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Keeping you car clean and protected minimizes potential contaminates from embedding or etching into the paint.

Hand Washing

Brett's Detail Garage recommends a three bucket wash method minimum.  Never use a sponge or brush on your paint.  Use a microfiber wash mitt or equivalent.

 - 1st) Dedicated wheel bucket 

 - 2nd) Soap bucket with grit a guard and a PH balanced soap 

 - 3rd) Rinse bucket with a grit guard.  .

 - Extras Methods

     - Foam gun is a great way to remove surface contaminates or to do touchless washes.  Example is Griot's Foaming Surface Wash.

Automatic Car Washes

- Touchless car washes are OK in a pinch, but often use a non PH soap and and chemicals that can pre-maturely remove your wax, sealants, or coating.

- Touch car washes - NEVER EVER.  This wash method is a 100% scratch inducing machine.

One of the quickest ways to scratch you paint is by dry wiping.  So, no California Dusters.  Get a wet microfiber rag and some quick shine and wipe in one direction with one side of the microfiber....flip microfiber and continue to wipe..flip microfiber after each pass (8 sides to each towel).  Even better is to take your water hose and out of direct sun light, spray the vehicle off.  Dry with a dampened microfiber towel and a  "drying aid" such as spray way or detail spray.

You should wash your car every week or two at a minimum using a PH balanced automotive soap.  It is best to remove surface contaminates as soon as possible using proper washing or removing methods.  This will maximize the longevity of your protection product.

Compound

 - Contains abrasives to mechanically remove scratches from surface of vehicle.  These abrasives in these products serve as no protection to your vehicle, except to remove defects.  These products can make you paint look hazy or more scratched, but that is the goal.  By doing this, we are creating uniform scratches for the next step to remove.

Polishes

 - Contains abrasive that mechanically remove scratches, but refine the surface to a gloss.  There are different levels of abrasive polishes to ultimately end up with a defect free surface ready to wax, paint sealant, or coating.

Wax

 - Natural product 

 - Created a warm, rich glow to paint

 - Short term durability 0-4 months

 - Often applied to cars paint just before a car show to create that last minute pop.

Paint Sealants

 - Created in labs

 - Creates a wax "look" to the vehicles paint

 - Medium term durability 6 months to 1 year

 - Great for any auto finish and for any owner who wants to greater protect their asset(s).  

Coatings (ceramic, nano, etc.)

 - Created in labs

 - Creates a "candy-ish" look or "glass" look to the painted surface.

 - Long term durability 1 year +

 - A semi-permanent to permanent coating that chemically bonds to the surface.  Often has enhanced hydrophobics due to chemical make-up for enhanced self-cleaning.  Creates a "wear" layer between outside contaminates and vehicles clear coat or paint.

Blends

 - Created in labs

 - The look depends on the blend...examples are below

     - Meguiar's M27 Hybrid-Ceramic Wax.  Dr. Beasley's 1201.  Both of these products are ceramic enhanced coatings...but fall info the paint sealant line.  Both have a life expectancy of 6 month to 1 year and have properties of coatings such as gloss and enhanced hydrophobics.  Griot's Poly-Gloss is a wax based paint sealant blend that leaves a "warmer" shine with more protection than standard wax.  

 - Medium durability 6 months to 1 year. 

One-Step Products

 - Lab blended, but can be mixed with a wax base or paint sealant

 - Creates a rich glow or reflection to the surface

 - Short  to medium term durability 1 months - 1 year.

 - These product have the potential to remove light to mild scratches (swirls or holograms) from the surface while leaving behind a protective layer.

     - Example: Griot's Garage One-Step Paint Protectant.

Enhancement Products - Spray Waxes & Detail Sprays

 - Created in labs

 - Depending on the product used, it can create a warm glow to a glass like finish

 - Short term durability 0-4 months

 - Often acts as a gloss or hydrophobic enhancer, drying aid, or as a wear layer to prolong your wax, paint sealant, or coating.

     - Example include: Griot's 3 in 1 Ceramic Spray Wax, Meguiar's X-press Wax, Bead Maker, etc.

That is the hardest question to answer because of the complexity of the options available and time.  Brett's Detail Garage functions as a hobby, and the work is complete on weekends or in the evening after kids are asleep.  

It take about an hour to do an exterior wash only.  Yes it can be done faster, but Brett's Detail Garage wants to minimize the input of new scratches into the paint of the vehicle...so proper wash methods are always used.  No short cuts!

A two or three step paint correction with a coating product (wax, paint sealant, or ceramic) can take 12+ hours.  The time depends on the size of the vehicle, shape (curvy, straight, tight, or open areas), color, paint hardness or softness, and current condition of the paint.  The 12+ hours of time does not included interior work.