Détails sûrs au Jet Wash

Here at Auto Finesse we develop pro-level detailing products designed to get the very best professional results at home, and in the hands of anyone looking to detail their car safely. Our ethos is simple, top-quality products that push your detailing to the next level.

But we do understand that, here in Europe, not everyone has the opportunity to wash their car where they live. You may have an apartment or a house with no space to carry out the cleaning. You may not have access to a pressure washer, and there may be one of the many local regulations stopping you from carrying out a safe wash process at home. Here in Germany for example, the home base of Auto Finesse Europe, home car cleaning is not allowed in many states. But that doesn’t mean that you have to resort to an automated car wash, which will inevitably damage your paintwork.

Here's our step-by-step guide on how you can get a great swirl-free detail at your local self-service jet wash…

What do I take with me?

Remember that, for the most part, you can’t just pop back into your garage to grab more detailing products, so you’ll have to take everything you need with you. So first, you need to think what type of detail you would like to carry out. Here we’re performing a safe wash, hand polishing and adding protection, so it’s a full enhancement detail, but it could be a simple case of a maintenance wash for you, and this will affect exactly what you need to bring with you.

Don’t forget your accessories, either. Brushes, buckets, your wash media, it’s all important. Luckily our range has you covered, and there’s even a few accessories that are particularly useful for detailing on-the-go, particularly at your local jet wash…

Of course, we have our infinitely popular storage solutions – our Crew Bag and Deluxe Holdall - which are ideal for transporting all your precious detailing products and wash media. But what’s equally useful for detailing on the go is our Mini Detailing Buckets, which have been specifically designed to fit in the trunk of almost any car.

These 16-litre detailing buckets come complete with grit guards and are essential – you just can’t contact wash a car safely without two buckets, right?

Our Foaming Pressure Sprayer is another essential because it provides the only way to apply your snow foam – a crucial step in any pre-wash – without a Snow Foam Lance attached to your pressure washer.

It’s also worth thinking about how you’ll be getting your water. Some jet washes won’t have the separate tap you need to dilute your cleaning solutions or fill your wash buckets. Filling an empty detailing bucket with a high-power jet wash can be difficult to say the least, it also takes time with that clock counting down. For this reason, our air-tight Bucket Lids are extremely useful. You can simply fill (or half fill) your Mini Buckets at home and just top them up with the jet wash later.

Wheel Cleaning

When you’re using a self-service jet wash, essentially you’re paying for the time when you have the water on. This is why throughout the whole detail we take certain measures to limit the time it’s in use. This all starts with cleaning your wheels.

Wheel cleaning is the start of every detail, this ensures that soiling isn’t spread to cleaner areas after they’ve already been cleaned. Wheels are, after all, typically exposed to the worst kinds of contamination including heavy grit, grime, road salt and brake dust.

The only difference here is that we’ll be cleaning all four wheels before rinsing, just to save time with the jet wash on. Rather than cleaning our wheels one by one. The only thing to note is that this can be done easily when the weather isn’t too warm. Like all cleaning products you should never let your wheel cleaner dry out, cleaning agents need to remain wet to do their job of safely encapsulating grit and grime, holding it away from surfaces. If there’s any danger of your cleaners drying while you work, you’ll have to clean your wheels one by one using the jet wash to rinse down each – it really is the only way.

During most details we’ll also rinse our wheels down before applying any cleaning agent, but in this case, we’ll apply our Imperial Wheel Cleaner first, purely to save on the jet wash. The only time you must pre-rinse your wheels first is if they’re extremely heavily soiled or covered in mud. You want your wheel cleaner to actually be able to contact the surface.

In this case we’re also using our dilute-to-suit Imperial Concentrate in a Pressure Sprayer, this way we can add a little more water and get plenty on each wheel and topping up the wheels as we go, keeping them wetter for longer.

Other than it’s a standard safe wash routine. We make sure our wheels are cool to the touch, apply our Imperial and agitate using a selection of brushes and wash media appropriate for the design and finish of the wheels. After completing all four we rinse each down and - to save that precious jet wash time - move straight on to rinsing down the rest of the car from top to bottom.

Pre-Wash

The pre-wash is, as we always say, the most important part of a safe, swirl-free car wash. Here we remove the potentially harmful large, gritty particulates that will scratch if we drag them across sensitive surfaces with a wash mitt. The reason why we pre-rinse first is simply to make sure our cleaning agents can get to work on the bonded grime instead of contamination that can be removed using water pressure alone.

This stage requires a suitable pre-cleaner and, in this case, we’re using Citrus Power Bug & Grime Remover which contains powerful surfactants and degreasers designed to break down grime, lift it away from the surface and encapsulate it within the solution itself. This way the dirt is trapped in the Citrus Power on a microscopic level, keeping it away from sensitive surfaces like paintwork and gloss plastics, and allowing it to be safely rinsed away.

Citrus Power is supplied ready-to-use, it’s also wax, sealant and coating safe, so it won’t harm any previously-applied protection. Safe for use on all exterior surfaces, we simply apply Citrus Power over the while car, wait a few minutes and safely rinse away the heavy grime.

A good pro tip here is to apply to the dirtiest areas – such as bumpers, lower halves and the rear end – first, this way they’ll have a little more dwell time.

It’s an extremely quick process, so we’re sure you’ll still have some time on your jet wash for a thorough rinse down.

Snow Foam

The second pre-wash stage is equally important. Here we use Avalanche Snow Foam to tackle the small particle bonded contamination. The reason this citrus-infused snow foam is so effective is that it lingers on the surface for the maximum possible dwell time, helping it break down and lift even more contamination. This product also works its way into panel gaps and shuts, cleaning those, too.

Using snow foam is essential on every single detail. It works in the same was as your pre-cleaner or car shampoo by encapsulating the harmful grime and allowing it to be rinsed away safely. It’s also worth noting that some modern public jet washes have their own foam lance nowadays. Unfortunately, the snow foam they use may not be particularly good for your paintwork, many contain harsh industrial cleaning agents that may also strip protection layers. Avalanche has been specifically developed to be surface-safe and offer a swirl-free pre-wash. So, you’re much better off bringing your own.

Here we apply our Avalanche over the whole exterior using our Foaming Pressure Sprayer. The key to using snow foam is to leave it to linger for as long as possible before rinsing. Again, don’t let your cleaning agents dry on the surface, as soon as your Avalanche starts to dry, it’s time to rinse.

Contact Wash

The first thing to say here is don’t be tempted to use the foaming brush that you’ll find at many public jet washes. It’s just not worth the risk to your paintwork.

First there’s no guarantee that the shampoo these use is going to be surface-safe and kind to your paintwork. Second, and most importantly, it’s likely that the brush has been in contact with the floor at some point, and it could be holding all kinds of grit and grime. The bristles themselves won’t always be what you’d call scratch-free, either. And even if they were, you just don’t know what’s been washed right before your car – a muddy off-roader perhaps?

The specific reason we always bring along our own wash media and two detailing buckets (one for your shampoo solution and one for rinsing your wash media between passes) is to cut the risk of causing scratches and swirl marks. The only way to guarantee a swirl free wash. Make sure you follow these safety measures and never use that brush/broom thing!

Car Shampoo

As important as the two-bucket wash method is the cleaning agent you choose. Lather Car Shampoo is the best one for the job here. This product is a pure, surfactant-based cleaner, meaning that it contains no waxes, coatings or shining agents that may interfere with the rest of your detail – installing a coating now could be good for routine maintenance, but would be a waste of time in this instance, we’ll only have to polish it away later. Lather is also classed as a lubricant, meaning it actively lubricates any harmful particles, helping them to slip and slide over the surface without causing damage.

Again, the this advanced shampoo solution is designed to deep clean surfaces, safely lifting and surrounding grime so it can be either trapped with your wash mitt during application or suspended in the solution and rinsed away.

Lather is a dilute-to-suit shampoo so, in normal circumstances, a couple of capfuls in your wash bucket will be plenty, but you can add a little more if the soiling is heavier, or a little less for light cleaning.

Wash Media & Route Around The Car

What you use to physically contact wash your car is also important. The reason why we make all our wash media from microfibre or lambswool is that a good wash mitt or wash pad should be able to lift and trap particles deep within the pile itself… something that just can’t be done with a sponge which, by nature, will simply push dirt around.

In this way a professional wash mitt - or the large microfibre Plush Wash Pad we’re using here - will keep grime away from paintwork, not releasing the grit from deep within until it’s rinsed out in your rinse bucket. An important safety measure that’s easy to overlook. As for the wash media you choose? Well, much of that will come down to personal preference - what do you like to use?

Another way to keep your wash safe and swirl-free is by tackling the cleaner areas first, this helps to prevent cross contamination – otherwise known as dragging dirt to cleaner areas as you wash. Wash in straight lines (to further cut down on the risk of causing swirls) starting with the roof, windscreen bonnet and upper sides. And finish with the front bumper, lower sides and rear end. Being sure to rinse out your mitt after every pass.

When you’ve made contact with every surface you can rinse away the shampoo residue from the top to bottom.

Paintwork Decontamination

A ‘decon wash’ is a 3-stage process designed to remove the type of bonded and embedded environmental contamination that can’t be safely removed by washing alone. It’s important to eradicate contaminants like protein deposits from bird droppings and bug splatter, ferrous metal fall out and sticky tar or glue residues for a couple of reasons. First you don’t want to lock these potentially corrosive particles in with your protection layers. And second you really don’t want these being pulled out and swirling around on your pad when you polish – that’s guaranteed to cause more surface damage. The reason why it’s a 3-stage process is that we use three specialist products designed to deal with each type of contaminant as safely as possible.

The first stage is designed to remove ferrous iron deposits. These are chiefly derived from brake dust and the only way to safely remove these kind of sharp metal particles safely is by utilising Iron Out Contaminant Remover. This product chemically dissolves the particles into its own solution, forming a paint-safe solute that can be quickly rinsed away. All we need to do here is spray on our Iron Out liberally (it’s safe for all paintwork trim and glass) and we can see the chemical reaction take place as the solution turns blood red. Then we know it’s time for a full rise down from top to bottom.

The next decontamination stage is to tackle and sticky glue residues, along with tar deposits. Again, chemically dissolving these is the key to safe removal, but this time we need a strong solvent to break the bonds of the sticky contamination. ObliTARate Tar & Glue Remover is the answer here, this product chemically dissolves these kinds of bonded contamination safely lifting them from the surface allowing them to be wiped, or rinsed, away.

Using ObliTARate on paintwork is a more targeted process, and only carried out where the contamination is present. So, we always have a quick inspection first and treat any areas that are needed. This powerful solvent melts through sticky contamination and tar on contact so there’s no dwell time, just apply and rinse, or use a microfibre work cloth to remove the contamination trapped in the solution.

The final thing to remember about this stage is to rewash any treated areas with your Lather Car Shampoo solution. This ensures that any leftover solvent is neutralised, so it doesn’t interfere with our detailing clay in the next step.

Finally, we can move onto the last decontamination stage where we use detailing clay to physically pull any other bonded contamination out of the surface of our paintwork.

This process removes environmental contamination such as protein deposits from bird droppings and bug splatter, and bonded mineral deposits, overspray and other foreign particles that may interfere with your polishing or the appearance of your paint. The idea is to leave nothing behind but a super-smooth surface.

The process is very simple and should be completed over every inch of your paintwork. We break off a piece of our Clay Bar and flatten it into a pad. Then we lubricate the clay, and the surface with Glide Clay Lube. This advanced lubricant is not only designed to help your clay slip freely over the surface, picking up the contaminants as it goes, but it will also encapsulate any loose particles, keeping them lubricated and, most importantly, away from your paintwork.

We run the clay pad back and forth in straight lines with a little pressure. You’ll actually feel the resistance change as the contamination is pulled away and the surface gets smoother and smoother. All you have to remember here is to periodically check and fold your clay to reveal a fresh piece as and when it gets dirty. You'll be surprised at how much the clay will pick up, especially as much of this contamination is invisible to the eye.

Once the whole car has been clayed, we can rinse away any remaining residue and we’re done with the jetwash.

Drying

The reason why we dry our cars after every wash is simple. Tap water - the water most of us use to wash our cars - isn’t pure, it actually contains all sorts of impurities that will be left on surfaces should we allow them to air dry.

These mineral impurities are dissolved in the water, so when the water part is allowed to evaporate off, all that’s left behind is the hard mineral deposits which can’t evaporate. This is what causes water spots and, in some cases, they can be impossible to remove without intense polishing. Something that’s easily avoided by doing the job properly and not forgetting to dry your car.

The safest way to rid the surface of these impurities is to absorb them while they’re still dissolved in the water, and for this we need a suitable drying towel. Your drying towel (here we’re using our Silk Drying Towel) will soak up the water and the impurities together, unlike a chamois which tends to merely push the water around.

We dry the car thoroughly from the top down, being sure to look out for any drips from trapped water as we go, and after you’ve moved the car.

Hand Polishing

Now we can enhance our paintwork with a quick hand polish. When you’re carrying out this process, especially outside, the key is to be relatively fast and to do this you’ll need to use a product that breaks down easily by hand to refine your paintwork.

Tripple All-in-One Polish is perfect for this task because this ‘easy on, easy off’ formula contains advanced diminishing abrasives that you can work through quickly by hand as they lightly refine the surface, removing light swirls and scratches for a flawless, deep and glossy finish. Although Tripple can also be applied using a machine polisher, the fact that it’s great for use by hand is what makes it the best car polish for speedy detailers.

But that’s not all, Tripple is also classed as a cleaner wax, or cleaner polish, because it contains a whole host of deep-cleaning solvents to remove unsightly oxidation and restore the finish of your paintwork. This advanced formula even leaves behind a layer of wax protection that lasts for up to 4-weeks. In other words - Tripple cleans, polishes and protects in a single application.

Application is extremely straightforward, just a few drops on a microfibre Polish Pad will be enough to complete a whole panel. Simply work on one part at a time applying your Tripple in small, overlapping circular motions, leave it to haze and then buff away any residue with a soft microfibre towel. This is all it takes for professional results in record time.

Tripple can also be used on gloss plastic trim and your taillights, and because the wax infusion cures almost straight away, you can choose to add even more wax protection, not to mention more shine, over the top.

Paintwork Protection

Although Tripple leaves behind a layer of T1-Grade Brazilian Carnauba wax offering a rich gloss and plenty of protection, there’s no harm in further enhancing the durability and shine with a little Glisten Spray Wax. You can of course choose your favourite AF Signature Hard Wax or Radiance Carnauba Crème here. But, in the interest of keeping this detail as speedy as possible, we’ll be opting for our advanced finishing spray.

We’ve developed Glisten to be so easy to use, that it’s almost silly not to, this advanced solution is also ideal for topping up your wax layers after routine maintenance. One other thing that sets this spray wax aside is that it’s extremely easy to treat awkward areas such as your door jambs, shuts and even inside panel gaps, giving those plenty of protection too.

All it takes is a very light spritz on each panel, followed by a wipe and buff with a soft microfibre towel – here were using our Ultra Plush Microfibre, which is ideal for this kind of finishing task. Trust us when we say that it only takes a matter of minutes to bring the shine to a whole car, making Glisten one of the all-time great kitbag essentials.

Interior Cleaning

Now it’s time to move our vehicle over to the car vac, so we can give the interior some attention. The level of cleaning required here will always depend on the condition of your car, but for the most part all the cleaning processes remain the same. We like to perform some light interior cleaning as part of our normal maintenance routine, that way the grime doesn’t build up excessively over time and require a full deep-clean. It’s always good to remember that the interior is where you spend most of your time, so it makes sense to make it the nicest possible place to be. In this case all that’s needed is a little light cleaning.

For most details we’ll break up the interior completing everything section by section, starting with the boot area, then moving onto the rear cabin and then finishing with the front. In this case though we’ll complete all the vacuuming first, just to make sure our car vac isn’t sitting around counting down while we’re busy using our cleaning products.

So, first we take the car vac and remove any loose debris from the boot, seats, carpets and floor mats, being as thorough as possible.

Once any loose debris is removed, we can move on to cleaning and sanitising using Total Interior Cleaner. The advantage in using this product, and what makes it a kitbag essential that’s vital for mobile jobs, is that it’s safe to use on all interior surfaces and materials.

Again, Total is a surfactant-based cleaning agent that actively lifts, degreases and encapsulates contamination, so we can wipe it way with a microfibre Work Cloth. This action is what makes it clean in the safest possible way, without abrading or degrading the surface underneath. The great thing about Total is that it does the lot, from general cleaning with a spray and a wipe, to more intensive spot cleaning and stain removal with a little agitation from an Upholstery Brush or Interior Detail Brush. Either way Total eradicates all the contamination you’ll commonly find in your car such as foodstuffs, body oils, sweat, spills, sticky films and fingerprints. Basically speaking, it’s a master all-rounder for all your interior needs.

One other cleaning product we like to use regularly is Spritz Interior Quick Detailer. This advanced cleaning solution is designed to not only clean hard plastic surfaces and LCD screens safely, but it’s packed with special UV inhibitors which protect them from the cracking and fading associated with constant exposure to the sun. Handy for dashboards, consoles and doorcards we think you'll agreeIt also contains next-generation anti-static agents which help combat dust and grime build-up in the future, keeping your interior cleaner for longer.

Spritz can be applied in the same way as Total, and it leaves behind a non-sticky finish with a subtle factory-style sheen. Just a quick spritz and a wipe is all you need.

Finishing Touches

We’re nearing the end of our jetwash detail now, so we can move onto the final finishing touches.

Obviously, the products you choose here will always depend on your particular car. You may for example require a little Revive Trim Dressing to bring your faded matte plastics back to life, or some Mercury Metal Polish to finish those polished wheel lips or tailpipes to perfection.

Here we’ll stick to the basics though – the two products you’ll need to finish off just about every detail. Whether you choose to do this right now or when you get home, or even to an event, is up to you. Either way here’s two ideal finishing touches to make sure that nothing detracts from your otherwise immaculate mobile detail.

First up, we’ll dress our tyres using Satin Tyre Crème. This product is not only quick and easy to apply, but it also nourishes your rubber deep down to help prevent browning and fading in the future. It also creates a barrier of protection from the elements and, perhaps best of all, you get to choose the finish that suits you best. One application leaves a subtle satin sheen, while layering on multiple applications builds up a dripping wet, show car-style gloss. This alone makes Satin one of the all-time great finishers, so make sure you always have a bottle – along with a Tyre & Trim Applicator or Tyre Spot Pad – in your kit bag.

The final part of every detail should be cleaning your glass, this is because it’s almost inevitable that it will have picked up some light dust and a few fingerprints by now, and we really don’t want that drawing the eye from the rest of our detail.

The good news is that the process of cleaning windows and mirrors, inside and out, is extremely quick and effective when you’re using Crystal Glass Cleaner. This unique blend of mild distilled solvents cuts through grease and grime, leaving a smear and streak-free finish. Best of all it just takes a light spritz and a wipe for immaculate glass every time.

For your buffing and wiping we always recommend having a dedicated glass cloth such as our Superior Waffle. This super-absorbent microfibre has been developed specifically for glass surfaces and it’s constructed form a special microfibre weave designed to lift contamination and trap any harmful particles in the special pockets, keeping them away from the surface for the safest scratch-free cleaning.

To Finish Up…

And that’s our detail complete, a full enhancement away from home in record time. But there is one last product that’s worth having to hand, especially after you’ve driven home, and that’s our Finale Quick Detailer.

This wax-infused finishing spray is ideal for safely cleaning away dust and light soiling, along with any stray fingerprints when you get to where you’re going.

Safe for use on all types of paint, wheels, trim and vinyl wraps Finale can be sprayed directly on all surfaces, spread and then buffed with a soft microfibre towel for a rich gloss and plenty of the carnauba glow we all know and love. No matter your detail, always finish with Finale.

So, that’s how you can get a great, swirl-free full detail at the local service station jet wash or car cleaning centre. Why not adapt this guide for your own needs?

For more free detailing guides be sure to check out the Guides Section Of Our Blog.