Dust - How do you deal with it?

[UncleV]

Typical scenario for me:

Detail for 3-4 hours. Admire for another hour or so.
Cover it the whole night.
Drive to work and enjoy the 'thumbs up' on the freeway traffic jam.
Go home and pull in the garage.
Turn on the 2 x 40watt flourescents and there it is...dust all over my previous day's work of art.

How do y'all deal with this?

1. "California Duster" it? (using ony the tips to lift off the dust)
2. Mist QD and wipe it off with a soft MF section by section?
3. Leaf Blower it?
4. Use a soft MF towel (gently gliding it on the surface until the edge)
5. Drive it home faster?

I know, my choice to drive a black car and I want to maintain the freshly detailed look as long as I can.

Pros, cons and suggestions? Thanks.

[Wolf-Strong]

Driving a black car parked inside an apartment garage that isn't very well insulated
allowing a lot of the saw-dust from the guy next to me flow right in, covering my car, I feel your pain! On top of that, there is a HUGE dirt parking lot right next to where I park at work, so my paint never sees any rest.

I used the California duster (wax treated cotton dusters), and I will never let that thing touch my paint again. What I ended up doing is having a few different solutions based on the weather. I ended up buying a microfiber duster, and that works incredibly well for when the surface is nice and dry. I will then use this to get the bulk of the dust off the surface, and will then move to using my quick detailer of choice with a medium-knit (sorta plus) microfiber towel to get the rest of the 'junk' that has settled in that the duster didn't pick up. Once I do this, I go over the car with a dry final buff with a short-nap microfiber to ensure a streak-free surface. My car remains swirl and dust free, and the whole process takes no more than 15 a day.

Now if the car is damp, and dusted, I will skip the duster all together, and just make sure I use a little bit more detailer. If it is beyond being dusted, I then go to an ONR wash. If it is raining though, which doesn't happen often here in SoCal, I base it on how dirty the car is. If it is only slightly dusted/dirty, I will just quick detail the car while drying with a plus thick-nap microfiber to absorb most of the water as well. I found a huge microfiber drying towel at WalMart that I LOVE for this that was like $6. Dry buff with a short-nap microfiber then. If the car is muddy, or anything beyond the small capabilities of a detailer, I do an ONR wash.

Hope that helps!

[Jimmie]

Very light dust=A QD w/ MF
More dust=PB Spray & Wipe w/MF Poorboy's Spray & Wipe Waterless Wash: Just spray and wipe away dirt and grime with this quick cleaner! qed, poorboys waterless wipe, poorboys quick (http://www.autogeek.net/pbsaw16.html)

Like Wolf-Strong I quit using a Cal Duster after I witnessed it induce swirls.

[budman3]

+1 for S&W. It has a lot more lubrication in it than a QD making it safer to use on a lightly dirty vehicle.

[supercharged]

Another vote for Poorboy's Spray and Wipe.

[Bruce B]

I use the CCD (lightly) when I get home from work to remove light dust. Since my truck is parked outside doing this keeps condensation from turning the dust into a film that has to be washed off. I also use the Menzerna HGAS after washing. This seems to play well with the NXT applied last Nov. The CCD just glides over this stuff ! Great shine and incredible water beading.

[Mike T]

Honestly, I have given up on trying to win that fight. For one thing, our cars are outside 24/7. I myself drive a black car and my wife drives a metallic red jeep (not such an issue). I've tried the CF Duster, Waterless Washes, and anti-static QD's. Nothing keeps the dust away.
I walked out to my car the other day and it was tinted yellow with spots all over from the pollen :eek: I about cried :mad: Luckily its been rainy so the water removed most all of it :D

[INMY01TA]

Black car here. I just leave it till the next time I wash it. The Cal car duster seems to scratch my car up.

[lethalxls1]

Wash once a week and enjoy while you can.

[bambo2888]

i will probably never use a CCD, too abrasive for me. I CM with a microfiber daily and it works flawlessly, no marring, nothing. The only downfall is the time, usually 10-15 min...

[mixxer]

leave it, doesnt matter what you use it will cause light micro marring. I always say with black the less you touch it the better!

[bambo2888]

leave it, doesnt matter what you use it will cause light micro marring. I always say with black the less you touch it the better!

so.. then.... never wash your car? :confused: