Buckets, towels, pads, and tape - what are you guys using?

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The_Auto_Tech

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Well, I've got all of my chemicals and fluids figured out:


Car wash for first time details (wax and bug stripper) - Dawn dish soap (original, unscented)

Car wash for regular details - Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo and Conditioner car wash

Clay bar - Meguiar's Mirror Glaze detailing clay (mild, blue)

No rinse wash/clay bar lube/quick detailer - Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine (128:1 no rinse wash, 64:1 clay bar lube, 16:1 quick detailer)

Wheel well/engine bay degreaser - Purple Power cleaner/degreaser (5:1 cleaner/degreaser)

Wheel cleaner - Eagle One A2Z All Wheel and Tire Cleaner

Tire/trim dressing - Meguiar's Gold Class Endurance tire gel

Wheel/exhaust tip polish - Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish

Buffer/polisher - Porter Cable 7424

Pad conditioner - Pinnacle XMT Polishing Pad Conditioner

Heavy/medium swirl/scratch remover - Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #105 Ultra-Cut Compound

Intermediate/light swirl/scratch remover - Meguiars Mirror Glaze #205 Ultra Finishing Polish

Paint sealant - Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0

Wal-Mart 70% isopropyl alcohol (1:1 for wipedowns)

Wax - Pinnacle Souveran paste wax

Glass - Stoner Invisible Glass (aerosol can, not spray bottle)

Glass sealant - Rain-X spray bottle (at owner's digression)

Sticker/emblem/badge/etc. remover - 3M General Purpose Adhesive Remover

Leather cleaner - Meguiar's Gold Class rich leather aloe cleaner

Leather conditioner - Meguiar's Gold Class rich leather aloe conditioner

Interior cleaner/detailer - Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer cleaner (non-greasy stuff)

Carpet cleaner - Folex Carpet Spot Remover

Now, originally I had used Febreeze on the interior, but have since decided to ditch using scents. The only thing I use anymore is BG Fridgi Fresh through the blower box intake to freshen the blower system, but that's only if the customer requests it. I don't think there's any other chemicals or fluids that I'm missing to do a complete detail at this point unless you guys have suggestions.

Since that's out of the way I started looking into the last things to complete a detail. Now, I've got 2 buckets that I got from Lowe's that have the mix ratios on them and have nice foam handles. The only thing I'm missing as far as the buckets go is Grit Guards. I debated the lids and the roller things but I rarely work on a smooth driveway and I always wash my buckets and store them in a tote when I'm done. I've got tape as well, 3 different sizes of the green 3M painter's tape, so that should be perfect. I've got some Lakeshore pads, but I'm curious as to what I should have for details. I've got 3 white, 3 orange, 1 green, 1 gray, and 3 bonnets with the wool pad. I'm thinking I should probably have more. I need new towels as well, but could use some opinions on stuff.

Thanks guys!
 
I use 3 buckets, each with their own grit guard - Wash, Rinse, and Wheels
I bought 3 different colors from Home Depot and how I am OCD - I have an Autogeek Rinse and Wash decal on them, and a DODO Juice Wheels decal for the other.

I use LC Hydro Pads - Cyan, Tangerine, Crimson

I am slowly turning over to all Cobra MF's...They are great!
I have them in different bins labeled for each use
 
As far as the buckets go, 2 for me is plenty. Generally I spray the wheels with wheel and tire cleaner and hose them off, wash the car, and then wash the fender liners and wheels, that way it keeps dirt contamination to a minimum. I most likely will end up getting 2 Grit Guards. Although the rinse bucket is the important one, I've noticed I still get a small amount of dirt in the soap bucket as well. So I'll just end up getting 2 Grit Guards. As far as logos go, yes, you're OCD. :P I just use the method of looking at the bucket to tell which is which. :)

Here's the problem about the towels. I see Cobra makes a million different kinds. IMO I don't need a ton of different towels. I'm just looking to keep the collection down as I'm not huge into having a ton of different towels. Do they make an all-purpose towel that I can use for everything? I know I need towels for wax and sealant removal, polishing and buffing, and having them for quick detailer and water waterless washes. For the interior I need some for cleaning the leather and dash and glass. Also, I need some for applying trim sealant to the exterior. The only thing I don't plan on using the towels for is tire shine and for drying after a wash. Other than that they'll be used for everything else. I like the idea of the removable tags as well. I really like those ones listed above because they're relatively cheap. I won't be having different bins for them as I just keep all my towels and pads together in a tote after they've been cleaned.

The pads is something of a mystery of me as well. I know it makes sense to have different kinds of those as they have different "grit" levels.
 
Looking for more information here, would appreciate some more opinions!
 
I also think 3 buckets can be more efficient with one dedicated for wheels.

As for products listed, I have not used all of them (many of meg's OTC).

I would suggest Optimum Power Clean over Purple Power but Meg's APC+ can be more cost effective in many cases. It does not hurt to have both.

For leather, I would just use Optimum Power Clean (reduces the number of products to carry) to clean and then use a multi-surface product like Optimum Protectant Plus rather than a dedicated leather cleaner and dedicated conditioner. This way you could clean interiors with the Power Clean or APC+ and then protect with Optimum. You could also use the ONR to clean the interior as well.
 
Bumping this for more opinions! Finally able to get back into the detailing game now that it's warm again. :)
 
(3) Home Depot 5 Gallon Buckets w/ grit guards. 1 Wash/1 Rinse/1 Wheels

For Wheels:
Daytona Wheel Brush
Sonax Full Effect
Brown Royal Wheel Cleaner/Degreaser
Eagle One AtoZ Wheel/Tire Cleaner

For Wash:
P21S Conditioning Shampoo
Meguiars Gold Class Wash
Griots Was and Wax
 

That was up to date about a month ago. Only thing I added was Meguiar's Hyper Dressing, Wheel Brightener, Chemical Guy's Citrus Wash Clear Daily and Glossworkz.
 
go to a wholesale club you can get 36 mf's for like 19 dollar's. Don't buy designer towels. Remember on the forums you've got guys who love spending all day in there driveways keeping there car's looking new and then you've got the guy's who make money cleaning other peoples car's.
 
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