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Proper Washing & Drying

Most of the swirl marks that occur on your vehicle are likely caused by regular washing and drying. Though weekly washes and towel-drying are the best care you can give your vehicle, improper techniques will cause unsightly swirls and scratches in the paint that will require compounding or polishing at the very least. You can prevent these problems and save yourself a lot of extra work by following a few simple tips when washing and drying your vehicle.

Why wash weekly?

Weekly washing is optimal because some contaminants can do serious damage to the paint if they are not removed quickly. One such contaminant is bug splatter. Their bodies contain organic acids that break down the carcass, but they also eat into the clear coat if not removed promptly. Weak spots in the clear coat make your vehicle susceptible to corrosion.

Another problem contaminant is brake dust. It contains metal shavings from the rotors and an adhesive used in the production of brake pads. This makes brake dust highly corrosive and very sticky. Washing your vehicle weekly will remove these contaminants before they have the opportunity to do permanent damage.

Wash Tools

It’s very important to choose tools that are gentle on the paint, yet effective at removing contamination. As a rule of thumb, sponges and mitts that are plush or have a deep nap are better than flat weave towels or dense sponges. For example, a Natural Sea Sponge has numerous deep compartments where dirt and debris can accumulate. The natural fibers themselves will not scratch the paint and they will essentially pull contamination into the sponge’s openings, away from the paint. Always use the softer side of the sponge for washing. Rinse new sea sponges thoroughly before use to remove any shell fragments or sand.

Another option is a Sheepskin Wash Mitt. Sheepskin is extremely soft and plush. The fibers are gentle on the paint while the nap is deep enough to accommodate loose dirt and sand so they do not rub against the vehicle. Because sheepskin is natural, it does not last as long as a synthetic microfiber mitt. However, for luxurious softness, you can’t beat the texture of sheepskin.

Microfiber mitts are another paint-safe option. Microfiber’s combination of polyester and polyamide make it capable of scrubbing the paint without scratching or swirling. It traps dirt and grit within the fibers rather than leaving them on the surface of your vehicle. Be sure to rinse the mitt frequently to release these particles.

Cotton chenille pads and mitts are also good choices because they clean easily and they last longer than sheepskin or natural sea sponges.

Washing
1. Wash the wheels and tires first. If you splash wheel cleaners or dirt onto your vehicle, you can simply wash it off as you wash. Use a cleaner that is safe for all wheels, like Wolfgang Tire & Wheel Cleaner. It is water-based and has no corrosive chemicals, which is safer for coated wheels and rubber. Agitate with an OXO or New England Wheel Brush to clean wheels without scratching. Wash each wheel and tire one at a time and rinse thoroughly before moving on to the next one.

2. Now you’re ready to wash. It’s important to use a car wash that is rich in lubricants. The purpose of the car wash is to remove contaminants and lubricate them so they do not scratch the paint as they slide off the vehicle. Dish detergents

 

Wow, im suprised to know that I do exactly those steps, with the exception of one. I do my wheels/tires last. This is because I don't use a special wheel cleaner, I use the same soapy water I clean the car with.

 

I also wash the tires and rims last. I actually go as far to wash and dry the entire car then go back and wash the rims and tires. Otherwise water spots tend to develop very quickly especially on the windows. Hey, do you guy's wash from top to bottom or bottom to top? I always wash from bottom to the top..

Also, I do not make up another bucket of clean water but will rinse the mit before it goes back into the clean soapy water.

 

I guess it makes sense to do the rims/tires first, so long as you aren't using the soapy water that you're gonna use for the rest of the car. Especially for you since you have such an issue w/waterspots, maybe you should have a seperate lil bucket for the rims/tires and get those knocked out first. You should wash from the top down, this, along with frequent rinses of the car and wash tool of choice reduces the likelyhood of contaminants becomming embedded in the wash tool and causing swirls. This is mainly because the lower parts of the car is normally where the most dirt accumulation is.

 

I pretty much use the same process only with diffrent products. Its very helpful though....

 

I hear ya, those listed are pretty spendy, compared to what most of us are use to spending on car care stuff.

 

im guilty i was from top to bottom and i do the wheels last with the same old sopy water that is in the bucket. but i use a diffrent rag for the wheels that i have normally i will buy a new wash mit once a year and then i use the old one as a wheel cleaner.

but i dont use the same producs as they reomend ethier.

Washing the tires and wheels last just to me make sens and i then spray the whole car off one last time to make sure i have all the soap off agian then i shammy it all off . the wheels have thier own peice of shammy also.

 

the key is having seperate stuff for the wheels, which you do so you're good!

 

about time i finally did somethig right LOL

Just wish it was in other areas also LOL

 

gotta crawl before you walk, haha