Hey ppls,
As promised last night at the meeting, here is some information about Final Inspection and their services.
Final Inspection
95-101 Brunswick Road, Brunswick, VICTORIA 3056
(03) 9387 8008
[email protected]
Forums are at www.finalinspection.com.au/forums
Go there, register and have a look at some simply amazing detailing work.
And by the grace of Damien, the proprietor of Final Inspection, and arguably the BEST Automotive detailer in the country, here is the Final Inspection guide to SCRATCH FREE car washing.
The Final Inspection Recommended Washing Process
This informative blog is to educate on proper washing technique. It was developed as a solution for fussy owners to help dramatically reduce swirls (micro scratches) and spider-webbing caused by harsh and incorrect washing techniques, products, methods etc.
The instructions incorporate two new and very different procedures designed by me for Black car owners but should be adopted by all enthusiasts:
1. The Pre-rinse technique. A proven valuable process (specially designed for Black car owners).
2. The single bucket method (allowing easy, but safe rinsing).
The instructions are broken into 5 easy steps showing how to wash the car including wheels, wheel arches and glass - safely and easily.
Tools & Products needed.
1. Water, either a trigger hose adaptor or high-pressure unit is necessary (water restrictive technique is described in another blog available from the Final Inspection Website).
2. One clean bucket filled with Hot Water (~60 deg Celsius).
3. Two Microfibre Wash mitts, one for Wheels, Wheel Arches & Tyres and one for the Body.
4. A Microfibre Drying Towel
5. Final Inspection Auto Detailing Body Shampoo
6. Final Inspection Auto Detailing Power Wheel Cleaner.
7. Final Inspection Auto Detailing Tyre Dressing.
8. Final Inspection General Purpose Cleaner.
Step 1 – Cleaning Wheels, Tyres & Wheel Arches
It is a good idea to regularly clean your Wheel Arches to stop build up of dirt on these plastics (or sound deadening fabric e.g. Alfa Romeo, Audi etc.)
Spray gentle, non-caustic General Purpose Cleaner or degreaser onto these plastics or fabric as well as your tyres to remove and stop build up of old Tyre Dressing. Agitate if necessary.
Spray gentle, non-caustic Wheel Cleaner onto wheels and agitate if necessary.
Rinse Wheel arches first, then Tyres and Wheels (High Pressure Recommended).
Step 2 – Initial Rinse
High Pressure (recommended) your vehicle from top to bottom removing all co****, loose debris.
Step 3 – Pre-Rinse Technique
Spray a small amount of Body Shampoo at the top of each panel. There is no need to use too much product. If you have a foam gun, this will be useful to apply body shampoo here.
Rinse your Body Shampoo off the vehicle starting from the top down.
This is the Pre-Rinse method and ensures more of the dirt on the vehicles exterior surfaces is removed.
The Body Shampoo will pick up and hold the dirt ‘in suspension’ and upon rinsing the car, the soap ‘holding’ the dirty material will be rinsed off the surfaces.
The surfaces are not clean but will appear cleaner as there is less dirt on the surfaces. The washing now removes what is left on the vehicle with minimal dirt being pushed into the painted surfaces greatly reducing the chance of causing swirls (micro scratches).
Swirls are caused when abrasives are moved across the surface, reducing the amount of these abrasives on the surface prior to washing reduces the degree of damage.
Every time you wash your car, you will be causing damage to your paint. It is impossible not to cause micro scratches and on dark colours they appear to be worse. It is even worse if you do not wash at all as the dirt will be harder to remove when you have to and cause greater damage. The trick is to wash the vehicle as safely as possible and the Pre-Rinse technique helps dramatically.
Step 4 – Body Washing
Wash the car with a Microfibre Mitt and Body Shampoo.
Dip the Mitt into the bucket of water to moisten it. Spray the Mitt with Body Shampoo and wash a panel from top to bottom without overlapping the strokes. Overlapping means over washing, you don’t have to wipe the same area of the surface more than once and doing so is unnecessary.
After washing the panel, dip the Mitt into the Bucket of Hot Water and with your fingers, push the dirt from the Mitt into the water in effect, cleaning the mitt of all the dirt it has picked up from the surface.
The dirt will fall to the bottom of the bucket and the top section of the bucket will remain clean.
The Micro fibres in the Mitt will ‘open’ in hot water and release all the dirt in them, when it is removed from the bucket and squeezed dry it is ready for use again.
Microfibre is also much less abrasive than Lambs Wool, sponge or cotton and thus is gentler to use.
Continue washing all panels & Glass with this method.
Step 5 – Final Rinse & Drying
Rinse the car (High Pressure Recommended) and dry with a Microfibre Drying Towel.
After the 1st Final Rinse (and only if local coucils permit) use a watering can or hose without attachment to 'sheet' water from the top of each panel down to help disperse water from the panel. This will leave less water on the surfaces and help reduce Drying time and the amount of overlapping passes with your Drying Towel, again, reducing contact with the surface and reducing Swirls (Micro Scratches).
Polish & Wax the car if/as you normally would. For information on correct Polishing & Waxing see the Final Inspection Website.
I hope you find this interesting.
BASS OUT
Check out the forums.
The GTT has a turbo.