Foundation Of The Finish

Foundation Of The Finish training

Mastering The Basics Detail Training Course

“How you start determines how you finish”

Part 1 – Vehicle Wheels, Tyres And Arches Cleaning And Decontamination

Using wheel cleaners, car wash soaps, quick break formula cleaners and iron fallout removers, wheel barrel brushes, special wheel mitts and even claying wheels if desired to get wheels clean and contamination free.

  • When to use acid-based wheel cleaners and when you shouldn’t
  • The order to do the wheels, tyres and arches in for best results and efficiency
  • What are buffering agents in acid wheel cleaners and why the best wheel cleaners have them in their formula

These are used in acidic wheel cleaners to prevent corrosion of uncoated/unpainted metals and etching/staining of glass, such as with old oxalic acid-based iron fallout removers.

Buffering agents stabilise the PH and are composed of the salts of weak acids and a weak base mixed in an aqueous solution. Examples: carbonates, bicarbonates, and hydrogen phosphates.

  • Demonstration of proper tyre cleaning, including removing oxidised anti-ozone ingredients
  • Training in application of urethane and carbon nanotube-based tyre coatings
  • Which tyre dressings to avoid due to long-term dry rotting

Part 2 – Vehicle Pre-Wash / Bug Removal Plus Tar And Sap Removal

Traffic film removal, stripping paint protection (dewaxing), and pre-wash prep.

  • Demo of pre-soaking the car body with rinseless wash, citrus or alkaline pre-washes
  • Bug remover or leather cleaner to break down bugs with minimal agitation
  • When and why to use (or not use) snow foams and foaming pump sprayers
  • Door, engine, and boot jamb cleaning methods (with or without steam)
  • Using tar removers like Autosmart Tardis and PPG Prepsol
  • Using eucalyptus oil or dedicated sap removers

Part 3 – Demonstrations Of The Two Best Vehicle Wash Methods Today

The Zero Bucket Wash Method

  • Highly concentrated dewaxing shampoo – leaves paint naked and clean
  • No buckets, just foam cannon or direct application
  • Clean all areas: glass, paint, trims, jambs, vents, etc.

Advantages over Two-Bucket Method

  • No bucket filling, better mitt rinsing
  • More shampoo concentration = better lubrication and less marring

The All-New One Bucket Wash Method

  • Dewaxing shampoo with several wash mits, or high gsm microfibre towels
  • More efficient and no need for grit separators
  • Iron fallout removers: how, when, and which ones are best

Part 4 – Chemical And Mechanical Decontamination Process

  • Iron and mineral deposit remover use
  • Claying process and product cost management
  • Using clay towels/mitts first then clay bars afterwards for the purest and smoothest paint ready for polishing
  • Choosing between concentrate and ready-to-use formulas

Claying Paint

  • Towels, mitts, pads, and bars
  • Why high-quality clay bars still matter
  • Clay bar vs. polymer mitts and towels
  • Clay lubricants: what works, what doesn’t
  • Extending clay bar life
  • Misconceptions about clay bars
  • Claying glass, trim, and wheels
  • Clay pads: machine use and risks

Part 5 – Deep Cleaning And Preparing Exterior Trim

  • Use of alkaline and solvent-based cleaners
  • Prepping trim for polishing or coating
  • Hand vs. machine polishing
  • Products: SIO4-based polishes, trim dyes, ceramic coatings

Part 6 – Stage Exterior Decontamination Process

  1. Pre soak vehicle with rinseless wash or a high PH alkaline based pre soak via a foam gun or pressure washer chemical tank or hand held battery operated sprayer to break down grit, dirt and grime and prepare it for the next step
  2. Pressure rinse off then wash with a dewaxing/paint protection stripping shampoo then rinse
  3. Apply fallout remover over the vehicle and let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse off and repeat on top surfaces if the amount of purple liquid that shows up is high. then rinse again
  4. Clay vehicle then do a PH neutralising wash with a low PH soap if you wish or just clay with rinseless wash then dry the vehicle

Part 7 – Vehicle Final Rinse And Drying

  • Post-claying rinsing to remove residues
  • Drying with microfibre towels and air blowers
  • Chemical stripping during drying
  • Use rinseless wash or prep solvents instead of IPA
  • Avoid using high-strength Isopropyl alcohol on paint

Take this training by enquiring today.