blot dry

when you blot dry, you let the water absorb into the drying media - thus not having to wipe as much (or at all) which lessens potential to install scratches/swirls, etc...
 
If you're using a cd-tested microfiber waffle weave you shoudl be fine rubbing it, as long as there isn't any dirt on the surface of the paint still, or in the towel.



That being said, I can't blot dry worth a damn. I try, and try, and try, but the water dries and stains before I can effectively blot it :(
 
After u rinse off the soap, make sure that u remove the spray nozle off the hose and hose off the car with just a bare hose. This sheets off the more water so u have less water to dry.



Better than blot drying is to use a leaf blower.
 
I'm of the philosophy that if you can avoid touching the paint surface altogether, the better. I use a pressure washer with CRSpotless which basically solves my problem in this regard, but if I didn't have the CRSpotless I'd rinse the car and then use a leaf blower or shop vac (via blow port and dedicated car-drying-only hose) to blow off the water.



Some water will still creep out through cracks and such, so that's where blot-drying comes in handy.
 
detail1 said:
Better than blot drying is to use a leaf blower.
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while the leaf blower is great to use in the areas where water hides (gaps, head/taillights, air vents/wiper arms, wheels/tires, etc., i don't find it to be a complete means of drying and only works well if you have a good coat of wax/sealant on (otherwise the water drags). you're still going to have to follow up with some sort of drying media, but the leaf blower does help cut down the water that needs to be dried off (in conjunction with the flood method to reduce water as well)...
 
Jakerooni said:
Drying improperly can cause RIDS and such but swirls are normally a result of bad wash techniques
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what would you consider drying improperly? and right now the towels im using left light scratches (barley noticeable) in the cd test and i am wondering until i buy some new cobra towels if i can blot dry to prevent swirls in the mean time? and may i ask you what are rids?
 
The biggest threat to a good dry is using contaminated drying towels/Chamoise



I always soak down a clean MF towel and wring out the excess to dry with myself.
 
I have taken to the method Jakerooni suggested; I now soak my WWs then throw them in the washer on spin cycle then retrieve when time to wipe down.



Another twist - I saturate the freshly washed car w/ ONR @ 2oz/gal using a sprayer before blow drying the car. I may even be possible to substitute this method for a touch less dry as I have fairly soft water but haven't tried it yet.
 
IF the drying is gonna cause marring (for any number of reasons) then blotting will cause less severe marring than wiping.



IMO one should *NEVER* use long, sweeping motions for *anything* like this, not washing or drying. If you're gonna get a scratch I'd rather it be an inch long than a foot long.



When testing washing/drying media, remember to test them the way you use them. Wet/dry, appropriate pressure, etc.



I like to spritz a bit of QD on the panels before touching them with my drying towels. It adds a little bit of lubricity and might even help encapsulate any residual dirt.
 
You need to get the Cobra Waffle Weave HD with the foam in the middle. I know it is pricey at 20 bucks but that towel is unreal when it comes to drying. The instant you touch it to the water the water is gone so blotting dry with this is not a problem at all. Takes maybe 5 minutes to blot dry after I use the flood method with the hose. Also I dry my entire car and never need to ring the towel out that's how much water it holds.





-LI85
 
Jakerooni said:
The biggest threat to a good dry is using contaminated drying towels/Chamoise



I always soak down a clean MF towel and wring out the excess to dry with myself.
Click to expand...



so am i adding swills using a dry towal to dry my car?
 
LICamaro85 said:
You need to get the Cobra Waffle Weave HD with the foam in the middle. I know it is pricey at 20 bucks but that towel is unreal when it comes to drying. The instant you touch it to the water the water is gone so blotting dry with this is not a problem at all. Takes maybe 5 minutes to blot dry after I use the flood method with the hose. Also I dry my entire car and never need to ring the towel out that's how much water it holds.





-LI85
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ight ill look into it thanks for the recomendation :thx
 
Yes I also have that towel but that is more of a buffing towel for taking off LSP's or after you take them off you go back over it with that towel and buff any left over product off.



For a drying towel you usually want to go with a WW (Waffle Weave) towel, and for all the ones I tested including all the OTC drying products and the "Sham WOW" nothing dry's and doesnt induce Micro-Marring like the one I listed above. It is pricey but for the amount of time it cuts off drying for me it is worth it.



Also if you are set on getting that gold MF the gray cobra 530 is a little thicker and softer and about the same price so I would go with that one over the Cobra Gold MF.





- LI 85
 
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