Basic car wash questions

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PriusPrime

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I never thought washing a car could be so complicated.
So far I have Meguires GC soap and a micro fiber waffle towel for drying.
I plan to get some buckets with grit guards and a brush for the wheels.
I notice that when I dry the car with the waffle towel there is still a film of water on it.
Personally I think I prefer a synthetic chamois over the waffle towel, the towel gets wet and heavy and seems harder to wring out.
I read that I should use a dedicated towel with a quick detailer to do the final drying.
Is the detailer really necessary, can I just use the towel?
So looking for some suggestions for a final drying towel and quick detailer.
One towel I am looking is CG Woolly Mammoth.

Thanks for any suggestions
 
I would suggest using more than one towel to dry your car also you say it's hard to dry is there any protection down on the car currently like a wax or sealant that may be contributing to your drying issues if you have no protection waters sticks. have you clayed or done any sort of decontamination?
 
I'm a fan of the Jelly Blades, or California Water Blades, to remove 80% of the water. I then follow up with a waffle towel to "blot" the remaining spots. Of course the waffle weave towels need to be slightly damp to be most effective. So I'll lay the towel on the windshield as I start to blade the water off of the rest of the car. For the small amount of water that's left, one towel does a great job. I've never seen the benefit of using a detail spray at this point.
 
VR8 said:
I'm a fan of the Jelly Blades, or California Water Blades, to remove 80% of the water. I then follow up with a waffle towel to "blot" the remaining spots. Of course the waffle weave towels need to be slightly damp to be most effective. So I'll lay the towel on the windshield as I start to blade the water off of the rest of the car. For the small amount of water that's left, one towel does a great job. I've never seen the benefit of using a detail spray at this point.
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Eww I would never use a water blade or water chamois of any kind.
 
The CG Woolly Mammoth is terrible. Get a GG PFM for drying.


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idriveblackcars said:
Eww I would never use a water blade or water chamois of any kind.
Click to expand...

Yeah, don't use a water blade on the paint or a chamois. Even if the car is absolutely clean, dragging a silicone blade across the paint is going to cause fine scratches. Put down a good LSP that sheets water and use a blower and GG PFM towel to dry your car.


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pro 4x said:
Groits for drying.

Griots Garage PFM Terry Weave Drying Towel

But a FLOOD RINSE will remove 80% of the water after your wash. Just flood the car with your hose (no nozzle).

If you really want to amp up your ride the easy way, use PRIMA WAX AS YOU DRY as a drying aid.

Prima Hydro Wax As You Dry Spray, spray wax
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Will Prima Wax or similar product help to prolong the need to apply sealant?
Is Optimum ONR No Rinse Wash & Wax a similar product?
I am not a detailing enthusiast and this not a hobby for me so I don't want to use too many products unless there it is clearly worthwhile.
 
PriusPrime said:
I never thought washing a car could be so complicated.
So far I have Meguires GC soap and a micro fiber waffle towel for drying.
I plan to get some buckets with grit guards and a brush for the wheels.
I notice that when I dry the car with the waffle towel there is still a film of water on it.
Personally I think I prefer a synthetic chamois over the waffle towel, the towel gets wet and heavy and seems harder to wring out.
I read that I should use a dedicated towel with a quick detailer to do the final drying.
Is the detailer really necessary, can I just use the towel?
So looking for some suggestions for a final drying towel and quick detailer.
One towel I am looking is CG Woolly Mammoth.

Thanks for any suggestions
Click to expand...

This is a great kit and a great bargain.

3D Bucket Car Care Bundle

Stick with waffle weave towels, you need at least 4-5 to dry a regular size vehicle.
 
cleanmycorolla said:
I would suggest using more than one towel to dry your car also you say it's hard to dry is there any protection down on the car currently like a wax or sealant that may be contributing to your drying issues if you have no protection waters sticks. have you clayed or done any sort of decontamination?
Click to expand...

I bought the car new 3 weeks ago. From what I can tell it does not have any protection and the water did not bead up much.
It also feels rough when I did the baggie test. I am going have a detailer clay, polish and apply sealer since I don't want to get into that now, maybe later.
For now I just want to wash it and reapply sealer as needed.
 
Costco has a CG 13 piece car wash kit for $69.99.All kinds of stuff including foam gun,bucket, etc,etc
 
custmsprty said:
Stick with waffle weave towels, you need at least 4-5 to dry a regular size vehicle.
Click to expand...


Get a PFM towel, one is all you'll need. Unlike a waffle weave, you can ring out a PFM and it won't streak.:xyxthumbs:
 
I'm a big fan of the PFM towel. Or you can get multiple waffle weaves. I found the same thing too: that once they get saturated, they're done.

I don't think a drying aid is completely necessary, but I do use one. I think it acts as a lubricant when moving the drying towel over the paint, helping to reduce scratches. It also leaves a bit of protection, or "boosts" your LSP.

Flooding is a great technique that removes the majority of the water from the paint, therefore requiring less drying. However, the LSP must still be beading water for this to work. Flooding won't work on a unprotected car.
 
PriusPrime said:
Will Prima Wax or similar product help to prolong the need to apply sealant?
Is Optimum ONR No Rinse Wash & Wax a similar product?
I am not a detailing enthusiast and this not a hobby for me so I don't want to use too many products unless there it is clearly worthwhile.
Click to expand...

The prima will prolong any wax or sealant. If used alone, it will provide decent protection. IF your looking for a starter kit and looking for easy to apply protection, Run don't walk and order the McKess 37 HYDRO BLUE kit! This is a outstanding kit at a even more outstanding price!! Everything you need to get with the HYDRO BLUE program. And I will add, HYDRO BLUE is easy as it comes, yet yields flawless results.

McKee's 37 Hydro Blue Wash Kit


View attachment 57410
 
Kits are great but there are some items I already have, items I don't want or missing items I do want like the highly recommended PFM towel, so will probably buy individually. Thanks all for the great tips.
I have a better idea now of what to get next.
 
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