2019 Silverado Truck Cleaning Thread

[JAshworth03]

Call me weird but I love cleaning my truck.  Nothing like a clean, shiny, sleek looking truck!  Over the years, I've developed some absolute go to products that I use, but am always looking to learn more.  I wanted to start a thread to see what other people are using and what is working well for them.  I get it that it's a truck and they are supposed to get dirty, etc., but save those comments.  Just looking to share with others who are into cleaning their truck as much as I am!  Below are the products I use for detailing.  Hand up - won't lie, I generally go through a soft car wash to get the majority clean, then use the following products to finish it off.  ***I swear I'm not sponsored by Meguiar's, I just love their products!***

 

Liquid Products I Use (where/how):

• Meguiar's Quik Detailer Mist & Wipe
  • This use to be my all around go to.  It's not too harsh, but does a great job and has a pleasant smell.  Now I use this in two ways:
    • I use this to get water spots out of the exterior
    • I use this on a microfiber towel to clean leather surfaces (I don't want those to be shiny or protected)
• Meguiar's Natural Shine Protectant
  • I hate armor all because of the greasy residue it leaves.  This stuff has a high shine, protects well, and smalls great.  Be sure to shake the shit out of it first to let it mix together!  I only use this on hard plastic surfaces (think dash and parts of the door), I avoid leather with this stuff.
• Meguiar's NXT Generation Insane Shine Tire Coating
  • I've tried a ton of tire dressing.  All of it looks great when you first apply, but the NXT product from Meguiar's is the first one that I found that will hold up a week or so.  Great product in an aerosol can for easy application.
  • I also use this with a small foam applicator pad and run it down the side "seals" of my BakFlip MX4.  The "seals" are a faded black color and stand out on my black truck in a bad way.  Running this down the seals, brightens them up and make it look fantastic.
• Meguair's Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner
  • I rotate between Invisible Glass and this stuff.  Whatever is on sale is what I go with.  I can't tell a difference between the two.
• Shine Society Wheel Cleaner
  • You can use this in between washes and/or in combination with a wash.  Spray it on and then spray it off during a wash, or in-between, spray it on and use a microfiber towel to shine up the wheels.  Latest and greatest addition to my arsenal.
• Rain X Glass Cleaner
  • I use this on my windshield after a good clean.  It leaves a "coat" of RainX on my windshield and really helps out during rainy days.

 

Hard Products I Use (towels, drying sheets, etc.):

• Meguiar's Supreme Shine Foam Applicator Pads
  • I use these guys when I need something with a little more "edge" to clean.  Side mirrors that collect bug guts, the front grill, etc.  Microfiber is great, but sometimes I need something with a little more grit to clean up hard to clean areas.
  • I also use these pads to put the tire dressing on my BakFlip seals
• Meguiar's Blue Perfect Clarity Glass Towels
  • Hear me out on these.  I for the longest time used paper towels and though I was getting a great finish and was happy enough.  I caught a 3 pack of these on sale for $12 and thought why not.  They make a ton of difference in both the finished product and the effort put into cleaning windows.  I can't recommend investing in these enough.
  • After I clean all my windows with the Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner, I take this towel and wipe down each camera on my truck.  There is enough "cleaner" left on the towel that it provides a quick good shine and works fantastic.
• Meguiar's Supreme Shine Microfiber Towels
  • I use these everywhere!  On the exterior, I'll usually get one side really wet with Mist & Wipe and wipe down spots, then flip it over to a dry side and buff to a high shine.  I think they leave a finer shine than a standard microfiber and have been happy.  I consider these "premium" microfiber towels".
  • I use these for my wheels in-between washes along with the Shine Society Spray.
• Meguiar's Water Magnet Microfiber Drying Towel
  • I moved from shammy clothes over to these a few years back and never looked back.  They retain water great, are pretty large in size, and are easy to pup in the washer/dryer.
• Walmart Hand Cloths
  • Great more abrasive product to really scrub floor mats or areas where you don't want to take your microfiber towel.
• Microfiber Cloths
  • These are what I consider run of the mill.  I will use these to scrub down my floor mats (when I don't want to take them out) along with Mist & Wipe (the cure all!)
• Carrand Contour Tire Wipe Pad
  • While the NXT tire dressing is aeresol and easy to spray on, I like to use these to lightly work the dressing into the tire to avoid it slinging all over when I start to drive.  The plastic handle keeps my hand free of the actual tire dressing and does a good job spreading.
• Dyson V6 Cordless Vac
  • I picked one of these up last year on Black Friday.  Refurbished for $60.  It works on Max suction for about 10 minutes and is great to do quick clean ups (I vacuum at least once a week, so I rarely need more than 10 minutes at a time).  I love that it is cordless.  It has a crevice tool to hit those hard to reach places.
• AmazonBasics Microfiber Car Applicator Pads
  • These came in a 12 pack for $6.  I use these for all of my exterior chrome finishes as a last step.  I'll spray some Mist & Wipe and then wipe down the steps, the handles, the grill, the back bumper, and all the badging.  Does a great job.
  • I'll also use these on the black parts of my side steps. 

 

Helpful Tips:

• Even a 5 minute clean once a week can make the entire task seem easier.  This is especially true with vacuuming.  That's why I made the investment for a quality cordless vac.  I can take 90 seconds and clean the front driver passenger seat without dreading it.
• Keep all of your cleaning "gear" together.  Who wants to go hunting around for that one piece they need.
• Wash your cleaning gear - trying to clean with a dirt towel doesn't help!
• Watch what you are cleaning.  This is a great chance to examine any dents/scratches/broken parts that might be critical in the safety/performance of your truck

 

I'm hoping this becomes a sticky and people out there can tell me what they are doing and what they like.  I'm also willing to learn and try different stuff.  Let's hear it!

 

[MY164X4]

Awesome write up.

Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

[Stevejfy]

I use a lot of Meguiars's and Mother's products.  Stay away from Turtle Wax. 

[Black02Silverado]

12 minutes ago, Stevejfy said:

I use a lot of Meguiars's and Mother's products.  Stay away from Turtle Wax. 

Turtle wax Ice Seal & Shine has worked great for me.  Clayed my vehicles and applied it and water sheets off and it feels nice and smooth and been over a month now. 

[tbarn]

Check this guy out Honest and tries a lot of different brands/products

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqZOhpSAihtUBnebhY_ro_Q

[dieselfan1]

Actually I think Turtle Wax has come a long way.

I've been using the Tire Shine for years. 

The Clean and Shine works just as good as Meguires.

I tried the Black ice and was impressed. I used it on top of my Ceramic and she really brought out the shine.

The Trim Restorer works pretty good also. Just as good as any of the others.

The Power Out upholstery cleaner works great on carpet.

The F21 Super Protect sadly is just like the original armor all and is kind of worthless.

All these are way cheaper than the mainstream Meguires, Mother's, etc.

Don't get me wrong Meguires is top shelf and I have plenty of it on my top shelf.

I use a lot of brands but lately Turtle Wax has my attention.

[ajb39oh]

I usually use Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant on my paint from Autogeek. Great shine and can last more than 6 months.

I also use Adam’s Polishes interior detailer and leather conditioner on the inside.

I use Surf City Garage’s tire shine. Gives a matte look that I like.

[dieselfan1]

On 12/5/2019 at 2:07 PM, dieselfan1 said:

Actually I think Turtle Wax has come a long way.

I've been using the Tire Shine for years. 

The Clean and Shine works just as good as Meguires.

I tried the Black ice and was impressed. I used it on top of my Ceramic and she really brought out the shine.

The Trim Restorer works pretty good also. Just as good as any of the others.

The Power Out upholstery cleaner works great on carpet.

The F21 Super Protect sadly is just like the original armor all and is kind of worthless.

All these are way cheaper than the mainstream Meguires, Mother's, etc.

Don't get me wrong Meguires is top shelf and I have plenty of it on my top shelf.

I use a lot of brands but lately Turtle Wax has my attention.

I've actually been watching some of the detailing videos on YouTube lately in the garage and a lot of the pros are blown away by the new Turtle Wax products. 

I never thought I'd say that.

The Seal and Shine is blowing the doors off $100+ diy ceramic coating kits not to mention some big name sealers and waxes. I mean it's really holding up to anything. 

It's about $10 at Walmart

Edited December 28, 2019 by dieselfan1

[Mangano]

Great post.

 

One thing I use for cleaning windows is newspaper.  Yep, just the pages with ink on them. Not the shiny inserts.  Way cheap and your windows will be spotless.  I don't use it over any aftermarket tint but any factory glass, clear or tinted is good to go.  The paper has the absorption and "abrasiveness" to do a fantastic job.

 

Try it one time. You'll be hooked.

[Colossus]

Great write up.  I think this should be flagged/stickied to the top.