Cleaning tips

[Skmcclain]

Give me all your cleaning tips. I live on a road that has some gravel, and travel in dirt roads a good bit. So my door frames and inside the back hatch get really dirty. I usually just use a wet cloth to wipe it clean but it leaves it blotchy.
Also traveling I get the bugs stuck to the front and scrub and scrub and can't get them all off. I also have hard water spots all over.
I plan on going to buy some chemical guys stuff and see how that does...any suggestions?

 

[JExpedition07]

I think you may be a good case for ceramic coating. It’s pricey though. I believe your only other option is to wash often. I can wax the truck twice before I go down to the cabin and those dirt roads still make it that a hose off won’t cut it and I have to wash. Unfortunately dirt roads really dirty it up. Other things to check is the air filter more often and to unclog those drain covers in the doors once in a while by removing them and allowing the dirt to escape. Otherwise you end up with water filled slosh doors after a year or so.

 

[byathread]

Pick a routine and keep after it... I use Top coat f11 and got a little kit with some microfiber towels and all their best seller products. I've since just bought gallon jugs of the f11 and use their poly wash when really grimy/pre detail. Door jams and rear hatch/glass I can hit with water and dry it with a microfiber and it champs right up. This is the first vehicle I've used top coat on and I'm a fan. Been pouting it on the camper and the job of bug removal is a cinch with the poly wash and a warm bucket of water and microfiber wash mitt.

A lot of stuff works, just need to keep after it...

I slack on my wheels but when I do give them attention, they champ right up with this stuff too.

 

[2019 Plat Exp]

Give me all your cleaning tips. I live on a road that has some gravel, and travel in dirt roads a good bit. So my door frames and inside the back hatch get really dirty. I usually just use a wet cloth to wipe it clean but it leaves it blotchy.
Also traveling I get the bugs stuck to the front and scrub and scrub and can't get them all off. I also have hard water spots all over.
I plan on going to buy some chemical guys stuff and see how that does...any suggestions?

I would do a full detail and put some kind of long lasting coating on such as a paint sealant or even a ceramic coating. I would suggest a sealant and re-apply it yearly as do it yourself ceramic is a bit more tricky. This will help when it comes to clean up as it wont be sticking to the clear coat but on the paint sealant. As far as the door jams if its just dust you can use one of the California dusters to wipe down loose dirt then like you said a damp cloth to clean up and I use a clean microfiber to get the rest. You can also look into a pressure washer for it just dont go crazy overboard on the PSI and strip the paint off but it does help to remove bug guts fairly easy. Whatever is left just use some elbow grease to clean up or you can use some of the products designed to help remove tar / bug guts. Only way to get rid of the hard water spots usually is buffing them out with a polisher which would be accomplished in the full detail.

I get all my stuff from Autogeek.net they have tons of great products plus a forum dedicated to detailing lots of good info over there.

 

[Fozzy]

Ducky and Chemical Guys heavy duty Water spot remover work pretty good for fairly fresh water spots. Old baked and layered on spots are nothing but hard work and could end up in a cut and polish. Chemical guys stuff is very hit and miss. I like their foam soap, quick leather detailer and my favorite is the Butter Wet Wax. It’s so quick and easy to get that carnauba deep shine. No real protection but it does bead water and make the next wash easier. It washes off in 4 or so washes. But the deep shine and ease of use is amazing and you can put it on top of any sealant for that extra depth.

 

[NukeLife]

Has anyone tried a handheld steam cleaner? I am considering using my Shark steam cleaner with a microfiber attachment to quickly erase the baked on bugs from the front fascia and windshield.
Thoughts?

 

[Dice Roll]

I just use a bug and tar remover. Haven’t noticed it hurting paint, yet anyway.

to stop water spots I fire up the leaf blower and just get the car fully dry. I use the chemical guys shammy and finish with the blower. You’d be surprised how much that will find in all sorts of trim.

 

[sjwhiteley]

Water spots on glass you can use Bar Keepers Friend. Best solution to waterspots is to not let it happen in the first place. I'm not a fanatic, but I use a wax-n-dry: spray it on while the panel is still wet and wipe off with a microfiber cloth. Use plenty of clean microfiber cloths while cleaning.

You can use the same or similar wax-n-dry, or the wax on and wipe off, on the door jams and around the inside of the tailgate.

The spray on bug cleaner works ok, but still requires some elbow grease. A good slick coat of wax before the bugs get on it helps.

 

[Proud Okie]

you can very easily remove water spots with a mixture of vinegar and water. works like a charm and no heavy duty rubbing. I also put on the weather tech mud flap/rock protector. No drill and prevents gravel chips on paint behind wheel openings.

 

[MeBu]

I have mine ceramic coated which helps a ton. To wash I use Chemical Guys Hydro Suds in a foam cannon. I just got back from Moab and the bugs and dirt were really caked on. I let the foam sit for a few minutes and they came right off with a microfiber chamois. I power wash the foam off and then rinse with de-ionized water. P&S Products has a product called brake buster that's great for wheels and tires. I also use the P&S interior cleaner. I use a blower to dry to make sure I don't have spots.

 

[Proud Okie]

I have mine ceramic coated which helps a ton. To wash I use Chemical Guys Hydro Suds in a foam cannon. I just got back from Moab and the bugs and dirt were really caked on. I let the foam sit for a few minutes and they came right off with a microfiber chamois. I power wash the foam off and then rinse with de-ionized water. P&S Products has a product called brake buster that's great for wheels and tires. I also use the P&S interior cleaner. I use a blower to dry to make sure I don't have spots.

How was Moab? I'm going to be in Northern Utah (Park City) later this week. I want to see Southern Utah soon!

 

[MeBu]

How was Moab? I'm going to be in Northern Utah (Park City) later this week. I want to see Southern Utah soon!

It was awesome. We went to mountain bike and also hiked in Canyonlands. I was awestruck with the Canyonlands scenery. We drove in (from CO) via 128 and that is a beautiful drive.

 

[coupe11]

With limited use so far, I'm sold on the ceramic wash/wax and liquid wax products.

Did two coats of the pump spray stuff on my wife's Outlander back during the summer. Took it home three times in the mid August/early September time frame (usually go in a car but death in the family, people staying to keep relatives company for awhile, etc. led to driving the Outlander).

Bug/dirt city driving it that time of the year. Finally caught a good Saturday morning for washing it off and realized how quickly the bug guts, tar, and chewing gum??, washed off the paint, grill, lights, etc. Usually the bugs are a spray with water, scrub with soap, spray with water, scrub with soap again, spray with water, lightly try to scrape the remaining really difficult to remove bug guts off the paint with a thumbnail effort.

It was not washed after the second coat of ceramic wax until that morning and yet the bug stuff was mostly gone after the first scrubbing. I rinsed, saw a spot here and there, soaped/scrubbed a 2nd time and the bug stuff was gone. Moved to another spot, scrubbed longer that time and rinsed and it was all gone. Stopped, got my wife to come outside and look while I washed another section and she agreed it was so much quicker and easier to clean after that.

I ordered some more and the Expedition will get a coat or two before winter.

I don't mind the time/effort required to wash the two coupes as they are pretty small/easy to reach. That Expedition is a killer for me these days. The wash, rinse and park it back in the carport method really appeals to me.

Next time I use it I will try to remember to use the same soap/wax to wash the door jam areas to see if helps either keep them cleaner or make them easier to clean like it does the outside painted surfaces.