Detailing your Type R

Josh May

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Hey Guys,

I’m wanting know what are the best products I can use to detail the type r or any car. (Best foam guns, waxes, soaps) all the good stuff. Thanks for all the help.
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Hey Guys,

I’m wanting know what are the best products I can use to detail the type r or any car. (Best foam guns, waxes, soaps) all the good stuff. Thanks for all the help.
Exterior I use CarPro everything. Interior I use Sonax.

Autogeek.net they do 25% off every other week.
 

CanadaCivic

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I am a detailer. I wrote this in another thread but most will still apply here. My focus is on value, ease of application, and performance rather than just buying the most expensive stuff out there. I also assume people will do a pretty thorough detail at least twice per year.


EDITED TO REMOVE THE RAG COMPANY FROM RECOMMENDATIONS - they sent me defective product and is refusing to stand behind their product despite photo/video evidence. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM.


Foam Cannon
: Grab a MTACC unit off Amazon. Any quality car soap will do, such as Chemical Guys Mr. Pink. You can buy most of these in gallon jugs for cheap. If you're using a pressure washer, GPM is much more important than PSI, especially for foam generation.

Steamer: McCulloch 1375 is the go-to for many unless you want to spend $1000+

Detail Brushes: Buy some boar's hair brushes off Amazon, or buy Detail Factory brushes if you want the very best.

Vacuum: Anything decent will do. It's more important to have the right attachments for car detailing like the skinnier ones and ones with brushes.

Pet Hair Removal: Lilly brushes are the industry standard.

Carpet/Upholstry Extractor: Bissell 3624C is the go-to unless you want to spend $1000+. The "Pet Pro" version is identical if you find it cheaper.

Paint Decontamination: 3D BDX or CarPro Iron X. Most iron removers have the exact same active ingredient (20-25% sodium salts) so just buy what is cheapest so long as it is PH neutral and paint/wheel safe. DO NOT use acid based cleaners even though they may be cheaper - they are usually labelled as wheel cleaners.

Clay: Clay towels are so much better than traditional clay, and you don't have to throw them out if you drop them. I use a Nanoskin Autoscrub Handy Towel. You can get clay mitts and clay sponges too, whatever your preference.

Engine Degreaser: Superclean is my favorite, it's dirt cheap, biodegradable, and works for so many other applications around the home. For engine bays the aersol foam is the best if you can find it because it clings to everything but it comes in a variety of forms.

All Purpose Cleaner: Lots of good ones out there, just make sure you buy one that is not caustic. I like Chemical Guys ALL Clean (Citrus base). A gallon jug will last you years at the dilution ratios.

Fabric/Upholstery Cleaner: I like Chemical Guys Fabric Clean. Smells amazing, foams well, works great, and has ozone based odor eliminators in it. Safe on every fabric/carpet I've ever seen.

Glass: Lots of good ones here. Stoner Invisible Glass, Meguiars Perfect Clarity, Mothers ReVision. Make sure you use a waffle weave or diamond weave microfiber for application and buffing - regular microfibers will leave millions of fibers on your glass.

Rinseless Wash / Clay Lube: Optimum no-rinse is the obvious choice here for both purposes. Even makes a good quick detail spray in a pinch.

Pump sprayers/Foamers: Buy the appropriate product from IK (a spanish company). You just need to choose your nozzle and chemical resistance based on what you will be using it for. The foamers are amazing as they will foam almost any product (I like it for fabric solution so it doesn't soak into the seat foam).

Safety: 3M 60926 Multi-Gas cartridges used with an appropriate face mask will cover you for virtually everything for automotive detailing and pretty much everything else around the house. Looking at around $70-100 for everything which is a small price to pay IMO. Use whatever nitrile gloves, ear protection, and eye protection you feel comfortable with. I also like using a cheap LED headlamp.

For Paint/PPF:
If I were you I would just use the Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Coating (lasts up to 12 months with 2 coats on a prepped car). Maintain/restore it with their companion products (3n1 Ceramic Quick Detailer and Ceramic Wet Wax). Everything is super cheap despite it's quality and can be found at places like WalMart in the USA if I am not mistaken. It's not like the Turtle Wax of the past, they have a new chemist now and it's actually an excellent product that does very well in objective testing (beats the Meguiars ceramic wax, Mothers CMX, chemical guys ceramic wax, etc. in longevity, water sheeting, and chemical resistance). It also has the same grade of UV inhibitors in it as your vehicle's paint. Lastly, I like that you don't have to throw out your microfibers after using them like you do with higher Si02 content products. Forget regular waxes/sealants, ceramic technology has come a long way - cost and ease of application has improved dramatically. Graphene is the "next big thing" but is very much still in its infancy.

It's dead simple to apply (less is more), just make sure you take the time to do a proper decontamination of the car first (good wash + iron/tar remover + clay bar). That is what I do - I find it the easiest way to not only protect my car but also deal with the upkeep. There are better products on the professional market, but they are harder to maintain, don't always last longer, and much more expensive for the average car enthusiast. Many people who get ceramic coatings do not maintain or refresh them and end up disappointed with the longevity and hydrophobicity they were promised when they bought it. The only product I don't really care for in the Hybrid Solutions lineup is the ceramic car wash, but the 2n1 ceramic polish is also a great time saving product if you ever buy a D/A polisher and get into that (don't use any polish or cutting compound on PPF by the way, you'll turn it hazy).

If you want a "professional" ceramic product that you can apply yourself, look at the Cquartz UK 3.0 Kit w/reload spray (Reload is for maintenance). This is basically a consumer version of the "professional" coatings. They claim it will last up to 2 years under ideal circumstances. Installation is more technically difficult than the above spray-on products but not too bad. I personally find it easier to maintain a vehicle with the Hybrid Solutions products, but this is fine too if you prefer. As long as you're maintaining the paint regularly with whatever product you choose, you aren't going to run into the limits of any of these products anyway. Be wary of the products claiming to last 5, 7, 10+ years, as none of them have even been around that long to be tested in real world conditions....also, people interested in coatings like that probably are the same people who don't like to do maintenance and are more likely to end up disappointed. If you detail your car every 6 months or so, you really don't need anything that lasts too much longer than that if it's getting re-done anyway. Similar to the Cquartz product would be something like this: https://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-coating-complete-kit.html

The end goal of any coating is to keep water, dirt, contaminants, bird poop, eggs, gasoline, salt, graffiti, etc. off your paint/PPF until you are able to clean it. They make maintenance washes much easier as less sticks to the paint. Bugs and tree sap come off way easier. It also adds additional UV protection against fading. Ceramic coatings themselves are usually only a couple microns in thickness, so they offer little to no physical damage protection, but are extremely chemically resistant. You can put most ceramic coatings on glass too, but if you use your wipers a lot it will wear off pretty quick at least on that surface.

303 Has a brand new inexpensive spray-on graphene coating that is getting rave reviews but it is very new.

Always make sure you're washing your car with the 2-bucket method with grit-guards in the pails. Use a separate mitt for wheels/rocker panels than the one you use on the paint.

Polish: Again, tons of good stuff out there. Right now I like Turtle Wax Ceramic Polish. It's a "one and done" product that cuts Japanese paint really well (and safely), and leaves behind a ceramic coating when you're done. Saves so much time if you know you're going to be polishing anyway. Another excellent product is 3D ONE. Any dual action polisher with a blue pad (or similar) will be just fine here, or you can do it by hand if you're up to it haha.

Trim:
The best thing I have ever used for trim is this: https://thelastcoat.com/products/ceratrim-ceramic-powered-trim-restorer-8-oz?variant=31608018174070

It goes on easy, turns the trim a gorgeous deep black (and keeps it that way), leaving behind a true ceramic coating. This would be for things like the rougher, more porous plastic like the plastic vents in the front wheel flares, certain engine bay pieces, plastic sides of the open hatch lid, the plastic under your windshield wipers, etc. For the shinier trim pieces like the plastic on the sideview mirrors and B pillars, you would just coat those in whatever ceramic coating you use for the paint. The B pillars in particular with their "piano black" look will show swirls super easily, so you may want to just PPF those. This product will also restore old faded black trim that is turning grey/white - just make sure the trim is super clean before you use this product (clean it with an all purpose cleaner and a soft brush or microfiber first).

Interior/Plastic/Vinyl/Rubber/Tires:
For interior plastics/vinyl and other general plastics in the engine bay, etc. the go-to product for pretty much all detailers is 303 Aerospace Protectant. It's a water based silicone product with very high grade UV inhibitors in it. Buffing it off improves adhesion and it Leaves a non-greasy matte finish behind. Works great as a tire dressing and on your door seals to keep them from drying out. I even use it on the rubber on my DSLR camera grips to keep them looking new. CarPro Pearl is good too but more expensive for the same thing.

Interior/Fabric/Alcantara:
For fabric and Alcantara, the best thing I have used is gtechniq i1 smart fabric. It goes on 100% clear, doesn't affect the feel or color of the fabric/alcantara, and provides a strong hydrophobic barrier against sweat, moisture, stains, spills, etc. and makes it easier to clean. To clean the Alcantara, the go-to product is Sonax Alcantara and Upholstry cleaner.

Wheels:
For your rims, you can either get them completely clean (use a good acid-free, PH-neutral wheel cleaner like Sonax Wheel Cleaner with a microfiber wheel brush or similar) and then apply the same ceramic coating on them that you use on your paint, or what I like to do is use a product like CarPro Hydr02, which is a spray-on ceramic coating that is activated by high pressure water. You literally go to the car wash, coat you rims in it, then hit them with a high pressure rinse and you'll have a full layer of ceramic protection left behind. It works great on anything hard to reach or full of nooks & crannies that would be impossible (or time consuming) to apply a normal ceramic coating too. It doesn't last as long as a traditional coating, but it could not be easier to apply. Geyon Wetcoat does the same thing, but detailer feedback seems to favor the CarPro variant. If you're looking for a very high-end option, CarPro DLUX is a very good wheel coating, but unnecessary if you are going to re-apply every time you swap your rims for winter anyway.

Mats:
I am not sure if you can get these in the USA (they are also sold as 'Tuxmats'), but Costco sells them as Phantom Mats for cheaper. No other mat I've ever seen even comes close to the same coverage, and these even include trim clips to hold them in place everywhere: https://www.costco.ca/phantom-custom-fit-car-floor-mats---starting-at-$199.99.product.100017140.html

They cover way more than even the most expensive laser-measured WeatherTech or Husky mats. They look pretty good in the CTR too, in my opinion. I peeled the interior delivery plastic protecting my carpet and put a set of these in immediately after.

Microfibers:
Lastly, make sure you get yourself some good quality microfibers. A lot of people overlook this and it's actually extremely important.

Japanese cars in general, including Honda, have very soft clearcoat. The positive thing is that it's very easy to correct, the negative obviously is it's more prone to swirls/chips. The opposite is true for German cars, for example, which typically have very hard clear coat - they scratch less easily, but are more of a pain to correct with a polish/compound.

Buy quality microfiber cloths/mitts and learn how to care for them. AVOID THE RAG COMPANY - there are lots of other good companies out there that care about their customers. The key is to only touch your paint with microfiber that is 30% polyamide. Any less and you will risk micro-scratches in your paint, especially soft Honda paint. The yellow Costco towels for example are only 20% polyamide and I would only use them on top of PPF or for interiors or wheels if you want to be picky about your paint. There are lots of cheap/crappy microfibers out there so be careful. On harder clear coat, 20% is probably fine, but for Japanese cars I would always suggest 30% polyamide content (the balance will be polyester).

For general purpose use and interior, just use the yellow plush Costco packs of microfibers (20% polyamide). For anything touching your paint, I would buy some nicer ones (I use Rag Company Eagle Edgeless 365). For drying, the very best towels are terry weave microfiber (like the Rag Company Double Twistress), or you can use a waffle weave towel (waffle weave gives it extra surface area) - lots of companies make these. Again make sure your drying towel is 30% polyamide if possible.

Caring for microfiber towels is also a very important part of preventing swirls. Always wash new towels before using them to avoid lint. The tips of the microfibers melt around 140F, so make sure you are washing them on warm or cold, and drying them on extra low or air-dry. If the tips melt (microfibers are like tiny fingers), you can't tell visually, they will micro-mar your paint and are no longer usable, at least for paint duty. I actually used an infra-red temperature gun in my dryer before I got comfortable with the settings (yes, I am that anal), but extra low should be fine. Second, use a dedicated microfiber wash that is designed specifically to dissolve things like polishes, waxes, and other car products - I like 3D Towel Kleen the best and you can buy it cheaply in 1 gallon jugs. Throw a little white vinegar in your fabric softener port as well for an extra boost to clear out any residues (or whichever setting will dispense during the rinse cycle). Add at least one extra rinse to the cycle as well, if possible. You will be amazed how soft your towels come out (they will actually get softer over time with proper care), and how clean they will stay. Never wash the towels with anything else other than other microfibers, if you wash them with clothes or cotton, they will pick up so much stuff they will probably be ruined.

Another good practice is to keep a bucket full of water and some microfiber wash solution (or your favorite all purpose cleaner) next to your workspace, and when a towel is used up, toss it in the bucket to pre-soak them while you finish your detail and it will begin breaking down the residues so they wash easier

--------------------------

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. The above is what works well for me after dozens of hours of research, talking to other detailers, and testing products myself. Other people may have different opinions and as always, YMMV.
 
Last edited:
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OP

Josh May

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Thank you very much for all the valuable information. I used to wash all my cars 10-15 years ago and when I got married I had to sell my evo and s2000 to take care of our baby and get us a house. Needless to say I’ve been out of the game a long time even wanting to wash a car but it’s time for me to get back into my passion. While I’ve looked at other cars I wanted something nice, quick and has a back seat for a daily so I can take the baby in and to the track if I want. I’ll be all set once I get several cleaning products and I plan to buy a lift either this year or early next year for mods. Since I’ve been out of the game for so long I knew there would be plenty of new products that would work better then what I used back in the day.
I am a detailer. I wrote this in another thread but most will still apply here. My focus is on value, ease of application, and performance rather than just buying the most expensive stuff out there. I also assume people will do a pretty thorough detail at least twice per year.

Foam Cannon: Grab a MTACC unit off Amazon. Any quality car soap will do, such as Chemical Guys Mr. Pink. You can buy most of these in gallon jugs for cheap. If you're using a pressure washer, GPM is much more important than PSI, especially for foam generation.

Steamer: McCulloch 1375 is the go-to for many unless you want to spend $1000+

Detail Brushes: Buy some boar's hair brushes off Amazon, or buy Detail Factory brushes if you want the very best.

Vacuum: Anything decent will do. It's more important to have the right attachments for car detailing like the skinnier ones and ones with brushes.

Pet Hair Removal: Lilly brushes are the industry standard.

Carpet/Upholstry Extractor: Bissell 3624C is the go-to unless you want to spend $1000+. The "Pet Pro" version is identical if you find it cheaper.

Paint Decontamination: 3D BDX or CarPro Iron X. Most iron removers have the exact same active ingredient (20-25% sodium salts) so just buy what is cheapest so long as it is PH neutral and paint/wheel safe. DO NOT use acid based cleaners even though they may be cheaper - they are usually labelled as wheel cleaners.

Clay: Clay towels are so much better than traditional clay, and you don't have to throw them out if you drop them. I use a Nanoskin Autoscrub Handy Towel. You can get clay mitts and clay sponges too, whatever your preference.

Engine Degreaser: Superclean is my favorite, it's dirt cheap, biodegradable, and works for so many other applications around the home. For engine bays the aersol foam is the best if you can find it because it clings to everything but it comes in a variety of forms.

All Purpose Cleaner: Lots of good ones out there, just make sure you buy one that is not caustic. I like Chemical Guys ALL Clean (Citrus base). A gallon jug will last you years at the dilution ratios.

Fabric/Upholstery Cleaner: I like Chemical Guys Fabric Clean. Smells amazing, foams well, works great, and has ozone based odor eliminators in it. Safe on every fabric/carpet I've ever seen.

Glass: Lots of good ones here. Stoner Invisible Glass, Meguiars Perfect Clarity, Mothers ReVision. Make sure you use a waffle weave or diamond weave microfiber for application and buffing - regular microfibers will leave millions of fibers on your glass.

Rinseless Wash / Clay Lube: Optimum no-rinse is the obvious choice here for both purposes. Even makes a good quick detail spray in a pinch.

Pump sprayers/Foamers: Buy the appropriate product from IK (a spanish company). You just need to choose your nozzle and chemical resistance based on what you will be using it for. The foamers are amazing as they will foam almost any product (I like it for fabric solution so it doesn't soak into the seat foam).

Safety: 3M 60926 Multi-Gas cartridges used with an appropriate face mask will cover you for virtually everything for automotive detailing and pretty much everything else around the house. Looking at around $70-100 for everything which is a small price to pay IMO. Use whatever nitrile gloves, ear protection, and eye protection you feel comfortable with. I also like using a cheap LED headlamp.

For Paint/PPF:
If I were you I would just use the Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Coating (lasts up to 12 months with 2 coats on a prepped car). Maintain/restore it with their companion products (3n1 Ceramic Quick Detailer and Ceramic Wet Wax). Everything is super cheap despite it's quality and can be found at places like WalMart in the USA if I am not mistaken. It's not like the Turtle Wax of the past, they have a new chemist now and it's actually an excellent product that does very well in objective testing (beats the Meguiars ceramic wax, Mothers CMX, chemical guys ceramic wax, etc. in longevity, water sheeting, and chemical resistance). It also has the same grade of UV inhibitors in it as your vehicle's paint. Lastly, I like that you don't have to throw out your microfibers after using them like you do with higher Si02 content products. Forget regular waxes/sealants, ceramic technology has come a long way - cost and ease of application has improved dramatically. Graphene is the "next big thing" but is very much still in its infancy.

It's dead simple to apply (less is more), just make sure you take the time to do a proper decontamination of the car first (good wash + iron/tar remover + clay bar). That is what I do - I find it the easiest way to not only protect my car but also deal with the upkeep. There are better products on the professional market, but they are harder to maintain, don't always last longer, and much more expensive for the average car enthusiast. Many people who get ceramic coatings do not maintain or refresh them and end up disappointed with the longevity and hydrophobicity they were promised when they bought it. The only product I don't really care for in the Hybrid Solutions lineup is the ceramic car wash, but the 2n1 ceramic polish is also a great time saving product if you ever buy a D/A polisher and get into that (don't use any polish or cutting compound on PPF by the way, you'll turn it hazy).

If you want a "professional" ceramic product that you can apply yourself, look at the Cquartz UK 3.0 Kit w/reload spray (Reload is for maintenance). This is basically a consumer version of the "professional" coatings. They claim it will last up to 2 years under ideal circumstances. Installation is more technically difficult than the above spray-on products but not too bad. I personally find it easier to maintain a vehicle with the Hybrid Solutions products, but this is fine too if you prefer. As long as you're maintaining the paint regularly with whatever product you choose, you aren't going to run into the limits of any of these products anyway. Be wary of the products claiming to last 5, 7, 10+ years, as none of them have even been around that long to be tested in real world conditions....also, people interested in coatings like that probably are the same people who don't like to do maintenance and are more likely to end up disappointed. If you detail your car every 6 months or so, you really don't need anything that lasts too much longer than that if it's getting re-done anyway. Similar to the Cquartz product would be something like this: https://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-coating-complete-kit.html

The end goal of any coating is to keep water, dirt, contaminants, bird poop, eggs, gasoline, salt, graffiti, etc. off your paint/PPF until you are able to clean it. They make maintenance washes much easier as less sticks to the paint. Bugs and tree sap come off way easier. It also adds additional UV protection against fading. Ceramic coatings themselves are usually only a couple microns in thickness, so they offer little to no physical damage protection, but are extremely chemically resistant. You can put most ceramic coatings on glass too, but if you use your wipers a lot it will wear off pretty quick at least on that surface.

303 Has a brand new inexpensive spray-on graphene coating that is getting rave reviews but it is very new.

Always make sure you're washing your car with the 2-bucket method with grit-guards in the pails. Use a separate mitt for wheels/rocker panels than the one you use on the paint.

Polish: Again, tons of good stuff out there. Right now I like Turtle Wax Ceramic Polish. It's a "one and done" product that cuts Japanese paint really well (and safely), and leaves behind a ceramic coating when you're done. Saves so much time if you know you're going to be polishing anyway. Another excellent product is 3D ONE. Any dual action polisher with a blue pad (or similar) will be just fine here, or you can do it by hand if you're up to it haha.

Trim:
The best thing I have ever used for trim is this: https://thelastcoat.com/products/ceratrim-ceramic-powered-trim-restorer-8-oz?variant=31608018174070

It goes on easy, turns the trim a gorgeous deep black (and keeps it that way), leaving behind a true ceramic coating. This would be for things like the rougher, more porous plastic like the plastic vents in the front wheel flares, certain engine bay pieces, plastic sides of the open hatch lid, the plastic under your windshield wipers, etc. For the shinier trim pieces like the plastic on the sideview mirrors and B pillars, you would just coat those in whatever ceramic coating you use for the paint. The B pillars in particular with their "piano black" look will show swirls super easily, so you may want to just PPF those. This product will also restore old faded black trim that is turning grey/white - just make sure the trim is super clean before you use this product (clean it with an all purpose cleaner and a soft brush or microfiber first).

Interior/Plastic/Vinyl/Rubber/Tires:
For interior plastics/vinyl and other general plastics in the engine bay, etc. the go-to product for pretty much all detailers is 303 Aerospace Protectant. It's a water based silicone product with very high grade UV inhibitors in it. Buffing it off improves adhesion and it Leaves a non-greasy matte finish behind. Works great as a tire dressing and on your door seals to keep them from drying out. I even use it on the rubber on my DSLR camera grips to keep them looking new. CarPro Pearl is good too but more expensive for the same thing.

Interior/Fabric/Alcantara:
For fabric and Alcantara, the best thing I have used is gtechniq i1 smart fabric. It goes on 100% clear, doesn't affect the feel or color of the fabric/alcantara, and provides a strong hydrophobic barrier against sweat, moisture, stains, spills, etc. and makes it easier to clean. To clean the Alcantara, the go-to product is Sonax Alcantara and Upholstry cleaner.

Wheels:
For your rims, you can either get them completely clean (use a good acid-free, PH-neutral wheel cleaner like Sonax Wheel Cleaner with a microfiber wheel brush or similar) and then apply the same ceramic coating on them that you use on your paint, or what I like to do is use a product like CarPro Hydr02, which is a spray-on ceramic coating that is activated by high pressure water. You literally go to the car wash, coat you rims in it, then hit them with a high pressure rinse and you'll have a full layer of ceramic protection left behind. It works great on anything hard to reach or full of nooks & crannies that would be impossible (or time consuming) to apply a normal ceramic coating too. It doesn't last as long as a traditional coating, but it could not be easier to apply. Geyon Wetcoat does the same thing, but detailer feedback seems to favor the CarPro variant. If you're looking for a very high-end option, CarPro DLUX is a very good wheel coating, but unnecessary if you are going to re-apply every time you swap your rims for winter anyway.

Mats:
I am not sure if you can get these in the USA (they are also sold as 'Tuxmats'), but Costco sells them as Phantom Mats for cheaper. No other mat I've ever seen even comes close to the same coverage, and these even include trim clips to hold them in place everywhere: https://www.costco.ca/phantom-custom-fit-car-floor-mats---starting-at-$199.99.product.100017140.html

They cover way more than even the most expensive laser-measured WeatherTech or Husky mats. They look pretty good in the CTR too, in my opinion. I peeled the interior delivery plastic protecting my carpet and put a set of these in immediately after.

Microfibers:
Lastly, make sure you get yourself some good quality microfibers. A lot of people overlook this and it's actually extremely important.

Japanese cars in general, including Honda, have very soft clearcoat. The positive thing is that it's very easy to correct, the negative obviously is it's more prone to swirls/chips. The opposite is true for German cars, for example, which typically have very hard clear coat - they scratch less easily, but are more of a pain to correct with a polish/compound.

Buy quality microfiber cloths/mitts and learn how to care for them. I like stuff from The Rag Company but there are several good companies out there. The key is to only touch your paint with microfiber that is 30% polyamide. Any less and you will risk micro-scratches in your paint, especially soft Honda paint. The yellow Costco towels for example are only 20% polyamide and I would only use them on top of PPF or for interiors or wheels if you want to be picky about your paint. There are lots of cheap/crappy microfibers out there so be careful. On harder clear coat, 20% is probably fine, but for Japanese cars I would always suggest 30% polyamide content (the balance will be polyester).

For general purpose use and interior, just use the yellow plush Costco packs of microfibers (20% polyamide). For anything touching your paint, I would buy some nicer ones (I use Rag Company Eagle Edgeless 365). For drying, the very best towels are terry weave microfiber (like the Rag Company Double Twistress), or you can use a waffle weave towel (waffle weave gives it extra surface area) - lots of companies make these. Again make sure your drying towel is 30% polyamide if possible.

Caring for microfiber towels is also a very important part of preventing swirls. Always wash new towels before using them to avoid lint. The tips of the microfibers melt around 140F, so make sure you are washing them on warm or cold, and drying them on extra low or air-dry. If the tips melt (microfibers are like tiny fingers), you can't tell visually, they will micro-mar your paint and are no longer usable, at least for paint duty. I actually used an infra-red temperature gun in my dryer before I got comfortable with the settings (yes, I am that anal), but extra low should be fine. Second, use a dedicated microfiber wash that is designed specifically to dissolve things like polishes, waxes, and other car products - I like 3D Towel Kleen the best and you can buy it cheaply in 1 gallon jugs. Throw a little white vinegar in your fabric softener port as well for an extra boost to clear out any residues (or whichever setting will dispense during the rinse cycle). Add at least one extra rinse to the cycle as well, if possible. You will be amazed how soft your towels come out (they will actually get softer over time with proper care), and how clean they will stay. Never wash the towels with anything else other than other microfibers, if you wash them with clothes or cotton, they will pick up so much stuff they will probably be ruined.

Another good practice is to keep a bucket full of water and some microfiber wash solution (or your favorite all purpose cleaner) next to your workspace, and when a towel is used up, toss it in the bucket to pre-soak them while you finish your detail and it will begin breaking down the residues so they wash easier

--------------------------

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. The above is what works well for me after dozens of hours of research, talking to other detailers, and testing products myself. Other people may have different opinions and as always, YMMV.
 


MadMage

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I didn't see this covered/discussed...
What about exterior vinyl stripes? My daughter's car (black gloss Mustang) has flat black 3M rally stripes. Can't wax the car with a traditional wax (which I probably won't do now that I read this) because then the stripes get all cloudy. Does a ceramic have this same problem?
 

CanadaCivic

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I didn't see this covered/discussed...
What about exterior vinyl stripes? My daughter's car (black gloss Mustang) has flat black 3M rally stripes. Can't wax the car with a traditional wax (which I probably won't do now that I read this) because then the stripes get all cloudy. Does a ceramic have this same problem?
If you used something like a spray-on ceramic coating, as long as the vinyl stripes can stand up to a light touch with a microfiber cloth, you are good to go. It's a very gentle process. They are just spray on and wipe off, with very minimal "buffing". Obviously you don't want to use anything abrasive or something that requires a lot of elbow grease to apply, but it sounds like you already know that.

You could also use the spray on and rise off coatings, but if it could stand up to a pressure washer, I'm sure it could stand up to a microfiber cloth which would make that unnecessary.
 

MadMage

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If you used something like a spray-on ceramic coating, as long as the vinyl stripes can stand up to a light touch with a microfiber cloth, you are good to go. It's a very gentle process. They are just spray on and wipe off, with very minimal "buffing". Obviously you don't want to use anything abrasive or something that requires a lot of elbow grease to apply, but it sounds like you already know that.

You could also use the spray on and rise off coatings, but if it could stand up to a pressure washer, I'm sure it could stand up to a microfiber cloth which would make that unnecessary.
Ok, so it's the buffing that causes the cloudiness on the vinyl?
 

CanadaCivic

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Ok, so it's the buffing that causes the cloudiness on the vinyl?
I would think the only thing that would cause cloudyness would be if you used a polish or compound (abrasive), or used a traditional wax that hardens into a haze and didn't buff it off properly. Paint protection film can be ruined in the same way if you use abrasive compounds on it, it turns cloudy/hazy.

If those stripes came from the factory I can only imagine they can stand up to a car wish and high pressure water, so if you use a spray on ceramic coating or something similar I would be very surprised if you had any problems.

I think I misread your original post as being worried that the stripes would come off rather than get cloudy. Most ceramic coatings go on crystal clear and stay that way.
 
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Byron Sexton

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I am a detailer. I wrote this in another thread but most will still apply here. My focus is on value, ease of application, and performance rather than just buying the most expensive stuff out there. I also assume people will do a pretty thorough detail at least twice per year.

Foam Cannon: Grab a MTACC unit off Amazon. Any quality car soap will do, such as Chemical Guys Mr. Pink. You can buy most of these in gallon jugs for cheap. If you're using a pressure washer, GPM is much more important than PSI, especially for foam generation.

Steamer: McCulloch 1375 is the go-to for many unless you want to spend $1000+

Detail Brushes: Buy some boar's hair brushes off Amazon, or buy Detail Factory brushes if you want the very best.

Vacuum: Anything decent will do. It's more important to have the right attachments for car detailing like the skinnier ones and ones with brushes.

Pet Hair Removal: Lilly brushes are the industry standard.

Carpet/Upholstry Extractor: Bissell 3624C is the go-to unless you want to spend $1000+. The "Pet Pro" version is identical if you find it cheaper.

Paint Decontamination: 3D BDX or CarPro Iron X. Most iron removers have the exact same active ingredient (20-25% sodium salts) so just buy what is cheapest so long as it is PH neutral and paint/wheel safe. DO NOT use acid based cleaners even though they may be cheaper - they are usually labelled as wheel cleaners.

Clay: Clay towels are so much better than traditional clay, and you don't have to throw them out if you drop them. I use a Nanoskin Autoscrub Handy Towel. You can get clay mitts and clay sponges too, whatever your preference.

Engine Degreaser: Superclean is my favorite, it's dirt cheap, biodegradable, and works for so many other applications around the home. For engine bays the aersol foam is the best if you can find it because it clings to everything but it comes in a variety of forms.

All Purpose Cleaner: Lots of good ones out there, just make sure you buy one that is not caustic. I like Chemical Guys ALL Clean (Citrus base). A gallon jug will last you years at the dilution ratios.

Fabric/Upholstery Cleaner: I like Chemical Guys Fabric Clean. Smells amazing, foams well, works great, and has ozone based odor eliminators in it. Safe on every fabric/carpet I've ever seen.

Glass: Lots of good ones here. Stoner Invisible Glass, Meguiars Perfect Clarity, Mothers ReVision. Make sure you use a waffle weave or diamond weave microfiber for application and buffing - regular microfibers will leave millions of fibers on your glass.

Rinseless Wash / Clay Lube: Optimum no-rinse is the obvious choice here for both purposes. Even makes a good quick detail spray in a pinch.

Pump sprayers/Foamers: Buy the appropriate product from IK (a spanish company). You just need to choose your nozzle and chemical resistance based on what you will be using it for. The foamers are amazing as they will foam almost any product (I like it for fabric solution so it doesn't soak into the seat foam).

Safety: 3M 60926 Multi-Gas cartridges used with an appropriate face mask will cover you for virtually everything for automotive detailing and pretty much everything else around the house. Looking at around $70-100 for everything which is a small price to pay IMO. Use whatever nitrile gloves, ear protection, and eye protection you feel comfortable with. I also like using a cheap LED headlamp.

For Paint/PPF:
If I were you I would just use the Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Coating (lasts up to 12 months with 2 coats on a prepped car). Maintain/restore it with their companion products (3n1 Ceramic Quick Detailer and Ceramic Wet Wax). Everything is super cheap despite it's quality and can be found at places like WalMart in the USA if I am not mistaken. It's not like the Turtle Wax of the past, they have a new chemist now and it's actually an excellent product that does very well in objective testing (beats the Meguiars ceramic wax, Mothers CMX, chemical guys ceramic wax, etc. in longevity, water sheeting, and chemical resistance). It also has the same grade of UV inhibitors in it as your vehicle's paint. Lastly, I like that you don't have to throw out your microfibers after using them like you do with higher Si02 content products. Forget regular waxes/sealants, ceramic technology has come a long way - cost and ease of application has improved dramatically. Graphene is the "next big thing" but is very much still in its infancy.

It's dead simple to apply (less is more), just make sure you take the time to do a proper decontamination of the car first (good wash + iron/tar remover + clay bar). That is what I do - I find it the easiest way to not only protect my car but also deal with the upkeep. There are better products on the professional market, but they are harder to maintain, don't always last longer, and much more expensive for the average car enthusiast. Many people who get ceramic coatings do not maintain or refresh them and end up disappointed with the longevity and hydrophobicity they were promised when they bought it. The only product I don't really care for in the Hybrid Solutions lineup is the ceramic car wash, but the 2n1 ceramic polish is also a great time saving product if you ever buy a D/A polisher and get into that (don't use any polish or cutting compound on PPF by the way, you'll turn it hazy).

If you want a "professional" ceramic product that you can apply yourself, look at the Cquartz UK 3.0 Kit w/reload spray (Reload is for maintenance). This is basically a consumer version of the "professional" coatings. They claim it will last up to 2 years under ideal circumstances. Installation is more technically difficult than the above spray-on products but not too bad. I personally find it easier to maintain a vehicle with the Hybrid Solutions products, but this is fine too if you prefer. As long as you're maintaining the paint regularly with whatever product you choose, you aren't going to run into the limits of any of these products anyway. Be wary of the products claiming to last 5, 7, 10+ years, as none of them have even been around that long to be tested in real world conditions....also, people interested in coatings like that probably are the same people who don't like to do maintenance and are more likely to end up disappointed. If you detail your car every 6 months or so, you really don't need anything that lasts too much longer than that if it's getting re-done anyway. Similar to the Cquartz product would be something like this: https://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-coating-complete-kit.html

The end goal of any coating is to keep water, dirt, contaminants, bird poop, eggs, gasoline, salt, graffiti, etc. off your paint/PPF until you are able to clean it. They make maintenance washes much easier as less sticks to the paint. Bugs and tree sap come off way easier. It also adds additional UV protection against fading. Ceramic coatings themselves are usually only a couple microns in thickness, so they offer little to no physical damage protection, but are extremely chemically resistant. You can put most ceramic coatings on glass too, but if you use your wipers a lot it will wear off pretty quick at least on that surface.

303 Has a brand new inexpensive spray-on graphene coating that is getting rave reviews but it is very new.

Always make sure you're washing your car with the 2-bucket method with grit-guards in the pails. Use a separate mitt for wheels/rocker panels than the one you use on the paint.

Polish: Again, tons of good stuff out there. Right now I like Turtle Wax Ceramic Polish. It's a "one and done" product that cuts Japanese paint really well (and safely), and leaves behind a ceramic coating when you're done. Saves so much time if you know you're going to be polishing anyway. Another excellent product is 3D ONE. Any dual action polisher with a blue pad (or similar) will be just fine here, or you can do it by hand if you're up to it haha.

Trim:
The best thing I have ever used for trim is this: https://thelastcoat.com/products/ceratrim-ceramic-powered-trim-restorer-8-oz?variant=31608018174070

It goes on easy, turns the trim a gorgeous deep black (and keeps it that way), leaving behind a true ceramic coating. This would be for things like the rougher, more porous plastic like the plastic vents in the front wheel flares, certain engine bay pieces, plastic sides of the open hatch lid, the plastic under your windshield wipers, etc. For the shinier trim pieces like the plastic on the sideview mirrors and B pillars, you would just coat those in whatever ceramic coating you use for the paint. The B pillars in particular with their "piano black" look will show swirls super easily, so you may want to just PPF those. This product will also restore old faded black trim that is turning grey/white - just make sure the trim is super clean before you use this product (clean it with an all purpose cleaner and a soft brush or microfiber first).

Interior/Plastic/Vinyl/Rubber/Tires:
For interior plastics/vinyl and other general plastics in the engine bay, etc. the go-to product for pretty much all detailers is 303 Aerospace Protectant. It's a water based silicone product with very high grade UV inhibitors in it. Buffing it off improves adhesion and it Leaves a non-greasy matte finish behind. Works great as a tire dressing and on your door seals to keep them from drying out. I even use it on the rubber on my DSLR camera grips to keep them looking new. CarPro Pearl is good too but more expensive for the same thing.

Interior/Fabric/Alcantara:
For fabric and Alcantara, the best thing I have used is gtechniq i1 smart fabric. It goes on 100% clear, doesn't affect the feel or color of the fabric/alcantara, and provides a strong hydrophobic barrier against sweat, moisture, stains, spills, etc. and makes it easier to clean. To clean the Alcantara, the go-to product is Sonax Alcantara and Upholstry cleaner.

Wheels:
For your rims, you can either get them completely clean (use a good acid-free, PH-neutral wheel cleaner like Sonax Wheel Cleaner with a microfiber wheel brush or similar) and then apply the same ceramic coating on them that you use on your paint, or what I like to do is use a product like CarPro Hydr02, which is a spray-on ceramic coating that is activated by high pressure water. You literally go to the car wash, coat you rims in it, then hit them with a high pressure rinse and you'll have a full layer of ceramic protection left behind. It works great on anything hard to reach or full of nooks & crannies that would be impossible (or time consuming) to apply a normal ceramic coating too. It doesn't last as long as a traditional coating, but it could not be easier to apply. Geyon Wetcoat does the same thing, but detailer feedback seems to favor the CarPro variant. If you're looking for a very high-end option, CarPro DLUX is a very good wheel coating, but unnecessary if you are going to re-apply every time you swap your rims for winter anyway.

Mats:
I am not sure if you can get these in the USA (they are also sold as 'Tuxmats'), but Costco sells them as Phantom Mats for cheaper. No other mat I've ever seen even comes close to the same coverage, and these even include trim clips to hold them in place everywhere: https://www.costco.ca/phantom-custom-fit-car-floor-mats---starting-at-$199.99.product.100017140.html

They cover way more than even the most expensive laser-measured WeatherTech or Husky mats. They look pretty good in the CTR too, in my opinion. I peeled the interior delivery plastic protecting my carpet and put a set of these in immediately after.

Microfibers:
Lastly, make sure you get yourself some good quality microfibers. A lot of people overlook this and it's actually extremely important.

Japanese cars in general, including Honda, have very soft clearcoat. The positive thing is that it's very easy to correct, the negative obviously is it's more prone to swirls/chips. The opposite is true for German cars, for example, which typically have very hard clear coat - they scratch less easily, but are more of a pain to correct with a polish/compound.

Buy quality microfiber cloths/mitts and learn how to care for them. I like stuff from The Rag Company but there are several good companies out there. The key is to only touch your paint with microfiber that is 30% polyamide. Any less and you will risk micro-scratches in your paint, especially soft Honda paint. The yellow Costco towels for example are only 20% polyamide and I would only use them on top of PPF or for interiors or wheels if you want to be picky about your paint. There are lots of cheap/crappy microfibers out there so be careful. On harder clear coat, 20% is probably fine, but for Japanese cars I would always suggest 30% polyamide content (the balance will be polyester).

For general purpose use and interior, just use the yellow plush Costco packs of microfibers (20% polyamide). For anything touching your paint, I would buy some nicer ones (I use Rag Company Eagle Edgeless 365). For drying, the very best towels are terry weave microfiber (like the Rag Company Double Twistress), or you can use a waffle weave towel (waffle weave gives it extra surface area) - lots of companies make these. Again make sure your drying towel is 30% polyamide if possible.

Caring for microfiber towels is also a very important part of preventing swirls. Always wash new towels before using them to avoid lint. The tips of the microfibers melt around 140F, so make sure you are washing them on warm or cold, and drying them on extra low or air-dry. If the tips melt (microfibers are like tiny fingers), you can't tell visually, they will micro-mar your paint and are no longer usable, at least for paint duty. I actually used an infra-red temperature gun in my dryer before I got comfortable with the settings (yes, I am that anal), but extra low should be fine. Second, use a dedicated microfiber wash that is designed specifically to dissolve things like polishes, waxes, and other car products - I like 3D Towel Kleen the best and you can buy it cheaply in 1 gallon jugs. Throw a little white vinegar in your fabric softener port as well for an extra boost to clear out any residues (or whichever setting will dispense during the rinse cycle). Add at least one extra rinse to the cycle as well, if possible. You will be amazed how soft your towels come out (they will actually get softer over time with proper care), and how clean they will stay. Never wash the towels with anything else other than other microfibers, if you wash them with clothes or cotton, they will pick up so much stuff they will probably be ruined.

Another good practice is to keep a bucket full of water and some microfiber wash solution (or your favorite all purpose cleaner) next to your workspace, and when a towel is used up, toss it in the bucket to pre-soak them while you finish your detail and it will begin breaking down the residues so they wash easier

--------------------------

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. The above is what works well for me after dozens of hours of research, talking to other detailers, and testing products myself. Other people may have different opinions and as always, YMMV.
This should be a sticky
 


AlphaDigital

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lol I wish detailing was as cheap as $300. A detail with 1 step paint correction for me was $600, discounted, and honestly, I think thats fair all things considered.
 

diakonia

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Thanks for your cleaning tips…
As you know, break dust is a constant issue. I see allot of break dust accumulated where the lug nuts are. It’s a pain to get in that small area to clean. Any suggestions? Thanks




Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. The above is what works well for
 

cariboublue

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I am a detailer. I wrote this in another thread but most will still apply here. My focus is on value, ease of application, and performance rather than just buying the most expensive stuff out there. I also assume people will do a pretty thorough detail at least twice per year.


EDITED TO REMOVE THE RAG COMPANY FROM RECOMMENDATIONS - they sent me defective product and is refusing to stand behind their product despite photo/video evidence. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM.


Foam Cannon
: Grab a MTACC unit off Amazon. Any quality car soap will do, such as Chemical Guys Mr. Pink. You can buy most of these in gallon jugs for cheap. If you're using a pressure washer, GPM is much more important than PSI, especially for foam generation.

Steamer: McCulloch 1375 is the go-to for many unless you want to spend $1000+

Detail Brushes: Buy some boar's hair brushes off Amazon, or buy Detail Factory brushes if you want the very best.

Vacuum: Anything decent will do. It's more important to have the right attachments for car detailing like the skinnier ones and ones with brushes.

Pet Hair Removal: Lilly brushes are the industry standard.

Carpet/Upholstry Extractor: Bissell 3624C is the go-to unless you want to spend $1000+. The "Pet Pro" version is identical if you find it cheaper.

Paint Decontamination: 3D BDX or CarPro Iron X. Most iron removers have the exact same active ingredient (20-25% sodium salts) so just buy what is cheapest so long as it is PH neutral and paint/wheel safe. DO NOT use acid based cleaners even though they may be cheaper - they are usually labelled as wheel cleaners.

Clay: Clay towels are so much better than traditional clay, and you don't have to throw them out if you drop them. I use a Nanoskin Autoscrub Handy Towel. You can get clay mitts and clay sponges too, whatever your preference.

Engine Degreaser: Superclean is my favorite, it's dirt cheap, biodegradable, and works for so many other applications around the home. For engine bays the aersol foam is the best if you can find it because it clings to everything but it comes in a variety of forms.

All Purpose Cleaner: Lots of good ones out there, just make sure you buy one that is not caustic. I like Chemical Guys ALL Clean (Citrus base). A gallon jug will last you years at the dilution ratios.

Fabric/Upholstery Cleaner: I like Chemical Guys Fabric Clean. Smells amazing, foams well, works great, and has ozone based odor eliminators in it. Safe on every fabric/carpet I've ever seen.

Glass: Lots of good ones here. Stoner Invisible Glass, Meguiars Perfect Clarity, Mothers ReVision. Make sure you use a waffle weave or diamond weave microfiber for application and buffing - regular microfibers will leave millions of fibers on your glass.

Rinseless Wash / Clay Lube: Optimum no-rinse is the obvious choice here for both purposes. Even makes a good quick detail spray in a pinch.

Pump sprayers/Foamers: Buy the appropriate product from IK (a spanish company). You just need to choose your nozzle and chemical resistance based on what you will be using it for. The foamers are amazing as they will foam almost any product (I like it for fabric solution so it doesn't soak into the seat foam).

Safety: 3M 60926 Multi-Gas cartridges used with an appropriate face mask will cover you for virtually everything for automotive detailing and pretty much everything else around the house. Looking at around $70-100 for everything which is a small price to pay IMO. Use whatever nitrile gloves, ear protection, and eye protection you feel comfortable with. I also like using a cheap LED headlamp.

For Paint/PPF:
If I were you I would just use the Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Coating (lasts up to 12 months with 2 coats on a prepped car). Maintain/restore it with their companion products (3n1 Ceramic Quick Detailer and Ceramic Wet Wax). Everything is super cheap despite it's quality and can be found at places like WalMart in the USA if I am not mistaken. It's not like the Turtle Wax of the past, they have a new chemist now and it's actually an excellent product that does very well in objective testing (beats the Meguiars ceramic wax, Mothers CMX, chemical guys ceramic wax, etc. in longevity, water sheeting, and chemical resistance). It also has the same grade of UV inhibitors in it as your vehicle's paint. Lastly, I like that you don't have to throw out your microfibers after using them like you do with higher Si02 content products. Forget regular waxes/sealants, ceramic technology has come a long way - cost and ease of application has improved dramatically. Graphene is the "next big thing" but is very much still in its infancy.

It's dead simple to apply (less is more), just make sure you take the time to do a proper decontamination of the car first (good wash + iron/tar remover + clay bar). That is what I do - I find it the easiest way to not only protect my car but also deal with the upkeep. There are better products on the professional market, but they are harder to maintain, don't always last longer, and much more expensive for the average car enthusiast. Many people who get ceramic coatings do not maintain or refresh them and end up disappointed with the longevity and hydrophobicity they were promised when they bought it. The only product I don't really care for in the Hybrid Solutions lineup is the ceramic car wash, but the 2n1 ceramic polish is also a great time saving product if you ever buy a D/A polisher and get into that (don't use any polish or cutting compound on PPF by the way, you'll turn it hazy).

If you want a "professional" ceramic product that you can apply yourself, look at the Cquartz UK 3.0 Kit w/reload spray (Reload is for maintenance). This is basically a consumer version of the "professional" coatings. They claim it will last up to 2 years under ideal circumstances. Installation is more technically difficult than the above spray-on products but not too bad. I personally find it easier to maintain a vehicle with the Hybrid Solutions products, but this is fine too if you prefer. As long as you're maintaining the paint regularly with whatever product you choose, you aren't going to run into the limits of any of these products anyway. Be wary of the products claiming to last 5, 7, 10+ years, as none of them have even been around that long to be tested in real world conditions....also, people interested in coatings like that probably are the same people who don't like to do maintenance and are more likely to end up disappointed. If you detail your car every 6 months or so, you really don't need anything that lasts too much longer than that if it's getting re-done anyway. Similar to the Cquartz product would be something like this: https://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-coating-complete-kit.html

The end goal of any coating is to keep water, dirt, contaminants, bird poop, eggs, gasoline, salt, graffiti, etc. off your paint/PPF until you are able to clean it. They make maintenance washes much easier as less sticks to the paint. Bugs and tree sap come off way easier. It also adds additional UV protection against fading. Ceramic coatings themselves are usually only a couple microns in thickness, so they offer little to no physical damage protection, but are extremely chemically resistant. You can put most ceramic coatings on glass too, but if you use your wipers a lot it will wear off pretty quick at least on that surface.

303 Has a brand new inexpensive spray-on graphene coating that is getting rave reviews but it is very new.

Always make sure you're washing your car with the 2-bucket method with grit-guards in the pails. Use a separate mitt for wheels/rocker panels than the one you use on the paint.

Polish: Again, tons of good stuff out there. Right now I like Turtle Wax Ceramic Polish. It's a "one and done" product that cuts Japanese paint really well (and safely), and leaves behind a ceramic coating when you're done. Saves so much time if you know you're going to be polishing anyway. Another excellent product is 3D ONE. Any dual action polisher with a blue pad (or similar) will be just fine here, or you can do it by hand if you're up to it haha.

Trim:
The best thing I have ever used for trim is this: https://thelastcoat.com/products/ceratrim-ceramic-powered-trim-restorer-8-oz?variant=31608018174070

It goes on easy, turns the trim a gorgeous deep black (and keeps it that way), leaving behind a true ceramic coating. This would be for things like the rougher, more porous plastic like the plastic vents in the front wheel flares, certain engine bay pieces, plastic sides of the open hatch lid, the plastic under your windshield wipers, etc. For the shinier trim pieces like the plastic on the sideview mirrors and B pillars, you would just coat those in whatever ceramic coating you use for the paint. The B pillars in particular with their "piano black" look will show swirls super easily, so you may want to just PPF those. This product will also restore old faded black trim that is turning grey/white - just make sure the trim is super clean before you use this product (clean it with an all purpose cleaner and a soft brush or microfiber first).

Interior/Plastic/Vinyl/Rubber/Tires:
For interior plastics/vinyl and other general plastics in the engine bay, etc. the go-to product for pretty much all detailers is 303 Aerospace Protectant. It's a water based silicone product with very high grade UV inhibitors in it. Buffing it off improves adhesion and it Leaves a non-greasy matte finish behind. Works great as a tire dressing and on your door seals to keep them from drying out. I even use it on the rubber on my DSLR camera grips to keep them looking new. CarPro Pearl is good too but more expensive for the same thing.

Interior/Fabric/Alcantara:
For fabric and Alcantara, the best thing I have used is gtechniq i1 smart fabric. It goes on 100% clear, doesn't affect the feel or color of the fabric/alcantara, and provides a strong hydrophobic barrier against sweat, moisture, stains, spills, etc. and makes it easier to clean. To clean the Alcantara, the go-to product is Sonax Alcantara and Upholstry cleaner.

Wheels:
For your rims, you can either get them completely clean (use a good acid-free, PH-neutral wheel cleaner like Sonax Wheel Cleaner with a microfiber wheel brush or similar) and then apply the same ceramic coating on them that you use on your paint, or what I like to do is use a product like CarPro Hydr02, which is a spray-on ceramic coating that is activated by high pressure water. You literally go to the car wash, coat you rims in it, then hit them with a high pressure rinse and you'll have a full layer of ceramic protection left behind. It works great on anything hard to reach or full of nooks & crannies that would be impossible (or time consuming) to apply a normal ceramic coating too. It doesn't last as long as a traditional coating, but it could not be easier to apply. Geyon Wetcoat does the same thing, but detailer feedback seems to favor the CarPro variant. If you're looking for a very high-end option, CarPro DLUX is a very good wheel coating, but unnecessary if you are going to re-apply every time you swap your rims for winter anyway.

Mats:
I am not sure if you can get these in the USA (they are also sold as 'Tuxmats'), but Costco sells them as Phantom Mats for cheaper. No other mat I've ever seen even comes close to the same coverage, and these even include trim clips to hold them in place everywhere: https://www.costco.ca/phantom-custom-fit-car-floor-mats---starting-at-$199.99.product.100017140.html

They cover way more than even the most expensive laser-measured WeatherTech or Husky mats. They look pretty good in the CTR too, in my opinion. I peeled the interior delivery plastic protecting my carpet and put a set of these in immediately after.

Microfibers:
Lastly, make sure you get yourself some good quality microfibers. A lot of people overlook this and it's actually extremely important.

Japanese cars in general, including Honda, have very soft clearcoat. The positive thing is that it's very easy to correct, the negative obviously is it's more prone to swirls/chips. The opposite is true for German cars, for example, which typically have very hard clear coat - they scratch less easily, but are more of a pain to correct with a polish/compound.

Buy quality microfiber cloths/mitts and learn how to care for them. AVOID THE RAG COMPANY - there are lots of other good companies out there that care about their customers. The key is to only touch your paint with microfiber that is 30% polyamide. Any less and you will risk micro-scratches in your paint, especially soft Honda paint. The yellow Costco towels for example are only 20% polyamide and I would only use them on top of PPF or for interiors or wheels if you want to be picky about your paint. There are lots of cheap/crappy microfibers out there so be careful. On harder clear coat, 20% is probably fine, but for Japanese cars I would always suggest 30% polyamide content (the balance will be polyester).

For general purpose use and interior, just use the yellow plush Costco packs of microfibers (20% polyamide). For anything touching your paint, I would buy some nicer ones (I use Rag Company Eagle Edgeless 365). For drying, the very best towels are terry weave microfiber (like the Rag Company Double Twistress), or you can use a waffle weave towel (waffle weave gives it extra surface area) - lots of companies make these. Again make sure your drying towel is 30% polyamide if possible.

Caring for microfiber towels is also a very important part of preventing swirls. Always wash new towels before using them to avoid lint. The tips of the microfibers melt around 140F, so make sure you are washing them on warm or cold, and drying them on extra low or air-dry. If the tips melt (microfibers are like tiny fingers), you can't tell visually, they will micro-mar your paint and are no longer usable, at least for paint duty. I actually used an infra-red temperature gun in my dryer before I got comfortable with the settings (yes, I am that anal), but extra low should be fine. Second, use a dedicated microfiber wash that is designed specifically to dissolve things like polishes, waxes, and other car products - I like 3D Towel Kleen the best and you can buy it cheaply in 1 gallon jugs. Throw a little white vinegar in your fabric softener port as well for an extra boost to clear out any residues (or whichever setting will dispense during the rinse cycle). Add at least one extra rinse to the cycle as well, if possible. You will be amazed how soft your towels come out (they will actually get softer over time with proper care), and how clean they will stay. Never wash the towels with anything else other than other microfibers, if you wash them with clothes or cotton, they will pick up so much stuff they will probably be ruined.

Another good practice is to keep a bucket full of water and some microfiber wash solution (or your favorite all purpose cleaner) next to your workspace, and when a towel is used up, toss it in the bucket to pre-soak them while you finish your detail and it will begin breaking down the residues so they wash easier

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Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. The above is what works well for me after dozens of hours of research, talking to other detailers, and testing products myself. Other people may have different opinions and as always, YMMV.

Thanks for the amazing write up. If you don't like the rag company what microfibers for paint would you suggest?

How are these?

https://www.walmart.com/ip/CARCAREZ...ling-Towel-16x16-inch-Pack-6-Orange/212957493

https://microfibertech.com/products...ofiber-detailing-towels-300-gsm-16-in-x-16-in
 

VashTheStampede

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I always recommend Larry Kosilla’s stuff on YouTube. You don’t need to buy his products, but his techniques are very good, and he’s very thorough. He’s at Ammo NYC on yt.
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