Paint Products
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Beadmaker
This is by far the best last step spray on product that I have used for detailing. It is easy to apply, and it leaves behind a very slick and warm finish to the paint.
Make sure you do not apply it in hot sunlight and always use two towels for the application. One towel to apply, and another to buff off. Apply it to the whole car, come back in one hour, and you’ll be very happy with the result.
Meguiar’s X-press
Spray Wax
This is a very safe go to spray wax that I would use to remove dust, fingerprints, etc. It is much more economic to use for those kinds of situations if you already have Beadmaker. I also like to use this on door jambs, to leave behind some kind of protection that will make the next cleaning that much easier. Order a gallon, it isn’t that much and if you are only handling your family’s cars, it will last you a long time.
This is also a little more forgiving when it comes to applying it in sunlight, but always be careful and try to avoid this if you can.
Meguiar’s Paste Wax
If you are nostalgic, and really want to apply a wax by hand (Miyagi style) you cannot go wrong with this one. Easy to apply and remove.
I would not do this in the sun and make sure that you are careful around black trim, since this will stain it If you don’t remove excess immediately. This is something you would never have to worry about with Beadmaker and Xpress Wax.
Clay Bar
As Larry Kosilla (AMMO NYC) would say, only clay your car if you need to clay your car. If after a full wash and decontamination (more on this in the wheel section) of your vehicle, your paint feels rough or “bumpy” to the touch, then you should clay bar the surfaces to get it back to smooth.
Now, doing this WILL slightly swirl the paint and if that is a concern, be sure to look at our polishing products so you can address that the right way.
Nanoskin Clay
This is a specialty product in my opinion.
Let’s say you’re are washing your car and notice that only one or two spots are actually rough. In this situation, I would say you could use a product like this. Now, be sure you “activate” the clay surface before you take it to your paint. The product description (or a YouTube video) explains how to do this correctly.
Make sure after you address the rougher areas, you rinse this out before you put it away, so it is ready for next time.
Optimum No Rinse
(Clay Lube)
Now, this product is truly versatile.
It can be used as a waterless wash (if you aren’t sure about this, YouTube “ONR waterless wash”) and I do use it that way when appropriate.
However, my main use for this HIGHLY dilutable product is as a clay lube. When you clay your car, you really need to make sure there is plenty of lubrication to allow the clay to glide and not grab. ONR is price effective and does the job.
Buy a gallon, and you’ll probably be good for life.
IK Pump Sprayer
If you are going to clay your car (with ONR) and do not want to wear out your wrist with serious sprayer triggering, this is your solution.
Now, if you wanted to be fancy you could get one for ALL of your sprayable chemicals. I know that when I need to clay a car, I need a lot of product and this makes that a breeze to accomplish.
They also have a foam sprayer, but I do not find too much use for it personally. This will do the job just fine.
