Beginning scratches from rinse less wash...

TMQ

TMQ

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Done about 5 or 6 rinse less and this am saw the beginning stages
of straight line scratches same directions as sponge used. Hard to spot but in
just the right angle in sunlight---major scratches in straight line!!!

I am kind of bummed about that. I thought it would it do better than that.

Car wasn't even that dirty.

Guess the sponge deal isn't all that great. Either do the microfiber towels approach or the 2 bucket method.

Is anyone else having the same issues with rinse less as me?

Tom
 
I have never seen any scratches on my vehicles from doing rinseless washes - and this includes doing them in the winter with salt and dirt grime on the vehicle.

I'll tell you my method, and it works well for me.

1. In the winter only, I go to the coin op and pressure wash the bulky stuff off. I do this in the warm weather only when the car is absolutely filthy (rare).
2. I spray the entire car with the waterless or QD dilution of some waterless or rinseless wash (BFWW, UWW+, N914 or WGURW). Whatever I have ready and in reach.
3. I use WGURW or N914 as my rinseless wash.
4. Using multiple 1100GSM towels, I soak them all and fold them into quarters.
5. I use the towels on the car while they are mildly soaked - I wring them out a bit, but they still drip.
6. Top to bottom. Horizontal surfaces first.
7. One quarter of a towel gets a single wipe - no more. Next wipe gets a fresh quarter towel.
8. Dry with waffle weave towels while using a drying aid like Kenotek or ECH2O.

Towels get soaked in water and then washed.

Some use a single sponge, and I think that's fine. It's just not my preference. You can use a single sponge or mitt, but you have to make sure it is thoroughly cleaned using a grit guard or something like that.

I have abandoned the notion that rinseless washes are somehow conservative and by necessity eco-friendly. They can be. But, in my mind, a rinseless wash is simply a wash that doesn't need to be rinsed off. But that doesn't mean I don't use a lot of solution and frequently rotate towels.

(Sent via my mobile device...)
 
Gary Dean method or Mike Phillips method, no reusing of the media during wash is the safest way.
 
I've been doing GDWM for a couple of years with no issues.

Recently tried the Big Red Sponge method with Grit Guard. Yes, it was getting the car clean...but.... When I went to dry the car per my usual waffle weave method, I noticed DIRT on my drying towels! Luckily, this was being tested on my R&D daily driver.
 
I just got all the stuff I needed to try rinse less washing and now you guys are scaring me. I did get the big red sponge after seeing many positive reviews.
 
i'd never use a sponge for a rinseless. I use about, shoot, 20 microfibers for a rinselesss with a good presoak, i never let a dirty towel touch the paint. New towel for every piece of the car, never any issues. Chuck the sponge and get tons of microfiber you'll have zero issues!
 
cleanmycorolla said:
i'd never use a sponge for a rinseless. I use about, shoot, 20 microfibers for a rinselesss with a good presoak, i never let a dirty towel touch the paint. New towel for every piece of the car, never any issues. Chuck the sponge and get tons of microfiber you'll have zero issues!
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Agree!

(Sent via my mobile device...)
 
I use either a chenille or one of the "official" rinseless wash mitts and get great results....it releases whatever it picks up very easily and also gets into crevices well....I be sure and agitate it good against the grit guard and then even with my other hand before getting started on the next section....I also use a pre spray ANY time I rinseless wash no mater how dirty/dusty the car is.
 
Using ONR with the blue sponge I got from autogeek.

Tom
 
BSoares said:
I just got all the stuff I needed to try rinse less washing and now you guys are scaring me. I did get the big red sponge after seeing many positive reviews.
Click to expand...

I've had fine luck with the Big red sponge and ONR. Like any rinseless approach, I'm sure to not apply too much pressure either with the sponge or any follow up towels. I presoak as mentioned, use a grit guard in a single bucket, BRS, then wipe with a dampened MF to make sure I don't miss anything. Apply drying aid, dry with PFM towel, done. Somehow I haven't noticed dirt on my towels after like others have?
 
TMQ said:
Using ONR with the blue sponge I got from autogeek.

Tom
Click to expand...

How much pressure are you applying? I've found with the big red sponge I'm essentially holding the sponge away from the panel to let the siping of the sponge do it's job. Obviously still making full contact with the paint, but definitely less pressure than I would use doing a normal wash with a mitt. (Though maybe I'm doing those wrong!)
 
Honestly, on some paints the only real sure shot way to prevent the minor swirls you're describing is to rinse the vehicle with the hose prior to beginning a rinseless wash. I know that sort of defeats the purpose but just think about what you're attempting to do... You're basically trying to wash your dirty car [I don't care if you said it's not too dirty. It is or you wouldn't be cleaning it] without rinsing it.

Would you ever skip the pre rinse during a bucket wash? No. Is rinseless wash solution really without a doubt noticeably safer than normL car wash soap? I dunno... What I do know is there's times when it feels unsafe. And there's paint that winds up with minor swirls, just like you describe.
 
I use about 15 towels and the big red sponge.

But I only use the sponge for the lower portions of the car. And I make sure it's clean before it touches another panel. Everything else is microfibers (eagle edgeless) and the GDWM.
 
idriveblackcars said:
I use about 15 towels and the big red sponge.

But I only use the sponge for the lower portions of the car. And I make sure it's clean before it touches another panel. Everything else is microfibers (eagle edgeless) and the GDWM.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a great use for the sponge, and the only way I'd use it.
 
Eldorado2k said:
That sounds like a great use for the sponge, and the only way I'd use it.
Click to expand...

The method seems to be successful so far. I will admit, I do cheat. I still bang the dirt off with a pressure washer before hand. Then drive her into the garage. It's still much more efficient than the traditional foam 2b wash.
 
BSoares---

Don't be scared! grin. I still think system is a good one. Just to be safe---pre-soak the paint!

This time I probably will either hose off as much I can and/or do a heavy pre-soak with rinse less/waterless. Then also will try the towels instead of the sponge the next time around. My car is a Lexus GS350 and has soft or maybe sticky paint. Just touching it will mar the paint.

Also my sponge might be suspect. Tried to keep it clean but probably has something in it. When I did the sponge/rinse less this morning I did noticed for the first time
a scratching sound/feel as I was sponging off the rinse less. (this is the first time I noticed this)

I did lend out my blue sponge to a neighbor next door with fresh ONR. Taught him the proper way to sponge off the car. But he tends to scrub the paint. Had to stop him several times to tell him not to do that. Once he got the idea, I left him to finish up his car and he went right back to scrubbing the hell out of the paint! Now my sponge has a dirty look to it and no matter what I did to clean it out---still dirty.

Lesson? Moral of story? Do NOT lend out your equipment or tools!

Tom
 
A while ago I picked up a popular grout sponge at a home store that many people raved about and gave it a swing. As soon as I did a few passes on my first panel I knew that I was never going to use a sponge again. I HATED IT.

IMO microfiber will always be the BEST wash media to clean paint. Not only is it the only one that is the most less prone to marring paint, you can get more scrubbing power out of it without worrying about scratches.

I am currently washing my car now. :) The car is pretty filthy. I said, screw it, I'll give it a shot. I did one half of the roof and as I lightly dragged my CG mf towel across it I felt MAJOR drag and I can hear the grit. YIKES! I proceeded to place the towel back into my bucket and headed immediately over to the coin op place to pressure wash rinse the paint. In circumstances where the car is really dirty I think this a great way to make the rinseless wash much easier/safer.

Came back home and my towel has minimal dirt from washing the panels. :)

I love the GD method. But because I hate washing 20 towels every time I just use 8 sections of one towel. Each panel receives 1 side of towel for the first wipe. 2nd side for the final wipe. Once I've used all 8 sides I rub each section of the towel on the grit guard to release any embedded dirt. I repeat this until the car is cleaned.

:xyxthumbs:
 
Get yourself two dozen 600 gsm towels, use those for your rinseless and never look back, for real.
 
cleanmycorolla said:
Get yourself two dozen 600 gsm towels, use those for your rinseless and never look back, for real.
Click to expand...

I'm finding it difficult to get a GSM count on some towels. Not all towels have the number in the info. I know the eagle edgeless ones are only 480. The buff and shine ones are 600GSM. These are my main towels.

But I do find it hard to find 600GSM towels which are a perfect thickness imo.
 
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