Wax & Cleaner Recommendations

[roamingphantom]

I am also interested in a wax for my Platinum White EX. My requirements are - long lasting, nice wet look to bring out the color and does not leave white residue on the black trim. Whats the consensus on which one to get. Price isnt a concern.

 

[Harley#356]

Zaino!

 

[roamingphantom]

Zaino!

Harley,

Does Zaino leave a white residue on the black trim? I got the showcase package from them and wanna do some waxing since the weather looks like its getitng better.

Thanks

 

[Lenny H]

Let me make this easy on you...use Eagle One Wax as you Dry each time after you wash. Just traded in a Emerald Green 2004 explorer with like new Paint in on a Black Sport! It was never garage kept, 10 Years in the Florida Sun even the trim looked good!!

There are products that work as good or maybe better, but they all require a ton more effort.

Go to your local Advance Store and try it... and then judge

 

[TBill]

Waxes

Go to Griots Garage, griotsgarage.com He has the best waxes and car care products, been using them for over 10 years!
http://www.griotsgarage.com/category/car+care/car+waxing/car+waxes+and+sealants.do?nType=2

 

[roamingphantom]

I already have Zaino, gonna stick with it and not let good money go waste.

Thanks guys.

 

[Harley#356]

Harley,

Does Zaino leave a white residue on the black trim? I got the showcase package from them and wanna do some waxing since the weather looks like its getitng better.

Thanks

Nope it doesn't leave any residue! Zaino is an EXCELLENT product. I've been a big detailing guru for 14+ years now, I've tried TONS of products out there, and I always go back to Zaino as my favorite for outdoor use or DDs. I get bored too so I'm always trying new stuff, but I always end back at Zaino. I've been using Zaino since 2002 or 2003.

 

[roamingphantom]

Nope it doesn't leave any residue! Zaino is an EXCELLENT product. I've been a big detailing guru for 14+ years now, I've tried TONS of products out there, and I always go back to Zaino as my favorite for outdoor use or DDs. I get bored too so I'm always trying new stuff, but I always end back at Zaino. I've been using Zaino since 2002 or 2003.

Thanks Harley.

 

[Baton Rouge]

Washing and waxing products

What do all you use to wash and wax your explorers? Pics are welcome. I was looking at Meguiars products but someone recently told me a brand names "Zaino" was the best..... Has anyone ever heard of this brand or use these products?

 

[Jarred767]

I love Meguiars, great products and they've got products for cleaning/protecting just about every (visible) part of your car. I've owned my own one man mobile detailing biz for 8 years and used their stuff almost exclusively on probably a few thousand cars by now.

I don't have any pics of my Ex right now (still involved in a restore), but my website has a bunch of pictures of cars I've worked on using Meguiars products over the years. Feel free to check it out if you want.

www.dynamicmobiledetailing.com

 

[theluke19]

I've been a big fan of this stuff:

http://www.amazon.com/32oz-Optimum-...UTF8&qid=1398199117&sr=1-18&keywords=car+wash

Easy to wash your car in the winter time with this - even in your garage if you wanted to.

Read the reviews - they're what sold me.

 

[scorpo8972]

I use multiple products. Mothers and Autoglym are my favourite. I use the resin polish/bumper gel/bird drops/leather cleaner/interior carpet and plastics cleaner from autoglym, rim polish and protect/clay bar/show car detailer/brazillian cara-something wax from MOTHERS. Windex auto for the glass(ammonia free so its safe on tint, frebreeze vent clips and febreeze odour remover, armour-all tire shine gel. All of the products i use are great. Note: when you go to coin-op car washes never ever spend alot of time rinsing dirt off before soaping your efforts will be futile. Just go nuts with the hose for a min so dirt is loose then put effort and time(about 5 mins minimum)into soap brushing then spend time rinsing to get excess soap off. If you love your rig then you can spend a good chuck of your day cleaning it. Most products last even when it rains and also helps bead rain into huge droplets that blow off. Rain-x water repellent is liquid is a must have which will save you a new wiper motor down the road.

 

[peterk9]

What do all you use to wash and wax your explorers? Pics are welcome. I was looking at Meguiars products but someone recently told me a brand names "Zaino" was the best..... Has anyone ever heard of this brand or use these products?

As per my PM, I have merged your thread with this existing one on the same topic.

Peter

 

[walterhudson]

Since I have a 3 year lease, I bring my black '14 Sport to the local do it yourself car wash once a month and never wax it. Please don't take offense guys and gals, but it's still only a "dime a dozen" Ford. When your an old man, you put life into prospective and realize that there are more import things to do with your time than to get OCD over a mundane vehicle.

 

[peterk9]

Since I have a 3 year lease, I bring my black '14 Sport to the local do it yourself car wash once a month and never wax it. Please don't take offense guys and gals, but it's still only a "dime a dozen" Ford. When your an old man, you put life into prospective and realize that there are more import things to do with your time than to get OCD over a mundane vehicle.

I had a 4 years lease that ended after 3 years. I bought wax and cleaning items at the time but never used the wax. Not sure what the dealer used when 'prepping' the Ex but water was still beading when the dealer bought it out.

Peter

 

[Sgt1411]

As per someones suggestion here I bought some Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0.

Very impressive.

ReJex still a favorite too.

 

[PooPooSandwich]

How do you detail and keep your Explorer clean?

Well, since I've taken over my mom's Explorer June 2014, I have not done anything to it besides doing a basic wash. I never had a vehicle with leather and since I drive a lot, I'm noticing that my seat is doing the typical leather cracking or whatever it's called. I just ordered Leather Honey Leather cleaner and Leather Honey Leather conditioner. I'm hoping that this product can keep my leather looking in tip to shape.

Also, on the panels on the window, there are a lot of swirl marks. Anyone know how to care for that material?

I am also looking to do a little hand wax clay bar detail to it.

So my question is..how do you keep your Explorer clean? Does it work? How long does it last? What products do you use?

 

[LukerDooker]

Touchless car wash-otherwise swirl marks on any exterior plastic.
If its really dirty, first use manual rinse and brush, brush they have in manual bay seems soft enough for body and wheels.

On here i have read careful use of clay bar can remove swirl marks but those ext. appliques are going to show swirl marks even with cotton terry finish towel, maybe good microfiber wont do that?
After clay bar IMO that you want to run thru a car wash to rewax everything once its cleaned and to your liking.

-Lexol VinylX on all ext plastic and rubber seals after every car wash-UV protects and helps prevent staining of plastic or color shift to grey. It does last through 2 or 3 washes though, but in Ca year round sun - UV protection for seals is better than none and color shift of plastic happens faster.( Especially windshield and sunroof).

-same on interior plastic and door seals-Lexol is not raw silicone oil and wont damage the rubber in later years.

DO NOT get this or any similair product on step area at each door, it will become slick even after buffing in and following directions and will stay like that for days, soap and water only on door sills.

For dash - this isnt a shine agent but will make the dash and all other areas look like new - manual says not to do this on dash as matt/dull finish is better due to reflections of light into your eyes.
Use the smallest amount and buff like the devil so its not shiny around the dash-light will reflect all around your face into your eyes from every angle.
Its ok but in Ca I imagine your eyes will get tired from that sun all day long.

Lexol Leather care and cond on leather every 3 or 6 months, (recommended in owners manual)
-dont use any leather care item which has distillates, waterproofer, alcohol,or shine agent-this isnt what you want.
-Leather is thinner that a dime so use sparingly, it cannot absorb any excess.

-dont use any RainX product inside the car. :thumbdwn:

Polished wheels have clear coat - I bought Motorcraft wheel cleaner from dealer, play it safe with polished wheels.

Frequently manually wipe bottom edge of doors and wipe clean rocker panel channel where door closes . This channel collects tons of road and winter snow/salt/debris and they way the door sits at the bottom, the edge gets sand blasted by road gunk which is causing the paint to wear off on the door edge.

Get Weathertech or Husky floor mats for the 3 rows.

 

[PooPooSandwich]

Touchless car wash-otherwise swirl marks on any exterior plastic.
If its really dirty, first use manual rinse and brush, brush they have in manual bay seems soft enough for body and wheels.

On here i have read careful use of clay bar can remove swirl marks but those ext. appliques are going to show swirl marks even with cotton terry finish towel, maybe good microfiber wont do that?
After clay bar IMO that you want to run thru a car wash to rewax everything once its cleaned and to your liking.

-Lexol VinylX on all ext plastic and rubber seals after every car wash-UV protects and helps prevent staining of plastic or color shift to grey. It does last through 2 or 3 washes though, but in Ca year round sun - UV protection for seals is better than none and color shift of plastic happens faster.( Especially windshield and sunroof).

-same on interior plastic and door seals-Lexol is not raw silicone oil and wont damage the rubber in later years.

DO NOT get this or any similair product on step area at each door, it will become slick even after buffing in and following directions and will stay like that for days, soap and water only on door sills.

For dash - this isnt a shine agent but will make the dash and all other areas look like new - manual says not to do this on dash as matt/dull finish is better due to reflections of light into your eyes.
Use the smallest amount and buff like the devil so its not shiny around the dash-light will reflect all around your face into your eyes from every angle.
Its ok but in Ca I imagine your eyes will get tired from that sun all day long.

Lexol Leather care and cond on leather every 3 or 6 months, (recommended in owners manual)
-dont use any leather care item which has distillates, waterproofer, alcohol,or shine agent-this isnt what you want.
-Leather is thinner that a dime so use sparingly, it cannot absorb any excess.

-dont use any RainX product inside the car. :thumbdwn:

Polished wheels have clear coat - I bought Motorcraft wheel cleaner from dealer, play it safe with polished wheels.

Frequently manually wipe bottom edge of doors and wipe clean rocker panel channel where door closes . This channel collects tons of road and winter snow/salt/debris and they way the door sits at the bottom, the edge gets sand blasted by road gunk which is causing the paint to wear off on the door edge.

Get Weathertech or Husky floor mats for the 3 rows.

Now when you say plastics and rubbers it's below the door and below the bumper? I think that's the area we use amoral, but if Lexol VinylX doesn't leave that shine, I'm definitely going to purchase a bottle. Now when you buff like the devil, doesn't too much scrubbing wear out the dashboard and the other like surfaces? I did that to my Mazda, but with armoral and I noticed the doors were kinda peeling from it.

 

[DeepBlueSC]

GRIOT'S GARAGE One-Step Sealant. Beyond the fact it's easy to use by hand or machine, it is really quite impressive. I've used it for about 3 years now after trying/using everything in the marketplace at all different price points. You may have to order it from Amazon or GRIOT'S direct as I've only found it at select Advance Auto Parts stores locally here.

It's a complete, one-step cleaner and sealant. No need to clay with this and it will remove swirls and scratches and it protects for up to a year. I would recommend every 6-months for best protection, but it does last for a year even through Ohio's last winter on every car I applied it to.

They do make a complete line of car care products and I've moved towards using the leather and plastic care products as well and couldn't be happier. I will say the leather care not only removed my wife's blue-jean stains on the light leather, but it also seems to prevent it from recurring.

For the record, and to be clear, I'm not in any way bashing clay, it does not, nor was it intended to remove scratches or swirls. The clay is for picking up/removing all the little particles that are stuck in your wax and paint. Like acid rain and other industrial fall-out kinda things. It's a wax stripper that allows you to get completely down to the bare paint, so you can polish (if needed) and protect the actual paint. If you put a piece of plastic wrap on your finger and brush across your paint, you can feel a lot of the 'bumps' the clay can remove.

Unless the paint has really been beat up, I would wash the car once or twice with a good dose of dawn, or other strong dish detergent. This will strip all the wax off and get you down to the bare paint. (From there use the plastic wrap trick to determine if claying is really gonna be worth it, 'cause it's a LOT of work!) Then use the GRIOT'S. I tend to use heavy elbow grease on the bugs and other imperfections as needed. You can even do the head and tail light lenses.

One last word, not intending to discount the waterless car washes, having been a fan of Dri-Wash-n-Guard for years, nor the LEXOL products as they are a quality item also. Nor do I have any vested interest in the GRIOT'S products. I just know how well each works and for the money, the GRIOT'S is well worth it.