Can't Believe What I Just Read

[TR6speed]

There was a post on a specific car forum about the California Duster and how often people use theirs. I was so surprised to hear people state that they use theirs daily, but the big surprise was to hear many state that they use it but only wash their car ever 2-3 years. Some say the use the duster and a quick spray of a detail spray.

It seems that the majority of those that claim they hardly ever wash their cars live in California and Arizona. They also claim that they drive their cars on a regular basis.

I must be doing something wrong, because I cannot keep my car clean with a duster and a little detail spray for 2 years.

[Cjbarton]

What they think is clean is what we think is dirty. Everybody has a different level of cleanliness. Most of us want a swirl free car, with no scratches or dings and is dripping wet.

 

But most people are not like that. Most people don't care about how their cats look, and then some people just want their cars clean and tires shinier than their chrome wheels.

[Chris@Adams]

I have only washed my :burnout:GTO (2005) 3 or 4 times, all the rest of the time, after every drive DS & WW!

[MAYBEN]

Most people don't care about how their cats look

 

I care about what Smokey looks like..

[Cjbarton]

I care about what Smokey looks like..

 

I care about how my cat looks as well.

 

Stupid autocorrect.

 

Btw. Beautiful cat.

[Marylander]

Yea, I was going to say that my cat washes itself, but Mayben beat me to the cat joke.

Edited September 10, 2012 by MarylandTDI

[Pureshine]

Duster no thank you!

[Team Adam's]

Long story short - DRY REMOVAL IS DRY REMOVAL and will always be more risky than a process that wets, lifts, and lubricates the dirt particles. Changing the way the duster is used slightly for better technique makes it slightly safer, but in the end you're still dragging paraffin wax coated yarn over your paint. After a few uses, you then have strands of yarn, coated in wax, and covered in dirt particles...

 

You wouldn't wash your car with a dirty wash pad, why would you remove dust with a dry dirty mop and think its safe?

[J.greenroyd]

I was thinking of getting a california duster, so should i get one or no?

[TR6speed]

Long story short - DRY REMOVAL IS DRY REMOVAL and will always be more risky than a process that wets, lifts, and lubricates the dirt particles. Changing the way the duster is used slightly for better technique makes it slightly safer, but in the end you're still dragging paraffin wax coated yarn over your paint. After a few uses, you then have strands of yarn, coated in wax, and covered in dirt particles...

 

You wouldn't wash your car with a dirty wash pad, why would you remove dust with a dry dirty mop and think its safe?

 

I feel the same way. The only thing I can figure is the guys that don't wash their car but every few years really don't have any idea what a well detail finish looks like. I admit I am a little anal about the condition of my paint, but that is just me. Now I will do a waterless wash if I have been out and there is no real hard caked on dirt. but if I have been out in the rain or even after the rain but the roads are wet, it is getting a full bath.

[Team Adam's]

Its a compromise of sorts... live with a certain level of imperfection in order to dust the car quickly/easily, but like my buddy Dave @ Innovative Detailing always says:

 

"I love car dusters! They make sure I have a steady flow of clients with swirled up paint!"

 

For a lot of people its tolerable to have a few swirls here and there over time just for the sake of convenience, then theres those of us who obsess over perfection. Different strokes for different folks. Just don't get caught up in the idea that you can dry remove dust from your paint and have ZERO damage.

[J.greenroyd]

Oh ok i understand, so waterless wash is the best way to go then

[Team Adam's]

BEST is always going to be a full wash... a compromise would be waterless washing...

[J.greenroyd]

Yea i wash my truck every weekend, im gona order the waterless wash kit to keep it clean all week

[TR6speed]

I questioned to one that was the most vocal on not washing his car but about only every couple of years. He lives in Tucson and say that it only rains on an occasion and it only last about a half hour and then the streets dry in an few minutes. Never have dust storms that is in Phoenix only. He uses his duster daily and only uses detail spray to remove a bug stain never the whole car, but he waxes the car every 6 months. This is on a C6 LeMans Blue Corvette. I sure would like to see that car in person.

[ssbusdrvr]

Learned a lesson years ago. Don't use a CA Duster if you want to keep a nice finish. Don't ask how the dummy here knows that.

Edited September 13, 2012 by ssbusdrvr
deleting info

[THE Mook]

I have trouble wrapping my head around anyone spending that kind of money on a car, then going to WAL MART, buying crap product, and expecting either awesome results, or no damage being induced.

 

 

My old man's jaw hit the floor when I torched his. Yes, torched it.

[Team Adam's]

I cringe at car shows when I see the guys who wipe their wheels with them, then continue to grind it into their paint periodically through the day. Guess if you don't understand proper paint care you just expect a swirly mess and accept it as "normal".

[Tim]

Proof:

 

California Duster = not shiny paint.

 

[JBlack151]

I cringe at car shows when I see the guys who wipe their wheels with them, then continue to grind it into their paint periodically through the day. Guess if you don't understand proper paint care you just expect a swirly mess and accept it as "normal".

 

There is a GTO owner a few streets away from me and I always talk to him at the local classic car shows. He always uses a duster on this really nice dark cherry paint. I politely explained the damage those things are doing and even showed him the fine swirls they have caused. I didn't want to come off as a "know it all" in any way shape or form. It was just a great tip for him to use. He stood there and realized what I was saying was most likely true. He asked what he should do instead so I even wrote down the Adam's website and gave him a little list of items to order. Still to this day he wipes that thing down several times during a show!

 

Oh well. This past Saturday he informed me he wants to get on my schedule to have his GTO detailed.