# Detailing [[Articles]] - [2025](#2025) - [April - main clean of the year](#April) - [February](#February) - [January](#January) - [2024](#2024) #Alfa_Romeo #detailing ---  I've owned black cars in the past. Black is a fantastic colour, when clean, but it quickly shows the dirt, dust, and rainspots. Trying to maintain that showroom finish is a constant battle, requiring more than the occasional wash and rinse. [Detailing](https://www.mycarcleaning.co.uk/blogs/news/car-detailing-for-dummies-11-step-guide) is needed which, if done properly, is not cheap in terms of money and time. ## 2025 ### April Big start-of-year clean. ![[2025-04-08 - 005.jpg]] Quite a cocktail and an aching arm: - Bilt Hamber Touchless snow foam - Koch Chemie Fse spray - clean off the previous polishes and crud. - Meguiar's G1116EU Quik Clay Bar Starter Kit - Poor Boys Black Polish - a couple of coats - can be used in direct sunlight. - SOFT99 Fusso Coat Wax Dark - two coats. - No.1 Super Ceramic Hybrid Si02 Wax Spray Coating - Autoglym Car Glass Polish ### February New Snow Foam Giving the highly recommended [Bilt Hamber](https://bilthamber.com) Touch-Less Snow Foam a try.  Bilt Hamber foam Second clean of the year  Using the Bilt Hamber Touch Less snow foam was a breeze with the jet wash, and it really seemed to shift the dirt. Car was absolutely filthy - should have taken a 'before' photo. ### January First wash of the year Only a couple of short local trips and the car was filthy. Finally, the hosepipe thawed and the last of the Turtle Wax Snow Foam was put to good use.  ## 2024 **Dealership** Prior to collecting the car the dealer applied a coating of [Gen-3](https://www.gen-3.co.uk/), not cheap, fortunately included as part of the deal. The aim now was to preserve the showroom finish. The rest of the year New to detailing, it's been a bit of a learning curve; the biggest challenge is one of choosing the correct products for the job. Various products have been used throughout the year, some purchased for use on the previous Mercedes. - Meguiar's Ultimate Car Wash - Turtle Wax Snow Foam - Kärcher FJ6 Foam Nozzle - Bilt Hamber Auto Wash Car Shampoo - SOFT99 Fusso Coat Wax Dark - Koch Chemie Fse spray - No.1 Super Ceramic Hybrid Si02 Wax Spray Coating - Glart 43PP microfibre hand polishing sponge - Meguiar's G1116EU Quik Clay Bar Starter Kit - Autoglym Car Glass Polish I'm not endorsing any of these products by using them, just part of my quest for the perfect product (photographers will know what I mean when I say GAS[^1] . The [Alfa Romeo Owners' Club](https://aroc-uk.com) magazine has an excellent detailing section. --- [^1]: GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome - the need to keep purchasing new equipment. [GAS article.](https://digital-photography-school.com/eight-ways-get-rid-gas-gear-acquisition-syndrome/)