k.r.e.a.m.

hey guys, i live in Atlanta and every april we get these really bad series of high pollen days. the stuff is so thick that it settles onto your car and creates a thin layer of yellow haze on everything. (it's horrible for those with allergies)
anyway, over the last week or so i have been giving my car a quick rinse to get the pollen off when i get in for the evening and promptly putting her in the garage for the night....but i don't always wipe her down afterwards.

does anyone know if this stuff is bad for your paint? should i be doing more to protect my paint from this stuff?

i'm planning on a full detail for the spring/summer season in a week or two.
oh i have an 05GS and the paint is in really good condition now. i want to keep it that way.

radicalrev

iTrader: (2)

well i do not know what are plant pollens are...but i know plant saps can be very hard to remove if it already bonds with the paint..usually if the owner neglect it over time...but whatever is sticky, just try to wash it off....better be safe than sorry...

XprincoX

iTrader: (10)

I get pollen/dust all over my car in my area too if i park outside. It doesn't necessarily hurt the paint, but it can cause swirls if you have a dark car. You just have to do a weekly wash or park it in the garage if possible.

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

I live in B'ham, AL -- I get the exact same thing of course. The car can be outside for 20 seconds and its covered in pollen. No this stuff doesn't hurt the paint sitting there.. But it is good to get it off.

I wouldn't go to the hassle of washing it off with a hose, although that doesn't hurt. I wipe mine down with a Microfiber towel, and it comes right off -- (The car is polished, sealed, waxed and glazed) so its very smooth.. But it should come off any reasonable finish easily.

I will have to admit I use a California Duster occaisonally to wipe it down faster,.. (It has been known to swirl some cars .. but I've never noticed it) -- I'd actually recommend it, and just be careful with one of them.. I can wipe the pollen off the car in about 45-60 seconds with one.

Reason I wouldn't hose it, is because then I'd have to dry properly to avoid water spots.

k.r.e.a.m.

i got the California Duster also, but i've been afraid to use it because this stuff can get pretty thick sometimes. i'm gonna try the microfiber towel, after the rinse of course and just try to keep her parked inside my garage as much as possible.

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Hrmm must be a different kind of pollen in Atlanta.. The stuff that falls here is yellow 'dust' basically. Even if it piled up to half an inch (which it wouldn't) -- It would dust right off.

Now getting it wet creates a mess =)

Maybe you don't keep your car protected like I do.

Without going into 'detail' about detailing -- If you washed and dried.. Then put a coat of NXT 2.0 on your car. The pollen would not stick to it, and come off much easier. Without such a sealant on it, I can imagine it having a much 'stickier' surface per se.

UDel

Pollen won't damage your car but it is a pain, I am in Alabama now and at night if you shine a flashlight it looks like it is snowing pollen because you can see it falling. Tree sap will damage your paint and many types will eat right into and etch your clearcoat. One thing though, I noticed with my black car is that if you wipe pollen off with a microfiber it does cause scratches/swirlmarks, they are very noticeable on a freshly polished car. That is why I hose the pollen off first then use a quick detailer or optimum no rinse. I washed my GS yesterday and it is covered in pollen now but what can you do.

PPolisher

This is the best article I have found concerning pollen – and the various effects it has on our cars. I do have TOGWT’s permission to use as long as his article is in it’s entire format.
I use ONR because of drought conditions here in Georgia and it works for me.
I hope this helps you out. PM if you need more information.
al - PaintPolisher

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...en-little.html

Pollen [: Micro gametophytes - pollen grains]

"The sky is falling, the sky is falling" Chicken Little

The yellow fines to coarse powders you see in the air is made up of small sperm cells from blooming plants and are one of the most common allergy triggers. The pollen from trees are the main concern, vehicles get hit with pollen laced trees that include: oak, western red cedar, elm, birch, ash, hickory, polar, sycamore, maple, cypress and walnut (which also leaves an oily residue). Pollen grains of pines, firs, and spruces are winged.

Pollen must be strong to protect the male gametes on their journey. The outer wall of the pollen grain, called the exine, is composed of a very unusual substance called sporopollenin which is very tough. The inner layer is made of cellulose and is similar in construction to an ordinary plant cell wall; pollen will literally ‘wear’ away wax or polymer sealants.

Pollen isn't removed by air friction as you drive because it adheres to a surface with microscopic barbs that can attach to even a very slightly uneven surface, and adheres to a natural wax better than a synthetic polymer. As well as being allergic pollen is also very abrasive (due to its exine or barbs) and slightly acidic dust, especially when mixed with moisture and should therefore be removed from paint surfaces as soon as is practicable.

To remove heavy dust (do not use a California Duster as the pollen exine will cause surface marring) instead use Optimum No Rinse (ONR) a quick ‘wash’; formulated with surfactants to keep dirt in suspension, avoiding surface contact, it also provides surface lubrication, thereby avoiding surface marring. As soon as is practical, thoroughly rinse the vehicle with a hose and clean water to ensure all the pollen is removed.

No wax or polymer sealant can provide a permanent shield against: Micro gametophytes (pollen) Collinite 845 Insulator Wax is probably the most durable Carnauba wax product; but this may only provide enough of a barrier to enable it to be removed quickly before causing too much damage to the paint film surface

Information resource:
Wikipedia Dictionary - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollens
Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition - http://info.britannica.co.uk

© TOGWT ™ Ltd Copyright 2002-2008, all rights reserved

jfelbab

In a word, yes. Pollen and the process you use to remove can damage your paint. Pollen is a nasty sharp pronged form of grit. I wash it off carefully. Using a Cali Duster or other dusting methods will cause swirls.

Here is a close-up of some pollen.

radicalrev

iTrader: (2)

yeah the CAL duster really cause swirls...maybe not on light colored cars as you wont be able to see it as obvious as a black car would be...

Cc8074369

I got sick of washing my car so I got a car cover, much easier now. I like my cover from empire covers, its light weight and the pollen blows off the cover.

http://empirecovers-review.blogspot.com

GlisTech

I think that the only way that the pollen is going to cause any scratches or do any damage to your paint surface, is if it is pressed or dragged across the paint.

Ideas like using a California Duster, or a MF towel are actually quite bad. Those aren't going to lift the pollen and keep it from rubbing against the paint surface, they are going to simply move it around.

One rule of thumb that we try and adhere to, is to have as little contact with the paint surface as possible, that is simply the easiest way to reduce scratching. So rinsing the car off is a great idea because it removes the pollen and provides a lubricant as it is washed away to keep it from rubbing against the paint surface. If you don't want to do a full wash and dry, try using something like a leaf blower on it. If that can blow away enough of the pollen to keep you happy until your next wash, it will be a good alternative to doing anything that will rub it into your paint.