicated leaf blower.  Your neighbors may think you're crazy, but your car will look way better than theirs.
• After major drying apply a spray wax while removing the last few drops of water to add lubrication and achieve that 'just detailed look'.
• Decontaminate your vehicle on a regular basis with detailing clay or a clay alternative.
• Look for a pure wax or sealant rather than a cleaner wax.  They tend to last longer and are easier to apply and remove. Use the cleaner wax to deep clean and protect the paint in one step on a less frequent basis.

Wheel Cleaners

Below are the typical type of wheel cleaners you may find and a quick description of their uses.

Strong Acid based - These are extremely strong cleaners generally consisting of hydrofluoric acid or ammonium bifluoride.  They smell terrible and are very dangerous to your vehicle and person.  These should only be used by professionals on particular wheel types and need to be neutralized.

Mild Acid based - These are often found OTC.  They contain phosphoric or oxalic acid.  They are much safer for wheel finishes and slightly safer for humans.  They will generally require some agitation and may take multiple applications.

Alkaline based - These are similar to most all purposes cleaners.  They often contain potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide or sodium metasilicate.  These are also very strong and can be very dangerous to wheels and humans.  Look for products containing sodium metasilicate rather than the hydroxides; it is just as effective and much less dangerous.

Surfactant/detergent based - These are often similar to car wash soap and are very mild, safe for all wheel types and humans.  They are not very strong and will require agitation.  This is often the best choice when dealing with aftermarket wheels and specialty brake systems like carbon ceramics.  These tend to be pH neutral or close to and contain things like ethoxylated alcohol or sodium laurel sulfate.  These are the safest wheel cleaners.

Iron targeting cleaners - There are a number of these on the market now.  They are based on mercaptoacetates and have a charactaristicly bad smell.  They are also color changing, as they react with iron particles they change to a dark purple color.  These are pH neutral and are generally considered the safest wheel cleaners along with detergents.

Basic Wash Techniques

While many people are concerned with the swirls and scratches in their vehicle, little thought is put toward how they got there.  The majority of swirls are considered wash-induced, that is, the act of keeping your car looking good is actually causing damage.  This damage is a result of poor wash techniques, of which the following are most common:

• Using dirty water
• Using dirty wash media
• Lack of adequate lubrication on the paint
• Poor quality wash media or drying media
• Washing panels in the wrong order

Nobody is a perfect car washer and even if you were, by the time you got done washing, a speck of something has landed on the part of the car where you started and you are going to pick it up with your drying media.  For this reason, using forced air, blotting or a drying aid are strongly recommended.  

Employing best practices for washing your vehicle will reduce the potential for wash-induced defects.  The suggestions below are a great start to minimizing defects in your paint.

• Use multiple buckets and wash media
• Segregate the dirtiest portions of the car to separate wash media and bucket (wheels and lower panels)
• If you drop it, down-grade it or throw it away
• Wash top-down, from cleanest to dirtiest panels
• Frequently rinse your wash media to remove soiling that's been picked up