SWISSVAX – Handbook
VIII.2 The third Element – Nano Express
VIII.3 The missing Element – Interior
II.1 WASH DAY
CAR BATH
A thorough but gentle and scratch-free car wash
The thorough but gentle wash is the essential basis for all other work. Unfortunately, many car shampoo products erode the paintwork over time due to the de-greasing agents they contain and ultimately make the paintwork starve. The outdated recommendation to use tap water only for the car wash is also wrong because without shampoo, the wash solution has no way to break the bond between the paintwork and the dirt, encapsulate it and “transport” it away. For a thorough and scratch-free Car Wash we therefore recommend Swissvax Car Bath, a paintwork-friendly shampoo concentrate that effectively breaks the bond between the dirt and the paint surface. Its pH-neutral formula guarantees that your high-quality Swissvax wax finish will not be affected.
Automatic car washes
An automatic car wash is no problem for a paint surface if it has been pre-cleaned, provided modern textile rollers are used and not nylon brushes as these cause scratches similar to those of a 2000-grit sandpaper! A Hand wash, however, still is the gentlest way to care for the paint finish. Old sponges and aggressive cleaning agents should be kept well away from the paintwork, though. Your paint finish will be far safer with a Waschpudel™ wash pad, Car Bath and plenty of soft water.
IMPORTANT
Never wash a vehicle in the full sun (except for if you use Aqua Gleam De-ionising Water Filters) and always use enough wash water. While the car is being washed, always keep the whole paintwork wet with water and the Car Bath solution.
HOW TO USE CAR BATH Shampoo Concentrate
1. Fill two 20-litre buckets with warm water. Add one capful of Swissvax Car Bath to one of the buckets (this bucket will be refered to in the following as the “clean” one).
2. Hose the vehicle down with plenty of clean water.
3. Using a Swissvax Waschpudel™ wash pad and generous amounts of the wash solution out of the “clean” bucket, wash the vehicle from top to bottom, avoiding circular movements. Start with the roof, boot and bonnet. Always rinse the Waschpudel™ wash pad out first in the “dirty” bucket and then (when freed from the dirt) dip it into the bucket of Car Bath solution before continuing washing. This helps you to prevent annoying scratches from washing and ensures that all dirt will be effectively removed and you will get a perfectly clean result.
4. Rinse off the vehicle with generous amounts of clean water.
5. Dry the vehicle with a Swissvax Hydralip and a clean Swissvax Cloth.
CARE TIP
Scratch-free Car Wash
Please avoid using a washing sponge, since no matter how carefully you rinse out your sponge, a few dirt particles (fine sand grains, brake dust, etc.) always remain trapped in the pores and will inevitably cause fine scratches on your paint finish the next time you use it.
For washing away from home...
Swissvax offers the Swissvax Smart Bucket – a collapsible, super-slim 20-litre bucket that will fit behind the seat of even the smallest roadster.
For fast-action drying...
use a Swissvax Hydralip (made of special medical-grade silicone) developed for drying automotive paint finishes. It is so easy to handle that the tiresome process of drying can be completed in a fraction of the time that it originally used to take.
Insects
The best procedure is to soak a Swissvax Cotton Cloth in lukewarm water and place it over the insect deposits for five minutes. Then wash off with Car Bath solution and a Swissvax MicroWash microfibre cloth (yellow). Do not rub!. Also do not use insect sponges or the like because these “tools” will inevitably cause micro-scratches in the paint finish.
II.2 CLEAN AT HEART
ENGINE
Engine wash
Although dust and water splashes build up in the engine bay over time and look aesthetically unpleasing, they don’t actually damage the engine. The best time for an engine wash is after the winter, when water and road salt have splashed up and left a white deposit which combined with humidity and heat will inevitably . The ideal place to clean the engine is at a commercial self-service carwash because their infrastructure ensures that cleaning agents and (for older cars) rinsed-off oil do not get into the groundwater. Aggressive products, such as acid-based cold cleaners, should not be used to solve and remove dirt since they can damage electrical and plastic components. Water-soluble engine cleaners are more suitable and the best choice. We recommend Swissvax Engine, a concentrate with citrus oil additives that can be diluted with water.
HOW TO USE SWISSVAX ENGINE Engine Wash Concentrate
1. Protect the distributor, coil and spark plugs with plastic film.
2. Fill the Swissvax Mixing Bottle with Engine concentrate up to the mark «1».
3. Add the correct amount of water for the desired concentration («1:1» for a heavily soiled engine bay, «1:2» for normal soiling, and «1:3» for exhaust stains on exterior paintwork).
4. Spray the Engine solution evenly onto cooled down, dry surfaces and allow to work in for 3 minutes.
5. Carefully remove oil, soot and other deposits using a Swissvax Detail Brush, reapplying Engine cleaner keeping the surface continually wet.
6. Spray with plenty of clean water to rinse thoroughly.
7. Remove the plastic film and - if possible - dry the engine with compressed air.
