I once read a post over at Autopia stating "the perfect finish is a process, not a product". There is no such thing as "the best" when it comes to detailing- it's very subjective. You have to find products that works for you and gives you the results you want.
drinking water/snacks (it's always good to stay hydrated and take breaks, especially in the summer heat)WASHING
Generally you'll want to wash your car in the shade, but as we all know, that isn't always possible. Start out with the basics- a hose, nozzle, bucket, soap, and sponge. I'd recommend a sheepskin washmitt since they reduce chances of scratching the paint. As for the soap, pretty much any carwash soap will do. What you don't want to do is use a harsh dishwashing detergent such as Dawn- the only reason that Zaino recommends it is because Zaino will not bond unless the paint is completely clean, and dishwashing soap strips the paint of any wax that's on the surface.
I like to have two separate buckets- one full of soapy water, and the other full of clean water. Wash one panel at a time, working from the roof down. After washing each panel, rinse off the sponge in the "clean water" bucket, squeeze out the remaining water, and then dip the sponge in the "soapy water" bucket. This helps reduce the amount of dirt in the "soapy water" bucket. Lather, rinse, repeat as necessary. One thing you might have to watch out for if it's a hot day outside is the soapy water drying on the paint while you're washing other panels. In this case, just rinse off each panel after you finish washing it, and try keeping the whole car wet while you're working.
For rims, I just use a separate sponge and some brushes along with the leftover soapy water. Don't use the same sponge for the rims as you use on your cars paint. For stubborn brake dust stains, you may have to spray on some wheel cleaner.
After you're done with the rims, I'd suggest one final rinse of the entire vehicle. This time, take the spray nozzle off of the hose, and use low water pressure. Start rinsing the car at the top, following the flow of the water so it "sheets" off. This will make it easier to dry the car.
Now it's time to dry the car. I used to use a synthetic chamois called The Absorber religiously- that is, until I discovered waffle weave microfiber towels. Once you use a WW towel you will never go back- IMO at least. I had to wring out my Absorber several times when drying my Integra, but I never have to wring out my WW towel. You may want to follow up with a leaf blower or compressed air to get all the water out of the doorjambs/door handles/emblems/etc.
There is also a product called Quick and Easy Wash by ProtectAll. It basically provides for a "hoseless" carwash, needing only a bucket and water. It's a very convenient product that you may want to look into if you live in an apartment or condo, or if you want to wash your car inside your garage during the winter months.
CLAYING
Detailing clay is used to remove embedded dirt, grime, overspray, etc from the paint without the use of abrasives. After washing your car, run your hand over the paint. If the paint has a gritty feel to it, you need to use a clay bar. There are several different claybar kits on the market, including Clay Magic, ClearKote, Meguiar's, and Mother's. Just follow the instructions on the package and you should be fine.
You can also clay your car as part of the washing process, using the soapy water as a lubricant instead of the quick detailer included in many claybar kits. Just make sure that you wash and rinse the panel before you clay to get rid of any dirt that may be on the surface.
PAINT CLEANING/SWIRL REMOVAL
Cleaners and compounds are made to remove serious paint defects such as oxidation, scratches, and paint transfers (from other cars). Swirl removers are used to smooth the surface after using a cleaner/compound and to remove any swirl or scratch marks made by the cleaner/compound. Always start with the lightest cleaner or compound, and use a stronger one only when necessary.
Products from Meguiar's and 3M seem to be the most popular- I personally use products from Meguiar's Professional Body Shop line. Menzerna also makes a product called Intensive Polish that is also well known. For heavy swirls and oxidation, I like to use Meguiar's #83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish. I use #82 Swirl Free Polish on lighter swirls or to follow up after DACP.
There are more agressive products on the market, but you can easily cause damage to your paint, especially if you're using a buffer.
As for chemical cleaners, a crowd favorite is definately Klasse All-in-One. AIO is a non-abrasive cleaner that will get rid of oxidation and leave a smooth finish. A good analogy would be that AIO is like Neutrogena, whereas DACP is like Fast Orange.
Application
By hand: Use a terry cloth towel, folded into 1/8ths size to form a thick pad and so you can apply even pressure. Work on a small section at a time (2'x2') using moderate pressure (enough to build up some warmth on the towel) and work the product into the paint until it looks nearly clear and dry. Wipe off immediately. Refold the towel and move on to the next section.
By orbital: Choose a pad of your liking (I almost always use a Lake Country yellow cutting pad with my Porter Cable orbital). Work the product into the paint until it looks nearly clear and dry. Wipe off immediately.
By rotary: If you're using a rotary, you should already know what you're doing, so I'll leave it at that 
POLISHING
Polishes and glazes are used to add oils to the paint for more shine and smooth the surface for more reflection. They will, up to a certain extent, fill in some minor swirlmarks, but will not remove serious paint defects - that is not its purpose.
There are several different products out, including Clearkote Vanilla Moose Wax, Poorboy's Polish w/ Carnuba, S100 Shine Enhancing Cleanser/P21S Gloss Enhancing Polish Cleanser, Menzerna Final Polish, 3M Imperial Hand Glaze, and Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze. I've found that the first three leave a slicker surface than the last three, which leave more of a "squeaky clean" surface.
For the price, you can't beat S100 SEC. It can be found locally at some Harley Davidson dealerships, and is the exact same thing as P21S GEPC.
Application
Follow the instructions on the bottle- some polishes say to work the product into the paint and remove immediately, while others say to apply the product, let it sit for a while, and then remove. Use a microfiber or foam applicator to apply by hand. With a PC, I use a white Lake Country pad.
SEALING
There are polymer sealants, and there are carnuba waxes. Both are used primarily to seal and protect the paint. Popular sealants include Zaino, Klasse Sealant Glaze, Platinum Ultimate Paint Protection, Poorboy's EX Sealant, and Meguiar's NXT. Popular carnubas include S100/P21S, Clearkote Carnuba Moose Wax, Pinnacle Paste Glaz, Pinnacle Souveran, and One Grand Blitz.
Sealants last longer than carnubas alone- however, many detailers follow up a sealant with a carnuba wax. If you religiously detail your car, a sealant is generally not needed. For best results, it is recommended that a sealant be layered, but there is usually a 24 hour curing period to let the sealant bond to the paint before each additional layer can be added. The law of diminishing returns also plays a factor in this, so think before applying 100 coats of Klasse SG on your Civic 
MAINTENANCE
A quick detailer spray along with a microfiber can be used to maintain the shine of your paint. I personally use Meguiar's Final Detail, but there are several other quick detailers on the market. Just be sure that the surface is dust free- if you're using a California Car Duster, wipe the surface gently (don't scrub the paint) to remove the dust.
INTERIOR
Use a vacuum on the carpet/floormats/seats and use a mixture of Woolite w/ water in a spray bottle (approx. 6:1 water:Woolite) on stains and leather seats. Use a plastic brush to work the mixture in and dry w/ a clean cloth.
VINYL/RUBBER/TIRES
It depends on the type of finish you want- some products leave a glossy/shiny finish, and others leave a black matte finish. I personally prefer the black matte finish on everything including the dash and the tires. One thing I would recommend against is using a glossy product on the dash- it could reflect against the windshield at some angles. I personally use 303 Aerospace Protectant.
GLASS
I personally use a wet microfiber to wipe down the glass, and then follow up with a dry microfiber. I have heard good things about Eagle One 20/20 glass cleaner, but have yet to use it. Another tip is to use newspaper instead of paper towels to clean your glass.
ENGINE BAY
