Waxing and ? Polishing (Cats among pigeons)
I recently explored in detail the external cleaning routines for my motorhome. In the course of that journey I discovered that with some things I was out of date and with others I had misunderstood the function of products. I have spent about £100 buying new equipment and products and thrown away half a shedload of stuff . To explain fully would take a long post but :-
1. Pre-wash with snow-foam. This gently lifts the grit and dirt so that sponging will be less abrasive. This needs snow foam (a liquid), a snow foam dispenser, which is a bit like a paint spray and a jet washer. Correctly set up this will be very gentle on paintwork (otherwise it would defeat the object).
2. Don’t use a sponge and use a dirt trap in your bucket. Instead use a soft fibre cleaning mitt.
Don’t use a chamois to dry but instead use a large microfibre towel. Its quicker too.
3. Polish is for polishing i.e. it is an abrasive used to remove a very thin layer of paint to expose a cleaner and shinier layer underneath. It has a place for dull paintwork (and polishing is a huge subject on its own) but it need not be and should not be a routine operation . Polish does not protect the paint surface.
4. Wax is a protective layer. Best quality waxes applied with care will create a protective layer for up to six months. Wax will have some cosmetic effect aesthetically but the main thing is the condition of the underlying surface.
Confusion between Polish and Wax arises partially because of the use of the term “Wax Polish” There are of course many different vehicle care products and most people will have a “favourite”. Many “wax polishes” will be an amalgam of waxes and abrasives. I am advocating using a “pure” polish if you need to and a “pure” wax when you need to perhaps before winter and in the spring.
Some people will say yes I already knew all that but for others like me clarifying the difference between wax and polish was a light bulb moment.
So using the above and making a small initial investment I believe that I can look after my Motorhome in a better and less labour intensive way with a smaller range of products.
Comments
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BVM, I use snow foam with a Karcher, boy does it go thru it too. I guess the more folk use it the cheaper it will become
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