How-to

Guides

What to use, in what order, and when to skip it. Written from the bay, not the catalog.

When to switch from bottles to gallons The math on buying gallons and 5-gallon pails, which products are worth it first, and how to store them so the last quart is as good as t... Read the guide
Interior detailing in the right order Top to bottom, dry before wet, odor last. The interior sequence that keeps you from cleaning the same seat twice. Read the guide
Wheel cleaning without acid Acid wheel cleaners work until they eat a clear coat. The non-acid way to get brake dust off, including the order and the brushes that ma... Read the guide
Sealant, SiO2, wax or liquid PPF: what lasts Four ways to protect paint, from a ten-minute spray to a cured self-healing film. What each one does, how long it holds and who it is for. Read the guide
Compound vs polish: which one your paint needs Compounds cut, polishes refine, and a one-step tries to do both. How to read the paint and pick the right bottle instead of the strongest... Read the guide
How to decontaminate paint before you polish Polishing dirty paint grinds the dirt in. Here is the wash and decon order that working detailers use before a pad ever touches the car. Read the guide