Issue with ech2o and reload as drying aid

[jmeyers278]

Okay, I have never used a drying aid in the past. I have always washed, dried, and the used a quick detailer. I have seen lots of talk on here about people using a drying aid and skipping the qd step. I tried the 20:1 ech2o with 2 oz or reload that I use as my go to qd for coated cars as a drying aid.

Washed and rinsed the car and sprayed a couple misting sprays of the green juice on each panel and holy cow, it made for a streaky mess. I then had to go back and use a quick detailer to get rid of the streaks.

What did I do wrong?


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[Eldorado2k]

I have seen lots of talk on here about people using a drying aid and skipping the qd step.

They’re the same thing.

As far as your streaking issue, what kind of drying towel are you using? It sounds like it doesn’t absorb very well?

 

[jmeyers278]

They’re the same thing.

As far as your streaking issue, what kind of drying towel are you using? It sounds like it doesn’t absorb very well?

A grey matter, and a cobra


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[jmeyers278]

They’re the same thing.

As far as your streaking issue, what kind of drying towel are you using? It sounds like it doesn’t absorb very well?

What I meant by that is after drying completely, I would go back and spray a couple spritz of qd and wipe off. As a drying aid I tried it as spraying on the wet car and wiped it.

The latter left really bad streaking and I had to do the other step anyway


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[Eldorado2k]

Are you aware that Ech20 normally requires a 2nd follow up wipedown in order to achieve desired results? The streaking gou describe could be normL.

 

[jmeyers278]

Are you aware that Ech20 normally requires a 2nd follow up wipedown in order to achieve desired results? The streaking gou describe could be normL.

Yes I do this when using it as a quick detailer. I was trying to eliminate a step with a drying aid.


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[Calendyr]

I have never used the combination of products you are using, but any spray sealant should be able to do a good job.

So what I do is this:

1. Get my drying microfiber wet. Then ring it out as much as possible. Dry microfibers don't absob well, but damp ones are like water magnets.
2. Fold the microfiber in 4s
3. Do 2 sprays of the sealant on the microfiber directly, not on the paint.
4. Wipe the panel until I see no water spots, only fine water lines
5. Use a second, dry microfiber towel on the flat side (where there is no pile) to buff slightly the panel

I have tried this with different products like Meg's D156, Reload, and even low quality car wash type spray wax and it gave me good results no matter what.

 

[JMak97008]

I have never used the combination of products you are using, but any spray sealant should be able to do a good job.

So what I do is this:

1. Get my drying microfiber wet. Then ring it out as much as possible. Dry microfibers don't absob well, but damp ones are like water magnets.
2. Fold the microfiber in 4s
3. Do 2 sprays of the sealant on the microfiber directly, not on the paint.
4. Wipe the panel until I see no water spots, only fine water lines
5. Use a second, dry microfiber towel on the flat side (where there is no pile) to buff slightly the panel

I have tried this with different products like Meg's D156, Reload, and even low quality car wash type spray wax and it gave me good results no matter what.

Thanks for this...love this advice and exactly what I was looking for...

Question, though, do you blow dry the car first to remove most of the water or just rinse then start drying?

I'm finishing off my Megs UWW soap and will be buying Hyperwash. I need to find a replacement for my Megs UQW, though that would work with this process.

 

[Calendyr]

Thanks for this...love this advice and exactly what I was looking for...

Question, though, do you blow dry the car first to remove most of the water or just rinse then start drying?

I'm finishing off my Megs UWW soap and will be buying Hyperwash. I need to find a replacement for my Megs UQW, though that would work with this process.

I use a Metrovac Sidekick to blow out the mirrors, gas tank, door handles, window moldings, rims and tires and the like. I don't blow the paint itself.

Ultimate Quick Wax? Should work ok. But as I said, any liquid sealant should work. If it's really thick you might need to try what amount to use to get good results, but it should work no matter what.

 

[JMak97008]

I use a Metrovac Sidekick to blow out the mirrors, gas tank, door handles, window moldings, rims and tires and the like. I don't blow the paint itself.

Ultimate Quick Wax? Should work ok. But as I said, any liquid sealant should work. If it's really thick you might need to try what amount to use to get good results, but it should work no matter what.

Yeah, I've just started using my shop-vac to blow out the doors, handles, gas, seams between panels and the hood, roof, and trunk lid.

I'm gonna change from UQW because, like UWW, just not as economical as other products. I just have to pick the product now, lols.

 

[TTQ B4U]

I wouldn't use the combo on a wet vehicle. I do use it as a detail spray though. I spritz it on a damp drying towel, wipe and then buff with a dry one. If you want to use a pure drying aid on a wet car that you will be drying with a towel, I recommend Wolfgang Uber Rinseless mixed up 1ox to 3gals.

 

[Rsurfer]

Yeah, I've just started using my shop-vac to blow out the doors, handles, gas, seams between panels and the hood, roof, and trunk lid.




Dragging around a shop-vac doesn't sound very user friendly.

 

[jmeyers278]

I wouldn't use the combo on a wet vehicle. I do use it as a detail spray though. I spritz it on a damp drying towel, wipe and then buff with a dry one. If you want to use a pure drying aid on a wet car that you will be drying with a towel, I recommend Wolfgang Uber Rinseless mixed up 1ox to 3gals.

So I'm taking it that you are mixing uber 1oz to 3 gal in a spray bottle? Then I guess you spray some on each panel as you dry?

 

[Eldorado2k]

Dragging around a shop-vac doesn't sound very user friendly.

Not the safest way to blow air either.. Would you want to blow air onto your paint at high velocity through your dirty shop vac hose? Me neither.

 

[TTQ B4U]

So I'm taking it that you are mixing uber 1oz to 3 gal in a spray bottle? Then I guess you spray some on each panel as you dry?

Yes but honestly I've changed my technique on my personal vehicle when drying. I use a leaf blower to remove 99% of the water from all the seams and surfaces then I use a clean 16x16 480GSM Rag soaked in the Uber Solution at 1oz to 3gal ratio to dry. Key is to completely wring out the towel so that it is just damp. From there I simply spritz my ECH20 and Reload detail spray (when I choose to use it) on the surface of the rag and give it one last squeeze. I don't use but a few sprays. Wipe the panels off completely then give it a quick buff/pass with a dry Car Pro 16x16 Suede cloth. The same ones I use to remove my coatings. They are the only rag that I have found to be truely 100% lint free and on my pure black car, I'm OCD about things when I finally get them clean and dry Other colors won't show lint hardly at all thus I really only use them where needed.

 

[PouncingPanzer]

Reload will, or has been known to cause streaking in the past. I haven't heard of people having that issue recently, but I suppose it's possible. Shake the living daylights out of the product. When you're not spraying, you're agitating. I noticed this helped with Reloads application, especially when the new version launched in '14. This may help.

I use this exact drying method usually. I get most water with a big 1200gsm towel. Then, I mist the panels. Using my Griot's garage PFM towels I dry the car. There is some streaking sometimes, and I mediate this by just going over the whole car quickly with a dry, edgeless plush towel. Adds time to the process, but it's my car and the weekend anyways so whatever.

 

[JMak97008]

Lugging around a 16 gal shop-vac in my driveway isn't very hard at all. But I'm just a weekend warrior detailing my personal cars. Metro across looks cool and all, but I want to spend my money on multi-purpose equipment and products.

 

[JMak97008]

Not the safest way to blow air either.. Would you want to blow air onto your paint at high velocity through your dirty shop vac hose? Me neither.

Hadn't thought of it that way... Ironically, this past weekend I did look inside one of the attachment and it was dirty. Didn't think to inspect the hose.

 

[ChrisT]

A $20 leaf blower works just fine.

 

[HAMBO]

I find ECH2O very streaky, to the point that I've stopped using it. I have had better results with Reload when applying by spraying on the high pile side of an MF towel, applying it to the vehicle using the towel, then buffing off the with the pile side.

If you are looking for a drying aid that's hydrophobic and doesn't streak, I've found Chemical Guys After Wash to work well. If you're looking for a quick detailer that doesn't streak at all, I have found 3D HD Touch to be totally streak-free.