Griot's Washing Process

[Larry_Legend]

I just bought a boat load of products from Griot's Garage and am preparing to wash my car for the first time tomorrow. This is JUST A WASH, no wax or polish (besides spray on wax). Can anyone give me some tips on the best way to wash without causing damage?

I have read the sticky post manual but want to get as much information as possible.

Thanks in advance.

[esses]

For your first wash you probably want to use dishsoap then a claybar, then car washing soap. No sense putting it off and waxing over grime - just means more work later. :wink:

-Prewash
1. Fill bucket 1 with dishsoap and water.
2. Fill bucket 2 with water.
3. Pour half of the dishsoap bucket on the roof then hood, covering as much of the car with runoff as possible.
4. Use microfiber sponge 1 and wipe down the roof, hood, and boot. Dunk microfiber sponge 1 in bucket 2 repeatedly while doing this.
5. Use microfiber sponge 2 and wipe down the side panels, rear bumper, and front bumper. Dunk microfiber sponge 1 in bucket 2 repeatedly while doing this.
6. Spray wheels with hose under high pressure until visible brake dust stops running off. This may take a while.
7. Spray the car down with the hose starting at the top. Use low pressure and let the water sheet off. (How well the water sheets and beads gives you a good idea of when you need to do your next polish/sealant and/or wax job.)
8. Clean both buckets and sponges (or use fresh sponges if you have them).

-Claybar
9. Mix a small amount car cleaner (z7) with water in a spritzer bottle.
10. Use a claybar, starting from the top and working your way down. Pay attention to the front bumper, hood, and areas behind wheels. Use the spritzer to lube areas where you are claybaring and keep folding the claybar.
11. Spray the car down with the hose starting at the top. Use low pressure and let the water sheet off.

-Wash
12. Fill bucket 1 with car cleaner (z7) and water.
13. Fill bucket 2 with water.
14. Dunk microfiber sponge 1 in bucket 1 and wipe down the roof, hood, and boot. Dunk microfiber sponge 1 in bucket 2, squeeze it out, then dunk in bucket 1 repeatedly while doing this.
15. Dunk microfiber sponge 2 and wipe down the side panels, rear bumper, and front bumper. Dunk microfiber sponge 2 in bucket 2, squeeze it out, then dunk in bucket 1 repeatedly while doing this.
16. Use soft cotton rags and thoroughly wipe down wheels. Don't forget to get behind the spokes. Dunk a rag in bucket 1 and use it until it is nasty. Then get a new rag, don't bother trying to clean it in bucket 2.
17. Spray the car down with the hose starting at the top. Use low pressure and let the water sheet off.

-Drying (perhaps the most important part)
1. Put the car in a sunny spot where there is no breeze if possible.
2. Use lots of high quality microfiber. Have 5 clean and dry microfiber cloths at least.
3. Start at the top, and wipe down. No need to apply a lot of pressure.
4. If you see something you missed, do not rub it out with a drying cloth. Grab the spritzer and a clean sponge to do any followup cleaning.
5. Once a cloth becomes wet to the touch, swap out for a dry one. I use 1 cloth for the roof and boot, 1 for the trunk, 1 for the passenger side panels, 1 for the drivers side panels, 1 for the bumpers, 1 for the windows, and 4 clean cotton towels for the wheels.
6. Pop the hood and boot to wipe down corners, open the doors to wipe down the sills.
7. Use a CO2 can (available at any office/computer store) to blow off any other nook where water pools up.

Then go about applying protection. Groits and wax, if that's your style. Personally, I find zaino polish and sealants to be a far superior product and recommend the following: zAIO, z6, z5, z6, z2, zGF, z2, zCS. Add a coat of zGF every few days and the car will constantly look like it rolled off center stage at a car show.

Remember to wash microfiber on delicate setting without any bleach or fabric softener. Dry on perm press.

http://zainostore.com
^- best products in the biz
http://www.detailedimage.com/Microfiber-C24/
^- good selection of microfiber

[Larry_Legend]

Just was planning on a wash here, not a full soup to nuts treatment. Since this is a weekend only driver, wanted to hold off on the wax and polish until late august. If anyone can give tips on just washing, please send that along. Much appreciated though! Thanks

[B25 Jim]

You can pretty well follow the wash section above.

I use Griots products personally... My weekly wash (this is after a serious weekend of detailing awhile ago) is a wash and spray-on wax. I start by spraying down the wheels and wheel wells, and cleaning these with a wheel cleaner, degreaser for the wells, and rubber cleaner for the tires. I do this first so I don't get any of my cleaning or drying gear messy in those areas. Next I spray down the car with high pressure, trying to get off as much junk as possible just with the water. Then I use a mit and a grit guard bucket (yes, the griots one) and the griots soap. I start with the top of the car, wash the entire roof. Then I use a low pressure to spray it down. I use a chamois to pickup the majority of the water, then I spray on the wax, and use a microfiber dry towel to dry it completely. I work my way to the hood and front of the car next with the same procedure. I make sure my mit stays very clean, using the grit guard at the bottom of the bucket to get all the dirt off. I work my way to the back of the car from the front. Usually it's a sequence of:
Roof,
winshield,
Hood,
Front bumper,
Front Quarter panels,
Doors,
Trunk Deck,
Rear Quarters,
Rear Bumper.

That order seems to minimize my time spent. Be sure to dry under the trunk lid, door sills, under the hood, etc. After that, I apply the Vinyl and Rubber dressing to the tires. I also clean the windows, mirrors, and head/tail lights after the fact, incase I got any spray-on wax on them. I personally really liked the Griots Detailers handbook... I'm sure I'll get hell for it, but I learned a lot from it, and got a lot of helpful tips.

[Larry_Legend]

Thanks for the tips. Away I go...