Hints and Kinks

• Wash the windshield wipers using the sponge or mitt reserved for harsh applications. Also, windshield wipers can be made to last longer with occasional dressng (Armor-All, etc.) treatments. Be sure to wipe off all the excess after your application.
   
• Apply a coating of graphite oil to your antenna mast. This will make raising and lowering it easier and will make an electric unit more reliable.
   
• Most of the time it is best to apply a spray product to an application cloth, rather than directly on the surface being treated. This will prevent over spray from affecting nearby areas.
   
• Others may disagree, but in our opinion bumper stickers, decals, license plate frames with messages and other forms of distraction have no place on a well detailed car.
   
• A simple black or chrome license plate frame is a nice touch however. Be sure that any legally required license plate registration tags are on straight and cover the previous years sticker. Some detailers will go so far as to position the slots on the screw heads so that they are both horizontal.
   
• Try using a photographer's loupe, which is basically a magnifying glass set up to be the right distance from a given surface, to inspect your cars finish. Its less efficient than the baggie test described in the claying section, but it can give you further insight into the condition of your paint. 
• If your car has been repainted, consult the painter regarding how long you have to wait before you wax your car. New paint needs to "cure", time in which the solvents that are part of the process dissipate. Applying wax, which seals the paint, will interfere with this process. New cars do not have a waiting time before waxing requirement, as their paint is cured in ovens at the factory and are cured quickly.
   
• When cleaning glass, use a vertical motion for the exterior, and a horizontal motion for the interior. If you have any streaking, you won't have to guess which side of the windshield it's on
   
• Always attend to bird droppings as soon as they appear. Their content is very harmful to your paint and is a good reason to keep your wax job up as it will help to protect you. When cleaning bird droppings, resist the temptation to scrub hard as the material is coarse and can cause scratches. Try spraying the area with Windex or your favorite glass cleaner and then try and "dab" the area to remove the offending material.