What do you clean your car with?

[ToXIcG]

Just wondered what everyone cleans their car with (what products you use etc)

One product I have used is Autoglym Fast glass on the windows.

[AlexBartlam]

i have mostly autoglym, but im looking into ADS car care as a facebook ford group rolling oval im in get discounts and their products look pretty good.

[TomsFocus]

I like Meguairs stuff personally...  Gold class shampoo & liquid wax.  Tyre endurance gel.  Their new(ish) Ultimate quik deatailer is fantastic.

I'm not keen on Autoglym products, but SRP does a good job of hiding scratches and swirls for a few months as long as you put a decent wax on top.

I just use normal house window cleaner on the windows, supermarket own brand with vinegar works better than a lot of the car specific ones I've tried in the past.

Haven't really had the spare cash to buy any new cleaning stuff this year so just been using up what I had, some of it has been hanging around for years...  Forgot how good Simoniz rinse-off wax is for protection, literally just wipe it all over when the car's wet, rinse it off and dry as normal...amazingly it's still beading over 2 weeks later! 

What I could do with is a decent alloy wheel cleaner...with the multispokes I just find it so difficult to get into all the tight gaps and clean them effectively, but worried to try anything too strong in case it damages them, there is some kerbing on 2 of them.  I've just got some cheap stuff from Tesco atm which works better than jetwash alone but isn't great.

[ToXIcG]

7 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I like Meguairs stuff personally...  Gold class shampoo & liquid wax.  Tyre endurance gel.  Their new(ish) Ultimate quik deatailer is fantastic.

I'm not keen on Autoglym products, but SRP does a good job of hiding scratches and swirls for a few months as long as you put a decent wax on top.

I just use normal house window cleaner on the windows, supermarket own brand with vinegar works better than a lot of the car specific ones I've tried in the past.

Haven't really had the spare cash to buy any new cleaning stuff this year so just been using up what I had, some of it has been hanging around for years...  Forgot how good Simoniz rinse-off wax is for protection, literally just wipe it all over when the car's wet, rinse it off and dry as normal...amazingly it's still beading over 2 weeks later! 

What I could do with is a decent alloy wheel cleaner...with the multispokes I just find it so difficult to get into all the tight gaps and clean them effectively, but worried to try anything too strong in case it damages them, there is some kerbing on 2 of them.  I've just got some cheap stuff from Tesco atm which works better than jetwash alone but isn't great.

I was warned not to use normal window cleaner on cars on another forum (dashcamtalk to be specific) and to use a non ammonia based window cleaner (so specific automotive ones that mention being safe for tinted windows are fine) because they apparently leave a film on the windows.

Which is why I used Autoglym fast glass.

[TomsFocus]

What's wrong with leaving a film on car windows?  That's basically what rain-x does.

Couldn't find whether there's any ammonia in the one I use, but it does apparently contain Methylchloroisothiazolinone.  I think someone dropped a Scrabble bag when name that!

I kept getting smears with Fast Glass so stopped using it a few years ago.  Admittedly they might have improved it now.

[Freddy42]

I always use a snowfoam to start, followed by Meguiars shampoo with wash and rinse buckets for the wash mitt.  AutoGlym quick glass (excellent for cleaning spectacles!),  rubber and trim cleaner, alloy wheel cleaner, and tyre dressing, also all AutoGlym.   The upholstery gets shampooed on the first warm day in Spring.

[Frembrit]

I use Gtechniq Citrus Foam, pressure wash off using de-ionised (filtered) water, then Bilt hamber Autowash in one bucket and water to rinse the mitt in another (Both filtered water). And, of course, filtered water to rinse the car.  Use Halfords or Turtle wax class cleaner, then Rain-X. alloys are are waxed with Mer Wheel Wax, so I don't use anything else to clean them, just wipe. I do use Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel once a year on them (when I swap between summer and winter wheels/tyres), and Gtechniq T1 for the tyres. I wax the car with Fusso Coat, which helps when cleaning the car too.

[ToXIcG]

I have seen that many people use snowfoam but never seen any of the actual names of the products or anything.

[Frembrit]

This is the first snow I've used based on the recommendation of the guy who detailed my car. I bought a 5L bottle (£35) and has lasted approx. 2.5 years. Seems to work well but I'm now looking for something a bit cheaper, possibly Bilt Hamber Auto Foam @ £17 for 5L.

[Philf1]

Try autobrite products they’re excellent and not too expensive


Sent from my iPhone

[Frembrit]

Thanks, I'll take a look.

[AlexBartlam]

19 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

What I could do with is a decent alloy wheel cleaner

iv heard purple rain is very good £18 is a bit steep

there is dragons breath which is £10 its the same product in a nut Shell

https://www.valetpro.eu/Wheel-Cleaners/61-/Dragons-Breath

[Philf1]

iv heard purple rain is very good £18 is a bit steep

there is dragons breath which is £10 its the same product in a nut shell

https://www.valetpro.eu/Wheel-Cleaners/61-/Dragons-Breath

 

They’re iron contamination fall out removers not wheel cleaners you need to use that in conjunction with a wheel cleaning product such as this

 

https://www.autobritedirect.co.uk/index.php/wheels-tyres/wheel-cleaners/britegel-safe-wheel-cleaning-gel-by-autobrite-direct.html

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

[Micro]

On 11/13/2017 at 1:31 PM, TomsFocus said:

What's wrong with leaving a film on car windows?  That's basically what rain-x does.

Couldn't find whether there's any ammonia in the one I use, but it does apparently contain Methylchloroisothiazolinone.  I think someone dropped a Scrabble bag when name that!

I kept getting smears with Fast Glass so stopped using it a few years ago.  Admittedly they might have improved it now.

The problem with leaving a film, is that as it gets darker, wet, and you get headlights and other lights on your screen, it will glare and affect visibility.

Unfortunately this is the problem I am currently having with a rain-x like product, where the effect has stopped working, I tried applying more but to no effect (just left swirls), and it is very stubborn stuff to get off.

[ToXIcG]

12 hours ago, Micro said:

The problem with leaving a film, is that as it gets darker, wet, and you get headlights and other lights on your screen, it will glare and affect visibility.

Unfortunately this is the problem I am currently having with a rain-x like product, where the effect has stopped working, I tried applying more but to no effect (just left swirls), and it is very stubborn stuff to get off.

To add to what Micro said, this is the comparison between before and after, I cleaned my windscreen and the glare on my dashcam.

My windscreen could probably do with a better clean but the difference is still huge.

[TomsFocus]

Can't say I've noticed any extra glare but will make the effort to look on my way back tonight.  I find the screen elements cause a lot of glare or 'fuzz' around lights in the dark so may just have not noticed anything else.

Here's a still from a vid last year though, it's nowhere near as bad as your top pic...did you clean that with Vaseline or something?  

 

[ToXIcG]

16 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Can't say I've noticed any extra glare but will make the effort to look on my way back tonight.  I find the screen elements cause a lot of glare or 'fuzz' around lights in the dark so may just have not noticed anything else.

Here's a still from a vid last year though, it's nowhere near as bad as your top pic...did you clean that with Vaseline or something?  

 

 I don't know why it was so bad, I hadn't cleaned it since I last washed the car (which wasn't that long ago) but I can't remember what I used, I feel I may have neglected the inside so that might be why.

[TomsFocus]

I rarely clean the inside...after the new screen was fitted I managed to leave it a whole year, but have done it roughly every 6 months since.  The only bit I wipe fairly regularly is where the sat nav sticks in the corner, the suction circles annoy me otherwise!  I make a point of never touching the inside, just let the heated screen deal with condensation as I can't stand smears!  

Some people seem to get disgusting windows inside though, not sure if it's to do with the amount of people breathing in there, small children/dogs hands and noses, or smoking or something else entirely.  But I have noticed whenever I buy a used car the windscreen is often almost entirely opaque!  

[AlexBartlam]

i use my meguires ultimate wax on all the windows, better than rain-x IMO, clean the window with warm soapy water dry and then apply the wax, dont use my wipers for a good few weeks after, cus it just falls away.

[mike6688]

I’ve started using Ads car care products, but previously used Meguires. I really like both, but Ads is cheaper and does the job just as well. 

[TomsFocus]

So, I've spent the drive home staring at other peoples headlights...   There is quite a bit of glare, both front and rear so not just the quikclear elements...  Maybe I should try a different glass cleaner!

[iantt]

Isn't that glare just normal ? Or is it my eyesight! Lol

[TomsFocus]

Well I thought it was normal until this thread...

[ToXIcG]

16 hours ago, iantt said:

Isn't that glare just normal ? Or is it my eyesight! Lol

 

16 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Well I thought it was normal until this thread...

I would guess Toms glare is probably normal, im not too sure, you're always gonna get glare though, I was just showing how bad it could get.

Also I think my dash cam lens was slightly dirty so would have added to it.

[AlexBartlam]

20 hours ago, mike6688 said:

I’ve started using Ads car care products, but previously used Meguires. I really like both, but Ads is cheaper and does the job just as well. 

if you like ADS we get discount on ADS car care at rolling oval found on facebook, based in and around west mids like me mate, not sure on how much but worth it.