Welcome to Alan’s Detailing Hub! With over a decade of professional experience and a 5-star reputation in car detailing, Alan brings you top-notch insights from his Lakeland, FL-based business. Explore expert tips, streamlined how-to videos, and candid product reviews designed for both DIY car enthusiasts and detailing professionals. Whether you’re looking for efficient, minimalist techniques or simply want to keep your vehicle in pristine condition, you’ve come to the right place. Subscribe now for the ultimate car care and detailing advice from a minimalist approach!
Meguiars Wheel Brightener. It’s a wheel acid, however it is discontinued and I replaced it with Superior Products Wire Wheel Cleaner. Thanks for watching!
@@moneymotivv Ohh I see, great question. it’s a rinse-less solution like optimum no rinse. I used it as a drying aid to help prevent marring and scratching the surface when drying the panel. It provides lots of safe lubrication between your drying towel and the paint basically.
Great vid, it shows why extractors are not mandatory. I have been able to clean cloth seats without even using any electrical tool, no vacuum, no extractor, no drill brush, no streamer, if anyone is interested to see the result check my channel, a full tutorial is there.
Thanks, thats awesome! Roughly 15 years ago, I was using only a cheap hand brush, simple green and cheap white terry cloth towels. It took me forever but I would still get results like this. However, today I do recommend better methods, products and tools on bad seats like this if at all possible, including an extractor if you can afford it. It’s just so much less work involved when just a drill brush is introduced. Nice plug…. Lol. Thanks for watching!
@@highlandsautodetailing appreciate the reply and do understand the efficiency provided by power tools, but as someone who does not have access to a garage nor electricity outside, having tutorials about diy fixes will be helpful for a lot of people who are in the same position as me, and i suppose this kind of audience would be in millions around the world. keep the good work buddy and i hope for best for all of us.
Great question! To handle mold on leather car seats, I utilize my Vapor Clean Pro6 Duo steamer with the wide triangle brush attachment. This method helps kill mold without damaging the leather and prevents recurrence of mold. Here's how I do it: 1. Hold the steamer about an inch away from the surface. 2. Move it slowly, about 2-3 inches per second, across the moldy area. 3. Make several passes to ensure thorough cleaning. 4. Mop up with my recommended microfiber towels. This is done right after the first step in the video, then followed by step #2: spray P&S cleaner and agitate and proceed with remaining steps. Always wear gloves and a respirator for safety. Test on a small area first to be sure it doesn't damage the leather.
It is not “technically” designed for car interiors, so I cannot tell you 100% that it wouldn’t. However, it’s designed to be used in homes with various furniture surfaces, so I personally am not afraid to use it. With that said, you gotta decide how bad you want the bugs gone vs the potential risk. My recommendation is to do it with the vehicle in the shade, and thoroughly clean every surface of the interior after treatment to remove the chemical residue.
What is wrong with carpet and upholstery cleaner from walmart? Why do i have to use the extra chemical stuff can carpet and upholstery cleaner do the same job?
Great question, there is nothing coherently wrong with it, it just would not be my recommendation if you want the closest to professional grade results. Professional cleaners like "Zap It" and "Rocket Revive It" by Bonnet Pro are designed to tackle tough stains with deeper cleaning power and less residue, which helps prevent dirt from sticking back. They are more concentrated and effective, providing consistent results for severe stains. While consumer-grade products from places like Walmart are good for general cleaning, they may not be as effective for heavy-duty stains or as efficient in their use. They might also leave unpleasant residues behind. And personally I am not a fan of messy, high foaming products. With that said, feel free to use whatever cleaner you desire, they are generally easier to get and more budget friendly at Walmart. There might be good options that I am unaware of, but I am skeptical. Thanks for watching!
Ive had over a hundred cars 17 motorcycles. Ive lived up north with real shit weather and now Florida. Rinse off any crap off mud tree sap all that good stuff. Dry off any water use a leaf blower easy way. Then what you do to keep your car clean I use Windex with vinagar , yes wash my car with Windex with paper towels instead of microfiber clothes which once wet dont do anything but spread streaks. Now you can see what your taking off for dirt and grime. If you have really bad etched on water stains that happen here in Florida sun your only recourse is to take out the old clay bar and have at it. Then put a good ceramic wax on and your good to go.Florida showers everyday raises hell on paint bcause of dried on water spots.Must have a good wax and constant cleaning to keep it up nice. Car washes are not your friend they cause alot of issues.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, experience and perspective. If your methods work well for you and you’re happy with it, thats all that matters my friend. Take care and thanks for watching!
Superior Products “Wire Wheel Cleaner”(Wheel Acid) is the product I recommend and used at the end of the video for difficult water spots. It is concentrated, so dilute it starting at 4:1. Thats 4 parts distilled water, 1 part wire wheel cleaner. ALWAYS use the right gloves and respirator, it is unhealthy to breathe in or touch. Follow the instructions on the bottle!
Thank you for the clarification, I live in FL too. I am blessed to have a car wash just open up at the end of my street, now I can get a car wash whenever I want. We have well water and no water softener...
@@RCdetails203 Yep! Simply washing and rinsing unknowingly with hard tap water and walking away without properly drying can ruin someone’s car and their day fast. Thanks for watching!
If I may... I have found that the holidays (during all the sales) is the best time of the year to buy batteries for cordless tools. That's when I purchase all my batteries for my DeWalt, Ryobi, and Milwaukee tools.
A 2X6 on each side clamping the plywood board with long 3/8” bolts and nuts and then bolted it down to the floor board using 2 large L brackets and screws on each side. Hope this is easy to understand, thanks for watching!
Yep they do, I appreciate the feedback. it’s a great idea to have them constantly charging and maybe extra batteries if you can afford them. But the 2 it comes with in the kit I find is usually plenty.
how long does one full charged battery run on rotary when you correcting paint? and how long does it take to charge? I currently considering to get the cordless rotary but still in doubt about the battery durability issue.
G9 was my 1st polisher. Then I grabbed the Griots hybrid boss micro polisher Milwaukee 21mm da battery powered I just bought the rupes bigfoot ibird and boy o boy does that thing look fantastic !!!! It has long led lights comes with 2 batteries & a dual charger. Mine also came with 8 rupes 5” pads & 2 kinds of rupes polish. I think the battery powered rupes is my new go to.
Yes love zap it, they also sell orange blast d-limonene degreaser. Has the same ingredients on SDS sheet, same ph level. But it’s concentrated an dilutable 1:10, it is great on carpets but also love using it in the sun to avoid chemical burns on paint
@@MichaelBoouch Feel free to click the link for the full video if you want context and to see the condition prior. It’s a very neglected 2007 that sat under a tree covered in debris and tree sap. Turned out amazing with an inexpensive, clear coat preserving 1 step. Customer was very satisfied, and never expected it to be 100% perfect. Thanks for watching!
My go to for over 90% of jobs is a Milwaukee 15mm Cordless DA Polisher. And it’s better, faster, and more enjoyable to use without the cords if you can afford it. However, you do not NEED it. So this is the best BUDGET option in my opinion. I use a 5” backing plate paired with a lake country white ccs polishing pad and optimum hyper polish with this griots garage G9 when I rarely come across difficult paint. I also started out with this machine and it did great on a budget when I was just learning. It can correct defects as well, just not as efficiently. But I wanted to prove that it can provide desired results. This machine comes standard with a 6” backing plate, but I enjoy using 5” more and it allows it to rotate and maneuver easier. Plus, less pads required is a simple and minimalist approach. I can use these 5” pads on my milwaukee 15mm da polisher as well. Thanks for watching!
Absolutely, thanks for the feedback. I keep it as a backup to my Milwaukee 15mm and on standby for really soft dark paints that give me finish polishing difficulty’s. However, its a great option for people just starting out and or on a budget looking for a quality machine with a great warranty. It’s smooth with limited vibration and easy to use. Thanks for watching!
@@highlandsautodetailingwhat’s your thoughts? I’m already setup with tons of dewalt 20v max batteries, looking to get into detailing family cars(F-150 and minivan)…was ready to pull trigger on G9 but then realized I could grab a dewalt DCM848B for just a little more and be cordless; dewalt lists 2.1” orbit? and 2000-5500 opm, where g9 is 2000-6400 opm
Although it’s very effective, wheel brightener is simply too harsh and toxic for a wheel cleaner (do not use this stuff without gloves), which is probably why Meguiars discontinued it. Been using it as my dedicated “water spot remover” for many years now, usually diluted 1:3 or 1:4.
@@aredd92 I agree, I wish it wasn’t so toxic. You gotta wear a respirator and gloves for safety. This is why I also like a small bucket method, dunking my towels into the acid mixture to avoid using a spray bottle that atomizes it into the air.
Yes you can, the 15mm DA Polisher is the most universal one in my opinion that you can purchase. The only nuance to keep in mind would be some soft, dark paints that are difficult to finish may require a more minimal throw like a Griots garage G9. However, it’s rare that you need to if you use the right pad and polish combination like the white lake country polishing pad and optimum hyper polish with the right technique, clean pads and properly prepped surface. Watch my most recent video on polishing dark paint. Hope this helps and thanks for watching!
That’s where I’m at, should I purchase the G9 or step up to the Milwaukee. Im thinking a Milwaukee 5” and a GG long throw 3” until I can get a cordless 3”. I’m an amateur I only play with my own vehicles. what are your thoughts or advice?
@@1320str8liner If you have extra money you don’t mind spending, get the Milwaukee, It well allow you to enjoy detailing more. You will be able to get so much done with it with just a few pad options and a good polish creme. But If not, the G9 or preferably the G15 will do the job, but once you go cordless, it’s very difficult to go back to a cord in my opinion. The cords are really annoying. For the 3”, all I use is the corded Griots, but due to only needing it for small sections of the vehicles, I have not upgraded to cordless myself yet. But I sure do like the look of the cordless option they have. If money is a concern, but you really like cordless, consider the spta or something similar. I personally believe in the buy once cry once method. Lol
Thank you! 😁 Thats awesome, the G9 is such a comfortable and satisfying machine to use in my opinion. If only they had a cordless version… Maybe someday🤞
I'm living in an apartment for the first time in my life and really miss my garden hose. I've settled on this for a car wash. I pay 2 dollars at at a DIY car wash for 4 minutes of rinse time. This removes most dirt from body and wheels. Then I go to a park that has good parking area shade from solar panels. No debris from shade trees falling on my truck as I clean it. Then I go over the body with a rinseless wash and then do the wheels either that day or the next. Seems to be working for me but I sure miss my garden hose. The things we take for granted in this life. 🤡
@@highlandsautodetailing Barkeepers Friend is not a joke. Best thing I've used. I apply it with a damp sponge and work it in like you are waxing, but much less pressure. Just feather touch. Let it sit for a minute or two ( It starts to dry but that's ok ) and rinse it off. I always wax afterwards myself. For glass I apply it with #0000 steel wool, same procedure as with paint, very light pressure. Makes your glass look like a jewel. Completely removes all water spots and it costs less than $3 per bottle. Stuff goes a long way, no need to slather it on, just wasting it that way.
Thanks mentioning clear coat as I have a classic single stage paint job and I think this system would not work. With that said, I don’t get water spots because water never touches my car.
Absolutely, you are welcome! Yep, you are right, the clear coat is what makes the modern paint today chemically resistant. So unfortunately not a great idea for single stage paint. Great job, prevention is key 👍 Thanks for watching and providing feedback!
Well it might work to some degree due to being acidic, however, I doubt it has any other additives that provide the lubrication necessary to prevent scratches and marring when touching the paint. Also, will it clean brake dust and other contaminates as good too? I plan to have a comparison video eventually demonstrating multiple other options compared to dedicated wheel acid, including vinegar due to multiple comments I have received on it. Thanks for the feedback and for watching!
NOPE. Distilled vinegar, even undiluted, is not even remotely close to being strong enough to remove hard water spots/stains. You need a strong acid, like wheel brightener. Been doing this for many years now. It’s the only thing that works if they haven’t etched the paint. In those instances where they have etched, you must use abrasives/compound.
I was going to say. I detail as a side-gig and the whole vinegar thing is actually ridiculous. It can clean the most minor of marks. Even if you let it sit it still wouldn't be close to as effective as a wheel cleaner or as the channel owner was using dark fury.
@@aredd92 I appreciate your feedback on the vinegar. Common sense tells me vinegar would not be nearly as affective, but I don’t want to be arrogant and says it doesn’t work when I have not personally tried it. So I appreciate you sharing your experience. With that said, Im going to do a video on it compared to wheel acid which I’m assuming will squash the idea of vinegar.
Yep much faster 👍 However, some people do not have a polisher on hand and or just prefer hand waxing the traditional way. Thanks for the feedback and for watching!
Hey, thanks for the suggestion! From my experience, most detailing sprays are generally formulated to remove light dust, fingerprints, and enhance gloss. For true hard water spots that have been baked in, they typically require a stronger, more specialized product to be effectively removed.
A high quality all purpose cleaner/degreaser that when diluted properly, can virtually clean everything safely and effectively from wheels and tires to leather seats and plastics. You can click the link in the description to learn more about it from the manufacturer and purchase it if desired.
