TOGWT

Detailing takes skill, an investment in equipment as well as constantly updating your knowledge base

The best kept secret in detailing - with over five decades of detailing experience distilled in all of these educational posts for both professional and neophyte detailers, covering Detailing, Business, Marketing and so much more Within these articles you’ll discover the ‘How’ and ‘Why’ and find pretty much everything you need to know about detailing. These articles can also help you better manage and grow your detailing business

TOGWT® Autopia Detailing Wiki - http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...yperlinks.html

Within these articles you’ll discover the ‘How’ and ‘Why’ and find pretty much everything you need to know about detailing; if you do your research correctly.

Mr.Alex

Much appreciated.

eflight

Thanks for posting here and taking all the time to write out the information to help the rest of us

TOGWT

Knowledge unshared is Experience wasted

911 Crazy

Thanks!

LexVan

Good stuff. Thanks.

TOGWT

To be of real practical use; a subject like automotive detailing requires a great deal of research, and updating as new products become available; to this end the TOGWT Detailing Wiki articles are updated / revised on a regular basis.

The advent of materials like neutralised acids for paint decontamination, the advances in polymer technologies and the use of vinyl wraps for automobile paint, finely milled micro abrasives suitable for the newer dense paints like CeramiClear® and the new nano-technology coatings are just a few examples of why it’s so important to monitor the industries new products, chemical technologies and ideas that are constantly being introduced, as are the techniques for applying them. There is also a need for the ability to seek clarification or ask questions in 'real time'.

I hope these TOGWT Detailing Wiki articles will become an asset to anyone who is new to detailing and to the professionals; enthusiast detailer’s and industry experts who seek to advance their knowledge of detailing entry level enthusiast, but to professionals and industry experts as well.

IXLR8

How true.

If only more thought that way.

San56dra

Good stuff. Thanks.

LexVan

Hi Togwt, can you check your link above. It seems to have stopped working. It's an excellent resource, and I use it often. Thanks.

TOGWT

Since they changed the software version they are using some hyperlinks are no longer valid-

TOGWT® Autopia Detailing Wiki - http://www.autopia.org/forum/forum/6...etailing-wiki/

pcarmanwithans

I have a 2013 991S BLACK that is accumulating swirls from washing and water spots. It's not a daily driver and is garaged. Very clean (outside of what I described) I have been using microfiber with meguires soap in the shade and toweling dry with multple clean microfiber towels. I periodically use a California duster lightly. I use a spray wax with microfibers and wipe in one direction, while changing out the towels and taking care. Yet light scratches still occur. I'm still not doing it right. Perhaps the nylon edge of the towels are scratching. The are new out of the wrapper towels. Water spots are simply from dew from an evening out and parking in garage wet or a random sprinkler water. The water spots appear to be etched. Vinegar does nothing. I can't imagine wiping down my car in the middle of the night to avoid water spots either.

Question: I've read about the many philosophies, techniques, and products available for waxing a black car. But I still do not know where to start. Is there one black polish kit with pads, polisher and products I can buy? I've waxed many cars, but not black and not something as nice as a Porsche. I enjoy cleaning it and know that less is more when polishing. Where do I start? I can take it to a detailer but I have trust issues. I like doing it myself anyway.

Many thanks, Chase

TOGWT

TOGWT Blog http://togwt1980.blogspot.co.uk/

I hope this series of the Science behind Detailing article will help you to understand that little bit more about various aspects of products and their application

If you found this article informative please share it with other detailer's to pass on Knowledge and Experience

TOGWT

A) Wash Towels
Always wash towels when removed from the wrapper and as soon as possible after use, the longer they sit the more the contaminants will set. The chemicals used in car care products will negatively affect the fibres structural integrity and weaken them, shortening their useful life. Residual chemicals will cause streaking, whereas dried chemicals will cause scratches.

Do not use bleach or high alkaline cleaning products as they will shorten the life of your microfibre. Read the label on the detergent bottle and use half of what they recommend and use hot water (120.oF)

Do not wash different types of towels together. And always wash each colour separately; never wash white towels with colours.

B) There are two categories of watermarks (the so-called water spots)

Stage I (Surface) Corrosion

[: defined as a surface with light to moderate corrosion damage to the paint surface]

Stage II (Sub-surface) Corrosion

[: definition when the dirt/corrosion deposits are no longer on the surface but have started to break down the molecular structure, leaving an etched or white haze on the surface( a concave circular mark ) after the stain has been removed, with moderate to serious paint damage]

Surface water spots- (Stage I Corrosion) alkaline watermarks consist of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) both of which are basic (alkaline pH 10) that alight on the surface; ultraviolet (heat) radiation (UVR) will leave a white ‘water mark’, the minute crystals bond to the surface, they will not wash off as they are insoluble and if left for any length of time they will etch the paint film surface leaving a concave circular mark, remove surface deposits with detailer’s clay and an acetic acid pH 2.0 (vinegar) to naturalise the alkaline

A light non-abrasive chemical paint cleaner Swissvax Cleaner Fluid Standard - a paint preserving solution containing heavy polishing oils that will remove more aggressive surface water marks, swirl marks, light scratches, tree sap and tar spots and cleans the paintwork surface

For stubborn marks use Optimum MDR Mineral Deposit Remover, which eliminates the need to use abrasive polishes for the removal of light water spots MDR is a thick, non-abrasive gel that clings to automotive surfaces and dissolves water spots and other water-based contaminants.

b)Below surface (etched) spots- (Stage II Corrosion ) are caused by an aggressive alkaline or an acidic solution (acid rain, bird excrement or industrial fallout) causing a chemical reaction, if left for any length of time they will etch the paint film surface leaving a concave circular mark. Unlike water spots which typically have a white outline of the spot, acid rain etching is smaller and you can see the damage in the clear coat.

If the clear coat has been etched by mineral deposits or acid rain it will require an abrasive to remove them

Reactivity [: the chemical reactions of two or more substances that interact with each other]

If you add heat and moisture to either an acid or an alkaline it becomes more aggressive

Marine Blue