Shine Enterprises -- Past Tips

Proper Car Washing

This month we're going to tell you the proper way to wash your vehicle, using Race Glaze^® L.A.S Wash.

Why L.A.S. Wash ?

Highly concentrated - about a capful for a 2 gal. pail.
Dense suds - even in hard water.
Won't curdle in cold water.
Biodegradeable - safe to the environment.
pH balanced. (many other car washes are alkaline in nature - bad for paint, and for your skin).
Free rinsing - VERY free rinsing - no streaks or spots.
Excellent cleaning abilities - even removes road tar without stripping the Polish & Sealant.
Very pleasant coconut fragrance.

What you'll need:

Hose with adjustable pressure/spray nozzle.
Large bucket.
Wash mitt (preferably all cotton).
Second wash mitt for wheels and wheel wells (or use a towel).
Bug sponge (nylon mesh over foam).
Bottle of Race Glaze^® L.A.S. Wash.
High quality chamois - Hydra Wipe^® synthetic, or natural tanned chamois. (We do not recommend the inexpensive ones you see at flea mkts - they may absorb water very well, but they have also been known to scratch the surface.) Make sure the chamois is clean - if you're not sure, rinse it out well before using.
Rubber squeege - optional. (I use one to remove the majority of water before the chamois).
Shade - for best results.

* Make sure the bucket is clean. This sounds like common sense, but rinse it to be sure there is no dirt in it. I also rinse out the wash mitt, just to make sure it is also still clean since the last use.
* Pour in a small amount of Race Glaze^® L.A.S. Wash - a capful should do a 2 gal. household pail, unless you have very hard water - if so, add a 2nd capful (L.A.S. Wash has water softening agents).
* Fill the pail with water with the pressure/spray nozzle, creating a nice dense foam.
* Wet down the entire vehicle, starting at the roof.
* Use the wash mitt to lather up the vehicle, again starting at the roof. The runoff will actually start to loosen the dirt on the lower portion, as it runs down the sides.
* Rinse the roof thoroughly.
* Work your way down and around the vehicle, lathering a section, and then rinsing it. Get an aissistant if you can. The job goes a lot more quickly. Good job for the kids - they love to use a hose, and what can they do wrong? Except for maybe getting you a little wet :-)
* I suggest using a separate towel (or 2nd wash mitt) for doing the wheels, and inside the wheel wells. These are the dirtiest parts - why pick up that dirt in the same wash mitt you're washing the paint with.
* Use a bug sponge to remove any stubborn bugs from the frontal area, and road tar from the lower sides. Thats one nice thing about using L.A.S. Wash - it removes road tar, without removing the Polish & Sealant.
* Once the entire vehicle has been washed and rinsed, rinse again, from top to bottom.
* Dry thoroughly, starting again at the top of the vehicle, and working your way down, and around. (I go around the entire vehicle, taking off most of the water, and then go back around to finish drying.)(Use a separate dry towel for tires, wheels, and inside wheel wells - keeps the chamois free of black residue from the tires, and of dirt that may not have been completely removed from wheel wells.) Open doors/hatch/decklid and dry inside these openings with a towel.

Apply Race Glaze^® Trim & Leather Renewer to the tires, all exterior vinyl and rubber trim, as well as all interior vinyl or leather trim. I also wipe down all the rubber weatherstripping about every 3-6 months, to prevent it from drying and cracking.

Now that your vehicle is clean, consider applying a coat of Race Glaze^® Polish & Sealant, to provide long term protection (about 4-6 months). If you've just recently applied Polish & Sealant, but still want to give it a little more attention/protection, go around the vehicle with a coat of Race Glaze^® Gloss Highlighter. This unique "spray/wipe/buff" product will increase the shine and the protection, hide some fine scratches, and won't wash off for about 4-6 washes. This product can be used on painted surfaces, glass, chrome, plastic, and most other hard surfaces.

Checking, and fixing, paint condition