Washing the Infiniti, Applying Sealant and Wax, and QD

[Dogged]

Detailing the paint periodically keeps my blue Infiniti Q70 looking sharp. These detailing suggestions cover washing and applying sealant and wax but do not cover machine polishing. Generally, polishing is necessary only if there are swirls or spider webbing in the paint.

Wash

Shampoo. If washing before applying a sealant, I use Dawn Liquid Detergent. It removes oils. Otherwise, do NOT use Dawn. Use a gentle car shampoo.

Rinse the car and then wash it using a wash mitt made for washing cars or a gentle sponge. The mitts are designed not to mar the surface. I use the two bucket method. One bucket contains water with shampoo and the other clean water for rinsing the wash mitt after each use. Wash the painted surface from the top down. The portion closest to the road tends to be the dirtiest.

Rinse using the “sheets of water” method. After washing, to minimize water accumulation rinse the car using the “sheets of water” method. It makes drying remarkably quicker and easier. Start by placing the hose (with no attachments) on the hood next to a windshield so the water flows to the other side of the hood and down the other side. Move the hose across the hood to the other windshield. Sheet the water off the near side of the car by sheeting the water from the other side of the hood. Sheet the water from the top of the front and back windows. Sheet water off the trunk and back of the car by positioning the hose just below the top of the trunk. Sheet the water off the hood and front. Once you get the hang of it, it is very easy and it will cut the drying time considerably.

Dry. After rinsing, dry the car with a waffle weave drying towel. First blot-dry any small pools of water. This will help get the towel damp which can increase its ability to absorb. Continue around the car wiping off any remaining water. Alternatively, after sheeting the water use a blower to dry the car.

Clay

Clay the vehicle before applying a sealant. Clay bar removes micro and macro contamination to create a glassy smooth finish. Clay Magic is a popular brand. Use fine grade.

To clay the car:

1. Work in the shade. Take a small piece of clay bar and flatten it into a pancake shape about 2 ½ inches in diameter. Keep the clay flat on the surface for constant contact.

2. Working in approximate 4 by 4 inch sections, spray the area with lubricant before applying the clay (such as Finish Kare 425). Make sure to use enough lubricant so the clay does not skid or stick to the paint. This will avoid fine scratches.

3. Place the clay within the lubricated area and gently glide it back and forth. You will feel any contamination being absorbed into the clay bar. Occasionally reshape the clay bar by compressing it in a ball and then flattening it to expose a fresh surface. Do this for the entire paint surface. The surface should now feel glassy smooth.

Wash and Dry Again

Wash the car again with Dawn to remove the lubricant used to clay the car, and then dry, before applying sealant or wax.

Sealant

A good sealant will protect and beautify the paint for 4 to 6 months (or longer) depending on weather and the time the car is in a garage. It also makes washing easier.

A cross linking polymer sealant needs time for the solvents to flash off and the polymers to fully cross link. That process is known as “curing.” It usually takes 12 to 24 hours for a sealant to fully cure depending on ambient temperature and humidity. A sealant must cure before a second coat is applied. Oils on the vehicle will prevent this process. For that reason, do not apply a sealant over a wax or a glaze.

I typically use Zaino Z2 show car polish (a sealant) with ZFX flash cure accelerator additive or Klasse. I use Zaino because the ZFX additive allows immediate application of second and third coats after buffing. Of the sealants I have used, I like Klasse High Gloss Sealant, Zaino Z2 with ZFX, Optimum Opti-Seal, Adam’s Paint Sealant, and Jeffs Werkstatt Acrylic Jett.

To apply Zaino sealant:

1. Work in the shade at 50 degrees or warmer. Fill a 2-ounce vial (mixing bottle) with Z2. Four vials come with the ZFX. Leave a little space at the top. Put 9 drops of ZFX in the sealant in the vial (4 to 5 drops per ounce of sealant), then screw on the top and shake it vigorously for 60 to 90 seconds. Use the sealant within six hours after mixing. Two ounces is enough for two coats of sealant on most cars (eight coats per bottle of Z2 with ZFX).

2. Apply Z-2 with a cloth applicator. Zaino sells cloth applicators for $2.50. Use the sealant sparingly. A small amount goes a long way, and you will be applying two coats. I use one side of the applicator pad to apply one coat, and the other side to apply the second coat. Afterward, I clean the applicator with Dawn detergent or toss it out.

3. Squirt a dime size dab of sealant on the applicator and rub it into the paint using circular hand motions. Then, go over the same area using a straight back and forth or up and down motion. Apply a very thin coat. Do this for the entire car. Allow the sealant to haze over for 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Buff off the sealant residue with a thick micro fiber towel.

5. Repeat the process after 30 minutes to apply a second coat.

6. You can reuse the vial if you clean it with Isopropyl Alcohol or Dawn Detergent within 12 hours.

Wax

While a good sealant will last 4 to 6 months or longer, a wax typically will last only 3 to 8 weeks depending on weather and garage time. If sealant is used, wax is unnecessary to protect the paint. However, it will further enhance the beauty and shine. Wax can be applied over or instead of sealant. I love wax and use it over sealant.

There are numerous excellent waxes. I have used quite a few. Of the waxes I have used I particularly like (in alphabetical order) Dodo Juice Supernatural Wax, P21S Carnauba Wax, Victoria Concours Red, World’s Best Wax, and various Zymol waxes.

Work in the shade. Apply a very thin layer of wax using a poly foam applicator in a circular motion or with your hand. I wax half the car before buffing, and then the other half. Buff away the haze with a high quality microfiber towel. After buffing off the haze, I use a clean microfiber towel to buff the paint again.

Quick Detailing (QD)

A quick detail removes dust and maintains the glossy finish. There are many good quick dealing solutions. Most often I use Finish Kare 425. To save money, I buy it by the gallon and pour it in a spray bottle. It takes about three minutes to QD the car. I QD my car three or four times a week.

For the QD I use microfiber towels I buy from Costco in 36 packs. Remove the tags so they do not scratch the surface. They are inexpensive and work great.

Just spray some QD lubricant on the car and rub it off moving the micro fiber cloth back and forth or in a circular motion. Do this for the entire paint surface. I QD the lower part of the car last because it tends to accumulate more dust.

I have a garage for my car at home and work. With a regular QD, I generally do not need to wash the car unless it rains or snows or I drive on a dirt road or dirt lot.

[Ilya]

Good stuff! Thanks for sharing. Clay bars are amazing in what they remove.

[EdBwoy]

Thanks for the info! If I ever get into detailing, I'll reference this thread. Sometimes looking up this info online is like drinking from a firehose.

Now, pardon me but I'd like to ask you a question I personally don't like being asked when it comes to mechanical work on cars - how much would you charge if you were to do this on someone else's car (stopping at the sealant option)?
Or, how much would you pay someone to do this work for you?

*I don't want to assume that every expert has the time or desire to convert their skills into a side job.

[Larz]

Great report! I have always told peeps NEVER let dish detergent near your car. However, in this case, when you need to get as much oils, waxes, etc off the clear coat to prepare the surface for polish / wax, Dawn is a great choice. I would only stress that dish detergent should NEVER be used as a simple weekly car wash. If used aside from the wash, clay, polish, wax process above, you will leave a residue on the clear coat, weaken or remove waxes, and dry out all the rubber trim pieces.

[Dogged]

[H]ow much would you charge if you were to do this on someone else's car (stopping at the sealant option)?
Or, how much would you pay someone to do this work for you?

*I don't want to assume that every expert has the time or desire to convert their skills into a side job.

I do not know what someone would or should charge to detail a car. I learned about detailing as a hobby after I bought an Infinti G35 in 2007. I had never before owned a car that nice, and I wanted to keep it looking nice. Last summer I bought a preowned 2015 Infiniti Q70 5.6 from an Infiniti dealer in another state. It was quite a step up for me. I really like the car. It is dark blue (Infiniti calls it Hermosa blue). I think it is a very pretty color, and it is a really nice color to enhance the look by detailing the car. BTW, I just replaced the tires with Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus - Size: 245/50R18 100V, which I think resulted in a significant improvement.

I have a tendency to get interested in different things and try to learn them the best I can. Detailing is one of those things. After buying the G35, I read a lot about detailing on different websites and forums, and tried quite a few products used in each stage of detailing. Originally I bought a Porter Cable to machine polish the paint (even though it did not really need polishing), and later gave it to a friend after buying a Flex just to try it and learn how to use it (even though my car still did not really need polishing). That tells you a little about me.