Maintenance

So what happens after I finish polishing your paint?  You want to enjoy your car, you want to drive it and show it off, right?  Take it to a show, go on a cruise along PCH, head up to the mountains and take in the spectacular scenery.  But what do you do when you get it home and it (gasp!) has dust all over it?  When it's dirty?

This is where proper maintenance comes in and it really isn't that difficult to keep your car looking beautiful for many months at a time.  You just need to use some common sense and follow some very simple rules.

Washing:

bullet Always use a high quality car wash shampoo when washing your vehicles. 
bullet Always use a clean wash mitt, either microfiber or natural sheepskin.  These are gentle on the finish and will pull dirt away from the paint, rather than trap dirt on the surface and drag it against the paint.
bullet Always use the two bucket wash method; one bucket contains your soap solution and the other contains clear rinse water for your wash mitt.  After washing a panel dunk your mitt into the rinse bucket first to remove accumulated dirt, then pick up more soapy water from the first bucket.
bullet Always use the right product for the job: don't use tire dressing on your dash board just because you like the look of it on your tires.  Don't laugh, people do some crazy things!!
bullet Always use microfiber waffle weave towels to dry your car.  Avoid rubbing the paint with terry cloth and stay away from natural chamois as they can trap small bits of debris and drag it against the paint.
bullet Never use dish washing detergent as it will strip wax and dry out both rubber trim and paint over time.
bullet Never wash your vehicle in direct sunlight as the heat will cause rapid drying of the soapy water, leading to streaking and water spotting.
bullet Never scrub the paint to remove something stuck on it as you run the very real risk of scratching or otherwise marring the paint in the process.
bullet NEVER take your car through an automatic car wash - they will introduce swirls and scratches to the paint.  Even a 100% Hand Wash facility isn't completely safe; do you really think when they see you pull up they make an announcement to go get fresh, clean new towels just for you? 
bullet NEVER take your car through a "touchless" car wash, the kind often found at gas stations.  These use harsh chemicals to strip the dirt off the car and a neutralizing rinse to stop the action of the detergents.  While it is true that no brushes, cloths or hanging strips actually touches your car at these places, the detergents used will strip the wax off your car along with the dirt.

 

Between washes:

bullet Always use a good quick detail spray and a clean microfiber towel to remove light dust from your paint.
bullet Never perform a dry wipe down of your vehicle to remove dust as you will most likely scratch the paint.
bullet Never put a car cover on a dusty car - repeatedly doing so will ultimately scratch the paint.

 

Call or email for an appointment - your car is begging you to!