Hi all! I just purchased a new 2026 Mustang GT convertible. I want to get a paint protection film. My detailer has two options. I do not drive the car every day, it’s just a summer car. Which one of these two options is better? For a full car PPF with Xpel it’s $3600. The NanoPro liquid is $2100.

So, for reasons, I had to carry a catering order of beef stew in my front passenger seat last night. Needless to say, the seal was not great and a bunch of the liquid leaked onto the seat near the pivot corner. I cought it pretty fast and soaked up most of the liquid, but this morning, there's definitely a "beefy" smell and it's a bit discolored. It's a jeep with black cloth upholstery, but it is quite clean and I want to keep it that way. Recommendations on a product/process that might be easy to perform and effective here?

Very keen aspiring detailer here** my friend came to me and asked for to detail the inside of his lancer the other week, knowing i want to to start mobile detailing in the new year.., bare in mindi know a whole lot more now and have practised a lot, but dont have any new photos.. so heres a few pics from a little while ago.

How did i go with this interior on my first job? Any ways i could upskill the interior work? Would appreciate any feedback, thankyou 🙏

Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to get this posted.

A while back I shared a few pictures of the new Suds Lab F11 dual chamber foam cannon, and I honestly wasn't expecting the response that post got. There were some really good questions in the comments, especially about the smaller chambers, chemical consumption, and whether having two chambers actually makes any sense.

Here's my original post for anyone who missed it.

Well, I finally got around to doing the full testing, and I figured I'd come back and share the results.

Here's the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxtzLGMJQhI

For those who would rather read, here's how I approached everything.
_____________________________________________

My Loadout / Test Equipment

For anyone curious about the exact setup I used, here's everything I had running during the testing.

Pressure Washer Setup:

• Greenworks Automotive Pressure Washer - 1.8 GPM
• Standard residential garden hose/water hookup
• Short Flexzilla garden hose connecting the water supply to the Greenworks
• QuivrFlex pressure washer hose
• MTM Hydro short pressure washer gun

Foam Cannons:

• Suds Lab F11 Dual Chamber Foam Cannon (36 oz total, two 18 oz chambers)
• Suds Lab F1 Professional Foam Cannon (32 oz)
• Both equipped with their factory 1.25 mm orifices

Chemicals:

• Suds Lab XP High-Foaming Car Shampoo
• Suds Lab CP Ceramic Protective Wash

Measuring Equipment:

• Various graduated measuring glasses/cups for measuring chemical and water volumes
• Used the measurement markings on the bottles to monitor remaining solution after testing

Nothing particularly crazy here. Just a pretty normal residential pressure washer setup. I wanted to see how both cannons performed with equipment that was reasonably representative of what someone washing their car at home might actually use.

__________________________________________

How I tested it

I wanted to do something a little different than just filling the cannon with my favorite soap mixture and seeing how thick the foam was.

Instead, I wanted to test the F11 as Suds Lab intended it to be used, with their own chemicals and the dilution instructions printed on their bottles.

I also brought out their standard F1 foam cannon for comparison. The F11 was $49.99 at the time of testing, while the standard F1 was around $29. (They marked all the way down to $33.99 during prime week).

My main questions were:

• Does the dual chamber system actually work well?
• Can you get through an entire vehicle with only half the normal bottle capacity per chamber?
• How much chemical does each cannon actually consume?
• Is foam production comparable to a traditional cannon?
• Does being able to switch chemicals without changing cannons actually provide a meaningful advantage?

The setup

Both cannons had 1.25 mm orifices, which was something I specifically checked during the unboxing.

For the F11, I divided Suds Lab's recommended foam cannon dilutions in half to account for the separate chambers. I used 3 oz of their regular soap in one chamber and 2.5 oz of their ceramic soap in the other, based on the upper end of their recommended dilution ranges.

I used approximately 15 oz of water per chamber, with a few minor adjustments while filling.

I also prepared their standard F1 with their chemicals for comparison.

One thing worth mentioning is that I didn't modify the orifices or deliberately dial down the foam output to make either unit more efficient. I wanted to see what happened under normal use, following the manufacturer's instructions as closely as possible.

The results

The F11 produced excellent foam, and even with the smaller individual chambers, I had a substantial amount of solution remaining after covering the vehicle.

When I checked the remaining solution, one chamber had approximately 200 mL left and the other had just under 9 oz.

That's roughly half the solution still available on each side after completing the vehicle.

Obviously, every car, pressure washer, and person's application technique will change those results, but the idea that you automatically need to refill these smaller chambers halfway through a wash didn't hold up in my testing.

For comparison, I was substantially less efficient with the standard F1. I actually got a little carried away with the foam during the first application, so I made another pass while being more conscious of consumption.

On that second run, I ended up with just over half an ounce remaining in the F1.

These weren't laboratory-controlled flow measurements, so I wouldn't call them definitive consumption figures for every setup. But in my actual testing, the F11's metering made a much bigger difference than I anticipated.

A few things I noticed

The F11's construction is genuinely impressive for the money. The stainless filters, bottle construction, rotating head assembly, and chamber selection mechanism were all really well executed.

Both units use 1.25 mm orifices, although I would have liked to see stainless orifices rather than brass.

The biggest inconvenience with the dual chamber design is filling it. You're working with two smaller openings, measuring two separate solutions, and you need to be careful not to accidentally pour chemicals into the wrong chamber. I actually spilled a little into the neighboring chamber during testing.

And while the dual chamber system works well, you still need two compatible products to really take advantage of it.

That was actually one of my criticisms of Suds Lab. I had a surprisingly difficult time selecting two of their existing chemicals that made perfect sense together for this particular application.

My overall thoughts

I went into this thinking the F11 might be a pretty niche product for people running two-step alkaline/acidic washes.

After testing it, I actually think the biggest opportunity is much simpler: someone who wants to wash their vehicle and then apply a protective product without having to swap cannons, bottles, or equipment.

At $49.99, I think it's a really compelling product. Especially considering the F1 is already around $29.

Is it going to replace every foam cannon or every specialized washing setup? Of course not. But I think Suds Lab deserves some credit for bringing something genuinely different to the market at a pretty accessible price.

One last thing: I originally mentioned wanting to test the F11 with a Chem-X Stars + Stripes setup. I ultimately decided to keep that separate from this test so I could focus on how well the cannon performed using Suds Lab's own products. I may revisit that in another video.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who commented on the original post. I actually used a lot of those questions to decide what I wanted to look at.

Curious what you guys think now that we've got some actual testing behind it. Does this change your opinion on the dual chamber design at all?

If you guys enjoy these kinds of posts, I'll try to make a point of coming back and sharing more of my testing as I work through different products. And if you've got any questions, suggestions, or something specific you'd like to see tested, feel free to let me know!

Used car I got.

I tried the soak in Isopropyl alcohol method but didn’t see much. Scratching it with my finder made the white part show on the second pic so didn’t want to mess around more.

Hi,
I have an old 2010 rx350 that has a destroyed arm rest. Leather is ripped and Cushion has fell out . I just bought a used oem arm rest but it’s gray . The rest of the car interior is black . Is there an easy simple way to dye the grey arm rest to black ?

Hey,

I just got some silver machine polished wheels called Aodhan AFF7’s. I just ceramic coated them but I need something a little bit better than just PH neutral car soap to clean that stubborn dirt and old tire shine. I need a wheel cleaner. A PH one at that, I heard shine supply cool guy is good but can’t find any info on it for my specific wheel use. Has anyone tried it? I currently use Adam’s on my other cars but ik it’s too harsh for the machined wheels. TIA

I was also looking at carpro hydro2 lite/ I'm looking for the most durability for like uv etc and no residue

No scratches of course being a non contact 😅

Hey everyone!

I recently purchased a 2023 Mustang Mach-E Premium from a Ford dealership.

Today, I noticed this strange dark stain on the front passenger seat. The affected area feels noticeably smoother and shinier than the surrounding material, almost a little slippery.

What's interesting is that the stain wasn't visible in the walkaround video the salesperson sent me before I purchased the car. I only noticed it today, four days after taking delivery.

I assume the dealership detailed the car before delivery since the interior was very clean and had that fresh new-car smell when I picked it up. I'm wondering if this could be some kind of detailing product residue or if the seat coating might be damaged.

No one has sat in the passenger seat since I bought the car, and nothing has been spilled on it.

I've tried rubbing it with my fingers, but nothing comes off. I haven't used any cleaning products on it yet.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Is this something that can be cleaned off easily, or could it be permanent damage?

Any suggestions on how to safely remove it without damaging the ActiveX material would be greatly appreciated!

The first photo is from the dealership's walkaround video before purchase, and the second was taken today, four days after delivery.

Thanks in advance!

i just got my car full front expel ppf and it was around 2k i can see all the edges and it’s already peeling 1 hour after i left the shop. i didn’t notice it at the shop and can see it better in my garage.

rookie here, have some old polish machine and was wondering can I save these little scratches and how bad is to work on black car… one dent might be too deep to fix on doors?

Thanks!

First time doing an actual coating vs ceramic sprays. Total work was approx 7hrs. Coating was ridiculously easy to apply, the "sweat" is a lovely indicator that it's ready to wipe. Hopefully I can make it last, any tips or feedback is welcome! Located in Calgary AB

Went to the coin wash and did presoak-iron remover+pressure rinse

At home did a rinseless wash with Idrosave + Super soft sponge

Clay bar

IPA wipe

One step correction using 3D one and Rupes Blue foam pad

Gyeon Prep on all areas prior to coating

Used about ~30mls of coating, did paint, lights + glass (minus windshield) Did not do wheels

Finished the cladding with Adams Graphene VRT( I like it on the plastics)

Temp was around 10-20°C and everything went very smooth. Subaru paint is ass, and there's a ton of big scratches that I don't care to remove frankly. Otherwise super happy with the results so far!

Its not abrasive. People are using this to "fix" scratches in there cards. Its definitely a wax , i think I seen / smelt it before just can't figure out were.

Im trying to wash my black truck and I want the most shine.

303 Marine plastic Protestant on the clutch and brake cables, shifter, and instrument buttons, and fake leather seat. Turtle wax ceramic on the paint. Novus 3 way for the windshield to restore, and then blue magic to Polish the chrome, tire clean and shine?

Such a noobie question, but can someone please explain what I do with all my towels?

I currently have the Kirkland drying towels (https://www.costco.com/p/-/king-clean-super-absorber-xl-microfiber-towel-2-pack/4000441185?langId=-1)

I have a pack of the yellow ones too.

I've heard not to wash them, I've heard wash with no heat.

Can someone please explain what I do with them? Wash after every wash? Never wash? How do I store them? Thanks all, I'm just a dude trying to keep good care of my car

The dk grey metallic paint on my 2013 Honda is in great shape, thanks to being garage kept and low miles, but I thought I'd give it a polish & wax. There is the odd little mark here & there that may not come out with just polish, so if I hit just those little spots with a compound, and then hit the entire panel with the polish, will the small area where I used the compound stand out or appear different after polishing, or will it all even out after polishing & waxing?

Thanks

I have a new mazda 3 with VERY thin paint and very few imperfections.

can i go hyper gentle and just use CarPro Reflect and a finishing pad (white or even black from Buff and Shine) for prep? I really don't need any correction and just want to improve gloss (although already glossy) and prep for coating

TIA

As someone who does their own detailing, I’ve often thought it’d be useful to log detailing work the way you’d keep a maintenance log, so I’d know when I last applied a coating and when it’s time to reapply it.

For context, I’m building an app for this. I’m trying to find out whether other DIY detailers feel the same need, or whether keeping records is more hassle than it’s worth.

Do you log your detailing work, the products you use, or when you apply coatings? Or do you mostly just go by memory?

Hi all,

I'm at a loss of what to do. I've never auto-detailed before and I don't have the kind of money to be able to pay someone to clean my SUV.

I bought my car back in February, and since around May I've noticed that when it rains, sometimes water makes its way under the driver side window. If it's heavy rain, I can literally shake the water out from my trunk.

At first it smelled like a cat had peed in my car, so I thought it was the A/C coils, but my dealership said they didn't find anything but sprayed an odor eliminator in the vents. That worked until this month, when the smell kept getting worse and worse. My friend said it smelled like wet cat a couple of weeks ago. This week it's really started to smell like something died in there, but I'm almost certain it's mold.

The smell is strongest where my spare tire compartment is, but again, I can't find any mold. My nose is unreliable and I haven't been able to find the source. I've seen estimates for mold detailing anywhere from $300-1300 and even on the low end, I can't afford it. I have a loan on this car and can't afford to sell it at major loss. What are my options? I'm panicking a bit, so any help is appreciated.

edit: My cheapest option that I've seen might be a biocide fogger, but I'm not sure how effective that would be.

I'm looking for ones that won't scratch my cars razor thin paint and clear coat and so far I've so far come across

I'm detailing a shitty repainted Subaru with what looks like one layer paint and one layer clear and that's it 😅

Gyeon bathe

Koch chemie nano magic (hoping it doesn't have the residue I hear ceramic ones can leave )

Car pro reset

And some cerakote shampoo

Detail co

Incredible suds

And some brand called yum

I live in nz

I woke up early yesterday morning to give the car a quick rinseless wash, and decided to film my very first use of Bilt Hamber Phat Neut. I had very high expectations for this product, and wanted to also use it for a light interior cleaning, which I had not seen anyone else do before.

Everything was going well... it cleaned the interior nicely, felt nice in the bucket and under the towel, seemed to clean as well as other products do. I did everything that I normally do for a rinseless wash... car was cool and in the garage, pre-spray, correct dilution for light cleaning (250:1), multiple towels, etc. Then I go to dry everything off and discovered some horrible staining on the soft trim around my windows and doors. I'm so glad that I was filming this and only did one half of the car, because normally I would have pre-sprayed the entire car at once.

I'm totally at a loss for why this happened. Everything was cool to the touch, dwell time was only around 3-4 minutes, AND that trim is protected/sealed. I did a ton of research before buying Phat Neut, and I have not heard anyone mention this kind of staining, or really anything negative other than personal preference type stuff.

If you've seen my posts before, you know I'm not the kind of person to beg for views, but if you've used Bilt Hamber Phat Neut, or might have any idea on why it stained my window trim, please check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRfBZDPnVus

I would love to understand why this happened. Anyone have any ideas?

Hey,

I’m curious to know if I can mix Megs Final Touch and Tec 582 together? Megs gives it a super slick glossy look but 0 protection. Ted 582 has that ceramic infusion which is good from wash to wash. Would mixing these be ok? Im asking bc of the super slick and glossy look from Meg’s and the protection from tec 582. I can’t ever seem to get best of both worlds from a spray

Hi everyone,

The car in question is 2023 model Y. It’s a used car so I don’t know the previous history. Any idea what that blue streak on the bottom is and how to remove it?

Thank you!!