How to prevent this detailing nightmare?
08-15-12, 04:47 PM
#16
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I would advise against the California Duster. On a black car, the waxy stuff on the duster creates ugly streaks. Besides it has to move the dust around before it picks it up. I used it a few times on my old '08 GS, but won't on the new '13.
08-15-12, 09:22 PM
#17
I may use a California Duster sometimes twice a day to help prevent accumulation of dust. You don't rub with it and you don't use it on a car sitting in the sun. Often use Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Detailer for light dust removal. Many times will use Meguiar's Wash and Wax Anywhere, especially to remove dust and bugs. Will use ONR when the car is covered with aphid poop and is all sticky. Keep a two gallon garden sprayer mixed up just for that purpose when time not available to do a proper wash.
08-16-12, 12:16 AM
#18
ONR is awesome for reasons stated. I often use it at home when its too hot to wash a car for real since its easy to go panel by panel. Of course, when you're tasked with keeping the LF-A's appearance up to par when it is stuck inside a dealership showroom, it helps there too. I just line the floor where the water would drip with towels and have at it 
08-16-12, 08:13 AM
#19
I am not sure if there is anything I can do here, but figured I'd ask anyway. I have a black car (pictured below) and I try to keep it well detailed. It stays garaged at my house and I avoid the "rookie" mistakes like parking under trees or washing the car with pressure washers, machines, or dirty rags/sponges that cause scratches and swirls. However, at my office, I park outside. Normally this isn't a problem... but about 100yd from our parking lot a developer has been doing a massive residential project. It's going to be condos or apartments from what I can tell and there is dirt EVERYWHERE. Despite my best efforts to choose my parking space wisely, every day there is a fine coat of dust or dirt particles that have floated over from the construction site and on to my car. There is nowhere that I can park to avoid this.
So I turn to the pros in here... what is the best way for me to clean my car, short of rinsing it off every night with a hose at home? Is that my only option? It wipes off very easily with some citrus spray or quick detailer and a microfiber cloth, but a.) I'm afraid of rubbing scratches/swirls into the paint, and b.) I would have to do the entire car, because if I miss a section it sticks out like a sore thumb. I cannot park anywhere to avoid the dust, and I'm not about to be a total douche and cover my car up while it is parked (I don't even own a car cover). Any thoughts, or am I'm just stuck?
So I turn to the pros in here... what is the best way for me to clean my car, short of rinsing it off every night with a hose at home? Is that my only option? It wipes off very easily with some citrus spray or quick detailer and a microfiber cloth, but a.) I'm afraid of rubbing scratches/swirls into the paint, and b.) I would have to do the entire car, because if I miss a section it sticks out like a sore thumb. I cannot park anywhere to avoid the dust, and I'm not about to be a total douche and cover my car up while it is parked (I don't even own a car cover). Any thoughts, or am I'm just stuck?
What's wrong with using a pressure washer??
08-16-12, 01:20 PM
#20
I was mislead by the title of your thread OP. Your F looks really clean in the picture. I was in a similar situation but the construction being done was at my office building. The only thing I did was that I parked away from where the work was being done and where the construction vehicles were passing at. As a fellow black car owner myself I know how hard it is to keep them clean. I'm very satisfied with the products I've been using when I wash and detail the car that even with a some dust on it , the car still looks very clean. I generally wash it every week or two depending on if there is rain in the forecast. Don't drive yourself too crazy.
08-16-12, 07:56 PM
#22
When I travel I use touchless car washes, which are essentially high pressure washers. In the winter, I use a high pressure washer to remove snow, ice and SALT. And I guess being part hillbilly I have removed mud.
MisterSkiz is right a high pressure washer can and will damage a car if too high pressure or used too closely.
MisterSkiz is right a high pressure washer can and will damage a car if too high pressure or used too closely.
08-16-12, 11:35 PM
#23
You'd have to be pretty dense to put an over 2000psi stream of water on a spot for too long haha. I use one of those types at work. They take rock chips into paint chunks if you hold it super close and all but it takes a good 10sec for it to do damage.
Common sense is to be had when using pressure washers. Remember that guys
Common sense is to be had when using pressure washers. Remember that guys
08-28-12, 11:04 AM
#28
please!!! dont misinform people. know your stuff first before posting.
Strip paint? whos going to be an idiot and pressure wash inches away from the car at XXXXX psi?
dents metal? see above
a standard pressure washer you purchase from walmart or watever doesnt have enough pressure to damage the paint if used correctly.
I used my karcher pressure washer combined with my foam cannon when washing my car every time. works like a charm if you ask me and thousands of other people using it.
08-28-12, 01:58 PM
#29
To end the argument (hopefully) about pressure washing, since I brought it up in my first post, I retract my prior statement that you shouldn't ever use a pressure washer. If you use one, just be smart about it, and also don't use the suds brush if you want to avoid scratches and swirls. The best is a nice regular pressure garden hose, and a two bucket washing method. Didn't mean to cause so much debate.
08-28-12, 03:10 PM
#30
To end the argument (hopefully) about pressure washing, since I brought it up in my first post, I retract my prior statement that you shouldn't ever use a pressure washer. If you use one, just be smart about it, and also don't use the suds brush if you want to avoid scratches and swirls. The best is a nice regular pressure garden hose, and a two bucket washing method. Didn't mean to cause so much debate.
