First car wash; Do I need to do anything special?

[CJ]

Okay, I have no hope of winning this argument but consider this: My car is dirty so I wash it. I decide to dry it with a chamois or a california water blade. How is my car going to get scratched from dirt when I JUST washed it and there is no dirt on it?

They just do.  It's best to have microfiber cloths to dry.  They prevent scratching.

[JYODER240]

DO NOT GET A CALIFORNIA WATER BLADE EVER.  DO NOT GET A CHAMOIS.  DO NOT GET A SPONGE.  Those are the three worst possible things you could possibly get.  They grab dirt and they do not let go of it, putting swirls/scratches in your paint. 

I've been detailing and washing cars for almost 4 years and never once have I scratched a car with either. I've scratched more cars with microfiber towels than with a chamiois or squeege.

Those scratched on your car look like they probably either came from a automatic car wash or from a mop that was full of dirt. Even still those aren't deep at all. A medium compound with a foam pad will take those out.

[Raza]

So still no consensus. 

I've got the ionizer with attached soap thing.  I'm going to look at that and report back.

[CJ]

Post a pic.

[giant_mtb]

Jesus frumps, just get a wash mit, some decent soap, a bucket, some detailer spray and a few microfiber cloths.  Fill the bucket, put in soap, lather up soap, dip mit into foamy water, put onto car, wash.  Rinse, let dry, and use the spray detailer to get rid of spots.  Or, get a nice vacuum that has a reverse function so that you can "blow-dry" your car.  A lot of ShopVacs have such a feature so it can double as a leaf blower...I use mine to dry off my car touch-free.  Shrug.

You don't need to go nuts, especially if your car is going to be going through winters and what not anyway.

[r0tor]

5 years of hand mit washing, drying with a cheap ass bath towel, and using crap NXt wax.... clearly i'm doing something wrong 

[Submariner]

Okay, I have no hope of winning this argument but consider this: My car is dirty so I wash it. I decide to dry it with a chamois or a california water blade. How is my car going to get scratched from dirt when I JUST washed it and there is no dirt on it?

BECUZ THEY SUCK IT UP N SPIT IT OUT AND THEY LAUGH AT YOU.  I TELL YA THEY ARE EVIL CREATURES THEM WATER BLADES.

[Submariner]

Power wash with soap.  Get as much dirt off as you can, rinse it with water, then perhaps use the microfiber.  Less dirt means less scratches? 

[NomisR]

Okay, I have no hope of winning this argument but consider this: My car is dirty so I wash it. I decide to dry it with a chamois or a california water blade. How is my car going to get scratched from dirt when I JUST washed it and there is no dirt on it?

You're in a no win situation here.  Best to throw your car away and buy a new one.

[2o6]

If you're going to throw it away........I'd love to take it off your hands.....

[Danish]

If you're going to throw it away........I'd love to take it off your hands.....

FYI, I drive a Corolla


Actually, maybe you would love to take it off my hands

[Danish]

5 years of hand mit washing, drying with a cheap ass bath towel, and using crap NXt wax.... clearly i'm doing something wrong 

Thats an awesome pic.... I think it should be your new sig

[280Z Turbo]

First, rinse it off using purified water imported from Germany.

You need to wash it using Volkswagen brand soap from the dealership. The water needs to be at exactly 82 degrees farenheit. Make sure that your wash bucket has been thorougly cleaned and sterilized.

Agitate the water for 3 minutes to ensure that the soap is properly mixed. Make sure that you use a natural sheep skin wash mit from a pure bred sheep. You may want to check the sheep's pedigree ensure that you have the have the highest quality wash mit.

Using extremely light pressure, carefully and throughly wash the vehicle one panel at a time. Make sure you do this in doors in a clean temperature controlled room. Any dust in the air is unnaceptable. I highly recommend Hepa filters for this process.

Rinse it again using the same purified water from Germany.

Dry it off using the most expensive microfiber cloths you can find. Cheap ones will strip the paint right off the metal. Throw out the cloth immediately if you suspect any molecules of dirt have gotten into the cloth. I generally recommend using 30-40 cloths per wash to prevent scratches.

[2o6]

FYI, I drive a Corolla


Actually, maybe you would love to take it off my hands

Considering I have no car whatsoever, i'd be glad to have anything.

[Tave]

First, rinse it off using purified water imported from Germany.

You need to wash it using Volkswagen brand soap from the dealership. The water needs to be at exactly 82 degrees farenheit. Make sure that your wash bucket has been thorougly cleaned and sterilized.

Agitate the water for 3 minutes to ensure that the soap is properly mixed. Make sure that you use a natural sheep skin wash mit from a pure bred sheep. You may want to check the sheep's pedigree ensure that you have the have the highest quality wash mit.

Using extremely light pressure, carefully and throughly wash the vehicle one panel at a time. Make sure you do this in doors in a clean temperature controlled room. Any dust in the air is unnaceptable. I highly recommend Hepa filters for this process.

Rinse it again using the same purified water from Germany.

Dry it off using the most expensive microfiber cloths you can find. Cheap ones will strip the paint right off the metal. Throw out the cloth immediately if you suspect any molecules of dirt have gotten into the cloth. I generally recommend using 30-40 cloths per wash to prevent scratches.

You forgot to mention the virgin blood and ground rhinocerous horn you'll need to clean the tires.

[AutobahnSHO]

You forgot to mention the virgin blood and ground rhinocerous horn you'll need to clean the tires.

And German beer that HAS to be drunk while washing, or the whole wash is ruined.

[JYODER240]

I've used a chamois and water blade on every car wash.

[giant_mtb]

But, but...the water blade...it...it'll scratch!  'Cause it's..it's made of soft rubber stuff and like...there's no way it could NOT scratch your car!  With all the dirt it accumulates from your just-washed car?!?!  Ohnoes!  Don't even get me started on California Car Dusters!!!!!!!!11!11one!!!!111!!

[CALL_911]

I've used a chamois and water blade on every car wash.

Wow, VERY nice.

[93JC]

Dude, just hit up the closest gas station with a touchless carwash once every year or three, like I do. Or if you're feeling real fancy-pants, go to the coin-op DIY.

(Using soap outside of a commercial carwash is illegal here.)

[CJ]

I've used a chamois and water blade on every car wash.

Okay.  I can take the same picture only with the Accord or Camry.  I used a water blade for all of a few washes simply because it was easy.  Then I saw the scratches it left.  It's surgical silicon, but it gathers microscopic pieces of dirt that you can't remove with just a wash.  It's just the truth.  Go to www.detailingworld.co.uk and tell them what you use to dry.  They'll murder you.

[giant_mtb]

Well guess what, douchebag, there're always going to be "microscopic pieces of dirt that you can't remove with just a wash", so please e-mail these mystical scratch-free drying powers you have so I can be sure to not catch any microscopic pieces of dust in my drying cloth!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Pirate]

Bah, you guys are spending too much time (and money) on your washes.  I just use 80 grit sandpaper, it gets all the dirt off in one pass.  Water is optional too.

[CALL_911]

Dude, just hit up the closest gas station with a touchless carwash once every year or three, like I do. Or if you're feeling real fancy-pants, go to the coin-op DIY.

(Using soap outside of a commercial carwash is illegal here.)

Yeah, seriously.

[JYODER240]

Okay.  I can take the same picture only with the Accord or Camry.  I used a water blade for all of a few washes simply because it was easy.  Then I saw the scratches it left.  It's surgical silicon, but it gathers microscopic pieces of dirt that you can't remove with just a wash.  It's just the truth.  Go to www.detailingworld.co.uk and tell them what you use to dry.  They'll murder you.

I've been using it for the past 2 years and I've never scratched my car. I've used them on literally thousands of black cars at work and never once saw a scratch from one. Even still Raza is going to be driving this (black)car daily even through the winter. A waterblade is going to be the least of his struggles.

If you drive your car daily it's going to get light scratches and oxidation, regardless of what you do to it. A waterblade is far easier on your car than what 30,000miles will do to it. Take a medium compound on a wool pad and everthing looks like new.

[CJ]

"Take a medium compound on a wool pad and everything looks like new."


HAHA!  That's a joke, right?  You can't just use the compound and let it be.  You have to use a compound, a refiner, and a finisher.  THEN you can seal the paint and wax it.  Only then does it look like new. 

[JYODER240]

"Take a medium compound on a wool pad and everything looks like new."


HAHA!  That's a joke, right?  You can't just use the compound and let it be.  You have to use a compound, a refiner, and a finisher.  THEN you can seal the paint and wax it.  Only then does it look like new. 

I've detailed more cars than I can count. I'm guessing you've done no more than the cars in your driveway, and maybe you've used a buffer. I figured it was implied that I would have to remove haze and swirls from the buffers. That's like me saying that i'm going to wash my car and then you saying "No idiot you have to dry it too!"

[Laconian]

[giant_mtb]

I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT CAR DETAILING CUZ I READ IT ON A CHEAP BRITISH FORUMZORZ!!!!!!!

[Byteme]

Face it.  You are going to get swirl marks sooner or later.  Make it easy on yourself and go over the car lightly now with a Scotchbrite pad and get it over with.