Can a car ever have enough shine? So deep to see your face in the bonnet gleam is something to see. Yes, some prefer the matte look, but that deep showroom shine is the way to go for most of us.
This begs the question: what is the best way to get that “like new” finish?
It’s a question that caught the imagination of two brothers and a close friend who led them to create protective coatings that have been applied to myriad surfaces, from super yachts to racing cars.
The company behind the shine, Revolutionary Protective Solutions (RPS). Founded in 2012 in Maidstone, Kent, the goal was to develop best-in-class protective coatings for a variety of industries including automotive, rail, construction, aerospace and the most demanding environments – marine.
It took more than three years of research, development and field testing to bring the first coating to market with impressive results in a range of applications.
For the entrepreneurs, this included the opportunity to prove themselves in the world’s fastest racing car.
“When we were visiting a racing team at Silverstone, we noticed that one of their engineers was polishing a new carbon fiber front fairing,” said Michael Stacey.
“The engineer told us that he spends several hours polishing each component to bring it to a shine and increase its aerodynamic potential. We showed the engineer how easy it is to apply our ceramic coating and he was amazed at the time saved and the look after application. “
Well, a superyacht with a mirror-like sheen is one thing, but how about adding that sheen to your beloved hatchback?
Well, RPS is launching a range of car care products under the Aqueous Guard® label. For some time now these products have been used from supercars to the largest superyachts and now you can try them for yourself …
A full range of detail products are available on the Aqueous Guard® website, including the premium ceramic coating – Optivate, made by RPS right here in the UK.
So what do you need to give your car such a detailed look? A bucket of soapy water and a bottle of window cleaner have never produced a concours-class finish. Here are six essential products to keep your car clean.
Renovate – restore the dashboard and interior
Give the dash some TLC with a spray and buff it with the trim restorer. The coconut scent gives the interior of your car a little refreshment. Microfiber cloths are the most popular polishing tool.
Bubble Blast – car shampoo
Now it’s time for the soap pot and wash mitt. Jet wash first to remove as much debris as possible, or ideally use a snow foam lance to apply arctic storm snow foam.
After the potentially harmful contaminants have been removed, the body can be washed off with Bubble Blast car shampoo and a little elbow grease. A splint guard at the bottom of the bucket also prevents the grit from getting back into your wash mitt, and prevents those sharp little bits from scratching the paint.
Wash the entire car bit by bit, taking the time to check for tar or stuck dirt, which should be carefully removed with an auto paint tar and glue remover. Rinse thoroughly and dry off excess water with a soft drying cloth.
Wheel washing – wheel cleaner
These alloys will not sparkle unless the brake dust is removed. Brake dust collects on the wheels and can attack the clear coat and ultimately eat into the surface of a light alloy wheel.
Wheel Wash fast acting rim cleaner combines non-corrosive alkalinity and high-strength sequestering agents to bind and loosen brake dust and break down traffic films and dirt.
The monster glove
Most car owners will reach for a sponge, but most professional detailers won’t touch it! Flat sponges pick up the sand, but hold it to the surface, so you scratch your precious varnish with every scrubbing!
The monster wash mitt collects these little things and wraps them in the high pile. Make sure you rinse the glove thoroughly with clean water after each section.
Liven up the shine of the tires
It’s fair to say that, more than any other individual component of your car, the tires are the most abused. From potholes to gravel, bumps to frozen road surfaces, your tires have to withstand a lot.
Taking the time to clean them gives you an opportunity to check for imperfections or cracks in the tire walls, uneven wear, or sharp objects in the tread. After cleaning, a coating with Revitalize brings the new tire look back.
Aqueous Guard even provides a practical applicator sponge for applying the tire gloss. Each layer applied transforms your tire from semi-gloss to glossy.
Silk – hydrophobic smooth finish
Free of dirt and watermarks, now is the time to spray some silk on!
Silk is a coating solution that was developed to give paint, metal and glass surfaces a super smooth, hydrophobic surface.
Apply a small amount of Silk to a clean microfiber cloth and wipe the surface one at a time. Leave on for a few seconds and then take a new clean, dry microfiber cloth and buff it to a clear, smooth finish.
After buying a home, buying a new car is one of the biggest investments most of us will ever make.
So isn’t it worth investing in? Aqueous Guard® offers an extensive range of car care products that go beyond the six listed here, including high-quality ceramic coatings for permanent protection of paint and glass, hydrophobic coatings, antibacterial treatments for fabric and leather, and solutions for the restoration of moldings.
All of these products are available as part of an Essentials Wash Kit. The set also includes 2 microfiber cloths for applying and polishing off the silk coating.
This is a small selection of car care products available, which includes dirt removers, ceramic coatings, and leather care products. Visit Aqueous Guard.
