Clay and Pollen and/or Dust Question - Oh, And Hail Too!

Debelli

Debelli

New member
Got home this past weekend, figured I'd try and get a day to finally clay my car, but figured I better ask this question before I even attempt it.

Not sure about how it is elsewhere around the US, but for the past few weeks, well, at least since I got this car 6 weeks ago, the pollen here has been flying, and landing on my car like never before! Owning a white car previously, you'd think I'd notice had it happened years before, but never did - so can only think that it's one of those "years".

Now, not only with the pollen, but even with just dust, it takes, ohhhh, maybe a good 20-30 seconds to have SOMETHING hitting the car right after you've taken the time to clean it. So, my question is, for those of you who may be experiencing the same thing - when you've already washed your car and 30 seconds later, are ready to clay and see dust and or pollen, do you go ahead and clay anyhow? Or, do you have to keep wiping off this gunk before you clay that particular area? Do you have to be anal about it to be spic and span for the claying to be done correctly?

If I just HAVE to, I'll ask my neighbor (the one who already thinks I'm nuts about the car) to borrow his garage - figure he already has his opinions, why not confirm them with this request!:lol

BTW, how do you guys who have outdoor cars, like mine, handle lovely hail storms? It hasn't hailed in my area in, oh, maybe 13 years. Well, yesterday I hear it popping off my back patio, sounded like magnified corn popping. :wait I thought it was so "cool", called my daughter to look. My Mom calls, I tell her "MoM, it's hailing, it's so neat!" she replies "Debbie, how about your car!":bigscream :bigscream :bigscream :doh I didn't even think of my car!!!!:bigscream (mind you, this is a woman who left specific instructions how to deal with BS should it hit the car when I left on vacation, but left no instructions about my daughter!) Well, after it was all over, went out and cleared off the water, dried the car to assess damage. Luckily, all seems to be well, the tiniest, tinest thing noticed that no other person, other than a new mother with eagle eyes for her new "baby," would notice. Of course, it rained 5 minutes after I dried it - stupid me, tried to dry it again - rained again, and then I just said "screw it!" :beat :doh :nono

BUT, for future - what do those of you who have no cover for your cars do when you find yourself in a situation like this - just pray?;) I guess there's not much else you can do. Thought about going out there and throwing a blanket on the hood! At least when a hurricane is set to come we can prepare! And come to think of it, before this all happened, my Mom mentioned to me yesterday, as a joke, that I should buy one of the car covers!

OMG, it's starting to thunder again and the sky is looking like yesterday!!!:bigscream :bigscream :bigscream
 
as long as you use clay lube, i think you'll be ok with going ahead and claying as soon as you get done washing, even if a little dust is on it.
 
My car is garaged at nights, cut down on the overnight rains, dust, dirt, pollen, etc.

During the day, when I'm detailing, I don't worry about that stuff. There doesn't seem to be that much that can come down over a 6-8 hour period, and besides, I'm constantly applying stuff or wiping stuff off, so it all comes off. Only problem I ever had was helping a friend do his under some dumb magnolia trees in the wind a week ago....damn pedals and stuff kept blowing all over the car.

When your car is properly sealed, you'll find that most of the pollen and dust/dirt from driving will "slide off" and not adhere. My mother took her black Camry to the shore last year. 1st time, no detailing in over a year, the car came back looking like PigPen. 2nd time, with 2 coats of UPP, all the stuff slid off the car, had to go up close to see the residue, if any, on it.
 
Thanks, I appreciate the reply. I know, sounds like a stupid question, but if I didn't ask, trust me, it would be the one question to ask and I'd find out before it was too late.

Is there anything that "repels" dust? I know the pollen doesn't repel, as a master of fact it appears to stick like glue sometimes!:eek But, has anyone found anything that appears to repel the dust, esp. for an area like the rear window?

And speaking of dust - I know some of you use a CALI DUSTER - which I thought about getting one, but then I thought it may not work for me down here. With the heat and humidity comes a lot of morning dew/moisture on the car - sure can't use it then - so I sort of nixed that idea, at least for now - maybe during the winter months it may be useful - during the dry season.

As for the hail question, I know there's nothing much I can do - wishful thinking there's a solution beyond having a garage;)

Thanks!!

Debbie
 
Reading all of your guys posts makes me appreciate where I live a little bit more. I was complaining today because I had to detail a car in the sunlight, and it kept melting the wax as I was putting it on.
Now I feel so ashamed.
 
Here's a quickie to the hail solution: Get one of those metal carports. I think you can get a single car one around here for a couple hundred bucks. If you have the room, it would be a good investment if you have no garage. It would pay for itself the first time you got hail damage and had to pay for the PDR (paintless dent removal). Just a thought....
 
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