How to Keep a Car Clean

Even if you think of your car as nothing more than a transportation device that gets you from one point to another, it's important to keep your car clean. Not only does keeping your car clean reflect well on you, it maintains its 'health' and value longer. And if you have a black car, you know the value of a clean car more than anyone. Just like a clean suit and a clean pair of shoes, nothing looks better than a clean car. Here's how to do it and get ready for the compliments to come! Step 1 - Washing An important step in keeping any car in good condition is washing it on a regular basis. This could mean once a week or at the least twice a month. Longer than that and grime such as air pollution, brake dust, sap and bird droppings will etch the top layer of paint on your car (called the clear coat since it's clear paint) and cause it to dull and prematurely age. Choosing a quality car wash shampoo is the first step in washing. Washing your car with dish washing soap which is formulated to remove grease and food stains is too harsh on your paint. It will strip the finish of wax and polish oils. Over time, this will dull your paint finish. You want to clean your paint but you don't want to strip it which is why you want to go with car wash shampoo which has the ideal pH level to clean the paint. In the einszett product range, we have Perls Shampoo which not only cleans the paint but also puts on a protective polymer wax coating that adds gloss and protection in one step. When washing, work from the top down and use a microfiber wash mitt, natural sponge or a real lambs wool mitt. Anything else will scratch the paint and put what we call swirl marks in the paint (they look like spider webs in direct sunlight). Wash your wheels with a non-acid wheel cleaner like einszett Wheel Cleaner. It'll make removing brake dust easier without etching the paint on the wheels which acid base cleaners do. Step 2 - Drying Dry your car with a non-abrasive cloth or better yet use a microfiber towel or a synthetic chamois such as S.M. Arnold's Watersprite (professional detailer's favorite and mine too). It lasts for years and never smells because it has anti-mold agents in it. Step 3 - Paint Treatment - Polishing To keep your paint always looking its showroom best you need to clean, condition and protect the surface. To clean and condition the paint, first you need to polish. Waxing gets a lot of attention but polishing is more important. Polishing the paint cleans the paint, removes surface scratches, conditions the paint so it doesn't dry and become brittle and oxidized over time and gives paint that really deep gloss we all admire. If you skip polishing and just wax, your paint will be protected against the elements but over time will still become dry and faded. Choose from three levels of einszett polishes: PolishWax - If your paint is new or looks like new and doesn't have any swirl marks (scratches that look like spider-webs in the direct sunlight) use this polish. Paint Polish -This polish has some special paint abrasives that work to smooth down swirl marks and minor scratches on a micro level so your paint is restored back to its showroom finish. Extra - Have you neglected your paint for years? Is it really dull almost to the point that you're thinking of a repaint? As long as your paint is not peeling, you can use Extra to remove that really dull haze from your paint and watch the paint gloss come back to life. Tip: Follow-up with Paint Polish to get an even deeper gloss. Step 4 - Paint Treatment - Waxing Your paint now looks great. It's conditioned and has a much deeper finish. But how do you keep that look? This is where wax comes in. einszett developed Glanz Wax over fifty years ago. It's a synthetic based formula which allows it to endure daily driving conditions for months - even if you live in the snow belt! Glanz Wax will protect against, rain, dust, sap, bird droppings and road salt so your paint will have a strong shield. Step 5 - Interior Cleaning If it's been awhile since you've cleaned your car's interior you might need to vacuum. Take out any floor mats and vacuum all upholstery making sure to get between the seats. Next, clean the dashboard, any navigation/audio screens, armrests, shift knob and steering wheel with einszett Cockpit Premium. It leaves a flat, no-slip finish and smells great! It removes dust and light grime and has an anti-static finish. If you have a leather interior, treat with einszett Leather Care which has a non-slippery finish and will leave your leather conditioned and clean with minimum effort. Step 6 - Exterior Trim and Tires You're almost done. To keep your tires from becoming dull and your exterior plastic trim from fading (or if they've already faded) you'll need to use a product such as our einszett Vinyl-Rubber Care and Protectant. It's water-based (so it's safe for the rubber and plastic) and will clean and condition them. UV protectants will prevent the sun from drying and causing them to fade over time extending their life. And you're done! Now, this may seem like a lot but you don't need to repeat this process every time you clean your car. Here's what you need to do: 1. Wash your car once a week or at the least every other week (this applies to daily drivers regardless of where you live). 2. Polish and Wax your car twice a year - preferably around Fall and Spring. You can wax your car more often if you wish. 3. Clean the interior at least once a month. 4. Treat leather at least every 3 months. 5. Clean and condition your tires once every three weeks or more often if you prefer. Clean and condition the plastic trim once every 1-2 months. If they're faded the first time you treat them apply once followed by another treatment a few days later followed by another treatment a week later and then once a month. By that time the plastic will be reconditioned and Vinyl-Rubber Care will have restored the trim to its original color. If you'd like more detailed information about how to care for your car, check out our Car Care 101 section of the einszett website. You can read our "Keep It Clean" detailing articles, read solutions to common issues such as removing sprinkler water spots from your paint and more. And you can always contact us by emailing support@1z-usa.com or calling us toll-free 888-719-4698. All the best!

Factors in Choosing the Next Product

I often hear from customers or dealers if we can bring an einszett product that's available in Europe but not here in North America. So I thought I would provide some insight on how we decide what we import and what we don't. einszett Germany has a vast array of products in Shop Line (consumer), Pro-Line (professional) and Carwash line. We only import a small fraction of the range thus far. So why don't we import more? Two reasons: environmental regulations and cost. Environmental regulations The United States and Canada have environmental regulations in place by their respective environmental regulations agencies. The United States is different since each state can enforce their own regulations. California is a well-known example but certainly not the only state that enforces its own laws. Several other states enact the same laws as California and eventually the federal level (EPA) follows suit. Canada models their regulations on the California regulatory agency (CARB - California Air Resources Board). The environmental regulations in Germany and throughout Europe are among the strictest in the world and have been enforced far longer than regulations in North America. Therefore, all einszett products meet or beat these regulations and even go as far as to meet ISO 140001 standards for environmental management (basically, not only do the products meet the strict standards but strict standards are enforced during the manufacturing phase of the product cycle). So what's the issue? CARB has a different way of regulating product than Europe and sometimes their methods put products into different categories than they should. A great example of this is einszett Glas Polish. Many of our customers wonder why we no longer offer this product even though it works great and receives fantastic reviews. Well, the reason is because CARB classifies Glas Polish in the same category as a glass cleaner. As many of you know, Glas Polish is a polish designed to polish glass and is similar to car polishes and metal polishes. Yes, it cleans glass but car polishes clean paint but that doesn't mean it should be categorized as a car wash or a quick detailer, which have much stricter regulations than car polishes. So, it's impossible to get Glas Polish to meet the very low VOC requirements of glass cleaner unless we could miraculously change it to 98% water and 2% cleaner (essentially, this is what we would have to do). Cost The other factor that goes into deciding which product is imported is based on cost. First, the cost to make any necessary changes to the formulations in order for it to meet North America environmental regulations. This can become very costly often involving using new methods and ingredients so that the product performs the same or better than the original formula. The other factor has to do with currency exchange rates. With the Euro heading back to 1.60 the exchange rate becomes a heavy burden. This means that our US Dollar purchases a lot less product. We have to pay 60% more for the product than what it would cost if we paid in Euros. It can turn a $5 product into $9. Most of our customers would find this too costly despite the performance and result of the product. I hope this gives you a better idea of the thought process that goes into deciding which product will be introduced in North America next. You can expect to see more products arrive in the near future as we continue to expand the line. If you want to know if a certain product will be available, please feel free to shoot over an email or call. All the best...

Polishes.... The "Filler" Question

One of the things we always strive to do through einszett is to debunk misinformation and myths relating to car care. For instance, one common example is that silicone is bad for a car's paint finish and that you shouldn't use polishes that have silicone in them. The truth is, this statement is only partly true but has still managed to cause concern with numerous car enthusiasts. The ‘silicone is bad’ idea originates from the fact that polishes and waxes with silicone should not be used on a car with fresh paint (defined as paint applied in the past 30-90 days). The only time you’ll experience a fresh paint job is if you’ve had your car repaired at a body shop or you chose to repaint your car. New cars at the dealership don’t apply because they are force dried (dried in an oven) at the factory which speeds up the complete drying time to 30 days. The time it takes for a car to be painted at the factory and ultimately delivered to the dealership is approximately 30 days which makes the concern irrelevant. 

Even if you’re still concerned about your paint being exposed to the elements after its visit to the body shop or if you just took delivery of your car, keep in mind that whenever a car is painted, it is treated with special silicone-free polishes that contain some protective properties. While not as durable as aftermarket polishes and waxes, they will last long enough to provide protection until you can safely polish and wax your car. 

I used this example of silicone to highlight how a fact can be used to fuel the false spread of bad information and ultimately create a myth. 

 

Fillers 

Now there is another question we're hearing more often  because it’s not as specific as the silicone question. Customers want to know if einszett polishes correct paint or if they contain  "fillers" that fill in scratches and other paint flaws instead of fixing them. Typically the term "fillers" evokes thoughts of fillers used in food that give bulk but have no nutritional value. A filler tends to be associated with lower quality food. 

So in essence, the question is whether or not our polishes have ingredients that are fixing the solution or just masking the issue with product that doesn't offer any benefit. Our philosophy at einszett is that  every ingredient we use in all of our products, including our polishes, serves a purpose.  

Now the next question which has to be asked is this: have you used a polish that claimed to correct the paint finish or was it assumed it was supposed to correct the paint finish simply because it was a polish? 

Let me explain. You’ll find that there are several types of polishes designed to do different things. Some polishes correct paint flaws, like einszett Extra Polish and einszett Paint Polish,  while einszett PolishWax won’t since its meant to be used on flawless finishes but still clean and condition the paint. In other words, polishes come in different levels depending on whether they are to be used on really weathered and old paint or a flawless paint finish. 

What Makes a Car Polish?  

Let's shed some light on what goes into a polish. A chief reason why many people ask if the polish has fillers is because most people don’t really know what goes into the making of a polish. Some of you may know there is water, petroleum solvents and abrasives. But that only makes so much of the product and there has to be other ingredients that differentiate one brand of polish from another and that ingredient is not called a “filler”. To give you insight on what it takes to make a car polish, included is an excerpt from einszett’s Professional Restoration manual that discusses in detail about the making of a car polish (translated from the original German):  

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Basics of Polish Manufacturing  

The manufacturing of polishes is straightforward: The correct composition of the product is very important regarding the required polish properties. For this purpose, each manufacturer depends on expert knowledge from the respective fields of application. This practical knowledge and experience is indispensable. A high market share of Germany (and Europe as well) is dependent on extensive experience allowing a remarkable competitive advantage regarding the manufacturing of polishes.  

Properties of Polishes  

Polishes are products which smooth a surface and add brilliant gloss to it. So, the original appearance of the surface is restored. Important Properties of Polishes: > easy to apply > easy processing > high resistance against water > good corrosion resistance > short drying times > good preservation longevity in case of storage > frost resistance> easy to apply and to remove > good wetting properties > good resistive properties against dust and dirt > dust free processing > no electrostatic charging of the paintwork > UV- resistance and high temperature stability > good color restoration > high gloss effect > suitable for various surfaces > good cleaning effect etc. To meet all those requirements, there is no all around polish fulfilling all aspects perfectly. The composition of polishes always varies depending on the required properties.  

Characteristics of Polishes: The mechanical effect depends on the quantity of abrasive particles (distinguished by quantity, shape, material, hardness). Clay, waxes, resins or Teflon are used for sealing, filling and/or covering bumps. Combination products exhibit numerous properties. Polishes are distinguished by their physical shape. They are formulated with solvents or as an emulsion. They are distinguished by their preservability and the cleaning effect. The requirements for the polish depend on the surface to be treated. Concerning their physical shape, polishes should be capable of flowing, pre-plasticized, half-solid, solid, a paste or a spray. Polishes without cleaning effect are gloss polishes which are applied mainly to dirt-free, non-oxidized surfaces. In order to obtain the cleaning effect, the polish should contain abrasive particles, solvents and detergents. Abrasives are used to remove the weathered paintwork layers (and paintwork defects). Solvents are used for cleaning and for loosening tar, resins and oil films. Detergents are used to remove ordinary dirt and insects. Polishes with solvents can be produced much easier, but they are flammable and expensive. Emulsion-based polishes are cheaper and contain fewer solvents. 

Composition and Ingredients: Users judge polishes according to their preservation properties, their appearance and the hydrophobic effect. These are criteria which are already considered during production of the polishes. Amino-functional silicones influence the preservability (long-lasting polishes). 531 and 536 Fluid are amino-functional polydimethylsiloxane co-polymers which make a polish wear-resistant.  

Composition and Ingredients: If the polish should provide a protective film (hydrophilic or hydrophobic), the composition depends on solvents or emulsion. The polish must not leave any smears. Dust-free removal of the polish should be possible.  

Abrasives: Clay, siliceous (containing silica) earth and chalk are used as abrasives. The number of grains, the hardness as well as the grain size determine the purpose of use.  

Preservatives: Waxes, resins and Teflon are used for preservation. For filling purposes, fine particles of clay and/or chalk are added. Synthetic waxes (polymers) show better properties for use than natural waxes. The latter are subject to large variations due to natural reasons. Wettable amino-functional silicones ensure very good ‘slippery’ properties of the polish and increase the gloss film. Due to added silicones, the polish partly is provided with resistance against cleaning agents. For car polishes, waxes often are replaced by indifferent silicone resins. The polish is provided with preservability and high quality and can be produced at room temperature (waxes have to be melted). These resins provide the polish with a brilliant shine and good hydrophobic properties. The surface is hydrophobic and exhibits a long-lasting effect.  

Production: Polishes are produced in large containers with a powerful stirring machine. For bottling, stable receptacles are used which should be transparent as well. Otherwise, in case of colored receptacles, you can see that the polish is not stable in the emulsion and deposits. Polishes should be slightly dyed for better immediate recognition during the working process. It seems to make sense to add agents which prevent bacteriological mixing. The same is valid for aromatics in low concentration.  

Completion: Finally, all legislative requirements have to be observed. For health and operational safety reasons, not all ingredients can be used. These guidelines are periodically updated and amended. Numerous other legislative requirements are valid for creating labels and documents (material safety data sheets, operating instructions, product information). The automobile industry also demands constant developmental work due to new types of paintwork, new materials and guidelines.Did you know that the production of polishes is so complex?  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you can see, there’s more to a polish than one probably expects. Several ingredients and factors go into making a polish. And not all polishes have the same purpose. Some are designed to correct severe paint flaws, some minor corrective properties and some are meant to be used on finishes that are flawless but can be enhanced.Yes, some polishes out there will simply disguise paint flaws but one can’t make a blanket statement and assume that all polishes within a brand merely conceal flaws without correcting. It's important to ask if the polish you plan on using is meant to correct paint or if it's meant to just be used on flawless finishes.  

At einszett, we put nothing in our products that is unnecessary.  In the case of our polishes, using the right polish will yield the best results for you.

Copyright © 2008-2009 einszett North America. All Rights Reserved. Individual articles may be downloaded for personal use; users are forbidden to reproduce, republish, redistribute, or resell any materials from this journal in either machine-readable form or any other form without permission of the einszett North America. For permissions and other copyright-related questions, please email your question to: support@1z-usa.com.

Featured Product: W99 All Purpose Degreaser

If you're looking to easily remove grease, oil stains or surface contamination quickly and easily, W99 is your go-to product. Based on alkaline cleaners that are not caustic and meet stringent environmental standards (including California VOC regulations), W99 can clean the toughest stains.

W99 is so effective that it's one of our top sellers in the European market - especially with the wholesale market such as dealerships, repair shops and carwashes. Why? Once you try W99 you can see how easy and cost effective it is. 

Use it on everything from shop floors to your car's under body. Cleans the engine area, very stubborn oil and grease stains on upholstery and acrylic sealants. Also removes the annoying cosmoline that seeps from the seams of new cars.

Here are some common applications and their respective dilution recommendations:

Remove Acrylic paint sealants 1:4 
Brush-washing plants 1:20 
Steam-jet appliances 1:50 
Engine cleaning 1:3 to 1:10 
Car carpets as shampoo 1:30 as stain-remover 1:5 
Machines (man-made fibres only) 1:5 
Chromium 1:10 
Manual glass-cleaning (not a window washer additive) 1:120 
HGV surfaces 1:5 
Insect-remover 1:5 
High pressure cleaning of hard surfaces 1:300

Available in 1 liter (33.8 fl oz) and 10 liter (2.6 Gallons) sizes.

Fore more information on W99 and to purchase, click here.