Drying Your Car

[ticman]

Any tips or suggestions on what is best to use for drying a newly washed car? Microfiber towel? Chamois?

Always interested in hearing suggestions from this group. I find it very informative.

Mike

[steviej]

CHAMOIS all the way.

I tried one of those super absorbant new age plastic material ones.......it sucked up the water like no one's business, but left little tiny yellow fibers and shreds of material all over the place.

steviej

[SKperformance]

i don't dry my car at all

i let it water spot

sounds stupid

but all cloths will pick up the left over dirt and rub it all over the surface

causing the hairline scratches

when washing the car the soap lube the paint to prevent that

but drying has none

i let it dry or an hour then use either dry wash which is a semi polish and wax cleaner

or meguires final inspection

both just spray and wipe

and leave the car beautiful

without any water spots and real bright and shiny

without those beautiful scratches

( which helps me from having to repolish my car as often)

i am full of off the wall ideas

that everyone thinks is so weird

but i am not afraid to experiment

just like me using coco butter on my leather seats

now lots of members are belivers

oh yah if you still decide to use a chamois wash it everytime when done in a washing machine

with the wash mitt as well to keep from rubbing the dirt back into the paint

[ticman]

Thanks for the info SK for your comments and "off the wall" suggestions. LOL

When you mentioned Meguires FINAL INSPECTION--Is that different than their Quick Detailing product??

Thanks again,

Mike

[SKperformance]

it is like quick detailer

but i find that more of a finifhing spray

mor than the final which brings out a really good shine

the detailer just removes dust and finger prints

[SW03ES]

Letting the water dry is not a good idea, as water from your home has mineral deposits and when it drys it will etch the paint.

I use:

1 Leaf blower

1. California Water Blade www.californiawaterblade.com

1. Big Microfiber Waffle Weave Towel www.pakshak.com

First i use the leaf blower to blow all the water out of the crevices, grille etc.

Then I use the CWB to squeegee all the water off the car

Then I use the MF towel to go aound and wipe up anything thats left. Voila, perfectly dry car.

One trick for you sk, is take the nozzle off the hose, and let the water run over each panel from the top, let is sheet all the way down. When you take the hose off that panel, it'll be dry.

I do promise you though, that after washing and rinsing well, theres no dirt left in the water ;)

[SKperformance]

it is really hard to get all the dirt off as most get imbedded in the paint and finally get loosened when drying as no lube

i don't let the car dry for a day just and hour or so

so the mineral deposits don't get a chance to do anything such as imbedding themselves in the paint

and they just get wiped away with the final inspection and the cloth

[bbsal]

may sound crazy but heres what i do.i use a windsheild wiper!i got one small one for the windows and small areas and one big one for all the rest.its just like a sqegee and works awsome.then i use a micro fiber towel to get anything left.walmart sells the towels pretty cheap and they really work good.i got the idea from a freind in the deltailing feild and seen him using a wiper to dry the car and thought he was crazy but then seen how good it worked so i started using it.

[SW03ES]

The windshield wiper will DEFINATELY scratch over time. Get yourself a California Water Blade, same idea, just nice soft sillicone.

[H8R Proof]

Great ideas - I hardly know which to try first.

SK - I really dig your ideas :)

[SKperformance]

i have some very ghetto ideas

but they seem to work well for me

i am into spending money to try anything

but never wasting it

kind of like a big mac

even if i am stuffed

i will not leave anything behind

as it would be wastful

i guess my parent saying

" there are kids in africa starving kinda stuck with me"

[ticman]

SK

LOL we must be of different generations--it was China for me when I was growing up.

Mike

[H8R Proof]

Alright .... I'm going to go to the car wash bay in a bit.

I'll be damned if I use that brush, but I'm going to rinse it, soap it and then use the wax rinse. Then I'm going to let it air dry for a bit.

Then I'm going to spray it with Zymol (the real stuff) and then dry it with cloth baby diapers....all of these steps based on you guys' recommendations and ideas...

Do y'all think I'll have good results?! :)

[SKperformance]

i actually did use a chamois to wash my car before

i use it with a soap bucket

it works great and keeps the sponges from scratching the car

now i use a sheeps kin wash mitt real soft

and tehn i power wash it clean after i wash the car

then once a month i put it in the washing machine

i think that wax rinse stuff will makke the car harder to dry as the hot water will create a waxy build up and streak when drying it off

just a thought as i may not know exactly of the type of waxy rinse it is

[bbsal]

The windshield wiper will DEFINATELY scratch over time. Get yourself a California Water Blade, same idea, just nice soft sillicone.

beleave it or not ive been using it for a long time now and never once got a scratch.but i guess if you slip its possible.i will try that water blade out and see how it is.

[SW03ES]

Alright .... I'm going to go to the car wash bay in a bit.

I'll be damned if I use that brush, but I'm going to rinse it, soap it and then use the wax rinse. Then I'm going to let it air dry for a bit.

Then I'm going to spray it with Zymol (the real stuff) and then dry it with cloth baby diapers....all of these steps based on you guys' recommendations and ideas...

Do y'all think I'll have good results?! :)

Just spraying isn't going to cut it, it wont remove a lot of the film or grime thats on the surface. Never use the brush, I just take two buckets, some soap and a wash mitt with me, fill up the buckets (one soapy, one clear to rinse) and do a bucket wash, using the power washer to rinse.

[SKperformance]

Just spraying isn't going to cut it, it wont remove a lot of the film or grime thats on the surface. Never use the brush, I just take two buckets, some soap and a wash mitt with me, fill up the buckets (one soapy, one clear to rinse) and do a bucket wash, using the power washer to rinse.

funny enough that is my other ghetto thing to do i bring 1 bucket and my own mitt and use the power washer

usually at night so they are not busy for anyone to complain

[H8R Proof]

My results from the other night's car wash were so-so. <_<

Zymol did seem to work pretty well and give a decent shine.

The windows frustrated me the most - but I've gotten some good recs here since then so I know what to do next time.

I must say I felt much better about washing my own car than taking it somewhere to have it done. I know I won't wash the car myself every single time, but when I did I just felt like I was "getting to know" my car better...the lines, the curves...minor imperfections here and there but it's all good

B)

[bartkat]

Terry towells maybe best for drying. If there are any dirt particles, they get caught in the nap and not scratch your car. I also use a sponge with a terry outside for the soaping.

[bbsal]

terry towels are ok but go try some micro fiber towels because they are without a doubt the best.i use them and never get any swirl marks because they pick up just about every little peice of dirt.walmart has them cheap.at least down my way they do.or try another auto parts store.

[SW03ES]

GOOD microfiber towels are much better than terry, and a sheepskin wash mitt is much better than a sponge.

For windows, newspaper works best, just spray, spread with a cloth, wipe with newspaper to a shine.

sk- We do exactly the same thing ;)

[SKperformance]

sw03es

well we both seem to suffer from tehat forgetfulness thing you were talkign about earlier

i can't remember what you called it

omg i really can't remember it

[SW03ES]

LOL! Having a senior moment trying to remember the term "senior moment"? LOL! :D

[gage]

GOOD microfiber towels are much better than terry, and a sheepskin wash mitt is much better than a sponge.

For windows, newspaper works best, just spray, spread with a cloth, wipe with newspaper to a shine.

sk- We do exactly the same thing ;)

DOESN'T USING NEWSPAPER TO CLEAN YOUR WINDOWS LEAVE INK BEHIND ON THE GLASS?

[SW03ES]

You'd think so but no it doesn't.