First wash

[MAGS1]

I’ve always done wheels & tires first, just to keep any wheel/tire cleaner and stuff off the clean paint. And also for drying purposes. I haven’t broken down to get CR Spotless or other such deionizers and we have pretty hard water here so spotting is an issue for me. It’s on my list but it’s a little further down the list at the moment. But I don’t think it really matters if you do wheels/tires first or last.

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[Evolvd]

And there’s no reason you can’t blow dry the car after washing and then wash the wheels if you’re concerned with spotting. It’s not rocket science lol

 

[MAGS1]

And there’s no reason you can’t blow dry the car after washing and then wash the wheels if you’re concerned with spotting. It’s not rocket science lol

Oh but it is, as demonstrated by all the different products we buy and different methods we use LOL. Am I the only one that uses a slide rule, sun dial and abacus when preparing to wash my car?

 

[Evolvd]

Oh but it is, as demonstrated by all the different products we buy and different methods we use LOL. Am I the only one that uses a slide rule, sun dial and abacus when preparing to wash my car?

You actually got me there. Ok it’s rocket chemistry

 

[vinny89gt]

Oh but it is, as demonstrated by all the different products we buy and different methods we use LOL. Am I the only one that uses a slide rule, sun dial and abacus when preparing to wash my car?

In perfect conditions, it would be overcast and no sun dial would be required.

 

[MAGS1]

In perfect conditions, it would be overcast and no sun dial would be required.

True statement

 

[Evolvd]

Perfect conditions for me would be an enclosed wash bay

 

[Scuba]

About to wash my car myself for the first time. I had it detailed about 3 weeks ago and the paint turned out perfect. It sat outside in the rain and is now covered in dust and light water spots (easily wipe off with a finger).

Any tips for washing without creating swirl marks in the paint? I normally use foam and the two bucket method but even that will swirl paint sometimes.

I don't "touch" mine at all when I wash it- get it wet with the green tip and rinse off anything that will come off with water, foam cannon wash and pressure rinse with a yellow tip on the gun. Dry with an 80v electric leaf blower (dedicated for washing the car to avoid any sandblasting). If anything still needs attention after that, detail spray and the softest clean microfiber cloth I can find (have to touch it then ;) ).

Five+ years later and zero swirl marks. Only paint flaws are rock chips.

 

[Evolvd]

I don't "touch" mine at all when I wash it- get it wet with the green tip and rinse off anything that will come off with water, foam cannon wash and pressure rinse with a yellow tip on the gun. Dry with an 80v electric leaf blower (dedicated for washing the car to avoid any sandblasting). If anything still needs attention after that, detail spray and the softest clean microfiber cloth I can find (have to touch it then ;) ).

Five+ years later and zero swirl marks. Only paint flaws are rock chips.

Good to hear. I’m curious why you rinse first instead of apply a quality foaming soap that can encapsulate dust and dirt and provide lubricity to avoid it dragging across your clear coat?

 

[Scuba]

Good to hear. I’m curious why you rinse first instead of apply a quality foaming soap that can encapsulate dust and dirt and provide lubricity to avoid it dragging across your clear coat?

It's just the workflow I landed on when I bought it- never thought about dragging dirt across the clearcoat....until now....
Looks like it's time to update the system

 

[MAGS1]

I don't "touch" mine at all when I wash it- get it wet with the green tip and rinse off anything that will come off with water, foam cannon wash and pressure rinse with a yellow tip on the gun. Dry with an 80v electric leaf blower (dedicated for washing the car to avoid any sandblasting). If anything still needs attention after that, detail spray and the softest clean microfiber cloth I can find (have to touch it then ;) ).

Five+ years later and zero swirl marks. Only paint flaws are rock chips.

Curious, is your car a fair weather only car? Because a spray, foam and rinse won’t get a car 100% clean after driving in the rain or in pollen/dust seasons here.

 

[Evolvd]

It's just the workflow I landed on when I bought it- never thought about dragging dirt across the clearcoat....until now....
Looks like it's time to update the system

Hey I used to use your method too but as we learn more, and soap technology improves, so must we improve our processes.

 

[Evolvd]

Curious, is your car a fair weather only car? Because a spray, foam and rinse won’t get a car 100% clean after driving in the rain or in pollen/dust seasons here.

Agreed. If I only drive on sunny days I can get away with a foam and rinse. But if the car sees any kind of moisture, be it rain or driving through a puddle, it needs a hands-on wash.

 

[Scuba]

Agreed. If I only drive on sunny days I can get away with a foam and rinse. But if the car sees any kind of moisture, be it rain or driving through a puddle, it needs a hands-on wash.

Yeah, she's a garage queen- never driven in bad weather or on dirty streets..... guilty as charged.

 

[kilobravo]

If you wash the wheels/tires after the body, then that gives the water on the body to start drying and cause water spots.

This is why I do the wheels first as well.

I’m curious why you rinse first instead of apply a quality foaming soap

I realize this discussion has come up many, many times, Brian, and not being an expert on soap chemistry, I don't know if one method is better than the other.
My logic is the same as washing dishes. If you soak them for awhile first and then wash them, the dishes are cleaner than if you hadn't rinsed them.
Now whether that is applicable to foaming a vehicle, I don't know.

Not if you use a deionizer like CR Spotless

I haven’t broken down to get CR Spotless or other such deionizers

We also have fairly hard water, Mark, and I installed a treatment system about fifteen years ago that knocks the TDS down to about 300ppm. That still wasn't soft enough to my liking so I picked up a DIC20 and the additional softener brought it down to about 100ppm. That did the trick and now after blow drying, I rarely find a water spot. HIGHLY recommended.

Perfect conditions for me would be an enclosed wash bay

Amen, Brian, but few of us have that luxury.

Because a spray, foam and rinse won’t get a car 100% clean after driving in the rain or in pollen/dust seasons here.

Completely agree, Mark. In order to remove all the contamination, you have to agitate.

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