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dajonx

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Good morning, guys.

Does anyone have any recommendations for products that can lessen the effects of my car being covered in pollen? I've read some threads on Google, but they've been posted like 5+ years ago.

I'm not sure if this has any influence in product selection, but my car is a 2019 BMW X3 Mineral Gray. I've been using ONR for my wash and some old Four Star UPP occasionally. I don't have a polisher. The car is kept outside which definitely doesn't help the pollen accumulation.

Also, if those product recommendations can please be reasonable price-wise, that would be great. I understand that's very subjective, but if you think that's worth the price, then that's good enough for me.

Thanks!
 
Not aware of any product, other than a garage, to stop pollen from covering your car.
 
No; not stop pollen altogether because how can anyone stop Mother Nature? :laughing:

But a product that works better with pollen. Carnuba wax? Something like the Four Star UPP? Ceramic spray wax?
 
Anything to lower the surface friction, like a wax, sealant or ceramic/graphene coating, to make rinsing pollen off quicker/easier would help. Depending on what your water situation is, a drying aid may be needed to prevent a trade off from pollen to water spots.
 
BurnsDetailing said:
Anything to lower the surface friction, like a wax, sealant or ceramic/graphene coating, to make rinsing pollen off quicker/easier would help. Depending on what your water situation is, a drying aid may be needed to prevent a trade off from pollen to water spots.
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That is what I was thinking. A good quality sealant or coating will make the ordeal a bit more bearable.
 
It's crazy here in central CT. Yesterday morning I went outside to try out some Griot's Spray-On Car Wash and had the car all clean by 10:30. I think by 1:15 there was already another layer of pollen, probably even worse than when I originally went outside to clean it.
 
Forgive my ignorance, but what would be a good quality sealant or coating? Is Four Star UPP any good?

After applying sealant (or something similar), would it be really dumb if I washed/rinsed, but didn't hand dry? Instead, I would drive it around to dry it? Hmm... I bet it is at least not recommended, huh?
 
I can’t help you with that particular sealant, haven’t used it. I’ve been using Optiseal and Optimum car waxfor a while. Just got some Griot’s 3in1 ceramic to try. There’s lots of good ones out there. As far as not hand drying, you’re likely to leave water spots behind, especially if you have hard water like we do here. The only way to do it is get a filter to make the rinse water the equivalent of distilled water. You could also use a blower to dry it; I don’t but some people do.

Have you ever tried rinseless products before? Might be something to look into. Been using optimum no rinse myself for about a decade.
 
Water
Time
Garage

are the best things.

Seriously though.....coatings or anything that doesn't create static. Nothing special here for me as I tend to just deal with it for a few weeks.
 
vaca22 said:
It's crazy here in central CT. Yesterday morning I went outside to try out some Griot's Spray-On Car Wash and had the car all clean by 10:30. I think by 1:15 there was already another layer of pollen, probably even worse than when I originally went outside to clean it.
Click to expand...

It is! I was just in Columbia yesterday on a dealer swap.

The blue car I picked up was a nice greenish/yellow. Lol

It is starting to get bad out here on the tip of LI as well.


To the OP: I have found that trying to battle pollen is like shoveling sand uphill. Fruitless. :(
 
TTQ B4U said:
Water
Time
Garage

are the best things.

Seriously though.....coatings or anything that doesn't create static. Nothing special here for me as I tend to just deal with it for a few weeks.
Click to expand...

Probably the best answer here. Keeping the car covered or garaged is the only way to keep off the pollen, but it will collect the minute the car goes outside. This time of year I can watch the pollen start to build up on my black car while I'm drying it after a wash!

I've found coatings to be the best bet in controlling pollen. They don't seem to attract pollen as bad and what does get on there seems to come off much easier. I also don't use any toppers on my coatings so I wonder if that helps as well since the naked coatings might be less likely to have surface pollen clings to versus a topping product of some sort.
 
I used Turtle Wax Wet Wax last spring and it turned my Jeep into a pollen magnet.

Previously it was always coated along with a coating specific topper. Big difference IMO.
 
What is a "coating"? Wax or sealant? Or, those "coatings" that has to be professionally installed?

I was eyeing the Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax on top of the Four Starr UPP. See if that does anything. But yeah. It looks like pollen is something that can't be overcome.

I especially dislike rained on pollen. It kinda looks like spots or stripes of pollen on the car.
 
Understanding that these are ‘generally’ applied terms that some manufacturers abuse and that there are hybrids out there:

Wax - the oldest of the last stage protection (lsp) products. Contain natural substances, generally carnuba. Think your grandad’s turtle wax. Know for they ‘warmth’ but now their durability. The vinyl records of the LSP world.

Sealant - been around for a few decades now. Based on synthetic, mostly petroleum based, technology. Last a bit longer. Probably the most numerous product in lsp’s today. Example, optiseal. Can be cold but glossy.

Coating - been around over the last few years. Last 1-9 years (at least claimed on some). Usually contain SIO2 though Garphene is the Newest substance. Sold as tough and hydrophobic. Clear so underneath substance will need to be corrected as much as possible.
 
Sadly marketing departments have completely blow up the definitions which make it really hard for people trying to find out what they want to use. The whole "Coating" term is getting really bad.

Texchappy said:
Coating - been around over the last few years. Last 1-9 years (at least claimed on some). Usually contain SIO2 though Garphene is the Newest substance. Sold as tough and hydrophobic. Clear so underneath substance will need to be corrected as much as possible.
Click to expand...

To this I would also add, coatings are not only the mythical substances applied by pro detailers. There are products only the pros have access to, but there are also many available for normal people to purchase. There area huge variety from probably 10+ brands you can buy here.

Application methods vary. Some of those which fall in to the approx 1 year durability range come in spray form and larger containers. Those which will last upwards of 18~24+ months come in the little glass bottles of 30 - 50mL in size and applied with an applicator provided in a kit in most cases.
 
Desertnate said:
Sadly marketing departments have completely blow up the definitions which make it really hard for people trying to find out what they want to use. The whole "Coating" term is getting really bad.



To this I would also add, coatings are not only the mythical substances applied by pro detailers. There are products only the pros have access to, but there are also many available for normal people to purchase. There area huge variety from probably 10+ brands you can buy here.

Application methods vary. Some of those which fall in to the approx 1 year durability range come in spray form and larger containers. Those which will last upwards of 18~24+ months come in the little glass bottles of 30 - 50mL in size and applied with an applicator provided in a kit in most cases.
Click to expand...

Thanks, forgot that part of the question. You can, indeed, apply a coating yourself. I’m about to start that journey myself.
 
Ohh, ok. I think I understand. Thank you for the explanation.

So the coating is probably out of the question since I can't correct paint and stuff. The Four Star product is a sealant. Is that Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax the same thing? Should I not get it?
 
dajonx said:
Ohh, ok. I think I understand. Thank you for the explanation.

So the coating is probably out of the question since I can't correct paint and stuff. The Four Star product is a sealant. Is that Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax the same thing? Should I not get it?
Click to expand...

It’s one of those hybrid products, to my understanding (haven’t used it or looked too far into it). It is a sealant (probably primarily) but with ceramic like a coating. When adding ceramic to a sealant, you (usually) just see a little added longevity and maybe a bit extra beading to the mix. You would be ok either way. I didn’t mean to downplay the Four Star in my reply earlier; I just haven’t used it. I think I’ve read good things about it over time. It would probably be a good place to start.
 
Thank you.

Maybe I'll reapply the sealant I have on-hand and put the Hybrid Ceramic Wax on top of that. I wonder if I have to do the "foundation" part with the Hybrid or if I can just slap it on top of the sealant.
 
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