Adam's Washing 101

[Tru-Blu]

After 5 Benjamins of Adam's product, I'm fast becoming a junkie! I am extremely impressed with the level and quality of customer service that I've received - not to mention the outstanding quality of the products themselves.

 

That being said, I've got a few questions on washing in regard to technique (or my lack of). I'm using the 2 bucket method - with grit guards, and 2 of Adam's normal size wash pads. When I was using the second pad for the lower portion of the car, I got several pieces of small grass and grime on it. I followed the process outlined in the Volume 7 videos, and was not able to remove the pieces by rubbing them on the grit guards - rinse or wash buckets. I ended up having to pick them out by hand, and a few pieces were embedded enough that I almost had to take some pad material with them to get them out. I was thinking "if I have to do this or constantly check them, then how much good are the grit guards really doing?" I understand that there are probably particles that the guards ARE getting, but it left me with the feeling like what I thought was going to be really effective, really wasn't as much as I thought it would be.

 

So, am I doing something wrong or is this just the nature of the beast? In the past, I've used uber sponges for washing from another detailing site. While using the 2 bucket method with them, I haven't had this issue before.

 

I obviously want to make sure my technique is good from the very beginning, as most finish issues start with improper wash technique.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

Tru

 

P.S. I'm in no way insinuating that the Adam's wash pads are inferior products. I'm just trying to make sure I'm not doing something wrong with them. Adam's has a customer for life - or as long as the company stays in business!

[musclejunkie]

Hey another Michiganian! I'm by no means an "Adam's Expert" or even a Junkman "novice", but you raise a good point. I personally do not use the two bucket method, but rather the one bucket w/ grit guard and power mitt rinse method (I should coin this as the musclejunkie method). I also have had problems with dirt and grit ending up on or should I say "in" a wash pad AFTER rubbing on a grit guard. All this really does is embed the big stuff into the wash pad. And it is the big stuff that damages the paint, not the fine residue left under the grit guard. I constantly examine my wash pad after doing a section of the car and often times if I notice it is grimey, I will power rinse the pad, removing the debris, BEFORE I put it into the wash bucket suds and grit guard. This method has kept my car virtually swirl and scratch free since last October. I think wash pads like Adam's fine product are still a safer bet than a sponge of any kind as dirt particles are safer contained in the wash mitt fibers than on the surface of a sponge. My two cents anyway for what it's worth. Great question!

[Team Adam's]

Some things will just get tangled in the fibers no matter what you do. I have the problem with these small leaves that fall off of a neighbors tree and seem to stick to my truck. The little buggers just get burried in the knap of the pad.

 

The grit guard is really more about getting small 'grit' like dust and dirt out of the wash pad that doesn't tend to cling. You still need to be vigilant and do a visual inspection of the wash pad after every panel. If you get stuff like that which won't come out either pick it out by hand (if theres very little of it) or use a strong stream from the hose to rinse it out.

 

Also spending more time at the beginning RINSING the paint with a strong blast from the hose will generally get rid of these types of things before they're ever an issue.

[Tru-Blu]

Thanks for the responses, guys! Yep, I did blast the car (with Adam's firehose nozzle, shut-off, and quick connect) but some of it wasn't going anywhere without contact from a wash pad or elbow grease (our street is an alternate crater research site for NASA, and it was recently treated with pothole patches - and done very poorly IMO). So, my baby picked up a lot of crap from that - even at 2 mph.

 

It's good to know that I wasn't doing something wrong (how can you actually rub wrong on a grit guard - I'd probably find a way) and will just keep blasting and picking as necessary.

 

Tru

[musclejunkie]

[Bill-V8V]

Agreed, try to get any large stuff off the finish before washing. A blast from a firehouse nozzle, after a good foaming, should get any larger objects off the paint

[Team Adam's]

The other option is a 3rd wash pad to reserve only for the very worst spots...

[Bill-V8V]

The other option is a 3rd wash pad to reserve only for the very worst spots...

 

Oh great, now we are going to have to do write ups on a proper three bucket wash

[Frid]

Grit guards are definitely worth the money. They get the dirt out of the wash pads and make as a good stand to wash your PC pads and applicators with . Never had better results after a wash without doing the 2 bucket wash.

[Tru-Blu]

Next month's special - Adam's Quad-bucket system!! Can also be used as a motorcycle stand, raft, or diving platform!

 

[camaro2ssblack]

Dylan - while we are on the topic of washing...can you provide a summary of how you use your foam gun? For a normal wash, do you:

 

foam, soak, rinse, refoam, wash

 

or simply

 

foam and immediately begin washing

 

I thought I read somewhere that you said letting the foam soak, rinsing and refoaming was pointless...

Unless there is a huge benefit I would rather just do the second option due to wasting product, water and time..

[Chris@Adams]

Do you have the Adam's Fire Hose Nozzle? And do you have descent water pressure at your place?

The initial blasting off of the dirt is important! If my cars are super dirty I use my power washer first.

[RedexInLA]

This is how I wash my truck/SUV.

Works really well.

First, I wash it often to keep as much dirt/grime off of the paint.

Blast with my electric pressure washer, pre-spray using car shampoo, let sit 5 mintues, blast and repeat pre-spray using using a foam sprayer.

Use two buckets, first I use little pressure to gently wash most of it away, blast again, change my soap water and rinse water, use new MFT and wash it again, blast it all off.

I do everything that I can to remove most of the junk on the paint before i touch the paint, my wash water is pretty clean when I empty it telling me the paint was fairly clean before I wash using a MFT.

IMO pre-soak is the most important thing that I can do to prevent swirls.

I also rinse my towel every other panel then rinse it out in my rinse bucket keeping it dirt free.

Takes more time to do it this way but keeps the swirls down a lot.

[Tru-Blu]

Yep Chris, I use the Adam's firehose nozzle. I think I have pretty good water pressure. It's just that some stuff can end up sticking to the car pretty good, and isn't going to come off with just the pressure of the water blasting it.

[MAYBEN]

I need to get a pressure washer soon.. that would help a bit..