Winter doesn’t just make your car “dirty”. It leaves behind a stubborn layer of traffic film, salt residue, tar specks, and embedded contamination that a normal wash often won’t fully shift.
Then spring arrives, the sun comes out… and suddenly:
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Paint looks flatter than it should
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Gloss feels “missing”
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Water behaviour is weak
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You start thinking you need polish or wax
Most of the time you don’t need to go aggressive. You just need the right order.
What you’ll need (simple checklist)
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Your normal wash setup (PreWash + rinse + shampoo/contact wash)
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PreClean or CitraClean (PreWash, touchless-first)
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Nitrile gloves (recommended PPE)
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Purge (iron fallout remover)
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Tarminator (tar & glue remover)
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HydraCoat (spray-on, rinse-off protection)
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A few clean microfibres + a drying towel
Why spring sun reveals all ☀️
Spring light is ruthless. It highlights what winter leaves behind:
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Dullness caused by film and contamination
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Stubborn specks you can’t shift with normal wash techniques
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Roughness you can feel but not always see
Before you chase shine, do a reset.
How to spot contamination (glove test, plus the baggie option) 🧤
Because you’re working around chemicals, we always recommend suitable PPE, especially nitrile gloves.
The glove test (recommended)
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Put on a clean nitrile glove.
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After your wash, gently glide your fingertips over the paint (bonnet/top of doors).
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Smooth = you can move straight to protection.
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Rough/gritty = bonded contamination is present, you need decon.
No gloves? Use the baggie test instead
If you’re not wearing gloves, the baggie test is ideal (and it amplifies feel):
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Put your hand inside a clean sandwich bag (or cling film).
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Lightly glide your fingertips over the same areas.
Same rule:
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Smooth = protect
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Rough = decon
The right order: Wash → Decon → Protect ✅
This order is the difference between fighting the car… and finishing it.
Step 1: Touchless-first wash (PreWash → Rinse → Contact wash) ✅
Goal: remove as much dirt as possible before you ever touch the paint. Less contact = less chance of swirls.
1) PreWash on a dry surface (the A-Kem way)
Start with PreClean or CitraClean applied to a dry car. This is the key step we’ve been reinforcing: let the chemistry lift the heavy grime first.
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Spray PreClean/CitraClean onto lower panels, rear bumper, and anywhere heavily soiled
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Let it dwell briefly (don’t let it dry)
2) Rinse thoroughly
Rinse from the bottom up first to “flood” the grime, then rinse top down to fully clear.
3) Contact wash (only when needed)
Once the heavy dirt is gone, do your normal shampoo wash with a clean mitt, then rinse again.
Tip: This method makes everything safer and sets up the decon stage properly, because you’re not trying to decontaminate through a layer of winter muck.
Step 2: Decon (remove what washing leaves behind)
After winter, bonded contamination usually falls into two camps:
Decon Part A: Iron fallout (Purge)
Iron fallout can make paint feel gritty and wheels look permanently “dirty”.
Use Purge to break down embedded iron contamination and brake dust.
Focus areas:
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Wheels (always)
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Lower doors
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Rear bumper
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Anywhere the glove/baggie test feels rough
Decon Part B: Tar & glue (Tarminator)
Tar and glue show up as black specks and stubborn sticky marks, usually:
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Behind wheels
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Lower doors/skirts
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Rear bumper
Use Tarminator to safely remove tar spots and sticky residue.
Chemical vs mechanical decontamination (and the A-Kem way)
There are two broad approaches to decontamination:
Chemical decon (A-Kem’s default approach)
Chemical decon uses dedicated products (like iron removers and tar removers) to do the hard work with minimal contact.
Pros:
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Lower risk of marring (less dragging contamination across paint)
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Faster for most people
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Ideal for regular maintenance and show prep
Cons:
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On some cars, it may not remove every last bonded contaminant on its own
Mechanical decon (clay bar/mitt)
Clay physically removes remaining bonded contamination.
Pros:
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Can leave paint extremely smooth
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Great as a final step when you want “proper prep” level finish
Cons:
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Can introduce micro-marring if lubrication/technique isn’t perfect
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Especially risky on softer paints or if the surface still has lots of contamination
Where it fits with A-Kem
For #DubshedPrep, we go chemical-first:
Wash → Purge (iron) → Tarminator (tar) → Protect
If you’re doing Proper Prep and want the smoothest finish possible, add clay after chemical decon, only if needed. There are lots available but we are big fans of Bilt Hamber clays
Step 3: Protect (fast, effective, show-ready) 💦
Once the surface is clean and decontaminated, protection becomes:
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easier to apply
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better looking
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longer lasting
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easier to maintain
HydraCoat: spray-on, rinse-off protection
HydraCoat is built for the real world. No marathon buffing session.
Simple method:
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Wash + rinse
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While the car is still wet, apply HydraCoat panel-by-panel
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Rinse immediately
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Dry
Quick Prep vs Proper Prep (choose your weapon)
Quick Prep (20–30 minutes)
Best for: daily drivers, busy weeks, “I want it looking class without living in the driveway.”
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PreWash (dry surface): apply PreClean or CitraClean to lower panels/rear/dirty areas
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Rinse thoroughly
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Contact wash (if needed): quick shampoo wash, then rinse again
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Spot Tarminator on any visible tar specks (lower doors/rear)
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Purge on wheels (and worst affected paint areas if needed)
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HydraCoat (spray on → rinse off)
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Dry
Result: cleaner gloss, better water behaviour, easier drying, easier next wash.
Proper Prep (60–90 minutes)
Best for: Dubshed prep, dark colours, you want the cleanest finish.
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PreWash (dry surface): apply PreClean or CitraClean all over (focus lower panels + rear)
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Rinse thoroughly
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Contact wash: full shampoo wash with a clean mitt, then rinse again
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Full decon: Purge across paint + wheels
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Tarminator for any tar/glue residues (lower panels/behind wheels/rear bumper)
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Optional clay only if needed (after chemical decon)
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HydraCoat (spray on → rinse off)
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Dry carefully
Result: smoother paint + stronger clarity + protection that behaves like it should.
Safety note (quick but important)
Always work on a cool surface out of direct sun, wear suitable PPE (gloves recommended), and follow the directions on each product label.
The March Bundle: Dubshed Prep Kit 🚗✨
To make this simple, we’ve built the March Dubshed Prep Kit around the exact process above:
wash → decon → protect, with Purge + Tarminator as your decon pair and HydraCoat as the hero protection step.
👉 Shop the March Dubshed Prep Kit: [link]
Dubshed teaser (first weekend in April)
Dubshed is our biggest “in front of customers” weekend of the year, and we’re launching our new Soft Ceramic at the show.
March is about getting your base right: decon first, protect fast… then we level up at Dubshed.
FAQ (quick answers)
Do I need both Purge and Tarminator?
If you want a proper winter reset, yes. They target different contamination types: iron fallout vs tar/glue.
Can I skip clay?
For most people, yes. Chemical decon + HydraCoat gives strong results with less risk. Clay is optional for “Proper Prep” when you want the smoothest possible finish.
Can I use HydraCoat on top of existing protection?
Yes, it’s ideal as a boost to what you already have, and it’s a brilliant “back-to-good” move after winter.
How long does this take?
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Quick Prep: 20–30 minutes
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Proper Prep: 60–90 minutes
If you try this routine, tag us with #akemautomotive and #dubshedprep and we’ll repost the best transformations.