ck auto salon

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• Swirl Marks - Ever looked at your freshly washed car and noticed what looks like a ring of spider webs in the paint?  This is what is referred to as swirl marks. A common misconception is they are created by washing cars using a circular motion with a wash mitt. FALSE! Swirl marks are tiny micro scratches that are created with improper washing techniques (among other things).  Swirl marks are a detailer's enemy. A very clean vehicle still won't produce a great shine if it's covered in swirl marks. This is where a compound / polish is used to remove swirl marks from the paint. 

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• Power Rinse - A high pressure water rinse. The pressure is strong enough to remove large stuck on debris, but not too high as to damage paint or trim.

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• Two Bucket Hand Wash - A technique where one bucket is used solely for the soapy suds, and another bucket is used to wash the mitts after each pass over the car to rid the washing apparatus of debris. This greatly reduces the chances of adding swirl marks and scratches.

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•  Iron Decontamination - Chemical used to dissolve iron particles embedded in paint and other surfaces. Safe on clear coat and single-stage paint. Turns a fun purple color as it works. Smells a bit like death.

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• Foam Cannon Soak - Much like soaking dishes to help release stuck on food, a foam cannon attaches to the pressure washer and covers the car in thick soapy suds. This helps loosen up the stuck on debris to minimize swirl marks and scratches.

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• Wax - Waxes are usually a natural carnauba derivative. This wax adds a huge amount of shine to a properly cared for painted surface. Wax offers a bit of protection from the elements as well. Normally, waxes can last anywhere from 2 - 4 months depending on driving conditions and storage conditions (garage / car port / parked outdoors). Waxes are a great option for a daily driver but need to be applied more often to keep your paint protected.

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• Sealant - Sealants are a lot like a wax, they are a final step product that goes on the paint once the surface is clean and defect free. Sealants are usually synthetic and offer better protection for a longer period of time compared to a wax. The drawback is that sealants normally don't offer the same degree of shine as a premium wax. That's not to say a sealant doesn't look fantastic, they do! 

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• Clay-Bar - A synthetic clay that is used on a cleaned painted (or glass) surface to remove embedded particles. Even after a thorough washing there can be tiny particles in your clear coat. These tiny particles can make the paint surface feel rough and can reduce the effectiveness of waxes / sealants. 

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• Brilliant Glaze - Glazes, like wax and sealant, is a last step product that is applied to a properly cleaned surface. Glazes offer the least protection / durability, but offer a ton of shine! Have a car show to go to? Definitely choose a glaze as your last step product to give your paint the WOW factor you are looking for!

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• Multi-Stage Paint Correction - A process of using multiple techniques to bring the painted surface back to like-new (or as close as possible) condition. This can include wet sanding, compounding, polishing, etc. The goal is to eliminate swirl marks, water spots, and scratches.

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• Compound - Compounds are an abrasive liquid or paste that are used to smooth out the paint finish and remove swirl marks, scratches, and other paint imperfections. You can think of a compound as a very, very fine liquid sandpaper that corrects the paint surface. Compounding usually needs to be followed up with polishing to remove any hazing caused by the compound.

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• Polish - Polishes, much like a compound, are a liquid or paste that is used to bring back the luster of a painted (or plastic) surface.  Polishes can normally remove swirl marks, but not remove scratches or more intense paint blemishes. 

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• Ceramic Coating - A ceramic coating is liquid polymer that is applied to a painted surface. It bonds with the surface and creates a very durable, semi-permanent layer of protection. Ceramic coats need to be kept up just like a wax or sealant, but are much more durable and resistant to scratches than waxes and sealants.  Ceramic coatings normally last 2 - 3 years, depending on conditions the vehicle is used in.

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• IPA Solution Decontamination - Isopropyl Alcohol solution that is used to strip any contaminants (compound residue, polish residue, oils from skin, etc) to ready a surface for a last step product (wax / sealant / ceramic coat).