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      11-26-2015, 09:11 AM   #23
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Zach, what is best leather cleaner and conditioner? do you recommend using CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating for protection, I feel using that product making leather hard and it will make leather crack eventually in long run............. your thoughts will be appreciated
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      11-27-2015, 10:01 AM   #24
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Originally Posted by SHEEDI View Post
Zach, what is best leather cleaner and conditioner? do you recommend using CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating for protection, I feel using that product making leather hard and it will make leather crack eventually in long run............. your thoughts will be appreciated
I personally use Sonax Leather Foam.

CQuartz Leather Coating does not create a harder surface... it simply creates a more chemical and stain resistant surface. I don't personally use it on my own vehicles because we keep them very clean and I don't eat or drink in my car really.... so staining is never an issue. I have heard many satisfied users though, so it may be worth trying if your vehicle gets a lot of interior traffic and use.
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      12-02-2015, 11:11 PM   #25
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Some more questions Zach,

Painter's tape will do for masking off trim and other areas that I don't want polish on? I know it's probably fine but definitely don't want any tape residue on my car.

Also, I wanted to make sure that I'm just being paranoid about the amount of clear coat on my car. I've read your blog on the website saying only to polish maybe once a year just so you don't cut too much off over the life of the car. There's not much worry about using some of the more aggressive pads/polishes i.e. MF cutting pads and M100/Fast Correcting Creme as long as it's only on occasional instances? i.e. wash/dry/etc. the correct way afterwards so the deep swirls don't come back and you only have to use lighter polishes.
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      12-03-2015, 07:25 AM   #26
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Originally Posted by Brettb1234 View Post
Some more questions Zach,

Painter's tape will do for masking off trim and other areas that I don't want polish on? I know it's probably fine but definitely don't want any tape residue on my car.
Sure thing... painters tape has always been fine for me.

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Originally Posted by Brettb1234 View Post
Also, I wanted to make sure that I'm just being paranoid about the amount of clear coat on my car. I've read your blog on the website saying only to polish maybe once a year just so you don't cut too much off over the life of the car. There's not much worry about using some of the more aggressive pads/polishes i.e. MF cutting pads and M100/Fast Correcting Creme as long as it's only on occasional instances? i.e. wash/dry/etc. the correct way afterwards so the deep swirls don't come back and you only have to use lighter polishes.
Yep, you're correct... we have done some pretty substantial correction on vehicles that have thin paint and have never run into issues. The amount of material that you are removing with a 2 step (compound and polish) correction is minimal, but as you said, you want to use the least aggressive method possible. So after your initial correction, the best way to avoid having to use more aggressive products regularly is to take the best care of the car as you can so that you only have to deal with lighter defects in the future.... aside from maybe some spot compounding here and there.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Zach McGovern
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www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com
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      12-03-2015, 10:20 AM   #27
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Quote:
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Sure thing... painters tape has always been fine for me.



Yep, you're correct... we have done some pretty substantial correction on vehicles that have thin paint and have never run into issues. The amount of material that you are removing with a 2 step (compound and polish) correction is minimal, but as you said, you want to use the least aggressive method possible. So after your initial correction, the best way to avoid having to use more aggressive products regularly is to take the best care of the car as you can so that you only have to deal with lighter defects in the future.... aside from maybe some spot compounding here and there.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Zach McGovern
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www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com
Thanks again Zach
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      12-03-2015, 11:28 AM   #28
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If you are going to use IronX, it goes before clay.

Use the chemicals such as IronX and TarX to remove specific particles quickly and easily before claying. This means you will spend less time claying because there will be less contamination on the surface.

-Zach
Regarding the claying process, do you find the Nanoskin mitt to be as effective as old skool hand claying?
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      12-03-2015, 02:40 PM   #29
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Regarding the claying process, do you find the Nanoskin mitt to be as effective as old skool hand claying?
Yes, the synthetic clay products like nanoskin and speedy prep towel are fantastic for mechanical decontamination. I discuss this in the articles I had previously mentioned about Explaining the Decontamination Process (I can provide links again when I am back at a computer if needed).

We use synthetic clay mitts/towels on almost every vehicle we work on becasue they are WAY faster than traditional clay when it comes to removing large amounts of contamination. The downside is that these synthetic clay substances are very prone to marring the paint. For this reason, I do not recommend them for routine decontamination... I only recommend using products like nanoskin or speedy prep towels when you will be using some sort of an abrasive polish afterwards because the polishing process will remove the light marring that is left on the surface.

For routine cleaning/decontamination traditional fine or ultra fine grade clay with a good clay lubricant is much more gentle and less prone to marring the paint.


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      12-03-2015, 03:01 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by Detailed Image View Post
Yes, the synthetic clay products like nanoskin and speedy prep towel are fantastic for mechanical decontamination. I discuss this in the articles I had previously mentioned about Explaining the Decontamination Process (I can provide links again when I am back at a computer if needed).

We use synthetic clay mitts/towels on almost every vehicle we work on becasue they are WAY faster than traditional clay when it comes to removing large amounts of contamination. The downside is that these synthetic clay substances are very prone to marring the paint. For this reason, I do not recommend them for routine decontamination... I only recommend using products like nanoskin or speedy prep towels when you will be using some sort of an abrasive polish afterwards because the polishing process will remove the light marring that is left on the surface.

For routine cleaning/decontamination traditional fine or ultra fine grade clay with a good clay lubricant is much more gentle and less prone to marring the paint.


Zach McGovern
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Thanks for the clarification. I have both but the fine grade Nanoskin mitt I have is sooo much easier. I use it with a high concentration solution of citrus wash as a lubricant and I don't really notice any marring. Maybe I'm lucky.
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      12-03-2015, 10:25 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LMB335IS View Post
Thanks for the clarification. I have both but the fine grade Nanoskin mitt I have is sooo much easier. I use it with a high concentration solution of citrus wash as a lubricant and I don't really notice any marring. Maybe I'm lucky.
It's really only visible under particular lighting at certain angles... but it bothers me enough for me to feel the need to mention it.

I have noticed it on almost every car we use the mitts and towels on... but again, that is because we are inspecting all of them with high powered inspection lights for the paint correction process.

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      12-22-2015, 09:26 PM   #32
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Zach, what cordless battery operated Vacuum do you recommend for interior?
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      12-23-2015, 10:07 AM   #33
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Zach, what cordless battery operated Vacuum do you recommend for interior?
Sorry - I don't have any experience with a cordless, battery operated unit.
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      01-17-2016, 02:33 AM   #34
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Hey Zach. From what I've read on here, using compound like ultimate compound is a good starting place for removing swirls. Let's say I'm using a DA and the correct pad for the job. How many times can I put compound the pad before I have to use a different pad?

On the same topic, what is the correct way to wash my sponge pads so they're ready for use again?

Thanks
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      01-17-2016, 10:18 PM   #35
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Originally Posted by vbp6us View Post
Hey Zach. From what I've read on here, using compound like ultimate compound is a good starting place for removing swirls. Let's say I'm using a DA and the correct pad for the job. How many times can I put compound the pad before I have to use a different pad?

On the same topic, what is the correct way to wash my sponge pads so they're ready for use again?

Thanks
It depends... in general, compounding will remove more material than polishing, and therefore the pad will get dirtier quicker. We switch pads every couple of panels, but we have TONS of pads, so that is not a limiting factor.

I typically recommend a minimum of 3 pads for the compounding step on an average sized sedan. You should clean the pads using a pad cleaning brush or towel as you're working (often referred to as "cleaning on the fly") and you should switch to a new pad when your pad is too "gunked up" to produce the same results as a fresh pad would.

Once you're finished for the day, clean your pads thoroughly by rinsing with all-purpose cleaning and scrubbing, then rinsing with water and letting air dry.

Here are a couple of articles to reference:

Pad Cleaning During and After Polishing by Ivan Rajic
Ask-A-Pro: Cleaning Foam Buffing Pads by Chad Raskovich



Hope that answers your question!

Let me know what else I can do for you.

Zach McGovern
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www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com
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      01-21-2016, 07:20 AM   #36
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Hi Zach,

Is there any disadvantage to using a spray wax after each wash?

Say a max of twice a week after a full clean and dry?

I'm looking for something to cover the very light marks in my paint (black car)

I feel like I take care of my car and only use wool and microfibre products on the paint, but still have light swirls that I would like to hide.

Also do you recommend adding quick detailer to the drying process?

Thanks!
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      01-21-2016, 08:34 AM   #37
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Quote:
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Hi Zach,

Is there any disadvantage to using a spray wax after each wash?

Say a max of twice a week after a full clean and dry?
None that I can think of

Quote:
Originally Posted by EB89 View Post
I'm looking for something to cover the very light marks in my paint (black car)

I feel like I take care of my car and only use wool and microfibre products on the paint, but still have light swirls that I would like to hide.
Unfortunately it is impossible to have a completely perfect vehicle... no matter how careful you are. It is common to develop light defects over time, however using proper maintenance practices will drastically reduce the amount of defects and the severity of defects making it MUCH quicker and easier for you to remove them whenever you decide to polish the vehicle.

Quote:
Originally Posted by EB89 View Post
Also do you recommend adding quick detailer to the drying process?

Thanks!
I would recommend using your spray wax/quick detailer while you dry. Here is what I do....

- Wash the vehicle using the 3 bucket wash method
- Sheet the majority of water from the surface
- Spray a panel lightly Meguiar's D156
- Dry Panel
- Move onto next panel... spray with D156, dry
- Repeat until car is dry

D156 is called a "spray wax" but it is a completely synthetic product that contains no actual wax, but it does add a temporary layer of protection while boosting slickness & gloss. It is my absolute favorite quick detailer/spray wax. This process can be used with other spray detailers/waxes, too... I just find D156 to be the easiest to use.

Product Review: Meguiar’s D156 Synthetic X-Press Spray Wax by Zach McGovern

Hope that helps!

Zach McGovern
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      01-21-2016, 09:56 PM   #38
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Thanks Zach much appreciated!
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      01-25-2016, 01:19 AM   #39
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Do you know anything about car repair?
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      01-28-2016, 11:46 AM   #40
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Hey Zach,

I have had my car about a few months and don't know the previous detailing history so I would essentially be starting fresh. Where should I start to add a solid base / foundation and what routine maintenance should I be doing to make my car look it's best. I know this is a general question and I have looked over the DI (Detailing Guide) but didn't see a where to start thread. However I did see the thread on the wash and dry method down but wanted to know where to go from there?

I am also a detailing "newb"

Thanks in advance!
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      01-29-2016, 07:53 AM   #41
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Hey Zach,

I have had my car about a few months and don't know the previous detailing history so I would essentially be starting fresh. Where should I start to add a solid base / foundation and what routine maintenance should I be doing to make my car look it's best. I know this is a general question and I have looked over the DI (Detailing Guide) but didn't see a where to start thread. However I did see the thread on the wash and dry method down but wanted to know where to go from there?

I am also a detailing "newb"

Thanks in advance!
Thanks for checking out the Detailing Guide!

A "complete exterior detail" will consist of the following steps:
- Thoroughly clean wheels & tires
- Wash Paint
- Decontaminate Paint (using chemicals and clay bar)
- Paint Correction & Machine Polishing (to remove defects such as swirls and scratches which will increase gloss and clarity in the paint)
- Paint Protection (wax, sealant, or coating)
- Misc details (dressing tires, dressing trim, sealing wheels, polishing exhaust tips, etc)

The detailing guide will walk you through just about every step of the process.

You can find a list of some of my personal product recommendations HERE.


After you get the paint in good shape, you will simply need to maintain the paint with regular washes using proper washing & drying methods. You'll also need to reapply protection regularly depending on the type of protection you're using.


Hope that helps get you started! Let me know if you have any specific questions about the process or products needed.

Zach McGovern
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      02-01-2016, 12:55 PM   #42
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Hello Again Zach,

Thanks so much for the help and I have placed a massive order and am now playing the waiting game.

On a side note I have a spoiler that I would like to remove but it seems like the adhesive that is holding it on is industrial grade or something.

What would you recommend so I can get this damn thing off!

Thanks again!
R
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      02-02-2016, 06:30 AM   #43
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Hey Zach,(orig from Kewanee)... I bought my car used and on the trunk are some scratches that look like some one slid a box off of it. Not real deep but enough to show white in the black paint. Any good tips to hide or stain them so they blend in?
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      02-02-2016, 07:58 AM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRealMccoy24 View Post
Hello Again Zach,

Thanks so much for the help and I have placed a massive order and am now playing the waiting game.

On a side note I have a spoiler that I would like to remove but it seems like the adhesive that is holding it on is industrial grade or something.

What would you recommend so I can get this damn thing off!

Thanks again!
R
Great to hear you've got some supplies coming!

As far as the spoiler goes, I have seen the aftermath of a couple of people trying to remove a BMW spoiler, and each time it has resulted in having to repaint the trunk. If you can determine if it is held on with 3M body tape, then I would say just use heat and patience to remove it, however if it is held on with an adhesive, it is likely going to be a bigger ordeal than you might want to get into.

Check out this thread on this forum: Do I really need my whole trunk repainted??


Quote:
Originally Posted by slimxb8 View Post
Hey Zach,(orig from Kewanee)... I bought my car used and on the trunk are some scratches that look like some one slid a box off of it. Not real deep but enough to show white in the black paint. Any good tips to hide or stain them so they blend in?
Hey! Small world

In this case you need to try to determine if:

1) the scratches are through the paint and the white color showing through is the primer

or

2) the white color is simply a material transfer


So, first I would see if you can feel the scratches with your fingernail. If you can barely feel them, they are fairly deep. If they are very easy to grab with a nail, they are deep. (relatively speaking).

If the scratches are not through the clear coat, you should go about removing them by first trying a cutting compound and cutting pad. If that is not effective, wet sanding may be your only option.

If the scratch is through the paint, you will need to touch them up. It is quite hard to touch up small scratches, but you can find an incredibly fine brush or tooth pick to try to fill the scratch in with touch up paint.

Hope that helps.

Zach McGovern
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www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com
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