DFB5.0
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Cleaning The Cleaning Equipment!
I know this is going even further down the rabbit hole, but keeping your detailing tools clean and in good shape is just as important as the actual job they were intended to do. I tend to apply this mentality to any of the tools and equipment I buy…………………. look after your tools and they will look after you.
Specially requested by @xrs , this is my process.......................
Microfiber –
I’ve covered this topic at length, so check out the link below. Here are some basic points to remember –
- Have a “clean dirty bucket”. In other words, a laundry basket for used towels.
- Where possible, wash all brand-new microfiber towels that will be in contact with paint.
- Use a dedicated microfiber detergent. While there are microfiber-safe laundry detergents, they don’t target modern detailing chemicals such as spray sealants, quick detailers and polishing residues. Rag’s to Riches from P&S was developed side-by-side with The Rag Company.
- Do not wash with fabric softener or at high temperatures.
- I prefer not to tumble dry microfiber, if you do, make sure it's on a low temperature setting. Otherwise, air dry indoors.
- Once completely dry, store towels where they won’t collect dust or debris. My garage is not completely sealed from the outside, so I store in airtight containers.
- For excessively dirty towels, pre-soak them in a bucket with detergent or APC. Rinse under running water before putting through the washer.
- Know that towels are a consumable, sometimes they just need to be replaced.
More on microfiber below -
(1) Microfiber Towel 101 with DFB | Mustang7G - 2024+ S650 Mustang Forum (Dark Horse, GT, EcoBoost, GT500, GT350, Mach 1)
Polishing Pads –
Most of the above applies to polishing pads too. I don’t pre-wash brand new pads as pads usually come with sealed packaging, although wool and microfiber are best brushed to remove lint first.
- After each polishing session, I put pads into a bucket of warm water with APC or an alkaline soap such as Carpro Lift. I leave them to soak overnight.
- After soaking, I then wash each pad under warm running water, reapplying APC if needed.
- From here, throw them into the washing machine using the same microfiber detergent.
- Air dry indoors.
- Store in airtight containers, making sure they are 100% dry otherwise they will turn moldy.
- For pads used to apply polymer sealants or carnauba wax, these can be cleaned to an extent, but it will take you ages. I know its wasteful, but I now just throw them away.
Polishing Machines –
I wipe these down with APC or a rinse-less wash after finishing the car. Some machines may require periodic replacement of the brushes and re-greasing. For the average hobbyist, you probably won’t ever need to do that.
For pneumatic powered machines, make sure to oil these periodically with the appropriate oil
Brushes –
For the most part, these are simply rinsed under running water, although there are treatments for specific brushes.
- Tyre scrubbing brushes can get pretty manky, especially if you use greasier solvent tyre dressings. I’ve found using one of the stronger tyre cleaners such as Shine Supply Wise Guy or Carpro ReTyre will clean them up nicely, just heavily soak the bristles and rinse with the pressure washer or running water.
- Tyre dressing brushes will need the occasional treatment with APC and rinsed under running water. If you are using water-based dressings, these will clean up just fine.
- Wheel cleaning brushes get rinsed after use.
- If you have wooden handle brushes, don’t store there in a closed bucket, they quickly turn moldy and the timber will swell and crack the plastic bristle holder. Ask me how I know.
Buckets –
I always rinse out buckets after each use. This is especially important on the wheel bucket or after washing a very dirty vehicle. Sometimes, you may need a touch of APC to remove any residue from the wheel bucket. I will also periodically clean the bucket dollies too. My buckets have gamma seal lids, which help keep dust out while not in use……………….and they look good too.
Spray Bottles -
For trigger action sprayers, there isn’t much to do here. For high pH products such as wheel and tyre cleaners, or certain solvents such as tar remover, be mindful these tend to kill spray heads quite quickly, be that cheap or expensive. I’ve got into the habit of purging the spray head back into the bottle and/or flush with clean water to extend the life of my “good” spray heads (Pressol and Kwazar).
Some chemicals I’ve found to pressurize and leak through the spray tip. I remedy this by closing the tip after use. Products like NV Purge and Purify (actually, iron removers in general), Koch Chemie GUF and certain spray sealants like Koch Chemie S0.02 and Capro Reload.
For pump action sprayers and foamers, always release the pressure after use, with or without product still in the cannister. Preferably, I don’t like to store chemicals in these sprayers as they are a significant investment.
Pressure Washer –
This all depends on the machine. I don’t recommend using gas powered pressure washers for car cleaning, they are just too strong……………… and too noisy. You can use them, just make sure you have accounted for the higher pressure via appropriate nozzle orifices. And obviously, you need to maintain that gas-powered engine.
Probably not obvious, high end electric pressure washers will require periodic oil changes. These units can also be rebuilt or serviced to prolong the life of the machine, which is typically not possible on entry level machines.
More generally, you want to make sure that your fittings are working correctly without leaks or damage, a dodgy connection can be quite dangerous. If you have a short gun and quick connect fittings, then you will want to carry a few replacement 1/4 and 3/8 o-rings in stock. These o-rings are a wear item, failure will often start by dripping at the connection and progress to a significant leak.
Viton O Ring 1/4" for Reliable Sealing - Detailing Shed
MTM Stainless Steel QC Plug 1/4 MPT | Detailing Shed
O-RING FKM 1/4 QC COUPLER (PACK 25) - MTM Hydro
O-RING FKM 3/8 QC COUPLER (PACK 25) - MTM Hydro
If you have a pressure washer pulsing or surging, it will often be from a leak between the outlet of the machine and inlet to the gun. Check your fittings for leaks, be that from the o-rings or threaded connections. On cheaper machines, that’s about as far as you can go, but on high end machines you can further chase leaks if needed.
Foam Cannons -
I have to admit, I don’t do much to these other than rinse out the cannister after use. However, your water’s mineral content will play a role in how much maintenance your foam cannon will need.
Over time, excessive mineral content (TDS) will cause the wire mesh filter to become clogged and reduce foam quality. The mesh filter is what generates the foam, so periodic cleaning or replacement might be needed if you have high TDS numbers. I’m fortunate to have exceptional water quality where I live, in all the years I’ve been using foam cannons I’ve not needed to clean or replace a filter yet.
MTM Hydro Foam Cannon Accessories - Detailing Shed
Foam Cannon Parts - MTM Hydro
Also, if you have high TDS, try to avoid storing soap in the cannister for longer than a few hours. The mineral content will attack the chemistry of the soap and potentially hamper foam production. In my case, what I don’t use from the cannister ends up being emptied into my wash bucket. The other way around this would be to use distilled water when mixing up your soap dilution.
Vacuums and Blowers –
You would treat these like any household vacuum or leaf blower. So, remember to clean the filter every now and then, especially if you are dealing with a lot of dirt, dust and hair. For blowers, it’s basically making sure the unit is clean, which I just use a rinse-less wash. Also, the dedicated car blowers have an air filter in them, so check and clean this every so often.
Miscellaneous –
Tornador Air Attachments – the trumpet and agitator on these need to cleaned regularly to function correctly. Both are removable should you feel the need, I just spray with APC and rinse under running water.
Clay – For traditional clay bars, you want to store these in air-tight containers, just rinse them after use and pat dry with a towel first. The synthetic clay towels, mitts and sponges don’t need to be stored air tight, just rinse them and allow to dry before storing somewhere clean. Just don’t put them in an airtight container while still wet, they will turn moldy. While I’m at, never ever use tar removers with a clay product, you will end up melting them.
Final Thoughts -
From my perspective, you've put a lot of money into your car, then a lot of money into cleaning tools and equipment, it only makes sense to look after both investments.
I know this is going even further down the rabbit hole, but keeping your detailing tools clean and in good shape is just as important as the actual job they were intended to do. I tend to apply this mentality to any of the tools and equipment I buy…………………. look after your tools and they will look after you.
Specially requested by @xrs , this is my process.......................
Microfiber –
I’ve covered this topic at length, so check out the link below. Here are some basic points to remember –
- Have a “clean dirty bucket”. In other words, a laundry basket for used towels.
- Where possible, wash all brand-new microfiber towels that will be in contact with paint.
- Use a dedicated microfiber detergent. While there are microfiber-safe laundry detergents, they don’t target modern detailing chemicals such as spray sealants, quick detailers and polishing residues. Rag’s to Riches from P&S was developed side-by-side with The Rag Company.
- Do not wash with fabric softener or at high temperatures.
- I prefer not to tumble dry microfiber, if you do, make sure it's on a low temperature setting. Otherwise, air dry indoors.
- Once completely dry, store towels where they won’t collect dust or debris. My garage is not completely sealed from the outside, so I store in airtight containers.
- For excessively dirty towels, pre-soak them in a bucket with detergent or APC. Rinse under running water before putting through the washer.
- Know that towels are a consumable, sometimes they just need to be replaced.
More on microfiber below -
(1) Microfiber Towel 101 with DFB | Mustang7G - 2024+ S650 Mustang Forum (Dark Horse, GT, EcoBoost, GT500, GT350, Mach 1)
Polishing Pads –
Most of the above applies to polishing pads too. I don’t pre-wash brand new pads as pads usually come with sealed packaging, although wool and microfiber are best brushed to remove lint first.
- After each polishing session, I put pads into a bucket of warm water with APC or an alkaline soap such as Carpro Lift. I leave them to soak overnight.
- After soaking, I then wash each pad under warm running water, reapplying APC if needed.
- From here, throw them into the washing machine using the same microfiber detergent.
- Air dry indoors.
- Store in airtight containers, making sure they are 100% dry otherwise they will turn moldy.
- For pads used to apply polymer sealants or carnauba wax, these can be cleaned to an extent, but it will take you ages. I know its wasteful, but I now just throw them away.
Polishing Machines –
I wipe these down with APC or a rinse-less wash after finishing the car. Some machines may require periodic replacement of the brushes and re-greasing. For the average hobbyist, you probably won’t ever need to do that.
For pneumatic powered machines, make sure to oil these periodically with the appropriate oil
Brushes –
For the most part, these are simply rinsed under running water, although there are treatments for specific brushes.
- Tyre scrubbing brushes can get pretty manky, especially if you use greasier solvent tyre dressings. I’ve found using one of the stronger tyre cleaners such as Shine Supply Wise Guy or Carpro ReTyre will clean them up nicely, just heavily soak the bristles and rinse with the pressure washer or running water.
- Tyre dressing brushes will need the occasional treatment with APC and rinsed under running water. If you are using water-based dressings, these will clean up just fine.
- Wheel cleaning brushes get rinsed after use.
- If you have wooden handle brushes, don’t store there in a closed bucket, they quickly turn moldy and the timber will swell and crack the plastic bristle holder. Ask me how I know.
Buckets –
I always rinse out buckets after each use. This is especially important on the wheel bucket or after washing a very dirty vehicle. Sometimes, you may need a touch of APC to remove any residue from the wheel bucket. I will also periodically clean the bucket dollies too. My buckets have gamma seal lids, which help keep dust out while not in use……………….and they look good too.
Spray Bottles -
For trigger action sprayers, there isn’t much to do here. For high pH products such as wheel and tyre cleaners, or certain solvents such as tar remover, be mindful these tend to kill spray heads quite quickly, be that cheap or expensive. I’ve got into the habit of purging the spray head back into the bottle and/or flush with clean water to extend the life of my “good” spray heads (Pressol and Kwazar).
Some chemicals I’ve found to pressurize and leak through the spray tip. I remedy this by closing the tip after use. Products like NV Purge and Purify (actually, iron removers in general), Koch Chemie GUF and certain spray sealants like Koch Chemie S0.02 and Capro Reload.
For pump action sprayers and foamers, always release the pressure after use, with or without product still in the cannister. Preferably, I don’t like to store chemicals in these sprayers as they are a significant investment.
Pressure Washer –
This all depends on the machine. I don’t recommend using gas powered pressure washers for car cleaning, they are just too strong……………… and too noisy. You can use them, just make sure you have accounted for the higher pressure via appropriate nozzle orifices. And obviously, you need to maintain that gas-powered engine.
Probably not obvious, high end electric pressure washers will require periodic oil changes. These units can also be rebuilt or serviced to prolong the life of the machine, which is typically not possible on entry level machines.
More generally, you want to make sure that your fittings are working correctly without leaks or damage, a dodgy connection can be quite dangerous. If you have a short gun and quick connect fittings, then you will want to carry a few replacement 1/4 and 3/8 o-rings in stock. These o-rings are a wear item, failure will often start by dripping at the connection and progress to a significant leak.
Viton O Ring 1/4" for Reliable Sealing - Detailing Shed
MTM Stainless Steel QC Plug 1/4 MPT | Detailing Shed
O-RING FKM 1/4 QC COUPLER (PACK 25) - MTM Hydro
O-RING FKM 3/8 QC COUPLER (PACK 25) - MTM Hydro
If you have a pressure washer pulsing or surging, it will often be from a leak between the outlet of the machine and inlet to the gun. Check your fittings for leaks, be that from the o-rings or threaded connections. On cheaper machines, that’s about as far as you can go, but on high end machines you can further chase leaks if needed.
Foam Cannons -
I have to admit, I don’t do much to these other than rinse out the cannister after use. However, your water’s mineral content will play a role in how much maintenance your foam cannon will need.
Over time, excessive mineral content (TDS) will cause the wire mesh filter to become clogged and reduce foam quality. The mesh filter is what generates the foam, so periodic cleaning or replacement might be needed if you have high TDS numbers. I’m fortunate to have exceptional water quality where I live, in all the years I’ve been using foam cannons I’ve not needed to clean or replace a filter yet.
MTM Hydro Foam Cannon Accessories - Detailing Shed
Foam Cannon Parts - MTM Hydro
Also, if you have high TDS, try to avoid storing soap in the cannister for longer than a few hours. The mineral content will attack the chemistry of the soap and potentially hamper foam production. In my case, what I don’t use from the cannister ends up being emptied into my wash bucket. The other way around this would be to use distilled water when mixing up your soap dilution.
Vacuums and Blowers –
You would treat these like any household vacuum or leaf blower. So, remember to clean the filter every now and then, especially if you are dealing with a lot of dirt, dust and hair. For blowers, it’s basically making sure the unit is clean, which I just use a rinse-less wash. Also, the dedicated car blowers have an air filter in them, so check and clean this every so often.
Miscellaneous –
Tornador Air Attachments – the trumpet and agitator on these need to cleaned regularly to function correctly. Both are removable should you feel the need, I just spray with APC and rinse under running water.
Clay – For traditional clay bars, you want to store these in air-tight containers, just rinse them after use and pat dry with a towel first. The synthetic clay towels, mitts and sponges don’t need to be stored air tight, just rinse them and allow to dry before storing somewhere clean. Just don’t put them in an airtight container while still wet, they will turn moldy. While I’m at, never ever use tar removers with a clay product, you will end up melting them.
Final Thoughts -
From my perspective, you've put a lot of money into your car, then a lot of money into cleaning tools and equipment, it only makes sense to look after both investments.
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