My Favorite Detailing Products

This is a subject where you'll get many opinions--like what's your favorite color--but here's a list of my favorite detailing products.

I used Zymol on my cars for 15 years. It has a beautiful depth of color and shine, and smells like a day at the beach , but I got tired of the difficult application/removal process and lack of durability (didn't seem to last more than a month or 2). And has anybody ever looked at you funny when they see wax in your refrigerator??!! A few years ago, I heard good things about One Grand Blitz wax, so I tried it and love it. Very easy application/removal and lasts a very long time (I generally wax every 3 or 4 months):
http://www.carcareonline.com/detail....oduct_id=10201

To prep the car before waxing, I wash it with a sheepskin mitt. Start from the top and work your way down and toward the rear, rinsing the mitt frequently:
Sheepskin Dust/Wash Mitt - Cleaning Tools - Car Washing - Car Care - Griot's Garage

I use Zymol Clear auto wash--not cheap, but a bottle lasts forever:
ZYMOL CLEAR 8.5 oz

I dry with a high quality chamois. Many now prefer microfiber towels, but I continue to use a chamois...isn't this a great country?
AutoSport Catalog - Double-Thick Chamois - Double-Thick Chamois 800-953-0814

I wash the wheels with a wheel brush I got from Pep Boys. I don't use any special wheel cleaners, only the same bucket of sudsy water--as the last step--after I've washed the rest of the car.

Twice a year, I clay the surface with Clay Magic after washing (be sure to wax after, since it removes the wax), which removes the surface contaminants that washing won't remove--it leaves the surface silky smooth:
Clay Magic Perfect Finish Kit

I apply the wax with a foam pad--apply to entire car, then buff off with a microfiber towel.

To minimize brake dust sticking to the wheels, I apply RejeX a few times a year. It also works great at minimizing windshield bug splats and exhaust tip discoloration:
RejeX®: So Slick, Bugs Can't Stick!

I use Sprayway glass cleaner on the windows--gets them squeaky clean (I get it at Ace Hardware)

Between washings, I use a California mini duster to remove brake dust from the wheels:
CCCC - The Original California Mini Duster^TM

I use the California car duster on the painted surfaces between washing--works great. Also use a dash duster on the interior--gets all the dust off the black interior.
CCCC - Auto Detailing Kit

I've used Lexol leather conditioner and leather cleaner on the leather interior parts for years with great results.

303 Protectant is great for the tires--keeps them black with a matte finish (I don't like shiny tires!) and lasts several washings:
303 Protectant, 16 oz Spray

Here are my favorites, although my Zaino collection is slowly starting to be displaced by Duragloss:

Exterior
1. Clay: all about the same. I use Dawn detergent solution as lube.
2. Polish: Menzerna PO203S and 85rd.
3. Cleaner/AIO: ZAIO (Zaino is expensive) or Duragloss 501 (reasonably priced, available locally at CarQuest).
4. LSP: Zaino Z2/Z5 (expensive) or Duragloss 105. Can also use DG105 to seal alloy rims.
5. Shampoo: Meguiars Gold Class (wet wash) or Optimum No Rinse (ONR;conserves water).
6. Quick detailer: Zaino Z6, Duragloss 521, or ONR.
7. LSP maintenance spray: Duragloss Aquawax (AW) -- can also spray onto rims.
8. Glass cleaner: Stoners Invisible Glass.
9. Tire dressing: Zaino Z16, Duragloss 253, or Chemical Guys VRP.

Interior
1. Meguiars Natural Shine or 303 Aerospace for dash/doors.
2. Woolite for fabric and carpet.
3. Zaino Z9/10 or Duragloss 441/221 for the leather.

The three products I would consider necessary and sufficient are ONR, AW, and 303. You can pretty much get away with everything and look good doing so with just those three.

I'm a fan of Zaino even though I'm lazy and dont like to do all the work. I do like the Meguiars spray on tire gloss better than the Zaino stuff.

I like NuFinish (crosslinked polymer polish) for the exterior painted surfaces. Supposedly good for a year, but I think that at least twice a year is better; goes on very easy, keeps bugs and stuff from sticking, beads water for a long time, protects the clear coat.

You should try the Meguiar's new for 2009 Supreme Shine for the interior....my interior looks brand new now...nice glossy black without the greasy feeling.

I think I'm obsessed with waxing my new Prius. :blush:

Anyway, I've waxed my new Pearl twice with Meguiar's NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 and it's an "easy on, easy off" sealant that has gotten good reports around the Net. Looks real nice, but I'm not sure how much newer than new it can look.

I had considered Zaino (thanks to Paradox) but wanted to do something quick and the NXT is readily available at local retail shops.

Per recomendations by Jabber and Paradox, I decided to try Zaino on my new car.

I used Zaino Z-7 Show Car Wash to wash off two weeks of road grime and dust.

I dried the car with microfiber towels that were purchased from Costco in a bulk package that contained 20 or so towels. We have very hard water and these towels do very good job of removing all the water.

I waxed the car with Z-5 PRO Show Car Polish. Using the Zaino Custom Polish Applicator, applying the polish was very easy. I applied the polish on black trim pieces as well as the rear wing. Zaino is supposed safe on all non-porous surfaces. I applied the polish to the entire car first. The instructions said that it was okay to leave polish for more that 15 minutes. I wiped the polished off using two new fresh microfiber clothes.

Lastly, I used Meguiar's Quick Wax to clean the door jams, inside of doors, etc. I also used it to clean excess wax in places where I got a little sloppy or around the rear bumper applique. I purchased the Quick Wax from a local auto parts store some time ago.

I purchased the Zaino products from a local retailer.

The car not only shines but the finish feels very hard. Overall, I'm very pleased with the results. By the way, the entire process took 3.5 hours. Now on to the interior...

Did you strip off all previous waxes/sealants with a Dawn wash? If you didn't and just used Z7 for the wash, you may have reduced bonding efficiency of the Z5pro to the clear coat. No big deal though...all it means is that you will have to reapply the Zaino after a few weeks instead of 6 months. You can make the Zaino last longer with regular spraydowns with Z8 after interim washes. Zaino is awesome stuff, and your Gen3 looks gorgeous!

No, I didn't use Dawn. (And I had some in the garage.)

I've heard that the Z8 is really good. I'll have to give that a try once I run out of the Maguiar's Quick Wax.

Thanks for the warning about Costco microfiber towels. I guess that get repurposed for window and other house cleaning chores.

I'll take a close look at the Griots items you suggested.

Off topic... After all that work I did this morning, check out my rant that just happened in the parking lot - http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...7-dont-park-next-range-rovers.html#post881562.

Was it soft before? :drum:

I'm here all week...try the veal.

Good one!

Okay, I have to admit that I am getting way too obsessive about this... However, please indulge me.

Is it really necessary to use a good washing pad or mitt made of microfiber such as this one by Griot's - www.griotsgarage.com/product/11290.do ? Or will most any microfiber mitt from the local department store suffice?

Lots of people swear by microfiber, but I use a high quality sheepskin mit (also from Griot's). They're not expensive, and it's an important cleaning tool. It needs to hold a lot of water to safely carry away dirt particles, and also rinse & release the grit easily so you're not dragging it across the paint.

You really want to get serious about washing, try a foam gun

Suprise, suprise, but when I was younger I was very obssesive about automobile cleaning and keeping my car looking good. I've slown down a little in later years.

However, my advice concerning Washing Pads or Mitts? Since these are products going directly against the surface of your car, DO NOT go cheap. Buy and maintain good quality. Micro-Fiber products do seem to vary greatly in quality. Some of the cheaper Micro-Fiber clothes and Mitts seem way too harsh in my opinion. Some I've seen and felt I'd never let near my cars finish.

I like a good sheepskin wash mitt and if you want Micro-Fiber get top of the line.

You can test whether a particular microfiber product will scratch the clearcoat by taking a blank cd or dvd disc and rubbing it with the cloth. In my experience, the yellow costco mf's do not scratch. The problem with them is that they don't hold up to repeated washes as well, but hey, 36 for $16 is not a bad deal.

The main reason one thinks mf or any sort of mitts scratch is because of trapped dirt particles that are dragged across the paint. Sheepskin draws the particles up into the hair away from the paint. Microfiber traps the dirt in its small loops, again, away from the paint. Use of foam guns and cannons to do a presoak help, again, by drawing particles away from the paint. Using the two bucket wash method helps clean out the dirty wash mitt before it touches the paint again. Etc, etc.