An introduction to paint care products and basic detailing procedures.

Introduction

There are many ways to look at paint care. You might be the type that only washes the truck after some kid scrawls "wash me" on your rear window... Or you might be the almost fanatical type - like myself. Whether you're the semi-annual washer or the detailing enthusiast, below is a gentle introduction into paint care and basic preparation procedures.

Protecting your paint is more than just about looks. Without the paint, your truck would rust up and dissolve in no time, especially in the wintery areas. Excellent paint increases resale value. Well cared for paint is more easily maintained in the long run. And even if you off-road, good paint care greatly diminishes if not removes "pinstriping" and scratches. A slick paint surface also minimizes the formation of new ones as obstacles more easily glide across the surface; often marring just the wax layer and not the paint itself.

Paint care is a trade-off or compromise. Better results come from increased time, effort and money - depending on how far you wish to take it. Whether those results are worth it to you is something you have to decide.

Paint Care Products

Detailing products run from your basic "average joe" all-in-1 products through a middle range up to the high-end, which usually involves several steps and is much more time consuming. It all depends on your budget, time constraints and desired results.

On the low-end we have products that are typically found in grocery stores, gas stations and so on. They include Turtle Wax, Johnson, NuFinish, etc. Ideally you want to avoid these products. These typically try to combine everything into one step; that is, "wax on, wax off." More often than not, these are considered "cleaner waxes" and contain cleaning agents as well as wax or other synthetic polymers and resins. If you're pressed for time however, these products generally work well and last reasonably long. NuFinish is a relatively unique product, containing silicones as was Simoniz, which is now defunct. They don't give your paint the specialty attention it sometimes needs such as swirls, scratches, stains, nourishment, etc.

In the middle range, you have products like Mother's and Meguiar's. These two companies offer an array of products but even the low-end is better than most typical consumer products. If you go with Meguiar's products in the maroon bottles, you're working with the lower-end. If you pick up the tan bottles, you're now in the professional range. The Meguiar's "three step system" for example is a great introduction to advanced paint care. You can easily move on to better products from here after learning the techniques and seeing the results - you'll want even better next time. The tan bottles of Meguiar's professional line are on the higher-end of the scale and work extremely well.

Then there is the high-end range; products that are most often used commercially in body shops or by detailers. In this range, the low-end is represented by Meguiar's professional line (for example) and go on to specialty products. These companies include Klasse, Sovereign, Einzett, Natty, Trade Secret, Poorboy's and 303 for example.

The better the products, the more specialized and single-purpose they tend to be. Price usually goes up, as does time involved, since you're now applying many products rather than an all-in-1. You also need to pay more attention to wash, drying, application and removal. At this stage of the game you might also get into the use of a random/orbital buffer... Unless you have a beater to practice on, and think you can handle using machines on your paint - you should avoid them! You can easily burn or otherwise damage your paint if you are not careful. By using specialized products, you can solve paint issues better than with any simplified, all-in-one product - which are more "neutral" to satisfy a wide variety of consumer needs. The end results are most assuredly worth it - if you care to invest the time and money. This may or may not be important to you.

For example, my current list of products include (all Meguiar's):

• Swirl Remover 2.0 (#9)
• Show Car Glaze (#7)
• NXT Tech Wax
• Hi-Tech Yellow Wax (#26)

This is also the sequence that they are applied in. Yes, it is time consuming. However, the end result is quite superior to what any low-end product alone could achieve. These products represent the lower side of the high-end products and make a great upgrade to the "three step system" consisting of Polish (#1), Glaze (#2) and Wax (#3).

Specialty products like Zaino are much contested, and aren't so much competitors as they are "different." It is the subtle differences between products that people use them for. Examples of such differences include the "wetness" of a finish, the "reflectivity" or shine or even durability.

There is a relatively new product on the scene, known as a "clay bar." It is essentially that - a bar (or wad) of clay. It must always be used with a "lubricant" which can simply be Final Detail, for example. You would use a clay bar in a situation like this... If, after washing and drying your truck - you run a finger (or nail) down the paint and feel any sort of "grit" or roughness. A clay bar will remove surface contamination in the form of industrial fallout (acid rain, airborne polution, etc.) or rail dust. You should ALWAYS wash and dry your vehicle before using the clay bar, then wash and dry it again before proceding with the polishing, glazing and waxing steps. Never use more than gentle pressure, and always use a lubricant - let the clay bar do the work. If you ever drop your clay bar on the ground, it's done. Throw it out.

Preparation (Washing and Drying)

Washing and doing the prep work is critical to ensure best results. Two goals are; 1) clean off all dirt and debris and 2) prevent formation of new swirls. The washing agent you choose should be a high quality, made for automotive use products. They typically do not remove wax, soften the water and are gentle on surfaces, cleaning well by providing "high lubricity" to float off dirt minimizing the risk of marring the paint.

The best way to wash a vehicle is by using a hose at high pressure to wash off as much dirt as possible. You might consider using a brush to quickly go over the toughest spots (rocker panels, rear quarters, etc.)

Then you get into the wash. The "two bucket method" is the safest way to proceed. One bucket contains the warm water and wax-friendly car wash product. The other is purely water, used for rinsing in between. You would wash a section of the vehicle with the first, and rinse the mitt/sponge in the other before returning to the first bucket. This serves to keep most of the grit and dirt separate from the soap. Do a small section at a time and rinse immediately. Continue until the entire truck is done. Start at the top and work your way down and around.

Generally you want to use the aforementioned "wax friendly" products as it will not remove wax or other care products from your paint. Avoid the temptation to use washes that contain wax, unless you're doing quick winter washes or have gone a while without waxing, especially in harsh weather.

• Never use dishwashing liquid (soap) to wash your truck!

That is, unless you want to remove wax. Even then, dishwashing liquid will not remove all (or any) of the better, higher-end products available. If you really with to clean your paint and remove all products - such as when getting ready for a major spring detailing, use something such as Klasse All In One (AIO). Dishwashing liquid will also often strip your paint of necessary oils and is too harsh on rubber and vinyl. These oils should be replaced with a high quality glaze later in the process if you choose this route. It's good in a pinch and if you plan to go the full route post-wash.

You should use an older sponge, designated as the "undercarriage sponge" to do the lowest parts of the truck, but especially the wheel wells, under bumper areas, tires and so on. When you get a fresh sponge, rotate them, tossing out the previous such "undercarriage sponge." It will be gritty and nasty and probably pretty worn at this stage.

Drying your truck should be done as quickly after washing as feasible to prevent the formation of water spots. As a final rinse, use a high volume, low pressure stream of water. It should be aimed down and almost parallel to the surface to promote a sheeting action of drying, rather than a spray or splatter. Allow a few minutes for the excess water to run off and proceed with drying.

A chamois is one way to dry your truck, but is falling out of favor in light of new products on the market. A California Water Blade should really be avoided except for use on glass. The possibility of picking up missed grit and micro marring the paint or introducing swirls is too great. Like any applicator product, drying towels should have a nap that picks up grit and holds it away from the paint to prevent swirls. New products are great examples of this. You should use micro fiber (MF) or Waffle Weave (WW) towels to do your drying over a chamois. While a chamois does an outstanding job, it has virtually no nap to trap grit.

• Whether washing, drying, applying or removing products - you should always do so in a front-back motion, never in circles!

Swirls are so obvious because they are 360º in nature generally, reflecting light from any angle. By working front to back, you can tell if your method(s) are causing swirls, or if you do make some new ones - they'll be straight. Straight swirls are harder to see as they reflect light from a narrow range of angles.

When your truck is dry, the paint should feel smooth - if it does not, consider using a clay bar, and wash/dry again before proceeding.

Use of Paint Care Products

Paint care products fall generally into three categories. Methods of application, removal, layering and other are often debated amongst detailers and also vary depending on the final look desired or amount of TLC the paint requires.

1. The first step is to clean or polish the paint to remove oxidation, embedded dirt, road salts, tar, airborne chemical pollutants, stains, old wax and other surface contaminants that may have built up. Varying in "cut" these products range from scratch removers to swirl removers to fine polishes. Depending on the condition of your paint, you may need a product with a strong cut or just a fine polish. Mother's Scratch Remover does a great job on heavier scratches or marks whereas Meguiar's Swirl Remover 2.0 (with a lighter cut) does a good job on most swirl marks.
2. The second step generally involves nurishing the paint and providing the true gloss. Most products in this category are somewhat oily - because that's what they basically are. They serve to nourish your paint, keeping it "wet" and provide gloss. While this step applies mostly to single stage paint jobs, it definitely does not hurt multi-stage clearcoat jobs like on the Xterra. Any paint can generally stand to be nourished; newer paints just require less of it since they tend to be more durable against UV radiation and contamination, also oxidization. In going the full course, this step should always follow a cleaning and/or polishing.
3. Finally, you want to protect the paint and the gloss you achieved in the previous steps. This is critical as the previous steps are not protected. This is accomplished with a good wax/sealant product. You want to seal the paint from dirt, UV radiation and other environmental contaminants. "Wax" is a bit of a misnomer as not all products are truly wax-based. Some specialty products consist of polymers, synthetic resins and other sealants, some contain pure caranuba wax while others combine both. Products containing silicones are usually avoided since they sometimes affect the ability to repaint - they are not "body shop friendly."

Pure caranuba waxes generally gives your paint a deeper, darker and wetter look - especially the "heavier" type. They are great when layered over sythetic polymer based sealants. Most will not bead water as long as the synthetic polymer sealants alone and is subject to evaporation - especially in summer months. It liquifies at 180 degrees. Typically used to enhance other products or as the final step. Should be applied on a monthly or bi-monthly schedule.

Finally, there are the "in between detailing" products that serve to freshen up the vehicle without becoming too involved. Most are a spray-on product such as Meguiar's Quick Detailer (QD). You should apply and remove these products using a thick nap terry cloth or micro fiber towel and never when the truck is grungy; only when it's somewhat dirty. These products typically serve to float off dust, pollen and mild dirt and water spots and extend the life of your wax/sealant. May also be used as a final or fourth step, if you will.