The spotless wash works well enough at my local coin-op wash that I have no problem leaving it like that until I can really wash it. The water spotting is usually very minor and not permanent as long as you make sure to wash most of the washing water off with the spotless rinse (I hope that makes sense.) The spotless rinse lets only enough water out to wash the washing water off; it takes at least 1.5 minutes to fill up one of my buckets with it. IME the spotless rinse works well enough to last until the next hand wash. Also, in case you are new at power washing, make sure you use the low pressure wash before anything else! going straight to pressure washing will grind the dirt into your paint at high speeds, causing marring.
Busy College student in need of help!
- Thread starter Nopstnz8
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Nopstnz8
Member
BluBrett said:
Thanks. I get what you mean. But damnit! I used the high pressure wash at the beginning
I wash this car every week, and it really doesn't get any dirt on it, its just dust from the parking structure, no actual dirt since I park so high up, and have a wall behind me shielding most of the dust, but not enough since it only blocks me in about 3 spaces left to right. So basically, I'm supposed to just go over the vehicle with the low pressure wash, then once it's all wet, I can go over it with the high pressure power wash?
Nopstnz8
Member
BluBrett said:
Sadly their is only one coin op in this town. Kinda pathetic if you ask me.
Yes, low pressure over entire car, then soap if it's anything more than dusty or if it was rained on, then water, then spotless rinse. And don't worry, high pressure one time most likely didn't inflict any visible marring, but over time the marring will be noticeable. I learned this the hard way when I got swirls out of nowhere, even though I wash and dry in straight lines. Also, your windshield should be tough enough for you to be able to use the bubble brush on it as long as you keep it away from paint and shiny black trim.
Nopstnz8
Member
Yeah I strictly only wash in straight lines too. I'm hoping the swirls weren't actually swirls and were actually spider webs, like last time since I'm in a parking structure. So even though I use ONR after power washing, am I not supposed to touch the high pressure rinse at all? The car doesn't get really dirty, just dusty. I never have to scrub anything at all. Basically, what I'm getting from you is that I should low pressure rinse it, then do ONR and not even touch the high pressure, except for maybe the windshield?
I have a civic in NHBP and I get swirls from ONR washes too. I live in an apartment and don't have access to a hose either lol.
I'm planning on buying one of these soon:
Nomad 18 Volt Cordless Portable Power Cleaner - Buy Direct- Hunting, Fishing, Camping and Other Outdoor Sports and Extreme Sports
I think a normal water wash is going to be a lot better for our soft as hell honda paint. Hoping this portable sprayer works, you can find it cheaper through other online stores. I think this would be perfect for your situation.
I'm planning on buying one of these soon:
Nomad 18 Volt Cordless Portable Power Cleaner - Buy Direct- Hunting, Fishing, Camping and Other Outdoor Sports and Extreme Sports
I think a normal water wash is going to be a lot better for our soft as hell honda paint. Hoping this portable sprayer works, you can find it cheaper through other online stores. I think this would be perfect for your situation.
Rx8 Fanatic said:
If you only have a light layer of dust, you might be able to get away with skipping the soap and going from low pressure rinse to high pressure rinse, but I'm not sure if you want to experiment with your paint. If you still have a healthy clearcoat, you could try it and if it gives you swirls you could just polish them away; it's really up to what you want to risk. My Canterbury Green Acura Legend has paint so soft I had to polish the roof of car after a paint dude rubbed my clean clearcoat with his hand.
Nopstnz8
Member
schiddy said:
I've heard that sprayer is really good. BTW, my mom's, the car I currently have at school, is a galaxy grey '06.
BluBrett said:
So that is what I did last time and it worked well. I don't want to use the soap from the coin op because everyone says that will strip off the LSP. I had planned to do a low pressure spray down, followed by a high pressure spray down, and finally the ONR wash. High pressure seemed to get a lot of the dust and crap off because I had a pollen spot and a bug splatter on the windshield before, and they were both completely gone after it. Do you think I should use ONR in a pump sprayer to saturated the car after pressure washing, to act as the soaping step, then follow with the ONR wash? I'd like to avoid ONR in a pump sprayer if I'm using the pressure washer, but if it really makes a big difference, I may do it, although I know I'm already going to have to polish this car with a one step when I get home. I'm trying to swirl it the least, in the least amount of time since ONR washes take me like 1-1.5 hours since I pat dry the car after specific sections.
My real problem here is that this place is so damn windy. It's ridiculous. Right now we probably have like 20mph gusts that have been on and off all day! I already have a light layer of dust and just clean it yesterday :wall
Is it possible that the car is accumulating more dust by being under a floor vs on the roof of the parking garage? Is this concrete dust more abrasive than regular dirt and dust?
Maybe some other Autopians can chime in, would leaving it out in the open on the roof of the structure be more damage to the car with the sun, water, other dirt and dust?
Maybe some other Autopians can chime in, would leaving it out in the open on the roof of the structure be more damage to the car with the sun, water, other dirt and dust?
Nopstnz8
Member
BluBrett said:
Agreed. That's why I park inside. Outside it would just get coated in dust from the mountains, as well as get spotted during the rain, which would leave some pretty nasty spotting when the sun is out at full force.