Too dirty for S&W or QEW

M

MarcBickham

New member
Been reading a lot about Spray-N-Wipe and QEW in hopes to minimize washing time. With either of these products, though, how dirty is too dirty to use them? Are they just for surface dust or will they work safely on a layer of road grime after a drive in the rain? If I were to blast the major stuff off at a coin-op, could the remaining layer be safely removed with S&W or QEW?



Is one better for dirtier vehicles? Which one is quicker? Which is cheaper to use? Does one work better for winter road salt and crud? Thanks for any input.
 
If the vehicle is very dirty, I go to the coin-op wash. Spray down with soapy water, then clean water. Drive home and QEW or S&W.



When in doubt, it's always good to hit the coin-op to get the bad stuff off.
 
I had the same quesitons before jumping into QEW. For me, it's pretty much a judgement call per wash. The pics from that link above are about as dirty a car I'd wash. Once you get into some heavy road grime or winter salts, I go back to a conventional wash. It's just my comfort level.

GSRstilez had some kool pics earlier this year...no ?
 
I agree with not doing both, if your at the coin op why not just wash it there. :nixweiss

Unless you plan on re-LSPing don't use the soap option or blast your car, you'll strip most of your protectant off. :scared
 
BillNorth said:
Isn't the whole point of QEW to avoid washing the 'old' way? It astounds me how many people will go to a coin up, wash thier car, come home and QEW the car, then post how great QEW is. Gimmee a break. The coin-op is what you should be praising, not a glorified QD (QEW).
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Condemning another product you've not tried, Bill?



Dunno about car washes in your area, but my car is still pretty dirty when it comes out of the coin-op. The high-pressure wash is just to knock down the bulk of the dirt, the QEW (or S&W) takes care of the rest. Could I skip the spray bay and just QEW? Sure, if I wanted to go through more towels, and possibly mix up a second batch of QEW. Blasting off the heavier dirt just simplifies matters. Heck, even when I'm going over to a friend's place to use his hose and do a complete handwash, I'll still stop by the coin-op and spray the car down to remove as much dirt and bugs possible before I lay a mitt on the car.



As for giving you a break . . . well, I guess not everyone's methods live up to the BillNorth view of the "proper and correct" way to detail a car. We're heartbroken not to have your approval, I can assure you. In the meantime, that "glorified QD" is filling a nice niche in my box-o-stuff.



Tort
 
I have certainly sprayed mine off at the coin up, then driven home to a heated garage to do QEW. When it is cold out and my car has salt all over it, I find this better than standing in the wash bay for 1.5 hours freezing my gonads off. I can spray it off and be gone in about 5 minutes. Not to mention I don't have to load my supplies, bring a bucket, mitt, etc. all while there is someone waiting on me for their turn.



I guess QEW use is a judgement call which differs from person to person depending upon their knowledge of the paint being washed. My Honda paint is extremely scratch sensitive, but using the correct techniques I have never seen marring from QEW. Whatever works for you. :nixweiss



I used it on this without marring. I would have preferred a hose wash, but it was below freezing.



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For me, S&W is the post-couple-days-of-rain wash.



QEW takes care of *almost* everything else. The only time I hesitate to QEW is after a VT ski trip when my maroon car (and racks and skis...) are completely white. I don't know how you snowbelt folks do it all winter:D
 
TortoiseAWD said:
Condemning another product you've not tried, Bill?



Dunno about car washes in your area, but my car is still pretty dirty when it comes out of the coin-op. The high-pressure wash is just to knock down the bulk of the dirt, the QEW (or S&W) takes care of the rest. Could I skip the spray bay and just QEW? Sure, if I wanted to go through more towels, and possibly mix up a second batch of QEW. Blasting off the heavier dirt just simplifies matters. Heck, even when I'm going over to a friend's place to use his hose and do a complete handwash, I'll still stop by the coin-op and spray the car down to remove as much dirt and bugs possible before I lay a mitt on the car.



As for giving you a break . . . well, I guess not everyone's methods live up to the BillNorth view of the "proper and correct" way to detail a car. We're heartbroken not to have your approval, I can assure you. In the meantime, that "glorified QD" is filling a nice niche in my box-o-stuff.



Tort
Click to expand...





Thank you for agreeing :bow
 
BillNorth said:
Avoid QEW.
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Bill,



Why do you recommend avoiding QEW?

Is there something negative about using this product or is it just a personal process preference thing?
 
im planning on going to the coin up to remove most dirt and all that ice that usually sticks bellow the wheelwells, then in the coin up parking, give it a QEW wash. Beats some of the purpose of QEW, but makes it easier and can give the car a good under carriage wash.



I dont have a garage so it doesnt matter if I do it infront of my house or the coin up. Too bad the coinup is too far away
 
Throw me into the mix of people that give QEW 2 thumbs-up. It was only through personal experience with the product that caused me to overcome ignorance and fear about its application and results. It's one of the most counter-intuitive products out there, but it does clean up dirty paint very well. I've had stellar results on dark hunter green Lexus paint without marring. Oh, and I also hear it works well on RVs. ;)
 
Thanks for the inputs. It looks like the consensus is to get as much crud off at the coin-op as possible, which was where I was leaning. Also, only one mention of S&W, which was negative, so I'm assuming that isn't the correct product for dirtier cars.



Is there anyone has actually has experience using the QEW in an unheated garage? I'm assuming if I use lukewarm water, then I'll have time to dry the car before it freezes. Heck, this might all be a moot thread if my spare time is consumed snowblowing the drive instead:~))
 
Even on the coldest days, my unheated garage doesn't get below freezing. :nixweiss I use the 2 bucket method to wash with QEW, and fill both buckets up with warm water. Keeps my hands nice and toasty.
 
Mine gets below freezing!!



Has anyone tried the method mentioned in the above QEW link and had success - adding a capful of car wash and some QD to water and going at it with this mixture?
 
buckslayer said:
Thanks for the inputs. It looks like the consensus is to get as much crud off at the coin-op as possible, which was where I was leaning. Also, only one mention of S&W, which was negative, so I'm assuming that isn't the correct product for dirtier cars.
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buckslayer,



IMO, S&W is good stuff, too, but I think QEW is more appropriate for a truly dirty car. That said, I've used S&W after coin-op spray downs with great success; it all depends on how tenacious the dirt is, and just how much is left sticking to the car after the high-pressure rinse.



Tort
 
For me S&W has worked well after a coin op. I was extremely tentative about using a product like this but I have been amazed by the results. I have also used it as a waterless wash when the vehicle is not extremely dirty.

I have used it on vacation where no facilities are available to do a quick cleanup. I do believe you have to be very fussy about always using a quality mf and making sure you change the mf frequently.
 
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