Best workflow for no shade / water spots - suggestions

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theTown

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My driveway gets no shade in the Texas heat and I'm finding myself battling stubborn water spots. :mad: My water is hard at 200ppm. The car is a black RDX which sits outside 24/7 and typically goes 2-3 weeks between washes.

My current work flow is to rinse the car down, foam it up, wash it using 10-12 microfibers, then race to dry it like a chicken with its head cut off. This works fine on my smaller vehicle, but on the SUV I can't work quickly enough without water sports forming (even if its dawn or dusk). The died calcium spots don't come off readily with QD.

I see a lot of people recommend rinse-less wash. I'm nervous to try this since the car is always outside and gets decently dirty + the Acura black paint is EXTREMELY soft. I suppose pre-rinsing with a pump sprayer filled with solution could help? For those of you who switched to rinseless, are my fears reasonable with such sensitive paint?

The other thing I could do is get a DI tank and continue with my current workflow. Those of you who went this route, what's been your experience? Should I just sell the car and buy a metallic silver color? :laughing:
 
Yea. Direct sun is horrible to work in! That is why in the summer months I get up at the crack of dawn and do my truck before that sun hits. Another alternative depending on the way your house sits, is wait till early evening. No really easy answer to this Delima us detailers face. Besides pulling in the garage to dry off or get one the portable sun shades to work under.
 
Rinseless washes are fine but I’d not go 2 to 3 weeks between, do it weekly so it’s never too dirty. Definitely pre-soak the panels. You’ll want to take it easy, black soft paint is the nightmare of any detailer.
 
Also, deionized water works. At 200ppm you’ll get a decent amount of rinses before your resin is spent. Definitely is easier on you when you don’t have to rush to finish drying the car.
 
Using deionized water is the way to go, however if you don't want to go through the trouble or expense..keep the panels wet. Start washing the top and keep the surrounding panels wet as you rinse and dry the roof. Be sure to keep the glass wet before it dries.

Start early in the mornings or late in the evenings when the sun is not as hot.
 
I would never wash a black car in direct sunlight. Regardless of method, i.e., conventional, rinseless, waterless, DI rinse, etc., I would never do it. I'd be washing it after sunset and before sunrise. I don't really see any other way.
 
I washed my black cars in the garage and squeegeed out the water.
 
When I have to do lifted trucks or start tomorrow’s job with a wash in the summer months (6am sunrise) I have no choice but to get up early and wash with my headlamp on. Sun is rising as I am drying off.

Name of the game is to get that beeotch in the garage before that intense sun comes out.


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Thanks for all the replies.

Since I polished this car I've managed to catch overcast days which works. This last wash was early AM, but sun hits the driveway quickly. I tried keeping everything wet, but once the sun hits black paint its game over. :buffing:

Not all the spots came off with a QD and microfiber and I'm not willing to rub the soft paint more, so live and learn I guess. Not sure there's a reasonable way to get them off without marring the paint or stripping the coating and creating a lot more work for myself. Wife thinks I'm insane and car looks perfect still.

I like the idea of starting before first light since the panels will be cool from the night. I've tried washing in the evening as the sun disappears over the horizon, but with inadequate lighting I found myself missing spots. Then once its dark its harder to evaluate the job.

Definitely need to solve the visibility problem to make either option easier. A bright headlamp sounds extremely useful. The ones I own are mediocre. Could also set up the LED tripods that I used for polishing. The tripod is 20,000 lumen and will scare the neighbors :D

Then there's the post wash drips from the mirrors and other crevices. Usually I'll get out the blower then wrap the mirrors with a microfiber to help with this annoyance.
 
A flood rinse after washing could also help. It will remove much more water than just a regular hose rinse. Just take the end of hose after washing and remove your sprayer and run the water over the vehicle. Less to dry.
 
Here's an alternative for you if you're not comfortable with a rinseless wash. Fill a pump sprayer with a gallon of distilled water and 1/2 - 1 oz of rinseless wash. After your final hose rinse, go around the vehicle with the rinseless + distilled solution and give it a good final spot free rinse. The spots that dry up should wipe right off. This has worked for me in the CA desert sun at 110+ degrees with zero spot issues. As you go around with your drying towel, you can still use your drying aid or quick detailer of choice. :cheers:
 
theTown said:
Thanks for all the replies.

Since I polished this car I've managed to catch overcast days which works. This last wash was early AM, but sun hits the driveway quickly. I tried keeping everything wet, but once the sun hits black paint its game over. :buffing:

Not all the spots came off with a QD and microfiber and I'm not willing to rub the soft paint more, so live and learn I guess. Not sure there's a reasonable way to get them off without marring the paint or stripping the coating and creating a lot more work for myself. Wife thinks I'm insane and car looks perfect still.

I like the idea of starting before first light since the panels will be cool from the night. I've tried washing in the evening as the sun disappears over the horizon, but with inadequate lighting I found myself missing spots. Then once its dark its harder to evaluate the job.

Definitely need to solve the visibility problem to make either option easier. A bright headlamp sounds extremely useful. The ones I own are mediocre. Could also set up the LED tripods that I used for polishing. The tripod is 20,000 lumen and will scare the neighbors :D

Then there's the post wash drips from the mirrors and other crevices. Usually I'll get out the blower then wrap the mirrors with a microfiber to help with this annoyance.
Click to expand...

Look into Koch Chemie FSE or IGL Jen K.O.

FSE is a QD with waterspot remover in it. Would be good to finish up in the garage with.

Finish Spray exterior | Koch-Chemie

IGL Jen KO is similar.


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