Good questions. Sometimes wheel cleaners are not strong enough to clean etched in brake dust particles and the surface requires a deeper cleaning / polishing to really bring back the finish. I'd suggest a metal polish rather than a spray on wheel cleaner. Metal polishes typically have chemical cleaners in them as well as micro abrasives to really clean and restore the surface. If you are looking for a product to try I would recommend the P21s Finish Restorer as a quality metal polish. The best thing I can recommend to you, regardless of which polish you end up using to clean the wheels, I'd encourage looking into Poorboy's Wheel Sealant or Wheel Wax. This will put on a protective coating designed to withstand the hot brake dust from your vehicle. It will make future cleanings much easier with a simple wipe down of shampoo and water and minimize allowing the brake dust to build up.

If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to ask.

George @ Detailed Image

 

George -

The air where I live is grimey and full of polution (L.A.), and cars don't go a day without it building up on their finishes. What's a good way to get gunk and dust off between washings?

 

I would agree with vnv727. If it's a light dusting on the surface, I like to use an ultra plush microfiber towel and a liberal amount of quick detailer (QD) solution. You may end up using 2 - 5 microfiber towels depending on how dirty the vehicle is, but this would be how I would remove it short of giving it a complete proper wash if I had the time. These are the plushes towels that I happen to stock ... Ultra Plush Microfiber Towels and my favorite QD for quick clean ups is Poorboy's Spray & Wipe.

I'm not a huge fan of the car dusters as you are dragging dry fibers over dry contaminated paint. The QD acting as a lubricant and the thick pile of the microfiber makes this method one of the safest approaches to removing light contamination without a complete wash.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

George @ Detailed Image

 

All i want to know is how the hell do you get that benz to shine like that? what products do you use!..I use meguiars Clay, polish, cleaner, and wax and looks good but wow not like that!

 

All i want to know is how the hell do you get that benz to shine like that? what products do you use!..I use meguiars Clay, polish, cleaner, and wax and looks good but wow not like that!

 

George and Greg this thread is a great idea.

Al

 

these two are unreal at cleaning cars, man. i saw their work in person. wicked nice

 

Thank you for the positive feedback! Detailing is an art form that takes many years to master. One of the best things I can preach to anyone is learn about the different processes, proper techniques and products available. The absolute most important thing to do is prep work. What I mean by that is removing contamination from the surface and removing imperfections from the clear coat. The typical steps that would achieve this are: Washing & Drying -> Clay Bar -> Cutting Polish -> Finishing Polish -> Glaze... After those 5 steps (sometimes not all are needed) your paints clear coat will be in its best condition possible and when you apply your favorite sealant or wax, it will produce a stunning finish on any paint.

I encourage you to read our detailed how-to's to learn about each step of the detailing process. We explain why each step is important and what it is designed to do as well as give you step by step instructions on how to get the most out of each step.

Once you understand the processes available, I usually recommend mapping out your goals and how you plan on caring for your vehicle. I have my personal favorites as far as products I use on my vehicles, but everyones needs vary slightly from the next person. If you would like to give me some information about your vehicle and your detailing goals, I'd be happy to put together a package for you to get the most out of your detail.

I look forward to hearing back from you!

George @ Detailed Image

 

Al - Thank you for the positive feedback. I saw on some other threads that you offered some great advice as well. It's encouraging to see other detailing enthusiasts on the forum!

Vadim - Thank you for the high praise. How is the Final Polish II treating you?

George

 

George, this stuff kicks ****! too bad i didnt use that on my eclipse. that thing would have been blinding people as i drove by