Most dirt is caught on the lower half of the bodywork, sills, the rear and panels adjacent to the wheel arch where the dirt from the road kicks up whilst driving. The pre-wash stage is not only good for small areas such as fuel caps, door shuts and window rubbers but also aids the removal of surface contamination.
So what’s involved in the pre-wash? We recommend Gtechniq W5 All Purpose Cleaner to start with. Specially formulated to provide very effective cleansing without damaging coatings, delicate trim or chrome parts. This helps to alleviate deep grime, bugs and other sticky substances like tar or tree sap. W5 should be used neat for heavy soiling and five parts water to one part product for general cleaning tasks. Rinse and repeat if necessary!
Tip: W5 is an All Purpose Cleaner, it can be used for many roles from engine bay degreasing to carpet stain removal!
After using W5, coat the vehicle with W4 Citrus Foam. Not only does this look great for Instagram pictures, but it combines an effective citrus degreaser with a foaming agent and unlike traditional snow foams that come loaded with caustic chemicals, W4 is a pH neutral formula also making it safe for coatings.
Spraying from the bottom of the vehicle up will help break down any lower half contamination, allowing for more dwell time to the more soiled areas. We suggest W4 is used at a dilution of up to 10:1 through a foam lance.
Implementing the pre-wash is a bit like brushing your teeth before you go to the dentist – giving yourself a clean, blank canvas to work with!
