Car Detailing Questions

MagicToaster

I've always kept my car pretty clean, but lately, I've been wanting to address some issues on the cleanliness of my car that I don't know how to tackle.

Tinted Windows
When I installed the tints, I was told not to clean them on the tinted side using chemicals like Windex. What do you guys use? Water?

Car Dash and door panels
I want to protect it, but I've seen a lot of chemical cleaners that give it a very greasy looking gloss. I don't really care about it having a gloss finish, but I want something that can remove the dirt and scuff marks.

Leather Seats
Again, I'd rather not have that greasy look, I just want something that can remove scuff marks.

Rubber edges on the window
It's that rubber edge between the metal and the window on the outside of the car (not the inside). It's starting to get a white covering. I've washed it but nothing seems to make it go away. Ideas?

Ceiling carpet
I have no idea how dirt gets up there... but it does... how do I clean that?

Whippers
Not a detailing question, but I've always wondered. Is there a diference between the cheap whippers and the expensive ones? Usually, I buy the cheap ones and it's 4-6 months before I start noticing a lot of streaking when I use them? How can I extend their life?

door srcatches
My car has some scratches and dents from other car's doors. Is there anything I can use to cover them up?

Thanks guys! I'd rather not ask these things at a store because I feel like their answers are just gonna be to get me to buy something.

RUNN1NGMAN

Well, for wipers, what I do is take a clean cloth, soak it in a little wiper fluid (same stuff you put in the car) and then wipe the length of the wiper blade. It does a pretty good job of cleaning the gunk off that might be making them streak. At some point though, you'll just have to buy new blades. I usually replace them once a year or so. Just buy the generic rubber inserts, put them in the existing wipers and cut to length.

Eventually you'll probably have to replace the wiper itself because the springs wear out, but that doesn't happen for a few years at least.

eternalbl

For tinted windows its not windex you want to avoid, it's ammonia. I think windex has a non=ammonia version, but any brand would do.

Dash and door panels, personally I'd use just a cloth with any kind of all purpose cleaner. I don't like the stuff that makes the dash look glossy because typically it's all greasy and just covers dirt more than removes it.

Maquires is a fairly trusted brand of detailing product, any of their leather stuff should work well. If you're getting greasy seats you may be applying too much, alot of the finish when it comes to this and that dash stuff even, is the amount that's applied, not the product itself.

Roof dirt, probably would need to be shampooed. Considering it's fabric like, you could try using a carpet cleaner on it, but test it on an inconspicuous spot first.

Scratches and dents, if the dents aren't creased there are people who do paintless dent repair and it can be fairly cheap to have them fixed. The scratches would either need to be polished if they're too deep, or just waxed.

Speaking of wax, most of the time when plastic trim is turning white like that and it won't come off, it's because wax has gotten on it and it gets absorbed by the plastic. It doesn't come out with anything, really, but you can use tire dressing to temporarily keep it black.