Wash & Wax Time . . . . . . But Which One And How?

[DaveD]

Right, I'm gonna say it.........
Snowfoam looks great, impresses the neighbours and makes kids laugh.
But I'm not doing it again.
Today I put my usual snowfoam solution in a knapsack sprayer, diluted it and sprayed the van all over. Then I went over it again to make sure I hadn't missed anywhere. I then pressure washed as per usual.
I used about half the amount of product as I normally used and it worked brilliantly, if a lot less fun to watch.

 

[Ayjay]

I've said on here before that I don't actually clean my van that often and that I'm [almost] ashamed of the fact when I see how seriously some of you take it. The last time that I did was it was around October last year and then I followed what has become my usual regime of pressure wash, snow foam, rinse and wash with Gtecnich Ceramic Wash and, finally, a spray and polish with Turtlewax Ceramic Spray. Although it doesn't finish as super shiny as some of you seem to get, it doesn't take so much effort and, more to the point I'm happy with the result.
Yesterday, I looked at the van and started thinking that it was probably time for another wash when I also noticed that the small panel under the fuel door (and the lower bit of that as well) was a lot dirtier than the surrounding area and realised that I might well have missed that bit when I applied the Turtlewax as a final coat back in October - can't think of any other explanation and i think it also provides pretty good evidence that the Turtlewax does do a job.

 

[Paynewright]

Spotted these in Morrisons £4 for 16. I wouldn’t use them for polishing but ideal for other van cleaning jobs and at 25p each are throw away! (Not environmentally friendly but you know what I mean!)

Added bonus I sneaked them onto the household food cost centre

 

[Paynewright]

Shame I didnt spot them before Mothers Day!!

 

[Chippie1]

Sonax Hypercoat Game changer!

 

[Chippie1]

Sonax Hypercoat Game changer!

After a little shower today does make me smile when I see a nice beading wow what a sad b*****d

 

[Stay Frosty]

We're all a bit guilty of that though...



Carnauba and way too much rubbing and yes I have looked up Sonax Hypercoat now

 

[Chippie1]

It’s around £38 a litre but at a ratio of around 1:100 it goes a very long way
Compared to others I’ve used at a higher ratio it’s a bit of a bargain and a great product

 

[JumpShip]

I've even been guilty of deliberately squirting the van after i've polished it just to see it bead

I'm a recent sonax convert (after another recommendation on here) i'm now gonna have to go look for some of that

 

[Sasquatch]

I've even been guilty of deliberately squirting the van after i've polished it

Steady on - this is a family friendly forum!

 

[DanW81]

I dont know how I have missed this topic. One of my favourite parts of vehicle ownership, my enthusiastic novice approach to cleaning them.
For me
Bilt hamber touchless
Gtechniq gwash wheels and body
Bilt hamber QD diluted.

Will be machine polishing and ceramic coating my van in the coming months.
Windows washed, polished, Gtechniq g4 sealant
Rinseless wash diluted for windscreen cleaning.
Carpro perl tyres and engine plastics
Wheels and brakes ceramic coated.
Gtechniq c4 trim restorer on plastics

Maintenance
Gtechniq glue tar remover
Gtechniq waterspot remover
Carpro synthetic clay cloth
Williams iron fallout remover

Boring f@@@@%% I know

 

[Roberts83]

I dont know how I have missed this topic. One of my favourite parts of vehicle ownership, my enthusiastic novice approach to cleaning them.
For me
Bilt hamber touchless
Gtechniq gwash wheels and body
Bilt hamber QD diluted.

Will be machine polishing and ceramic coating my van in the coming months.
Windows washed, polished, Gtechniq g4 sealant
Rinseless wash diluted for windscreen cleaning.
Carpro perl tyres and engine plastics
Wheels and brakes ceramic coated.
Gtechniq c4 trim restorer on plastics

Maintenance
Gtechniq glue tar remover
Gtechniq waterspot remover
Carpro synthetic clay cloth
Williams iron fallout remover

Boring f@@@@%% I know

Not as bad as my routine... my vans take 8 hrs each....

 

[DanW81]

Not as bad as my routine... my vans take 8 hrs each....

Blimey, thats a day's work.
I've managed to get it down to 90mins start to finish with set up and pack down

I invested in a ego blower the other year. Very nice tool for quick drying when using product like bilt hamber touch on or Gtechniq ceramic wash, until the van is polished and ceramic coated. Blows the beads of after final rinse and makes the drying very quickly.

 

[Roberts83]

Blimey, thats a day's work.
I've managed to get it down to 90mins start to finish with set up and pack down

I invested in a ego blower the other year. Very nice tool for quick drying when using product like bilt hamber touch on or Gtechniq ceramic wash, until the van is polished and ceramic coated. Blows the beads of after final rinse and makes the drying very quickly.

Yeah it's crazy.... that's doing the whole van... inside and out

 

[Macp]

Yeah it's crazy.... that's doing the whole van... inside and out

Talking of crazy I find cleaning the car/van quietens my mind significantly.

 

[DanW81]

Talking of crazy I find cleaning the car/van quietens my mind significantly.

Agree, I put a podcast on and go with the flow

 

[Roberts83]

Talking of crazy I find cleaning the car/van quietens my mind significantly.

Same here, its my happy place along with fixing the splitty up

 

[John A]

Blimey, thats a day's work.
I've managed to get it down to 90mins start to finish with set up and pack down

I invested in a ego blower the other year. Very nice tool for quick drying when using product like bilt hamber touch on or Gtechniq ceramic wash, until the van is polished and ceramic coated. Blows the beads of after final rinse and makes the drying very quickly.

Likewise

I had mine ceramic coated in 2024 - I assume it still does something as it was supposed to be a 5-year coating.
Depending on whether I feel it needs a bit of rejuvenation or not it'll be pre-wash, rinse, contact wash, rinse and one of those Si03 or 'ceramic' foams at the end just as a sacrificial coating.
If I don't mind spending a bit more time, I'll pay more attention to the wheels, use the Labo Cosmetica 2ph wash and clean and protect the windscreen - the latter only applies if I can leave it in the garage overnight to go off, otherwise it's not worth it. I had a windscreen protected once and drove home in the rain and it was gone by the time I got back.

 

[DanW81]

Likewise

I had mine ceramic coated in 2024 - I assume it still does something as it was supposed to be a 5-year coating.
Depending on whether I feel it needs a bit of rejuvenation or not it'll be pre-wash, rinse, contact wash, rinse and one of those Si03 or 'ceramic' foams at the end just as a sacrificial coating.
If I don't mind spending a bit more time, I'll pay more attention to the wheels, use the Labo Cosmetica 2ph wash and clean and protect the windscreen - the latter only applies if I can leave it in the garage overnight to go off, otherwise it's not worth it. I had a windscreen protected once and drove home in the rain and it was gone by the time I got back.

Likewise

I had mine ceramic coated in 2024 - I assume it still does something as it was supposed to be a 5-year coating.
Depending on whether I feel it needs a bit of rejuvenation or not it'll be pre-wash, rinse, contact wash, rinse and one of those Si03 or 'ceramic' foams at the end just as a sacrificial coating.
If I don't mind spending a bit more time, I'll pay more attention to the wheels, use the Labo Cosmetica 2ph wash and clean and protect the windscreen - the latter only applies if I can leave it in the garage overnight to go off, otherwise it's not worth it. I had a windscreen protected once and drove home in the rain and it was gone by the time I got back.

I am always suspicious of these long term coating claims. Yes if your vehicle is solely used a couple of times a year, garaged and meticulously washed everything week, I can get on board with this.
However, if it is a driveway van, environmental fallout, rain etc will clog and destroy a coating within months, especially if not washed regularly. I factor in 2years for my coatings. I try not to top up every wash with a 'topper' just so I can see how it is performing.
Once everything 2 months, I will apply fallout and waterspot. I find this alone does de-clog the coating.

It sounds like they applied rainex or equivalent for the windscreen coating to fail that quickly.
I get around 3/4 months from gtechniq g4 rain sealant. But prep work is required like most coatings.
Gtechniq g1 g2, normally around 12months max i have found.