How often to wash?

[bob m]

Ok, assuming you know what you are doing, have the correct tools and proper technique, is there a point at which you are washing too often? Meaning, that even with all the aforementioned right stuff, you are doing more harm than good by washing too often, rather than letting the car remain with that light layer of dust, dirt or pollen? I`m not talking road salt, mud or bird bombs, just the "normal" stuff that happens as a matter of course.

 

[Bunky]

Every time you touch the paint, you have an opportunity to mar it (visibly or not) so as little as possible to maintain the appearance you want. It dependson your actual location - drive in rain, around lots of tree, environmental fallout (near beach, pollution). There is a saying frequent clean is easy clean so do not let it get too dirty since dirt will not release as easy and chance to mar paint. I have a garage so protected so need to wash less. If parked outside all the time, it is a different story.

 

[PA DETAILER]

I have a 250 mile weekly commute. I wash weekly over the weekend. After using Hydro blue as my only LSP, I have noticed the vehicle stays cleaner longer. Winter, LOL, that`s a different story...

 

[bob m]

I had my car coated with Nanolex and then have the whole front end Xpel`ed. Luckily - at least for a while my car is garaged - which all goes very far in decreasing the amount of dirt and environmental damage as well as ease of dirt removal. I usually do a WW wash but do have access - sometimes - to do a thorough wash - hose and all. Lately, I let it get a little more let`s say - `less perfect", before washing.

 

[Accumulator]

If you mar the paint when you wash (to an appreciable extent) or strip your LSP then yeah. Otherwise, I say "no, can`t overdo".

I wash when something needs it, as I believe that dirt harbors moisture (wanting the undercarriage clean probably means at least as much to me as the hood/etc.) and that if something/somebody brushes against a dirty vehicle the paint will get marred. But then, regulars here know that I`m awfully over-the-top when it comes to wash technique

bob m- You mentioned having the right technique; IMO if the wash technique is truly correct, you shouldn`t get any appreciable marring from just washing/drying. If you do see significant marring without some big-production inspection, then the technique could be improved (easier said than done I suppose).

 

[bob m]

If you mar the paint when you wash (to an appreciable extent) or strip your LSP then yeah. Otherwise, I say "no, can`t overdo".

I wash when something needs it, as I believe that dirt harbors moisture (wanting the undercarriage clean probably means at least as much to me as the hood/etc.) and that if something/somebody brushes against a dirty vehicle the paint will get marred. But then, regulars here know that I`m awfully over-the-top when it comes to wash technique

bob m- You mentioned having the right technique; IMO if the wash technique is truly correct, you shouldn`t get any appreciable marring from just washing/drying. If you do see significant marring without some big-production inspection, then the technique could be improved (easier said than done I suppose).

Thanks, you have answered my question. I was not so much referring to marring - using bad technique, but rather degrading the LSP.

 

[Accumulator]

bob m- Thanks for clarifying, we can get off onto tangents when some factor pushes our individual buttons

If you use certain LSPs (e.g., FK1000P) and wash with the right shampoo (e.g., Griot`s, 3D Pink), the LSP degradation thing can basically become a non-issue. With other combos (wax with Pinnacle Souveran and wash with their Bodywork Shampoo), you can be rewaxing almost every time you wash!

 

[bob m]

Well, in my instance I have a coating on - Nanolex, so I know it should not affect thing too much, but was curious if over time - a few years, even using a good wash (GG) it`s simply better to leave the car in a less pristine (not dirty) condition than to wash it a coupe of times a week. This is not even entering in the time factor to be so on top of it.

 

[Accumulator]

bob m- Heh heh...I used to be one of those guys who washed *very* frequently...but looking back on it now I regret having wasted all the time on it. Eh, that`s just me...now I wash when something needs it, which might mean that a vehicle gets awfully dirty between washes. As long as it`s not gonna be touched, that`s OK with me as I have more important things to do, but if there *is* a chance it`ll get touched then I wash that abrasive dirt off.

Winter is different as I don`t like to leave salt on the undercarriage/etc. for too long as the vehicles are kept in above-freezing garages. Weekly washes of the drivers is the norm during that time of year...which I genuinely regret spending the time on. If I considered any of our vehicles replaceable I wouldn`t be doing all those washes (or at least not being so meticulous), but they`re not building anything we want these days.

For me, it`s all about balancing a genuine, *functional*/practical need to wash against the expenditure of the various resources...the most important of which *to me* is time.