Do i need

[roaringlion]

God i feel dumb for the constant questions i put to you good people but i was wondering do i need to use a chamois or can i get away with using a terry towel to dry off my car after cleaning.
Can anyon tell me what equipment do i need with my detailing produts, i know i need terry towels or an equivilant 100% cotton and applicator pads but what else do i need. Thank you and many thanks

[Murr1525]

Well, after washing, you can use 100% terry cloths, or a chamois. Or, what I prefer, is the Water Magnet Drying Towel. 2 or 3 of those are fantastic for drying cars.

Are you working by hand? If so, then yo ureally only need applicator pads, and towels to remove them. Here is what I use:

1. Hi-Tec Applicator Pads
2. Even Coat Applicators

Both of thse are great to apply products, I'd get a few of each. Even if you prefer one over the other, you'll end up using both.

3. Supreme Shine Microfiber

You'll want a bunch of these for removing cleaners, polishes, and waxes.

4. 100% Terry Cloth Towels

You'll still want a few of these towels for doing in door jambs, and other potentialy dirty/greasy places.


You can always get the different wheel brushes, or interior brush. Some tire swipes for applying tire dressing. But those are more optional things.

Never a dumb question.. keep asking away...

[roaringlion]

What about a sponge or a mit, ive noticed alot of you seem to prefer using the wash mit, To answer your question about if im cleaninig by hand, yes unfortunatly i am as my finaces aint to good to get a buffer yet.

So i guess i would use a wash mit
a chamios and/or terry towel, water magnet drying towel
and hi tech applicators

would that be correct

and also Supreme Shine Microfiber

[Murr1525]

You can get great results working by hand, dont worry about that.

I think the most popular washing item is a chenille wash mit. I like the chenile wash sponge, but all that matters is if you would rather hold something, or put it over your hand. Though my sponge did get a slight tear that I had to sew up. Maybe the mit is more durable.

After applying products, you can remove them with either 100% terry cloth towels, or the Supreme Shine microfiber towels. Again, the choice is up to you.

Dont feel like you need every little thing just to get started. I have probably 6 or 7 Water Magnet drying towels, and 10 or so Supreme Shine towels, but I just bought one of each to start off, and try them out.

You only need one applicator per product, and a clean towel to remove the product.

I am not sure what products you are planning on using, but you dont need a giant investment just to get started by hand.

[roaringlion]

Thanks Murr, the products i have so far is just the Soft wash gel, Deep crystal paint cleaner and the Deep crystal wet-look polymer sealant, as far as applicators go i only bought the 2 for the paint cleaner ans the wet-look polymer sealant also 2 100% cotton towels (terry towels) and a microspun wash mit (non lambswool, to expensive) and also the chinille wash mit isnt available over here, may i ask about the chamois, would a synthetic chamois do just as good a job as the non synthetic? or can i get away with just using a terry towel to dry off? many thanks and much appriciated for everyones whom has helped me and shared their information, you are gods among the car detailers, i before you

P.S. about the team ya support the pittsburg steelers, not a bad team i myself have gone for the dallas cowboys for some time now over here in australia, maybe you lot can take ya pads off and come over here and play our game of football,
not sure if you had seen the 2 teams that played an exabition game in L.A. i think it was UCLA the ground they played at

[Murr1525]

I have not used a chamois in a long time.. never could get the hang of it. You can certainly use terry towels to dry.

They had some of the Aussie rules players from each team on one of the sports talk shows goofing around... naturaly the game wasnt televised or anything.

I am not sure how playing each others game would work out... half of the players on our teams couldnt play your style, but half of your players on the team couldnt play our style.

[roaringlion]

So may i aks what you use to dry off you car? and also alot of the produst like the polishes and waxes say to make sure your car is cool and so on well its a bit hard when the mercuruy averages 35degrees C

And as far as NFL goes well have you heard of a player called Ben Graham, he's a punter for a team over there he used to play for the gelong cats, basicly the biggest kicker in the legue till he was scouted by the NFL and then recuruited

[Don]

Originally posted by roaringlion
may i ask about the chamois, would a synthetic chamois do just as good a job as the non synthetic? or can i get away with just using a terry towel to dry off?

A large terry towel is OK, try to make sure it has really deep knap to it (the deep knap gives stray dirt particles somewhere to go without scratching the paint).

A natural chamois works a lot like a squeegee blade, where a synthetic chamois, such as The Absorber, works more like a sponge. Each has its own technique it works best with.

[Murr1525]

I use the Water Magnet Drying Towel to dry the car. I think I use two to dry the whole car.

Water Magnet Drying Towel


I think Ben plays for the New York Jets.. I think San Diego has another Aussie punter, or at least used to.

[roaringlion]

Thanks Don much appriciated and Murr i dont think we get the Water Magnet Drying towel we have very limited product range unlike you in the US where you have everything

[Murr1525]

Actualy, try this link:

Water Magnet

It says out of stock, but at least there is hope. Seems a touch pricy, though I am not sure the exchange rate ,etc. Could always see what someplace like autodetailingsolutions.com charges internationaly.

[Murr1525]

Also browse motoractive.com/au

[roaringlion]

Thanks again Murr, the price on that is the same as the non synthetic chamois $30AU, but i will look out for that this week or sometime in the next few days as the temp over here is reachin 40+ degrees C