I have a few questions for the griots garage freaks (this includes you CapoDiTuttiCapi) ;). I've just recently had an oppurtunity to look through one of the catalogs and I quickly became thoroughly confused. Polish, wax, wax remover, polish remover, clay, microfiber, cotton, clay, etc etc etc. After the third time reading through the catalog i started making sense of some of the stuff and what their purposes are. Am I right thinking the following?

Cleaning Clay - use it before you wax or polish to remove crap after you have washed (with speed shine as a lubricant)

polish - used to remove the swirl marks that you can see in the clear coat when the light hits the car just right

wax - used to protect the clear coat and paint

now im confused as to why you need wax remover? When do you use this? Before you polish? If your not going to polish? Whats the purpose?

And polish remover? I didn't think polish would be left on the car. When would you use this remover?

For someone that just wants to keep their car clean and protected (and doesn't want to purchase griots expensive orbital thing) it seems like you should wash the car, use the cleaning clay, and then wax. It sounds to me like the polish is intended to only be used when your clear coat is swirled from washing and such before you wax. So if you just want to clean and protect you would need some car wash cleaner, cleaner clay, speed shine, and wax. Any reccomendations as to what applicators you should use for each of these? Cotton? Microfiber? Those round spongy things?

Im not looking for show car quaility paint cleaning, I just want to make sure what I buy I use properly and I only buy what I need and that I buy all of what i need ;) if that makes any sense. Let the knowledge flow! :) thanks

For someone that just wants to keep their car clean and protected (and doesn't want to purchase griots expensive orbital thing) it seems like you should wash the car, use the cleaning clay, and then wax. It sounds to me like the polish is intended to only be used when your clear coat is swirled from washing and such before you wax. So if you just want to clean and protect you would need some car wash cleaner, cleaner clay, speed shine, and wax. Any reccomendations as to what applicators you should use for each of these? Cotton? Microfiber? Those round spongy things?

Im not looking for show car quaility paint cleaning, I just want to make sure what I buy I use properly and I only buy what I need and that I buy all of what i need ;) if that makes any sense. Let the knowledge flow! :) thanks

Basically, look at it like this.

First time out the box, it would be best to remove all the contaminants, oxidation, and old wax/polish before laying down a thorough polishing. This also can be accomplished by using dish detergent when you wash the car since it has more aggressive cleaning agents which will strip the wax off of a car. You want this the first time, not every time unless you just like putting in the full process each time. For each wash after the first waxing session, use an automotive car wash, as they will NOT strip that layer of polish/wax you worked so hard to apply the time before. You can use round spongy things here or a car wash mitt.

It would be beneficial to get a good quality wax remover (or pre-wax cleaner) because it will remove a lot of the imperfections and oxidation on the paint. A clay bar is good for getting out imperfections that a cleaner may miss when applying by hand. A clay bar also works very well at removing water spots from windows if acid rain is a concern where you live. A little time consuming, but focus on the end result. ;) Use appropriate applicator for applying wax if using the cleaner and I like to use flannel (like the softness) for wax/polish removal duties.

A good quality polish will be next to deepen the color and to hide minor and tame major swirls in the paint surface. Follow this up with a good wax and stand back and admire your results. After the first time, use everything when you feel it's necessary. I'd recommend once a month to keep the compliments flowing, with washes done when necessary.

very well put WICKED, i was gonna reply to this lastnite, but i feared id make a page out of it...... i own a detail business. :D

When I do a full cleaning of the car, I wash it with Dawn, use a cleaning clay, then use a cleaner wax. Its good to rewash the car between the clay and the cleaner wax, but use car wash soap, not Dawn for this step. Like Wicked said, the cleaner wax will remove oxidation in the paint. The clay bar gets the suface contaminants off the paint, and the cleaner wax gets the rest. After you wash you car, if the paint doesn't feel smooth, you need to use clay. After using the cleaner wax, now is time for polish. This will make the paint shine and bring back some color. The wax protects the finish of the paint. I've used Mequires stuff in the past, but it didn't last all that long. I've switched to Zanio Bros products, and they work best when layered. Its very important to do any of the above steps in the shade, and in a garage if possible. The last thing you want is for the wind to blow dirt on your clean car, and you rub it in with the polish or wax and scratch the paint. I use a spray detailer between steps to make sure I got the product off the car. An orbital buffer will save you a ton of time, and they are very safe to use. Buy a bunch of pads though, and switch after each coat. With a black car, the California Car Duster, can be a life saver. As soon as you drive a black car, its dirty. The duster gets the dirt off, without having to wash the car. If you get mud or it rains, don't use it, you will scratch the paint. Shell Black had some awesome car cleaning tips on se-r.net. if you have ever seen his car in person, you would use his steps. Don't go cheap on cleaning products with a black car. It will come back to haunt you.