Caring for your Vehicle You probably realize by now why a new car’s paint finish ceases to look the way it once did in the showroom, why it loses that unmistakable new car lustre after only a few months of ownership, why fine micro scratches seem to have suddenly had a population explosion and can now be seen everywhere you look as you examine your car’s finish. The main culprit is improper car washing techniques. It should go without saying that if you care about preserving your new car’s look at all, you don’t take your car to an automated car wash with huge brush rollers or a touch less wash with their harsh chemicals Finding a proper washing and drying technique will help to avoid constantly correcting those paint defects. It should go without saying that if you care about preserving your new car’s look at all, you don’t take your car to an automated car wash with huge brush rollers. And you don’t let some kids in a high school fund raiser wash your car. Just give them a contribution for their cause and they’ll be just as happy. And you don’t let so-called professionals using a hand-car-wash technique wash it either – especially those hired by a dealership or a service centre. These people use the same soap bucket from car to car and haven’t the slightest clue about proper car washing techniques. Same thing goes for high-school fund raiser's, just give them the money and drive on, they won't be offended Water Quality Ordinary tap water typically has many dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium, which, if allowed to precipitate on your paint as the water evaporates, will etch your paint, and even your glass, forming the familiar “water spots” on the surface. This is another reason why I don’t allow service personnel to wash my car – they are often careless and allow beaded water to sit and dry, especially if they are washing in the sun. Paint damage from water spots is worse than the damage from fine micro scratches, simply because there are usually more of them when it occurs. Your typical water softener system is designed to remove these harmful minerals, though the trade-off is an increase in the sodium content of the water. Those who have one swear by them, and won’t do without one. They also know that soap is more efficient in soft water than in hard, and won’t require much to get a good soapy solution. I personally use a deionization system, a method used most often by laboratories to produce purified water on demand. All naturally-occurring water contains dissolved mineral salts. In solution, salts separate into positively-charged cations and negatively-charged anions. Deionization can reduce the amounts of these ions to very low levels through the process of ion exchange, which produces spot-free washing. Many detailers don’t have a water filtration or softener system installed so washing the vehicle with ordinary tap water and a garden hose is the only option. Here’s a way to minimize the effects of hard water when washing your vehicle. By washing after the sun has set, the air has cooled, the dew point has risen (more moisture in the air means water evaporates more slowly), and the bombers of the air have flown home to roost. Long-term paint care • Regular washing (weekly) using a correct methodology, quality car wash concentrate, wash mitt and drying towels. • Clean paint twice a year with detailing clay. • Polish paint surface 3-4 times a year with a pre-wax, non-abrasive polish. • Only use an abrasive polish to remove serious scratches • Protect paint 3-4 times a year with a quality paint sealant and / or wax. Proper washing- pre-wash, using a foam gun followed by a two bucket wash system with a GritGuard or a Foam Cannon, use separate wash media and bucket for your wheels and the paint and when drying use water sheeting and / or air powered drying and a waffle weave micro fibre towel. I actually use two wash mitts when washing. The newest one for the top half of the car and the older one for the lower half which is usually dirtier, especially near the wheels. You don’t want to contaminate your new sheepskin mitt right away with brake dust. It will come off but it takes some effort. Proper surface drying techniques- this is my preferred method of drying a vehicle paint surface; On the final rinse of the washing process remove the nozzle from the hose, reduce the water pressure and hold the end of the hose parallel to the paint and reasonably close as this is will prevent splashing as you flood the surface. Follow up with a waffle weave micro fibre towel to thoroughly dry the paint surface These techniques are the best way to avoid the need for polishing. Using a chemical paint cleanser versus polishing on a clean finish to simply remove old wax/sealant is another. And always follow the rule of using the least abrasive polish and pad combination (working smarter not harder) Washing If there is a single maintenance activity that offers the biggest benefit to your car's appearance, it's keeping your car clean through regular washing. Washing is the process of removing loose dirt and road film from your car's exterior surfaces. Although it can be a double-edged sword as harsh detergents can dull your car's finish and using improper methodologies can cause scratches or micro-marring to the paint surface. Rolls Royce and the Bentley Motor Company in the 1930, along with BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari and many other fine-automobile makers used to recommend washing automobiles bodywork with just plain low pressure water. While this is a very safe method, water is not enough of a solvent to cut the road dirt, grease and oil or the protein base of stubborn spots, like bug remains The soaps available back then were very alkaline, but soap technology has come a long way since then, and most car washing concentrates contain surfactants and polymer surface lubricants to avoid surface scratches and safe detergents that will remove road grime, grease, etc. The high-quality car wash shampoos made today are very gentle on paint, plastic and rubber. A good car wash shampoo provides lubrication to prevent scratching and conditioners to maintain the shine. Be sure to select a quality product that's not counterproductive to your detailing efforts. When you wash the car, remember to use open cell wash media, something that can hold on to the dirt that is on the car without dragging it against the paint surface. Detail the interior first; avoiding wet/dirty footwear on the carpets. Clean the wheels, tires, and wheel wheels first as this prevents wheel cleaner from spraying onto a clean paint surface. Ensure there is sufficient high lubricity car wash concentrate in your GritGuard bucket. As you wash, start at the top of the vehicle, and work your way down; the top is the cleanest; the bottom has the most road dirt / grime/.After every individual pass washing, rinse your mitt with your hose to dislodge the dirt and grime that you just removed from the car, before putting it back in the bucket for more soap. A paint surface can often be properly maintained without using abrasive polishes. Doing so requires smart paint care, including regular washing and the application of a paint protection, use of proper washing and drying methodologies. Paint surface damage avoidance is the best way to maintain a perfect finish. Nothing will swirl a paint finish faster than a bad wash or drying media. Temperature conditions These are the temperatures and conditions that are relative to the application of car care products; the most important is the actual surface temperature of the vehicle. The other things that will have a direct bearing on this is the humidity as this will affect the drying time of the water and may avoid the effect of ‘water spots’ The other climate related condition that should be avoided when applying car care products is direct sunlight, as this will dramatically increase the surface temperature compared to ambient temperatures causing the product to dry prematurely and may produce ‘water spotting’. An extract from one of a series of unbiased Detailing Technical Papers, a library of educational materials that has become the #1 reference for car care on the Internet Chances are you'll learn something about detailing if you read any of these; although t hese articles will not improve your detailing skills, lead to a successful business or change your life. Applying what you learn from it, however, will. That's where your commitment comes in - you need to make a commitment to yourself right now that you will take action on what you learn. © TOGWT ™ Ltd Copyright 2002-2010, all rights reserved
Hi Togwt, I thought you were going to mention to use a decontamination process. Valuable knowledge from one of your other articles. I'm still researching places I can get it in Canada. Have some places in mind already. I stopped using the waterblade since its too risky to get something stuck onto the blade and scratching the paint during a wipe. Of course you could clean the blade often but still risky.
For glass, being a very hard surface and using it properly i.e. checking for grit / dirt trapped between the balde and the glass surface often, it can't be bettered. For paint, its just not for me.
[I thought you were going to mention to use a decontamination process. Valuable knowledge from one of your other articles. I'm still researching places I can get it in Canada. Have some places in mind already. ] I think DD ships to Canada or ask e-shine to stock it
Car Duster: The best known brand (California Car Duster) it can be used to remove pollen or light dust without causing scratches hold at the end of the 21-inch handle and applying very little surface pressure with the duster, dusting with long strokes in one direction only, the dust is collected by paraffin wax and held in the cotton fibres (the same way a micro fibre cloth works (but without the paraffin wax) Shake the duster after each pass to ensure any particles picked up will drop out rather than come to the surface while you’re using it. It important to use the duster only for the removal of dry surface dust, if the vehicle has oily road film, road tar, damp pollen or dust, etc the vehicle surface should be washed (or use Optimum No Rinse (ONR) rinse less wash) Dust build-up-with low humidity conditions friction on the paint surface will cause static electricity (this is exacerbated by the use of polyester (nylon) Micro fibre) resulting in dust attraction to the paint surface. Rinsing the surface with water or applying a quick detailer (QD) or use the CCD as stated above to remove dust. When the duster is first purchased it should be wrapped in newspaper (48 hours) to remove any excess paraffin wax, the duster should not be washed, the dirtier it gets the better it works (I've been using mine now for almost five years without it being washed) California Car Duster Company - FAQs Do not use – on a wet surface (even condensation) as this will cause streaking, or soon after driving; as a hot surface will also cause streaking Alternative product- Dust build-up-with low humidity conditions and friction on the paint surface will cause static electricity (this is exacerbated by the use of polyester (nylon) Micro fibre) resulting in dust attraction to the paint surface. Unlike most other car dusters which are wax covered cotton fibres, the GP Wool Duster is an all-wool Australian pelt. Rather than relying on surface tension to hold on to dust, our wool duster simply uses static charges, created by twirling the duster in your hands, to safely lift dust from the surface. Almost no surface pressure is necessary to make it 100% effective. GP Australian Wool Duster
Togwt, whats your opinion on ONR washes? Can a car's finish be properly maintained with only ONR (with the occasional coin op rinse) washes instead of traditional car soap? Thanks
CliffNotes® Version YES Optimum No Rinse™ Wash & Shine To the list of oxymorons add - the sunless tan, cheese less pizza, soap-free detergent and the no-water carwash. An innovative product that protects automotive paint, while preserving our most valuable resource, water; enabling you to wash your car anywhere, anytime even inside your garage. It’s a multi-purpose product that serves as a shampoo additive, no rinse wash, quick detailer and clay lubricant. The science behind the waterless cleaning process is pretty simple. When sprayed on a dirty surface; surfactants break down the soil by releasing its surface tension or bond with the surface, encapsulating the soil particles, and the polymers provide surface lubrication to enable safe (marring free) removal A micro fibre towel is then used to wipe away the dirt and formula. A second dry microfiber towel is used to help polish away any remaining formula and buff the surface to a clean, streak-free shine. Additional benefits are faster washes, ability to wash anywhere at any time including washing inside the garage during the cold months, no messy water runoffs, and greater looking car finishes. These are some of the reasons No Rinse™ Wash & Shine is being used by many professional detailers across the country Used as a winter car wash or in areas that have hosepipe ban, water usage restrictions, or where a water supply is not readily available (apartments, car shows, etc; cleans and protects while minimising water usage, 100% environmentally safe and it reduces water usage to a fraction of a conventional car wash, 1- oz ONR per 2- gallons of water to wash the entire car. Optimum No Rinse™ videos - Optimum No Rinse Demo
