BananaGS

dirt does not make spot, it make the whole car dirty again and you have to re-wash it, calcium in water is what make the spot
(look at your bath room faucet or bath tub, I am sure you will find hard water deposit) The spotless soap was designed to dissolve the calcium in water and prevent it to from spot. But if you wash all the soap away, then you know what happen next.

after you done soaping your car,
Don't spray strong water on the car to remove the soap, like kreativ said, take the sprayer off, turn down the water, don't over rinse the soap, just rinse it ONE time, so there are no bubble on the car, but the trick is NOT over rinse the car, leave a little bit of soap behind, that will prevent spot, rinse quickly, you will see.

A quick rinse also allow the water on the car to dry quicker.
Just try to save you sometime and some scratch hee hee, but if towel works for you, then use it. hee hee hee

good luck guys.


anh

aerodyne

100% cotton is the best. However, you will get scratches every time you touch the car. It's the grit/dirt that does it. The cotton just doesn't press it into the paint as hard.

Here are two ideas that will reduce scratching no matter what you dry your car with.

1) Don't wash /wax the car unless it is really needs it. Weekly dusting will dramatically reduce washings (I average 5 times a year)

2)Use Eagle 1 detailer after dusting to remove local spots etc.

3)Parking in garage and car cover at work reduced washing to 3 times a year.

AND, if the above won't work for you, TRY this!:

No matter how often you wash you car, you can dramatically reduce your drying time and scraches by the following old time detailer's trick:

After rinsing, remove hose nozzle, and turn on water so that a slow stream emerges. Use to re-rinse off the entire car. You will find a way to chase the water off in sheets so that very little water beads on the surface.

I dry my cars WITH ONLY ONE SMALL BATH TOWEL this way in less than 3-5 min.

RON430

I had tried the Absorber but I did notice the fine scratching and I really didn't like how sometimes that things would really stick to the surface of the car. I just tried a new Griots drying towel, sort of a wafle pattern microfiber. Won't know about the scratching issue for a while but this thing is pretty impressive. Does a better job drying than the Absorber, or much of anything in recent memory. Got it wet to begin with and one pass was generally sufficient to get all the water off. Other trick for drying easily is to use the softest water you can. Sure helps keep down the water spotting while you dry.

Mean Gene

I use a blend of everyone's suggestions AFTER I throw in one of my own. I use a small leaf blower ( with the plastic nozzle ) to blow the majority of the water off ( & it works great for the mirrors & gas tank lid area for getting the water out! ). Then I use either the 100% cotton Fieldcrest towels ( white only ) or just started using the Griot's microfiber towel. personally, I like the deep nap of the Fieldcrest bath towels ( about $8 apiece at Wal Mart ) but I cut the tags off ( as Ron recommended ) & also wash them once or twice before using as this will help soften them. The wiper blade does work on large flat spots like the roof & hood but if ya don't have all the grime off then U take the chance of dragging grit across the area & then U'll have major scratches. Besides, I agree with Ron ( again ) that scratches & swirls R a fact of life ever since they took lead of out paints. Thank Sal for Z-5!!

RON430

Hey Gene, I got the little Makita cordless blower for use in the garage and I have been thinking of trying that. Also just got the Zaino ZFX, you tried it yet?

Ron

Mean Gene

Ron - No, I'm not even aware of what ZFX is! Guess I need to zip over to the Zaino website for an update.

RON430

Gene - Looks like it is some kind of catalyst or accelerator. Speeds time up and I hope gets a little harder finish. I think my biggest difficulty with Zaino is the water beading. A good carnuba will sheet or give somewhat spaced large drops. Zaino has a distribution of larger and much smaller water drops on it. Doesn't look quite as "slick" as carnuba, but I will stick with it for a while. Sure like that Griot waffle microfiber drying towel. Takes water off in one pass and really glides, no sticking, which is scratches in the making.

meZoom!

swirl marks are actually fine scratches in your Clear coat (the top coating in the paint). There are a variety of products out there to get rid of them. The easiest to use for someone without a professional buffer is Meguiar's Scratch X, about $5. It comes in a black tube, pick it up at any kragen/checker/Schucks and follow the directions.