Tampa Bay PT Crusier Club - Cleaning and Detailing Tips and Tricks

Detailing Your PT Cruiser
And Getting It Ready For The Car Shows

Submitted by: Various Club Members

It's summertime again and the car shows are comming as fast as we can clean the cars. It seems that somewhere in the area there is one to two shows a week. Many of us have been doing the car show route for quite some time now and cleaning the PT has become an everyday part of life. As the club grows and new members get aboard the Car Show band wagon, the most questions asked are about detailing the PT and getting it ready for the shows and events. We decided to put our heads together and share our cleaning tips and tricks with everyone, even though you may not be in our club.

The topics are not in any particular order or in order by any particular member. As tips are submitted to us, we will enter them on this page in the order they are received. Please feel free to send us your detailing tips and tricks or tell us about your favorite cleaning products. Send all items for this page to . Please be sure to put "Tips and Tricks entry" in the message title.

Tip Number 1: Using the right stuff.
Submitted by: John Vaccaro

When it comes to detailing your car, there are hundreds of products available to wash, polish, and wax and clean the interior and exterior parts of your PT. Which product do you use? My suggestion is to use only those products that are proven to do the job well and not damage any of the parts they are meant to clean. There are several sites on the internet that deal with detailing cars in general. A good start would be to visit some of these sites and get a handle on just how much work is involved. So what products do I use? Well here is my list. Remember, other people may use products that are just as good and in some cases better.

Exterior

Turtle Wax Premium Car Wash Concentrate - I use a sprayer attachment to my garden hose that correctly mixes the water and soap. I purchase the soap in a gallon container and pour what I need into the sprayer.
Zymöl Car Polish/Wax - This is a show car quality, water based car polish and wax that applies evenly and comes off very easily. The shine is terrific! Zymöl is a liquid wax and is available in most automotive stores. It's a little pricey compared to other waxes, but well worth the difference.
Maquire's Quick Detailer - This is probably the most used product in my cleaning bag. This is an awesome product and will put a very nice shine on your car. It gets applied at every show I go to and keeps its luster for weeks. It also keeps our famous "Love Bugs" from sticking to the paint. They come off with no more than a water hose. I think everyone in the club uses this product.
A 100% wool or high density synthetic wool wash mit - Never wash your car with a sponge or any material that is rough and can trap dirt or debris. These products are certain to scratch the surface of your paint. If you wash your car under trees, constantly rinse the mit during the wash cycle to remove anything that may have fallen from the trees and picked up by the mit.
The Absorber - The best thing I have found to dry my car. This is not a synthetic chamois, but a fibrous drying towel that absorbs more than a chamois and does not leave streaks, water spots or swirl marks on the surface of the paint. It costs aroung $10.00 and is available almost anywhere auto supplies are sold. I have found that K-mart and Wal-Mart have the best price. Soft, clean terry cloth or bath towels also do a good job without scratching the paint surface.
California Water Blade - This is an excellent tool that takes half the time out of drying the car. It is made of soft silicone and works like a squeggie. It dries on the first pass and will not scratch the paint.
Wheel Cleaner - I think here, any good quality wheel cleaner will do and is just a matter of the best price. Using a wheel cleaner is very important if you have aluminum or chrome wheels. Brake dust will form on the wheel and destroy the surface if not removed on a regular basis. I wash and clean mine at least once a week and try not to go for more than two weeks between cleaning. Just make sure that the wheel cleaner you purchase is made for aluminum and/or chrome wheels and that it doesn't contain any harsh chemicals that may ruin the wheel's finish. A good wheel brush is also recommended.
Tire Dressing - Again, this is a matter of choice and cost. Many of these products make your tires sparkle with different color tones, most of them just give them a wet look. Don't plan on getting far if you enter a car show without dressing your wheels and wheel-wells.
Window Cleaner - Use Windex or any other quality glass cleaner. Dirty glass or glass with streaks will definately take the points off.
Terry Cloth Towels - These are good to do last minute, minor touch-up cleaning. They are inexpensive and last quite a while before you have to discard them.

Interior

Plenty of good, clean, soft rags. I use terry cloth towels and cleaning towels specially made for cleaning car upholstry.
Zymöl Leather Cleaner and Conditioner - I have leather upholstry and have used other cleaners and conditioners, but find that this product works better for me than others that I have tried. The cleaner is easy to apply and easy to remove. It conditioner leaves the leather very soft and smooth. It also leaves the car with a new car scent. If you have leather upholstry, read the instructions of the product your purchased before applying it to the suede portion of the seats.
General Purpose Cleaner - I use 409 or Fantastik to clean the dash and door panels. I apply the cleaner on a terry cloth towel and not on the dash or door panel. This helps eliminate overspray and keeps the soapy residue to a minimum. Always apply a good conditioner, such as Amor-All, to the area you have cleaned to keep the surface from fading due to soap residue.
Carpet Cleaner/Shampoo - One of the most overlooked areas and one of the biggest point droppers in a car show is the carpets. Carpets or floor mats that are dirty or stained will definately drop your overall points. Resolve or any good commercial carpet cleaner/shampoo is a must have item in your cleaning kit.