Detailing Questions Answered: Real Student Queries, Straight from Our Trainers

New detailers spend hours online with car detailing questions — and a lot of what they find is simply wrong.

Assumptions get repeated, half-truths go unchallenged, and it’s easy to take “everyone knows” facts at face value until you actually question them.

This is one of our core mantras at UK Detailing Academy: “Question Everything.”

Below is a set of follow-up questions sent to us by a student a week or two after completing our Level One Detailing Course — published here with their permission, because chances are these are questions you’ve had too. Our trainers answers every one of them in full.

Chemicals & pH

What are my shampoo options in pH if a customer’s car is protected by wax, ceramic coating or graphene?

If you want to be confident a shampoo isn’t going to affect a surface coating, pH neutral is the safe option, but you’ll get better cleaning tailoring the chemical used to the contaminant – i.e. a car covered in greasy road film will clean better with a higher alkaline cleaner. – For a deeper look at how coatings behave, see our guide to ceramic coatings vs wax

Do the pH of shampoos affect the durability and duration of the sealants above?

In terms of waxes, they can strip with the higher extremes. In terms of ceramic-coated cars, alkaline shampoos can “clog” a finish, along with mineral deposits, so a semi-regular clean with an acidic shampoo can be beneficial to revive coatings, but ceramics offer much more resistance to harsh chemicals by their nature.

Does higher pH on a shampoo make the cleaning easier?

It’s contamination-dependent. Acids will remove inorganic substances better, alkaline chemicals will address organics better, and the surfactants used are also a big contributor. Chemical pH is only an indicator of strength — there are other factors which build the full picture of effectiveness: concentration, heat and dwell time. Use what the situation demands, what the surfaces tolerate, and balance the risk appropriate to the situation.

Can water spots damage the paint and become bonded to the clear coat?

Yes, they can etch the clearcoat, requiring polishing or sanding to remove in extreme circumstances.

When chemicals are mixed, how long are they stable?

That’s primarily going to come down to external factors such as temperature – extreme cold is the biggest enemy of water-based diluted mixes – hence the minimum storage temperatures printed on most bottles. In ambient temperatures, you may see colour change over time, but it would be rare for the efficacy of chemicals — outside of solvent-based suspension such as ceramic coatings — to be affected by time. These will usually have expiry dates attached for such a purpose.

What is the impact ratio on shampoos/snow foams?

A Panel Impact Ratio, or PIR, is a metric being used more and more on concentrated snow foams to give a more accurate dilution ratio based on individual equipment and circumstances. PIR is a bit of a long-winded method to calibrate your dilution routines to your equipment the first time, but once you have the measurement, it’s easy:

Fill your lance up with water – for a visual cue, it can help to add a few drops of food dye. This is all based on your mixer bottle being 1 litre.

With the bottle’s mixer dial turned up to maximum (+), turn on your pressure washer, hook up to your water supply, then spray through the lance into a bucket until the bottle is empty. Measure how much water is in the bucket and translate it to millilitres. This is your Total Volume Output (TVO) – the total amount of liquid discharged to empty your snowfoam bottle.

Divide this number by 100, then multiply it by the PIR figure (such as 5%) to give you the volume of product you need to use in your lance. For instance, a PIR of 5% through one lance and a pressure washer setup at 4800ml TVO would be 4800/100 x 5 = 240ml of product plus 760ml of water in the bottle (1 litre total).

What is GPM?

Gallons Per Minute. Commonly used instead of litres per minute in the USA.

Wheels & Wash Equipment

With wheels, why are we using an alkaline degreaser and an iron remover instead of a car shampoo and an iron remover?

Actually, there’s no practical difference between an alkaline cleaner and a shampoo – both are degreasers. Shampoos have lubrication so they can be physically wiped without marring and a few other qualities, but drilled down, they are both degreasers with surfactants to loosen dirt and aid cleaning. In the context of wheels – you are touchlessly cleaning using a pre-wash degreaser to remove loose, unbonded contamination and grease as part of your overall pre-wash, to then allow a dedicated wheel cleaner to work more efficiently for touch washing. Iron removers can form part of these cleaners, or they can be a separate step afterwards to deal with iron contamination. An iron remover on its own is not a wheel cleaner, but wheel cleaners can contain iron removers as an all-in-one solution.

If you do not have acid wheel cleaner, can you use an alkaline and iron spray instead?

This depends on what you are trying to remove. Broadly, yes — but for heavy deposits, an acid cleaner will far outperform an alkaline cleaner, just as an alkaline cleaner will generally outperform an acid cleaner in removing organic greases. The best solution is to have a range available to cover all bases of contaminants efficiently. Whichever you use, it’s a two-step process and third-party iron cleaners should be applied after the wheel cleaner is rinsed off — unless using a pre-made all-in-one. There are further factors in this question, but this is a sound basic overview.

What’s your opinion on water softeners with resin and salt, and spotless systems? Do we need them?

If you’re in a hard water area, yes — they will make your job easier and prevent drips and sprays from leaving mineral deposits on vehicles. If you’re in a soft water area with 0 or near 0ppm mineral content — which you can test with a cheap TDS meter — then not so much. DI resin vessels are cheaper than RO systems and waste less water, but they cost more to maintain and can only filter so much at a time, so not really useful as a direct feed system. If you pre-filter and collect the water in an IBC, this can be used efficiently for final rinsing.

Is pressure washing the most effective way to start detailing cars? Are there any alternatives?

It’s the most effective way to remove loose contaminants before touching the car. A hose alone will achieve some of this, but you’ll be working far less efficiently.

Clay, Decontamination & Paint Care

After claying, some residues stay bonded for me — can these cause paint damage if we start polishing on top? Can they become stuck on the pad?

Claying is a decontamination step to remove bonded residues before polishing. If there are still bonded contaminants, the surface isn’t sufficiently decontaminated and you need to continue — either with clay or chemical decontamination — until it is. Polish over it and you will likely marr the surface further with a machine. This process is covered in depth on our Level One course.”

I’ve seen on a big YouTube channel that a clay towel with the right lubrication wouldn’t scratch your paint. Is that correct?

Only if there’s nothing on the surface to remove. Generally, clay media alone will not marr substantially — if at all — when heavily lubricated and used gently. But the contaminants you’re pulling off will. So not really correct, as it would be pointless to clay in such a situation. See how process order affects your results in our detailing processes guide.”

They’re also saying “if you feel clay working it’s wrong”. Should I use a clay towel after washing just to make it extremely clean?

You should be able to feel the contaminants reduce as you use the clay media — you’ll feel it grabbing and hear it abrading until everything is smooth, at which point you stop. As covered in the handbook, you should only be using clay media if you are going to polish, so not after a standard wash service.

Old faded paint — how do I improve it? Is the first step a paint sealant (ceramic, wax etc), then machine polishing?

The first step — and least destructive for preservation — would be a glaze product such as Black Hole (my preference was always Meguiar’s #7, but they stopped making/importing it). Even just a wax will improve faded paint, and if that’s sufficient, then you’re not removing surface material, which keeps that preservation theme going rather than correcting away layers of limited surface. Oxidation will be the biggest duller of single-stage paints, but this removes quite easily and you shouldn’t need anything too abrasive to achieve a vast improvement.

Interior Cleaning & Biological Hazards

Moulds — how do I remove them? Are they classed as biological?

Different moulds, different surfaces, and different conditions will all require different answers.

Some can be vacuumed off. Some need physical abrasion. Some, such as black moulds, can physically stain a product to a point where the marks can never be fully removed, though the mould is usually dead after cleaning.

They are biological and require moisture to grow, so mould is usually an indicator of long-term damp, which would need to be addressed to prevent regrowth. Killing them is straightforward — you can use anything from enzyme cleaners to extreme pH, solvents, and even natural biocidal agents such as tea tree oil solutions. Removing it once killed comes down to how well it’s adhered, because at that stage, it’s simply dirt and physical contamination.

Steam cleaning isn’t suitable for biological hazards. Can we not use it at the very end and clean the area around?

You can use steam whenever you want, where appropriate — just not as a biocidal cleaner, because it won’t achieve it on its own.

You would need the heat of a steamer to maintain a constant surface temperature of over 60°C for 15 seconds to reliably kill bacteria and viruses. A typical steamer won’t do that except as a spot clean on a very specific area, as the temperature drops dramatically as little as one inch from the tip. Use it closer and you need to be sure the surface can handle the temperature.

You’re also introducing water into surfaces, which bacteria actually love — cleaning vents, wafting steam over surfaces without bringing areas up to temperature, will actually encourage further growth in the long term. Steam is a great degreasing tool and good for breaking down glues and sugar residues, but little else in this context.

How can I remove mould stains from convertible cars?

Deep cleaning and extraction, possibly followed by a surface treatment to kill algae. The full process needs to be physically demonstrated and is covered in Level 2.

Protection Products: Wax, Coating & Glass

Glass hydrophobicity — what are my options and how do I improve it? I’ve seen wax application mentioned…

Specific glass sealants should be used — don’t apply wax to a windscreen as you can get smearing as it breaks down. Spray options such as Infinity Wax Diamond Vision are good for short-term top-ups, Soft 99 Glaco for medium-term, and long-term protection through Angelwax H2Go all proved well in the Pro Detailer Magazine megatest a couple of issues back. For a broader look at protection choices, read our breakdown of ceramic coatings vs wax.

Once you apply any kind of protection to a surface, can someone else tell what is applied?

No.

Tools, Pads & Microfibre Care

How do I clean my pads after polishing?

As covered on the course, clean as you go using compressed air if possible, or a bucket pad cleaner such as Lake Country’s, to keep pads clean in use. Afterwards, spray with a pad cleaner or APC to break down the residues and wash at under 40°C for best results before air drying — not tumbling.

Wash mitts — same care afterwards as microfibre towels?

Yes, same material, same care routine — different wash load though, to avoid contaminating cloths.

When applying wax with a microfibre towel, how do you ensure it doesn’t become cloggy afterwards?

Whilst you can apply wax with a towel, a dedicated applicator — either microfibre or sponge — will be better, using towels only for buffing and removal. Soaking them in warm water (around 40°C) and a detergent immediately after use will give you the best chance of getting them thoroughly clean. Then a microfibre wash product in the washing machine — again at a warm temperature — should get them clean and reusable. Always check the cloths and applicators once dry to ensure they don’t marr surfaces.

Miscellaneous

Belt shaft vs drive shaft motorbike — do they need special care after washing?

Not entirely. Seals on drive shafts can weep, and keeping them clean will prolong their lifespan, so clean anything visible as required. This also applies to areas such as belt pulleys rather than the belt itself, as these are components which will prematurely wear if grit accumulates.

Do cabrios need extra care?

Cabrio cleaning is covered in Level 2. General maintenance is dry hoovering to remove dust and dirt as part of a valet. More intense cleaning is a service in its own right, which includes a deep cleaning process followed by a protection product.

Can you brush in charging ports on electric cars?

Generally, yes. However, heavy pressure washing to rinse should be avoided as this may penetrate water seals. Ensure you blow-dry to remove moisture, as this can potentially cause corrosion on points.

How could I learn more about detailing terminology, and how do I build knowledge to become accredited with the IDA?

You can browse sites such as Detailing Wiki for terminology definitions, or books such as Hand Wash Only have broader sections on general glossary and terminology. Beyond that, it really comes down to time with products and practice — working toward your IDA CD exam when you feel ready.

These are exactly the kind of questions we love at the Academy – they’re a sign the “question everything” mindset is taking hold.

We don’t expect students to retain everything from their time with us. That’s why every UKDA course includes a coursebook to refer back to, and why we remain available after training for exactly this kind of follow-up. Questions after your course? We’re at the end of an email, message, or phone.

If you’re still at the research stage and want to understand what our training actually covers before committing, take a look at our course overview page, our Level 1 new starter course — or get in touch if you’d like to talk it through first.