How to apply Pika Pika Rain Glass Coating perfectly!
This time, we would like to explain about the in our staff’s experiences.
You should better to read our other article,the finishing should be much nicer!
BLOG: Preparation and the place to apply! Two important points to check before applying glass coating!
Please check before application…
Pika Pika Rain’s glass coating liquid cures quickly, and the process is different from waxing.
Therefore, you should apply the product liquid to the car surface area by area, as in the picture below:
Also please work in bright lighting conditions so you can see the product liquid has been evenly applied to the car surface areas.
1. Application
Pika Pika Rain’s application sponge
The application sponge is professionally designed with input from car detailers to easily fit with all parts of the car. The small-size 2 layer sponge is designed to cover all areas of the car surface including smaller areas such the wheels, door handles, or backside of knobs.
Where to apply Pika Pika Rain
Pika Pika Rain’s glass coating liquid can cover metallic parts like iron, steel, or copper as well as plastic parts like headlights, taillights, or turning signals.
Please read the detail in “Glass coating can apply other than the car body!”
Tricks and tips for application
The basic method for application is to apply the product liquid thinly and evenly. Pika Pika Rain can spread very well with just 3-5 drops to start. If the sponge becomes squeaky and doesn’t move smoothly, just add a few more drops. After you start the application with a few drops, you can then apply the liquid line by line in the same direction inside the area. Please check the whole area is covered and looks wet from the liquid.
2. Wipe off
Pika Pika Rain’s microfiber cloth
We designed a finely woven microfiber cloth to work well with the liquid. Always use the recommended Pika Pika Rain Microfiber Cloth for wiping off the product liquid or for washing your glass-coated car. The microfiber cloth will hard to damage the glass coating or the paint surface.
Tricks and tips for wiping
Soon after applying the liquid, wipe the area evenly and quickly using the microfiber cloth. Just move the microfiber cloth lightly across the surface to catch and wipe-off the liquid. It is very important to check the area after wiping, for any residual particles, foggy streaks, or dust. If needed, please wipe the area again with the dry part of the microfibre cloth to ensure the area is completely clean.
*Caution: if there are any streaks or foggy areas after wiping, it may affect the appearance of the final glass coating after curing. Please check the area twice, and wipe until it is clean.
3. Check
After wiping, please check the car surface from various angles for any foggy or uneven surface appearance. If you find any uneven surface appearances (for example, from a finger print), then just wipe the area again. After 12 hours of curing, any unevenness may be hard to remove, so please check twice!
If you find any unevenness or surface inconsistencies which you cannot easily wipe off, then just apply another drop of liquid with the sponge, and then wipe off the area again with the microfiber cloth. Please be aware this may have an effect on the appearance if the surface has not cured completely yet.
4. Curing
Please be careful not to get the surface wet during 12 hours, as the surface is curing.
You face a crucial juncture now…
After coating, wiping, and checking water sometimes drops from the side mirrors, or gaps between the doors. If water runs over the coating, the area may cure unevenly. Please check the car surface again a few hours after the application. We also recommend working in the morning to prevent frost and night dew especially during winter.
2 weeks for complete curing
After the surface has cured from 12 hours to 2 weeks, the car can get wet when driving, however as the surface has just cured, it’s in a sensitive condition. Please wipe the surface very gently if it rains or if you wash the car. Please don’t let any water stay too long on the surface of the car.
Your beautiful glass coated car was born!
We recommend to take a picture to check the results.
Anyway, after 2 weeks, you can apply Nano Pika Pika Rain quick detailing spray to improve the condition of gloss and water repellency.
Please try it if you’re interested in it!
What if we fail in the application of Pika Pika Rain Glass Coating?
Our staff in went out doing an experiment in a hot day.
It was too hot, but there was thing to do in such a hot day…
What if we leave the Pika Pika Rain Glass Coating for 1 hour after applying?
It is the experimentation which was on the supposition of
Anyway, please see the photo below.
Can you see some whitish lines on the car body as a whole?
All of these are unwiped glass coating.
It had already passed 1 hour, but it has already started to cure,
so it was very difficult to remove it even though we wiped it with microfiber cloth.
When the glass coating starts to cure, it becomes like a candy and the fiber of cloth adheres on it.
If you leave 2 hours, you cannot stop curing of the glass coating, so only polishing with compound can be removed it.
Therefore, please check the car body in 1 hour definitely!
Our instruction says that the surface needs 12 hours for curing, but in summer, it is quicker than usual,
so if you don’t deal with it as soon as possible, it should be much hard to repair it.
Please be careful when you apply glass coating, especially in summer!
Glass coating can apply other than the car body!
Iron, plastic, leather and aluminum…
A car is made up of many materials are used in a car.
“I applied glass coating to the car body…but is it OK with applying to other parts?”
When you apply glass coating, you wonder like this.
Then, we will explain where we can apply glass coating
By the way, we would like to tell the answer first, Pika Pika Rain Glass Coating can apply to every parts except rubber parts and windshields basically.
Please read below if you want to know details!
Where to apply Pika Pika Rain Glass Coating
There are no problem to apply Pika Pika Rain Glass Coating.
Iron, steel, copper parts
Car body, frame, engine room housing, radiator, and so on.
Please open the hood, and don’t forget to apply to the outer frame.
Aluminium
Wheels.
It is recommended to wash away any dirt or mud splattered on the wheels before application.
Resin, plastic
Steering wheel, bumpers, radiator grill, headlights, taillights, turning signals. The glass coating protects plastic parts very well and provides a deep gloss. After applying the liquid, please be careful to wipe all of the area so there are no foggy parts on the plastic.
※ Some old vehicles have glass headlights, so we don’t recommend applying on the glass.
2. Caution needed
There are some material parts of the car which you need to pay attention for the application.
Please test a small spot first, before covering the whole area.
Leather, wooden material
Seat, interior
Depending on the type of material, glass coating liquid may or not get absorbed by these materials.
Glutinous stickers
Sticker, decal printing
A sticker may eventually fall off after the application because it has the same properties as rubber and absorbs the liquid. Some stickers are specially designed for car paint surfaces and have strong chemical bonding, such as decal printing.
Roof
The sunroof window is made of transparent plastic or glass. It is recommended to use Window Pika Pika Rain on any transparent plastic or glass parts.
3. Where NOT to apply
Glass
Windshield, mirror
As glass material is transparent, it is recommended to use Window Pika Pika Rain on any transparent glass parts such as the windshield.
Rubber
Tire, packing
These materials absorb the liquid and may create an uneven surface on the material.
Finally
There are other parts which we didn’t explain above, but we think that almost all main parts to apply are explained.
Moreover, the materials are different.
We said in the cautions paragraph, you should better to test a small spot first!
Car Detailing Guide for Beginner’s
2018.08.09
You must feel like you are on the top of the world when you get your first car.
I remember I was so excited to go to the car dealer when my car was delivered.
Brand new car is of course clean and shiny and I was happy just to look at it.
However 1 month later we find a problem.
Yes your car gets dirty…
Once you see the dirty car, driving is not that fun and we wonder where the exciting feeling was gone.
How can we keep our cars clean?
Here’s the guide of beginner’s car detailing.
Step 01 Car Wash
Tools
(1) Water supply
If you have an outside water tap then it’s ok but if you park your car in a shared car park or somewhere you cannot wash, you have to find a place such as a car wash place.
(2) Hose
Essential tool to wash a car. At a car wash place you can use the equipped one.
(3) Bucket
When you use a car shampoo, you need one. You can get it at 100yen shop!
(4) Car shampoo (neutral detergent)
You can purchase at a car accessories shops such as Autobacs. Some people use kitchen detergent instead.
Some people use kitchen detergent instead.
(5) Cloth
Microfiber cloth would be the best. Available at a car accessories shop and a hardware store.
(1) Rinse thoroughly
Car wash is the best way to clean your car. If you wash your car every week, it will keep the shine for many years.
If you think weekly car wash is too much, wash your car at least once a month.
First rinse your car thoroughly with plenty of water and remove loose dirt and grime. If you start washing without this step, your car will get scratches.
And do not work in direct sunlight.
(2) Make soapy water
Put water in the bucket and pour the car shampoo.
Stir and make bubbles.
Let’s start washing once you make enough bubbles.
(3) Wash
Soak the microfiber cloth and wash your car from the top down. For example: Roof →hood → door
Wash the bottom parts such as wheels in the end as they are the dirtiest parts.
Also use another clean microfiber cloth when you wash window parts.
(4) Rinse
After you wash your car with the bubbles, rinse your car with plenty of water.
If the car shampoo solution is left, it might leave some streaks.
(5) Wipe
Dry your car with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.
This is the most important and hardest part of car wash.
If you do not wipe and dry the car body quickly, water drops might dry up and leave water spots.
Use another dry microfiber cloth to dry completely if needed.
Wipe small parts such as window and door jambs as well.
(6) Clean!
Now your car is clean.
If you want more shine, let’s move to Step 02.
Step 02 Car Coating
For those who wants to get more shine and gloss, please try a car coating.
There are variety of car coating: car wax, polymer coating and glass coating.
Here’s some tips what to choose.
Reasonable x easy application ・・・ Hard wax or liquid wax
Easy x less mistakes ・・・ Polymer coating spray
High grade x long durability ・・・ Car glass coating
Car wax is good to get quick gloss without spending a lot of money.
Spray polymer coating for easy application.
For brand new cars glass coating is recommended.
Those car coatings are available at online marketplace or car accessories shops. Find the one for you.
NOTE
Do not apply any coatings, wax, polymer or glass coating when it’s raining or under blazing sun.
More possibility to end if failure.
Do not work under direct sunlight as the coating solution dries quickly before wiping.
Also use proper amount of the coating solution. Applying too much solution might cause foggy streaks.
After coating ・・・ ?
Some people misunderstand that if you apply car coating, you do not need to wash your car.
Dirt is hardly attached after coating but you still need a regular car wash.
Dirt will definitely be on the car coating and if you leave it, it might adhere to the car body.
None of car coatings offer maintenance free.
Regular car wash is necessary to keep your car clean.
Extra edition Remove dirt and scratchers
Polish
If your car body is covered all over with scratches, you can remove them by polishing with compound.
Some people believe that’s professional’s job but if they are shallow and light ones, it’s not that difficult to do it by yourself.
Try to remove small scratches first. Put liquid compound on a sponge and rub. If you think you can do it, consider to get a polisher.
Remove water spots / ion deposits
If you leave your car wet after rain or car wash, the water drop dries up and leave water spots or ion deposit.
They are caused by mineral in water left on the car body.
Once you get them, it’s hard to remove by car wash.
You have to polish with compound or use chemical remover such us ion deposit remover.
Ion deposit remover is easier than polishing so please try it.
I write about exterior detailing this time but of course you should clean inside your car as well.
Floor mats have mite, hair and crumbs more than you think.
Keep a car cleaner and microfiber cloths in your car.
Enjoy clean car life!
Must-read for all beginners! How to wash a car and tricks of it from professionals!
To begin with, why should we wash a car?
Washing car is tiresome, isn’t it?
Especially, many people might fell bothersome for washing with hands.
Then you tend to use a car wash machine when you put some gasoline, don’t you?
“To begin with, why should I wash a car?”
Some of you might think like this.
“Washing a car” is compared to taking a bath for human, but we totally agree with this.
There are two meanings of daily car washing
– the one is “keeping itself beauty and clean”, and another is “prevention against the deterioration”.
If people don’t take a bath for a few days, they are getting unclean.
Cars as well.
If you forget to wash a car, its appearance is getting worse and worse, such as the gloss and the dirt.
Apart from the appearance, sometimes a car might “get sick” like a human.
For example, deterioration and fading the color of the car paint surface, water spots and so on. These things should be ask professionals will happen.
If you wash a car at this time, it is too late.
Therefore daily car washing need to prevent these situations.
“Does a car get dirty just only driving?”
“I don’t drive my car not so much…?”
Some of you might think like these.
However, the dirt is more complicated than we think.
For example, please imagine mud.
– Mud contains chemical constitutes in the air and soil, so it tends to effect on the car paint surface such as fading the color if you leave it.
– It is easy to become the rust due to the water.
– Mud also contains sands and gravel, so dry mud changes to scratches when you wipe with a damp cloth.
Also dust, acid rain and ultraviolet rays are great dangers for the car paint surface, too.
By the way, same thigs will happen even though a car is applied wax, polymer wax and glass coating.
Of course these coating have some merits which it reduce the dirt and damage. Also it can be easy to wash off the dirt.
However, if you leave your car for a long time, many water spots will break out on the glass layer. Moreover, if you drive a car long distance, the dirt will be accumulated.
This cannot be prevented by any coatings.
Yes, you need to care about it even though if you apply glass coating.
(Of course glass coating make the maintenance easier!)
Then, this time, we would like to tell the must-read car how to car wash by professionals specially!!
Please read and refer to this article!
To make the preparation before car washing
・Keep the space for car washing
First, keeping the space for car washing is very important!
If you have your own garden or parking space or the place where you can use the waterworks or the place where nobody finds troublesome, it is okay for washing a car at your home, but we know that it is difficult for some of you who live in an apartment.
Let’s go to the nearby car wash place!
There are many car washing places in the whole of Japan and they have car wash machines and spaces for washing by hands.
Let’s search with “place (where you live), car wash” and the best please to wash a car for you!
・Prepare car washing tools
After you kept the car washing space, let’s prepare washing tools next!
We would like to introduce some useful items below.
Car Shampoo is a must item for car washing!
We recommend the natural one which doesn’t contain with polishing materials for the car body. Moreover, if the car shampoo makes many bubbles, draining should not be well and over flow the bubbles, so we recommend to use rinse aid car shampoo.
(The car shampoo which professionals use are rinse aide and high washing power.)
Microfiber Cloth which is essential for washing the car body.
As we will say below, when you wash a car, washing with soft microfiber cloth is the best, not washing with a sponge!
Microfiber Chamois which is a helpful item for wiping!
It is appropriate for saving time of wiping.
If you have one piece of Pika Pika Rain Microfiber Chamois, you can use it many times, so it is very high cost-performing.
Everyone must have experiences of facing the problem when you wash wheels.
For example, you cannot reach to the inner parts, the brush doesn’t remove the dirt well… and so on.
However, Pika Pika Rain Wheel Brush which is made by wool can absorb the dirt well and that’s why it can wash gaps, too.
【A bucket】
This is an essential item for making bubbles with car shampoo.
There are many kinds of them from usual and cheap one to high-performance folding one, so please choose the appropriate bucket for you!
【A hose】
Please prepare a horse when you wash a car at your home!
If it has a showerhead, you can wash easily due to the high diffusion power.
Microfiber Cloth is the best for car washing!
No matter what, washing by hands is the best for car washing!
Some of you might use a car wash machine because washing by hands is tiresome.
However, a brush or mop of car wash machine tend to wash with pebbles and the dirt and it causes scratches. The friction with a brush as well.
Moreover, washing with a rough sponge is NG even though washing by hands. The reason is same as a car wash machine.
Then please use soft microfiber cloth when you wash a car with hands. It is gentle on the car body and can remove the dirt finely!
Also you should wash your car when it gets dirt immediately, after that you can go to the next step!
Let’s start washing a car
If you’re ready to wash a car, let’s actually start!!
Step1: Washing a whole car with the water
Let’s wash a whole car with the water of a horse (a shower type is better).
Please make note that wash from up to down like a roof, front sides, panels, under sides and tires. If the water pressure is too much high, it might damage the car body and wheels, so please do not try to wash the dirt forcibly, just wash them as possible as you can.
Also please splash the water to the car body not to dry it until you finish car washing.
(Especially, in the summer season, the water dry quickly and it could be water spots. Therefore, don’t forget to get wet the car body moderate.
Step2: Washing wheels which are easy to get dirt
Next, please wash wheels which are the easiest parts to get dirt.
Basically, we said that you should better to wash from up to down above with a single exception.
Regard to wheels, please wash them first not to the dirt fly apart to the car body.
First of all, making bubbles well with car shampoo in a bucket of the water.
Then please soak a wheel brush in the bucket (especially bubbles).
Please do not wash too much strong, just wash wheels with bubbles and the hairs of brush gently.
At this time, if you rinse them while washing could be efficiently.
※Caution※
The microfiber cloth which use for washing wheels do not use it again for washing the car body.
Step3: Washing the car body from up to down
After finished washing wheels, let’s move to the next step- washing the car body!
Please make fresh the water and make bubbles again.
First you splash the water and wash from the roof with bubbled microfiber cloth. The order is the roof, the windshields, the bonnet, the trunk side, the bumper, the headlights and the number plates.
Please wash every parts and rinse them not to remain the car shampoo.
Same as washing wheels, if you rinse them while washing could be efficiently.
Step4: Wiping with Microfiber Chamois
Please check around the car whether you wash it completely when you rinse car shampoo.
If it looks fine, let’s move to the finishing.
Please dry the water on the car body with Microfiber Cloth or Microfiber Chamois.
Microfiber Chamois is better absorption than Microfiber Cloth, that’s why it can dry the water efficiency.
It is easy to use, you open a Microfiber Chamois and you only pull its edges slowly, it can wipe the water in spite second.
At once you wring out it, you can use it again and again.
Just one more thing, the water which in the gaps will drip and it might cause water spots. Therefore, it should be fine if you put out the water from gaps by opening the doors and then dry the water completely.
If you dry the car body completely, car washing is finish.
This is the solution for stubborn dirt which is cannot be removed by car washing.
We always face the problem which we cannot avoid.
It is “the dirt which cannot be removed by car washing”.
In this paragraph, we would like to introduce about solutions by each case!
■Water spots
– What are water spots?
The dirt which is streaked grey or black like, we called it “water spots”.
It is caused by the oil of exhaust gas and the granulous asphalt.
– Solutions
Usually water spots can be removed by washing with car shampoo diligently.
If you avoid daily car washing, it means that you lose chances to remove water spots.
Then if you leave the water spots for long time, finally you cannot remove them by washing with car shampoo anymore!
In this case, you should try to water spots remover on the market.
■Droppings
– What are water droppings?
We will skip this explanation because maybe all of you know this…haha…
Also if you leave these for a long time, these will damage on the glass coating and the car paint surface by droppings with an acid. Therefore, you don’t take your eyes off these.
– Solutions
There is possible to remove droppings by car washing if the time doesn’t pass from these adhered.
If these are stubborn like you cannot remove by car washing, it might cause scratches, so please do not try to remove with all your strength.
Please wipe these off with soaked cloth or tissue with water (hot is better than cold) gently.
■Ion Deposit
– What is Ion Deposit?
We call a white circle mark on the car body as “Ion Deposit”.
The minerals crystalize and they adhere to the car body when the water evaporate.
It is caused by leaving the water after washing a car or raining.
Car washing in the summer is an easy situation to make Ion Deposit because the very hot car body.
– Solutions
Ion Deposit can removed by Pika Pika Rain Ion Deposit Remover.
The application is below;
1- Wash a car to remove the remarkable dirt and dry the water.
2- A soaked cotton with Pika Pika Rain Ion Deposit Remover put on the Ion Deposit from 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3- Wash a car again not to remain Pika Pika Rain Ion Deposit Remover.
※Cautions※
Pika Pika Rain Ion Deposit Remover is very strong.
If you wrong to apply it, it will decompose the glass coating, so lease be careful when you apply it.
An extra article – polishing with compound
“There are many water spots which I cannot remove with a small cotton…”
For you like above, we recommend to polish by Pika Pika Rain Liquid Compound.
From now, we would like to introduce how to apply it briefly.
1- Wash a car to remove the remarkable dirt and dry the first.
2- Put proper amount of Pika Pika Rain Liquid Compound which you shake it well on a sponge.
3- Move a polishing machine horizontally and buff the area that needs attention.
4- Please move to a next small area and repeat step No.2 and No.3 to finish.
5- Wash a car completely after polishing and wipe off with a clean microfiber cloth.
※Cautions※
Please make note that the glass layer of glass coating is removed by applying compound.
Also Pika Pika Rain Liquid Compound is very useful for removing stubborn water spots and scratches, too. Please have a look our blog about this!
【Get the ultimate gloss! Tips for making a car glossy!】
【What is the best for removing scratches? Car Wax or Car Glass Coating?】
How should we do about car-caring after washing car?
Do you do car-caring after you make the car body beautiful by washing?
If you finish with only car washing, the dirt and water spots theses should not be removed easily with time.
However, it is tiresome and time-consuming if you have to do the preparation as we said above ever time you wash a car washing, isn’t it?
To begin with, car washing is a necessary work as long as you have your own car.
You want to keep your car beautiful possibly, don’t you?
Moreover, if you can remove the dirt easily, it car washing should be much easier , can’t you?
Then, how kind of car-caring we need?
The answer is … applying coating.
Applying glass coating after car washing make your car beautiful and become easier to remove the dirt due to the protection glass layer than you don’t apply it.
However, there are many types of coating and of course they have each features, merits and demerits.
We would like to introduce about types of glass coating below.
Types of coating
■Glass coating
It is 100% cured glass coating.
It makes the glass layer by a chemical reaction and the glass layer can protect a car.
It also makes easy to remove the dirt when you wash a car.
【Merits】
– Good durability
– Easy application even though genuine specifications which used by professionals.
– Makes the gloss and shine
– Easy to remove the dirt
【Demerits】
– More expensive than other DIY coating products
[View details about Pika Pika Rain PREMIUM]
■Car detailing spray
It doesn’t cure such as glass coating, but you can apply it easier than glass coating.
If you apply Nano Pika Pika Rain (our detailing spray), the gloss, shine, anti-dirt power will improve.
【Merits】
– Easier application than coating
– Cheaper than coating
【Demerits】
-You need to apply this regularly because it doesn’t have durability.
[View details about Nano Pika Pika Rain Type-K]
■Car wax
Many people have images which a beautiful car is waxed one a little while ago.
Car wax makes your car beautiful.
However, surprisingly it is difficult to keep your car beautiful and worse durability than other coating and detailing products. Moreover, it is time-consuming a little bit.
【Merits】
– Beautiful glare shine
-Cheap
【Demerits】
-Harder to apply than other coating products
-You might damage the car paint surface if you make an error in preservation.
■Polymer coating
Polymer coating is a product which are combined with merits of car wax and the workability of glass coating.
Pika Pika Rain 2 comes under Polymer coating in our products.
【Merits】
– Easy to apply
– Glare gloss like car wax
【Demerits】
– Worse durability than glass coating
– Need to car caring regularly
It might be difficult to choose from such a many types, but let’s find your best coating for your style and do car-caring after washing, too.
Then lets’ keep your precious car beautiful as long as possible.
Finally…
We wrote about car washing for a long time, but car washing is good for not only we said above but also checking your car’s condition.
If you wash a car diligently, you can find something happens like scratches, lack of parts… and so on.
Therefore, please get into a habit of washing a car regularly without being bother.
