I picked up my roadster a couple of months back, the roof was generally in good condition but had a couple of tide marks and picked up some more dirt since then. I already had a bash at cleaning it with the Autoglym kit, but didn't get good results - to be honest it looked exactly the same. So today I decided to give it another go, and finally got some great results and thought I'd share the steps.
Unfortunately I don't have before/after pics, so you'll have to take my word for it
Kit: Prerequisite:
- Ensure around 24 hours of dry weather (good luck!)
- Throw away the cleaning pad provided in the AG kit, it's useless
- Mask off the windows and body work as much as possible. I used a single dust sheet from the 3 pack i got from amazon and it covered most of the car. The cleaner and protector really SUCK to get off your windows or paint - so much so i think you'd have to claybar it off and rewax.
- Run a bucket of suds to quickly wipe off any overspray/drips
- 1. Vacuum the roof and get rid of any loose dirt
2. With the prerequisites done, damp to roof with your hose. It does need to be properly damp, don't be afraid to get it wet.
3. Liberally apply the cleaner to the roof and work it in, using firm circular motions of the cleaning brush. Use around a quarter of the bottle of cleaner. With the brush you will see a lot more dirt coming out that you ever have before - proper dirty brown foam.
4. Let it work in for 5 minutes, then rinse until water runs clear
5. BEFORE applying any more cleaner brush the roof fully again, if it foams up again go to step 4
6. Use a small hand towel to take any excess moisture out of the roof, wait for the roof to air dry for around 10 minutes. Now apply cleaner to any stubborn spots which are still showing marks, working it in with the brush in these specific areas and let it work for 5 minutes. Do not rinse (yet).
7. Now repeat another full clean of the roof in steps 3, 4 and 5 using another quarter of the cleaner (leaving around half for next time)
8. The water should now be running clean from the roof, and no suds should appear when brushing the roof
9. Take any excess water off the roof with another clean tea towel
10. Liberally but evenly apply around half of the protector solution across the roof
11. Make yourself a cup of tea, you've nailed it
Let me know if you have any thoughts or other suggestions