How to prevent this detailing nightmare?
08-14-12, 04:59 PM
#1
How to prevent this detailing nightmare?
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?
08-14-12, 06:39 PM
#3
wash it once a week. get a california duster or any type of duster.
Don't get car cover because 90% time you can end up putting more scratches on the car by using a dirty car cover .once dirt and dust gets into the under size of the cover it's all over.
Don't get car cover because 90% time you can end up putting more scratches on the car by using a dirty car cover .once dirt and dust gets into the under size of the cover it's all over.
08-14-12, 07:59 PM
#5
That California duster solution is intriguing... but I've heard those scratch your car. Not true?
To LX470570... yes, I know how to wash the car properly, but my question is whether there is something I can do to get off the dust/dirt particles that float on to my car from the construction site in between washings, or do I just leave it on there.
To LX470570... yes, I know how to wash the car properly, but my question is whether there is something I can do to get off the dust/dirt particles that float on to my car from the construction site in between washings, or do I just leave it on there.
08-14-12, 08:37 PM
#6
Parked near a construction site, I'm surprised rinsing alone gets off the dust. I would think you'd need to wash.
A California Duster could be used, but you need to experiment on what level of dust the California would work or you need to wash. Also using a California would be a two step process. Lightly, very lightly, pass the California over the car. Follow that with a detailer and microfiber cloth.
On rare occasions you may be able to use a detailer and a microfiber. Just remember somewhere on that construction site there's a mason mixing mortar blowing cement dust all over. Very abrasive, plus all the other dust particles from construction sites.
A California Duster could be used, but you need to experiment on what level of dust the California would work or you need to wash. Also using a California would be a two step process. Lightly, very lightly, pass the California over the car. Follow that with a detailer and microfiber cloth.
On rare occasions you may be able to use a detailer and a microfiber. Just remember somewhere on that construction site there's a mason mixing mortar blowing cement dust all over. Very abrasive, plus all the other dust particles from construction sites.
08-14-12, 10:36 PM
#7
Since you're already used to but not preferring the QD method, you should probably consider ONR every night. I believe it is a lot safer than using normal QD or a duster. CA duster was not considered great by professionals due to the fact that the fibers can trap contaminants and drag them over the paint. I only use high quality wool dusters if I ever dust a car
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08-15-12, 05:14 AM
#8
Racer
I had similar problems in the past when I owned an "indigo ink" (very dark blue) SC. I personally would not recommend the California Duster or any similar wax-based dusting device if your construction dust is as heavy as my situation -- it wasn't thick, but laid down a fine enough layer each day that I knew it was there and was obvious if anything touched the car. While I was very careful, over the course of a few weeks of daily California Duster use (and weekly proper washing), micro scratches were introduced that became more visible in the right light. I ended up needing to perform a fairly large amount of correction to resolve, and that duster became part of the landfill many years ago.
If I had the situation again, as much as it would pain me, I'd live with the dust on my ride for a few days and not touch it until I could do a proper wash. I agree rinsing alone won't probably remove what seems like "sticky dust" from construction sites, so you'll need to go at it with your 2-bucket wash or ONR approach every chance you can get. If I couldn't do that, I'd likely try a QD with clean soft/fluffy microfiber between washes, knowing the more I did, the greatly likelihood I'd need to do some paint correction when the construction project is over.
Good luck!
If I had the situation again, as much as it would pain me, I'd live with the dust on my ride for a few days and not touch it until I could do a proper wash. I agree rinsing alone won't probably remove what seems like "sticky dust" from construction sites, so you'll need to go at it with your 2-bucket wash or ONR approach every chance you can get. If I couldn't do that, I'd likely try a QD with clean soft/fluffy microfiber between washes, knowing the more I did, the greatly likelihood I'd need to do some paint correction when the construction project is over.
Good luck!
08-15-12, 05:32 AM
#9
Sorry, I'm not as up to speed on all the detailing lingo. I get that QD is quick detailer, but what is ONR?
I'm far enough away from the construction site that I don't get heavy debris on the car, but yet I'm close enough that I do get that very fine layer of dust. You guys are right though, it seems to sit on the car and doesn't just blow off when I drive home like I was hoping it would. My method thus far has been to just let it sit there for a few days, and then give my car a proper washing on the weekend. Given that the project doesn't seem close to being finished though, I can see this dust thing happening for at least the next 2-3 months.
So am I doing any additional harm to my paint by not getting this stuff off right away? If the solution is to just let it sit for a few days until I can wash it, then I can live with that. Like most of us in here though, I just get annoyed when I look at my car and it isn't as clean as it was when I last washed it. Such is life when you have a black car.
I'm far enough away from the construction site that I don't get heavy debris on the car, but yet I'm close enough that I do get that very fine layer of dust. You guys are right though, it seems to sit on the car and doesn't just blow off when I drive home like I was hoping it would. My method thus far has been to just let it sit there for a few days, and then give my car a proper washing on the weekend. Given that the project doesn't seem close to being finished though, I can see this dust thing happening for at least the next 2-3 months.
So am I doing any additional harm to my paint by not getting this stuff off right away? If the solution is to just let it sit for a few days until I can wash it, then I can live with that. Like most of us in here though, I just get annoyed when I look at my car and it isn't as clean as it was when I last washed it. Such is life when you have a black car.
08-15-12, 07:12 AM
#10
Racer
"Optimum No Rinse" is a product that allows you to wash the car with only a bucket of water with the stuff and no hose rinse. Great for those folks that are not allowed to wash their rides due to water restrictions, living in apt complexes, and the like.
Personally, I doubt you'll do much harm to your car just washing every week, ASSUMING you maintain a good sealant and/or wax applied so the construction crud eats into it vs your paint and there is no heavier debris such as ash or whatever sitting on your car (I say ash, because I've had that problem here in SoCal a few times after fires several miles away, and it's bad, bad stuff for your finish -- as bad as bird @(*# for sure).
Personally, I doubt you'll do much harm to your car just washing every week, ASSUMING you maintain a good sealant and/or wax applied so the construction crud eats into it vs your paint and there is no heavier debris such as ash or whatever sitting on your car (I say ash, because I've had that problem here in SoCal a few times after fires several miles away, and it's bad, bad stuff for your finish -- as bad as bird @(*# for sure).
Last edited by BertL; 08-15-12 at 07:20 AM. Reason: spelling
08-15-12, 08:41 AM
#11
Ah, okay, Optimum No Rinse... I have heard of that stuff. I'd like to give it a try. One of those things I have to see to believe, though I know a lot of guys swear by it. Fortunately though, I do have a hose and no water restrictions, so I could wash my car daily if I really wanted to (I don't). I do have a good sealant on there too. It is just irritating that I can't find a place to park my car that is out of the line of fire, so to speak.
08-15-12, 09:31 AM
#12
I have a black F as well, daily drive it and use Optimum No Rinse.
You have to remember that its a black car, so you can try your best to minimize swirls, etc...but they will always always be more visible on a black car.
See my thread below:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/aut...-pictures.html
You have to remember that its a black car, so you can try your best to minimize swirls, etc...but they will always always be more visible on a black car.
See my thread below:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/aut...-pictures.html
08-15-12, 10:54 AM
#13
Thanks for the reply MisterSkiz. I like the results you got on your Obsidian F. I will have to order some of this stuff, and then maybe my solution will be just to give the car a quick wash with this stuff in between my more complete washes. I had a feeling that trying to wipe the dust off on a daily basis would actually do more harm than good.
08-15-12, 11:10 AM
#15
Thanks for the reply MisterSkiz. I like the results you got on your Obsidian F. I will have to order some of this stuff, and then maybe my solution will be just to give the car a quick wash with this stuff in between my more complete washes. I had a feeling that trying to wipe the dust off on a daily basis would actually do more harm than good.
I had thought the same about using it between "normal" washes, but now I used ONR on both of my cars and my motorcycle. I will have to see how it turns out during the winter...
You trade off using the hose for just washing the mitts and dry towels every couple of months.
Dont wash/dry the wheels with the same mitt/dry towels you use for the body.....
Here is a list of everything you need to buy:
$16.00
$12.00
$7.00
(Optional)
$15.95
http://www.autogeek.net/supreme-buff...ber-towel.html
$7.99
http://www.autogeek.net/griots-speed...icrofiber.html
$17.99
Total = ~77 bux