What can help keep a car cleanest between washes?

[beanbag]

Summer is approaching, so the main things that will get on my car are dust / dirt / pollen / bug splatters.

I have a wash system that works well right now. The car is coated with a layer of Dr Beasley`s Plasma Coat. I rinse the car with a pressure washer to get most of the dirt off, then foam with Meguiar`s Hyper Wash, then wipe with a wet, folded microfiber towel. The surface is slick enough that I only need to go over an area once to get everything off. Rinse again, then dry with a leaf blower (need to get a more powerful one),then go back with a microfiber drying towel to get some last wet spots.

Is there some other final step that I can add that will make the car somehow pick up dirt more slowly? For example, some of the sprays that claim to be anti-static? However, they will need to last thru at least 2+ washes or so, because otherwise it would not be worth my time to add the extra step.

I also saw that there are some spray-on hydrophobic treatments, like Car Pro Hydro 2 and other similar products from McKee`s, Gyeon, etc. I expect them to last approx 2 months. But unless it is the rainy season, why would I care if it makes the car even more hydrophobic than it already is? (Currently, the car has ok, but not great beading) The other thing is that I am skeptical that these spray on rinse off products can get an even coverage. How about spray on, wipe around with a wet microfiber, then rinse off?

 

[glen e]

Using Carpro ech20....learn to do a garry dean rinseless method, you wont be disappointed - on you tube.

 

[WaxAddict]

... I rinse the car with a pressure washer to get most of the dirt off, then foam with Meguiar`s Hyper Wash, then wipe with a wet, folded microfiber towel.

It`s always interesting to hear about wash methods, and what works for YOU, and your paint/car. The wet microfiber towel is strange to me, but I`m sure my method is equally bizarre.

The above recommendation of ech20 is a good one, and somewhat of a happy-medium between waterless/QD/and Sio2 Sprays. Ech20 adds a bit of protection, but what I`ve been enjoying is the LOOK it gives. Even when the car is dusty or has a thin layer of road film, the car still glows. That`s what all this mail-order, special-product, special-processes does for me, it makes my car look good when it`s dirty. My point being, maybe it`s not so much keeping it clean between washings, as it is making it look great between washings.

Some people claim to use LSP`s that have a self-cleaning aspect to them, but I`ve never been sold. Some LSP`s are more prone to attracting dust (like pure wax), but literally keeping your car cleaner? Not sold. And yes, including coatings.

 

[nickclark08]

Regarding McKees Hydro Blue, I noticed lest dust / pollen attracted to my wife`s car after a fresh application - Compared to mine with an after-wash rubdown of some spray wax over FK1000p.

My totally random hypothesis is that using a MF towel on dry paint to spread/apply the spray wax induces a little bit of a static charge - thereby attracting dust/pollen.

Just my opinion and observations - hope this helps.

 

[RaysWay]

MK37 Hydro Blue sounds like the perfect fit. Quick and easy way to add protection without touching the coated paint, very hydrophobic and lasts around 3 months (I`ve heard 4 months but I`ve never waited that long).

I`ve never had a problem with even coverage...but you can always use the 10 Minute Paint Sealant on its own or along with Hydro Blue (which is what it was formulated for originally).

 

[re-tired]

Keep it in the garage with the door closed

 

[glfnaz]

Coatings are the way to go. Last month before I coated my fife`s car (she had WG DPS sealant on it) a black Scion XB, I washed her car, dried it, then took a 2` x 2` section on her roof and applied an SIO2 spray to it. I had taped it off so it was basically a perfect square. The next week I checked it out. She drives daily to and from work and parks outside at work. The WG area was as dusty as usual, but the SIO2 square was considerably cleaner. By a lot. The sharp straight lines on the edge of the square easily showed a cleaner square. In this case I used Gyeon Cure. No prep at all, just a wash. It`s now 100% coated with Gyeon CanCoat.

 

[rlmccarty2000]

Keep it in the garage with the door closed

Or one of those drive in bubbles that filters the air. Lol.

 

[re-tired]

Or one of those drive in bubbles that filters the air. Lol.

my wife has always wanted one of those

 

[Lonnie]

Keep it in the garage with the door closed

That sounds far too much like a "Captain Obvious" remark!!! (Thoughts of being a smarta$$, rude, impolite, thoughtless, mean-spirited, and uncaring person may be conveyed here.)

I was going add, "If you are THAT concerned about it getting dirty, don`t drive it!", but I digress to the above statement....

Hey, a vehicle used and driven as daily transportation is going to get dirty. I highly "dislike" uncooperative weather after spending all day detailing a vehicle to the nth degree, and then having to drive it someplace because, well.. that `s what it I have vehicle for. While it may sound sarcastic (see statements above), sometimes you just learn to live with getting a vehicle dirty and having it stay that way, despite your best efforts. If there is one curse of a professional or hobbyist detailer it is having a customer pick up their vehicle in the rain (or snow or dust-storm or insect hatch) that you`ve just detailed (unless, of course, the show up with a large covered trailer!).

I will hijack this thread however , and ask if anyone uses Finish Kare 425 Extra Slick Final Body Shine that is suppose to have anti-static properties to keep a vehicle`s finish from attracting dust and how good it does in doing that??

 

[yamabob]

I`ve found for me that no matter what vehicle or LSP I`ve worked on, a quick spray and wipe with Kenotek SRS. helps keep down pollen and dust. Also I seem to be able to just spray them down and look great again ( obviously not cars driven thru rain and mud)

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Keep it in the garage with the door closed

With 2 black cars, sometomes not even that helps.

 

[rottenII]

With 2 black cars, sometomes not even that helps.

Owning two black cars....I have to agree with you.

 

[Coleroad]

Just because of how I am, I would still end up washing the car even if I pulled it out of a vacuum sealed bag. Oh well I like spending time with the cars anyway.

 

[WaxAddict]

That sounds far too much like a "Captain Obvious" remark!!! (Thoughts of being a smarta$$, rude, impolite, thoughtless, mean-spirited, and uncaring person may be conveyed here.)

I was going add, "If you are THAT concerned about it getting dirty, don`t drive it!", but I digress to the above statement....

Hey, a vehicle used and driven as daily transportation is going to get dirty. I highly "dislike" uncooperative weather after spending all day detailing a vehicle to the nth degree, and then having to drive it someplace because, well.. that `s what it I have vehicle for. While it may sound sarcastic (see statements above), sometimes you just learn to live with getting a vehicle dirty and having it stay that way, despite your best efforts. If there is one curse of a professional or hobbyist detailer it is having a customer pick up their vehicle in the rain (or snow or dust-storm or insect hatch) that you`ve just detailed (unless, of course, the show up with a large covered trailer!).

I will hijack this thread however , and ask if anyone uses Finish Kare 425 Extra Slick Final Body Shine that is suppose to have anti-static properties to keep a vehicle`s finish from attracting dust and how good it does in doing that??

Yeah Lonnie, I`m just about done with my 2nd 31 ounce bottle of FK425. I didn`t notice a lot of difference.
However, I use FK108AS for the interior, and it provides a good month of anti-dust attraction, so their anti-static additive has some cred in my book, but just don`t see it in action with the QD (Fk425).

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Owning two black cars....I have to agree with you.

It always seems like such a good idea at the time...

 

[Accumulator]

I will hijack this thread however , and ask if anyone uses Finish Kare 425 Extra Slick Final Body Shine that is suppose to have anti-static properties to keep a vehicle`s finish from attracting dust and how good it does in doing that??

Like WaxAddict, I never noticed that with FK425 (a member here joked that I must be "applying it backwards" ), but I *do* think that switching from FK425 to IUDJ helped keep `em cleaner between washes.

 

[Accumulator]

FWIW, when I`m not gonna do one of my usual Maintenance Washes, I just spray it off with deionized water using the pressure washer, and then blow it dry with the AirWand and the compressor. NO, it`s not Autopian-perfect, but it still qualifies for Best in Parking Lot.

 

[LEDetailng]

FWIW, when I`m not gonna do one of my usual Maintenance Washes, I just spray it off with deionized water using the pressure washer, and then blow it dry with the AirWand and the compressor. NO, it`s not Autopian-perfect, but it still qualifies for Best in Parking Lot.

Right here is the simplest solution. Especially with a well coated, sealed, or waxed car.

Accumulator, have you ever tried a quick wet down/pre-soak with a rinse less or waterless wash, then hit it with the deionized water, and then air wand and compressor?

I always have either a pump sprayer or multiple spray bottles of D114 or Uber around. I wish I had a the deionized water flowing through a pressure washer. I would like try this method myself if I was able to.

 

[Accumulator]

Accumulator, have you ever tried a quick wet down/pre-soak with a rinse less or waterless wash, then hit it with the deionized water, and then air wand and compressor?

Slightly different approach, but same idea- I always use the pressure washer first, period. If it`s really nasty I`ll do it with regular softened water with some confidence that by the time I`m done I`ll rinse it all away (if I`m lucky). If the pressure washing isn`t enough, I use a siphon-feed sprayer to do the IUDJ. Sorta a combination presoak/prewash/touchless wash. One of these days...as I keep saying ...I`ll try the Lonn Cleaning Gun instead of my old/weak sprayer and I expect that to work better.

I tried spraying the IUDJ on as a presoak with the regular pump-up garden sprayer I use with it, but that didn`t seem to do much...like the dwelling of regularly applied (i.e., no foamer/etc.) IUDJ wasn`t of much benefit.

I like the idea of trying to do as much as I can with just water. When more is required I start to think it`ll soon be time for a real wash.

I wish I had a the deionized water flowing through a pressure washer. I would like try this method myself if I was able to.

The CRS is *really* beneficial for me, but !oh man! do the associated costs add up. Fortunately, with the filtered/softened water going into it, I don`t have to replace the resin very often.

Eh, I`m just, uhm....in a situation where I gotta find ways to make the whole Detailing thing go a certain way or else it won`t get done. With what it takes for my Maintenance Washes, I can`t be doing that all the time but I still want the dailies to be decent.