Cleaning My Yaris

[Blue84]

So, overall, what is recommended for getting the best results from cleaning my black metallic paint Yaris?

Did have a quick look in Halfords yesterday at the products mentioned here, and things like Autoglym are available in these packs at present etc, but would like to keep things looking as new and shiny as possible.

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In this weather mate, if you cover more than 100 miles a week, you're going to have a shiny car using whatever products, be it cheap or mega-wonga for about a day. Then it will be filthy. Best advice is to just wash it once a week to get rid of the salt and thick dirt from the roads. Main thing to concentrate on is the wheels and under the sills as they can corrode easily.

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I need to clean mine, she's filthy. Trouble is that I work 8 hours a day (so all of the daylight hours are taken up) so I really only have weekends free to clean her, but worked yesterday and today had to go shopping and put christmas decs up so once again she hasnt been done. Last time she was done was over a month and a half ago and I feel really bad now cos I forgot about the salt etc on her. Also I dont have a driveway or a hose which is long enough to go from the back of the house through the front to the road so dont know how I can clean the underneath of the car.

Any ideas?

[seveer unaek]

Right, the underneath.....

First off, sponges are cheap... stock up! Get a warm bucket of water (get a bigger bucket, not a crappy flimsy thing) then use a sponge to put water under the sills in abundance and the wheels.

Fresh bucket... with your suds

Use sponge (not one you wash rest of car with) and use good old elbow grease to get under the sills, never be shy to use too much water, and scrub the dirt off from right underneath... same goes for the wheels.

Fresh bucket of warm water

Slosh that underneath to rinse off, use the old sponge you used before or a cloth if you cant reach.

Fresh bucket... with suds

Wash that car! Pay attention to the sides and rear bumper if you don't have mud flaps as mud will pile up there. Give it a good wash all over... plenty of water!

Fresh bucket of warm water

Rinse off the car! If you don't have time to chamois it off, go for a 10 minute drive and the water hopefully shouldn't leave spots. If you do chamois, i'm still recommending 'wax it wet', so you can give it a quick wax when you chamois it.

Jobs a good 'un!

Hope this helps!!

[yvvan]

Use cold water for getting rid of the road salt, the corrosiveness of chlorine based de-icers increases greatly if you use warm water.

Cheers, Yves.

[Viper_7]

Use cold water for getting rid of the road salt, the corrosiveness of chlorine based de-icers increases greatly if you use warm water.

Cheers, Yves.

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Indeedy...this time of year, if you can clean as normal every week...and hose off in between.

Clean under the arches...that means pointing the hose back on yourself so you get under the arch lip... yes ya always get a jet in the face every now and again....

Open your doors...clean the sills...clean the door bottoms..ensure the drain holes are clear of blockages... open ya boot/bonnet go around the edges.

Get ya hose an fire it right in the front grill... clear out that rad... give the sump guard a good swill. all in all.... wash that damn awful salt away.

Sounds alot...but at this time of year...there;s no point messing about getting her really shiny, and waxed up..what's important now is getting rid of the salt, she doesn't have to be show spotless as a 5 min drive will cover her in $%£% again.

For example..I say this guy washing his BMW today...he must have been at it for two hours.... chamois it off etc. ....it will only be covered in $£%£T again tomorrow...leave al lthat hard work for the summer.

Vipes

vipes

[Xenole]

My Yaris seems to have some invisible bullseye painted on it for birds as at least 3 times this week on the street and in car parks (no trees etc near by in the car parks) the little blighters have got the bonnet and windows.

[seveer unaek]

My Yaris seems to have some invisible bullseye painted on it for birds as at least 3 times this week on the street and in car parks (no trees etc near by in the car parks) the little blighters have got the bonnet and windows.

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Solution: Air Rifle. (talk to earpl! He seems to have a few weapons! Not that im that way inclined!! :D )

[Xenole]

Well, just gave her a clean with water/shampoo solution and had to change the water 4 times due to the amuont of dirt coming off. Used the sponge underneath the wheel area and it turned black, so off to the local garage to use their jet spray sometime (hose too short to reach from the kitchen to the road).

Did notice that in some places, dirty water smears. Leaving it to air dry at present, but should I dry it off to remove smears of what?

What's best for the glass (windscreen, door windows etc)?

[seveer unaek]

Unless you've got perfect water and super expensive wash products, leaving a car to dry naturally will always leave spots. It's natural dirt in all water (except mineral water) You've got to chamois it off to get it spot and streak clear.

For the windows use a car window cleaner, available from Halfords or any car place really... even supermarkets usually do them. Don't bother using houshold window cleaners unless you have a bad stain, because these contain ammonia and various other things that can cause a smokey appearance on car windows.

[Xenole]

My windows are far dirtier now than they were before I washed the car, although the car looks far cleaner, especially the alloys which don't have that black muck all over them anymore.

Questions about a chamois leather.

Are you supposed to wet it first before using it and what exactly is it for? Drying off excess water?

Also, should I decide to polish the car sometime, and methods of doing so or places on the car to start? i.e. Wax on, Wax off like in the Katare Kid?

Awfully difficult to reach across the roof.....

[seveer unaek]

Yeah, wet the chamois first. Then ring it out fuly and get rid of all the excess water on your car. You'll probably have to go over it a couple of times to get rid of all the water.

You should definatley polish/wax your car from time to time. Don't bother in winter though, it's pointless. Use a product called 'wax it wet' available at Halfords and pretty much anywhere else, you just spray it on when chamois-ing... brings uo the car a treat without spending ages waxing.

When you do give it a proper wax/polish, make sure it's had a good wash, and has been properly dried off. Then follow the instructions on the wax/poilsh! Basically, cover the whole car in wax/polish, then use a good buffing cloth and buff it all up! Looks lovely when it's done!!

[yvvan]

Soak your new (real, not synthetic) chamois in warm water with plenty of vinegar for a couple of hours before you first use it. It'll work so much better and easier.

Yves.

[cfc1]

Has anyone used Diamondbrite?? I know someone who uses it on his black Warrior , this thing gleams.

It's a paint protection product... seemingly, once you have used it the paint is protected for 5 years all you need to do is take the car to a steam cleaner, give it a quick hose down and is as good as the day you polished it.

deatails of the product can be found here.... h**p://www.jewelultra.com/diamondbrite.htm

It can be found on e-bay at good prices... i thinking of giving it a go on mine, if anyone who has used it before, tell us how good/bad it really is

[seveer unaek]

Iv seen it on a Citroen Picasso in silver, doesn't make much difference really. Mind you, it aint kept clean!!

[simmo]

I have the black T sport and have no issues.

Wash the car then do a quick run up the road to blow all ecxcess water off.

Chamois the car down then begin the polish prep.

Money is the deciding factor here.

Cheaper option is buy P21's wax and cleanser.

or

expensive Zaino lots of work but results are good

see pics on my jap ladies from s2000 board.

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?act=m...bum&album=12999

[vikasshah]

got loads of minor scuff marks on the sides due to driving past shrubbery....any tips for removing them?

[seveer unaek]

T-Cut gets rid of little scratches and scuffs. If not that, there are quite a few scratch removal products around. Also, you can try giving the area a really good clean, then polishing it about 4 times, then sometimes does it for minor scratches.

[reece]

T-Cut gets rid of little scratches and scuffs. If not that, there are quite a few scratch removal products around. Also, you can try giving the area a really good clean, then polishing it about 4 times, then sometimes does it for minor scratches.

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Wax on, Wax off...

[seveer unaek]

I like that bear! Where can I get one of those? Oh and reece... that's an old joke... let it go. Otherwise i shall don my gi and my way thru the night and slice you with my ninja chopper... that sounds rather dodgy!

[kimi]

  and slice you with my ninja chopper... 

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:shutit: are pics to follow

[Chappers]

^^^ I'd link you to a certain 'Golden' picture.. but we've all seen that now :P

[yaris30]

waste of time cleaning cars ..clean it and after a day or so as bad as ever like I done nothing at all ...rains and then its good luck with the cold and the damp roads and no drying but thats winter for ya a pain in the *****

[knightrider]

i just use the local jet wash once/twice a week as my hands good numb whemni wash it by hand

[Boro Sera]

i just use the local jet wash once/twice a week as my hands good numb whemni wash it by hand

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That's a subtle hint there Lee..........Marigolds for Christmas

Rich

[simmo]

waste of time cleaning cars ..clean it and after a day or so as bad as ever like I done nothing at all ...rains and then its good luck with the cold and the damp roads and no drying but thats winter for ya a pain in the *****

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I know what you mean cleaned and polished and loks filty now a week later.

Still clean and polish it though so you can protect the finsh you have and get rid of the salt underneath.

Also this time of year is good as its not to hot and no moisture in the air. will be doing mine this weekend again to build up the layers of zaino :P

Z5 polish removes scrathes quite well and fills in the remaining marks.