"...First Never wash in direct sunlight. Pick a shady spot. " Direct from "AutoGeek" website.....
Car wash tricks
- Thread starter pencero
- Start date
- Status
I have not used any waterless wash products, but I am a huge fan of rinseless washes.
There is nothing wrong with washing or detailing in direct sunlight. Yes, shade is better, but sunlight mixed with water doesn't turn into some magical paint eating chemical. That is merely a precaution and as I have said, there is a way to do it to avoid the problems associated with doing so.
@billyjack - I am with you 100% as well.
Now, before this gets too carried away about crazy OCD stuff here, lets remember that 95% of the daily drivers out there on the road, they are already full of scratches and swirls and so you won't ever notice if you are adding a thousand more bydrying with a bath towel. However, on a properly prepped car, you will know instantly when something leaves even the smallest amount of micro scratches.
Again, washing in the sun is not dangerous, it won't hurt your paint at all. The only risk you run is getting water spots from the water evaporating faster and leaving the minerals behind. Splash it with water when you are washing and then dry it fast when done and washing in the direct sunlight even at 90 degrees is no longer an issue. Really hard well water will make it a little more difficult, but it can still be done.
There is nothing wrong with washing or detailing in direct sunlight. Yes, shade is better, but sunlight mixed with water doesn't turn into some magical paint eating chemical. That is merely a precaution and as I have said, there is a way to do it to avoid the problems associated with doing so.
@billyjack - I am with you 100% as well.
Now, before this gets too carried away about crazy OCD stuff here, lets remember that 95% of the daily drivers out there on the road, they are already full of scratches and swirls and so you won't ever notice if you are adding a thousand more bydrying with a bath towel. However, on a properly prepped car, you will know instantly when something leaves even the smallest amount of micro scratches.
Again, washing in the sun is not dangerous, it won't hurt your paint at all. The only risk you run is getting water spots from the water evaporating faster and leaving the minerals behind. Splash it with water when you are washing and then dry it fast when done and washing in the direct sunlight even at 90 degrees is no longer an issue. Really hard well water will make it a little more difficult, but it can still be done.
crash said:
It's only OCD cause most of us don't have the patience to spend that long on the car. In other words we're jealous of the results you get but we are too lazy so it's got to be something wrong with you...
pontiacgp said:crash said:
It's only OCD cause most of us don't have the patience to spend that long on the car. In other words we're jealous of the results you get but we are too lazy so it's got to be something wrong with you...
There is no doubt there is something wrong with me :lol:
yeah Crash...doing the job right w/pride, even if its killing all the profit was the old school way....now its almost un-american.... 
Completely agree water spots are not formed by sun, but mineral deposits. However, I completely disagree with drying with a bath towel. It is perfectly fine as long as it is 100% cotton. I have done this for MANY years, and so long as the car it wet and clean, there is no harm in this. Long before micro fiber towels were the big thing, this is how cars were dried.
Also, I HATE microfiber towels. I'm a klutz and I drop towels all the time. So then I could throw a cotton towel in the wash, but you'll never get all the dirt off a micro fiber so just throw it away. I just keep it old fashioned.
Also, I HATE microfiber towels. I'm a klutz and I drop towels all the time. So then I could throw a cotton towel in the wash, but you'll never get all the dirt off a micro fiber so just throw it away. I just keep it old fashioned.
This is a great thread. Crash already made a lot of great points (drying with a leaf blower....) I'll add a few that might be useful.
I hate it when I drop a towel, especially a microfiber. There are washes specially made for microfiber towels that will get them clean. This detergent removes wax, bugs and dirt from the fibers. If you don't have that detergent the only solution is to throw the towel away as no matter how long you rinse and try to pick out the debris you will never get it all. If you put that towel back on the paint you will scratch/swirl the finish.
Whenever I get ready to wash I hose the finish down with water to remove any heavy debris, then while the car is dripping wet, I walk around the vehicle and spray it with Meguiar's Quick Detail. Not a lot just enough to mist between the beads of water. I have found that the Quick Detail "grabs" the dirt and contaminants on the paint making it easier to wash without of fear of rubbing that dirt into the paint and scratching/swirling the finish.
Also, wash with two buckets; one filled with soap and the other just water. Whenever you take your sponge/mitt/cloth off the car dunk and rinse in the water bucket to get rid of any debris then dunk it in the soap bucket.
Never wash with a brush. No matter how many guarantees are on the packaging about "no scratch" this and "will not harm" that. It will. Again, the brush will inadvertently get something stuck in a bristle that you might not be able to see and that something will swirl and scratch your paint. Over time the end of the bristles will fray and they dry out and again something that will scratch and swirl.
Also Invest in a high quality wax and/or paint sealant like Dodo Juice or Collinite. These waxes will not only make your paints finish glow (provided it is properly prepped before application) but will prevent against oxidation, road debris and scratches and swirls.
Anytime anything touches the finish without proper lubrication you scratch it.
I hate it when I drop a towel, especially a microfiber. There are washes specially made for microfiber towels that will get them clean. This detergent removes wax, bugs and dirt from the fibers. If you don't have that detergent the only solution is to throw the towel away as no matter how long you rinse and try to pick out the debris you will never get it all. If you put that towel back on the paint you will scratch/swirl the finish.
Whenever I get ready to wash I hose the finish down with water to remove any heavy debris, then while the car is dripping wet, I walk around the vehicle and spray it with Meguiar's Quick Detail. Not a lot just enough to mist between the beads of water. I have found that the Quick Detail "grabs" the dirt and contaminants on the paint making it easier to wash without of fear of rubbing that dirt into the paint and scratching/swirling the finish.
Also, wash with two buckets; one filled with soap and the other just water. Whenever you take your sponge/mitt/cloth off the car dunk and rinse in the water bucket to get rid of any debris then dunk it in the soap bucket.
Never wash with a brush. No matter how many guarantees are on the packaging about "no scratch" this and "will not harm" that. It will. Again, the brush will inadvertently get something stuck in a bristle that you might not be able to see and that something will swirl and scratch your paint. Over time the end of the bristles will fray and they dry out and again something that will scratch and swirl.
Also Invest in a high quality wax and/or paint sealant like Dodo Juice or Collinite. These waxes will not only make your paints finish glow (provided it is properly prepped before application) but will prevent against oxidation, road debris and scratches and swirls.
Anytime anything touches the finish without proper lubrication you scratch it.
Ive been using white cotton diapers/t-shirts for years when waxing/detailing the paint. White is the only color I use because I can see when they are clean and when they arent....I dont use microfiber on paint, for reasons already stated...only on windows or chrome/interior.
Well I made this thread to get a better picture of what you guys are doing and see what I can do differently and its coming out good a lot of advice. I got a shopvac this week so thats one improvement over a small vacuum I was using before, which didnt have enough suction to get in a few crevices I couldn't vacuum before. I think the main problem I've recently been having is with washing the windows though. I can usually get the rest of the car looking alright. I use this stuff called invisible glass and I was using microfibre towels / sometimes old t-shirts / an 'odd' sock (one that doesnt have a match) and invisible glass is pretty good stuff but now I'm not so sure about it because it doesnt seem what 3 types of cloth I tried I always came back outside later and there was spotting all on the inside/outsides of the window and it hurt my eyes to drive the car after that because of all the damn watermarks screwing up my vision, and one of these times I swear I washed the back window for a very long time, but somehow after it dried there was still a thin layer of dust which settled on the back window so it made my 'clean' looking car look very stupid b/c the dirty *ss window in contrast w/ the rest of the vehicle being pretty clean, lol
Stoner's Invisible Glass is good stuff. In addition to Meguiar's, it's the most recommended in the detailing forums. Try a change in your technique; After spraying the glass, work it around with one MF cloth, then finish-wipe with a fresh one. It works for me. I've tried the specialty MF cloths from a window cleaner's supply house and they're a bit better, but I credit streak-free windows more to process than product.
Bill
Bill
- Status
Similar threads
