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What am I doing wrong? Detail Spray


DGscatpack

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Hey guys, hoping for some constructive input here. I'm doing something wrong with my detail spray because it's streaking and leaving a cloudy film behind. I know it's something I'm doing because I've used it perfectly fine in the past. I tried to capture what it looks like, but my camera wouldn't focus enough to pick it up.

 

He's my method. Pressure wash, car shampoo foam bath, soak then rinse, two bucket wash down (three actually I do my wheel out of their own), pressure rinse again, then I went around the car misting the whole car and started drying with great white drying dowel and double soft. The car was cool and shaded the entire time. Looked great in the shade but when I pulled it out I could see the streaks.

 

Any inusing too much? Maybe I let it sit too long? Is it like gloss and H2O GG, where the first towel needs to be wet? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks!!

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How many sprays are you using per panel? I find 2 or 3 for the first few panels (doors, front guards etc) and then reduce the usage as the towel gets loaded up, down to 1 spray and let the build up in the towel do the rest.

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You might not be getting it dry enough. But when it is cold out, (20 degrees), I notice it will streak a little but and it is harder to do.

 

But if those aren't it, try spraying some detail spray in the great white drying towel.

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How's the towel you are drying it with?   If it's a MF towel, did you dry it with other towels or a dryer sheet?  I know doing that could affect its proper dryer abilities.  

 

Also, you mentioned using a pressure washer to rinse it off.  Does it have any soap attached to it?  Just wondering if any soap residue could be getting on the car after you rinse it.  

Edited by scoe141
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Outside temp and the towels as mentioned above are two major contributers to Detail Spray streaking. I always pull into the sunny area (hard to get out here) for the final wipe down, also I find the longer nap orange Adam's towels work best for me on final wipe downs for best shine.

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How many sprays are you using per panel? I find 2 or 3 for the first few panels (doors, front guards etc) and then reduce the usage as the towel gets loaded up, down to 1 spray and let the build up in the towel do the rest.

I may be over using, i did about 3-4 all the way around the car at the same time.

 

You might not be getting it dry enough. But when it is cold out, (20 degrees), I notice it will streak a little but and it is harder to do.

 

But if those aren't it, try spraying some detail spray in the great white drying towel.

I'm in Phoenix, it was a 100 degrees out yesterday so cold wasn't a problem.  The washed mid morning though before I'd driven the car and my wash space is completely covered so no direct sun light.  I think I'm going try spraying on the towel first instead of on the paint. 

 

How's the towel you are drying it with?   If it's a MF towel, did you dry it with other towels or a dryer sheet?  I know doing that could affect its proper dryer abilities.  

 

Also, you mentioned using a pressure washer to rinse it off.  Does it have any soap attached to it?  Just wondering if any soap residue could be getting on the car after you rinse it.  

Only MF towels on the paint, literally the only thing that touches my car are adam's products.  I used the great white drying towel as my main and following that with a double soft MF to polish.

 

I use a foam cannon for the first soak and then take that off when to rinse, so no soap afterwards.  I try to be pretty thorough with rinsing, so hopefully I'm not leaving any residue.

 

Outside temp and the towels as mentioned above are two major contributers to Detail Spray streaking. I always pull into the sunny area (hard to get out here) for the final wipe down, also I find the longer nap orange Adam's towels work best for me on final wipe downs for best shine.

Do you apply your spray directly to the paint?  I have some of the orange towels, I'll give those a try.  What towel are you using for you first pass to dry?

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I use my sidekick to blow out the cracks and spots water collects. I follow that with detail spray (general all over misting, Adam method, maybe not quite that much product) and a great white, maybe a double soft after that. If it seems like there are streaks once I pull back out on the street I grab the orange towel and the detail spray, give one or two misting shots to a panel until the towel builds up some and then only one when it feels like it is dry to the panel.

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I'm in Phoenix, it was a 100 degrees out yesterday so cold wasn't a problem.  The washed mid morning though before I'd driven the car and my wash space is completely covered so no direct sun light.  I think I'm going try spraying on the towel first instead of on the paint. 

Spray a couple shots of detail spray into the towel and mist the whole car.

 

On a side note, Adams is coming out with a new drying towel soon, so you might want to invest in that!

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I have seen Detail Spray streak if the car is not dried thoroughly when the the spray is used as a drying aid. 

 

Try misting and drying one panel at a time. After initially drying a panel, flip the folded GWDT to a drier side and give the panel a light buffing. Rotate through the folded towel so that a dry side is used to buff a panel or 2 before using that side is used to dry. (I mist the dry side with a bit of Detail Spray before using.) Alternatively, you could dry the entire car panel by panel and then buff (maybe with a Double Soft) as a second pass.

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I've had issues before with both HGG and Detail Spray when the underlying product was applied poorly. For example, I tried applying HGG shortly after Paint Sealant (old 16oz bottle) and it streaked wicked bad. Do you perhaps have a layer of sealant or wax underneath that may not have cured properly?

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High Carla, lol, those towels come around during Halloween, they are sold to match the pumpkin spice scented detail spray. They are the same towels as the edgeless great towels that adams sells all year long!

 

 

Orange towel? Is that a throw back product or can I still get them?

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I think it has to do with the towels, and the water evaporating with the D.S. being present. Because of the heat, I had it happen to me last summer "I live in FL." What I did to correct the issue was dry the car completely then go back over with D.S. and clean towels to remove any water spots. Give it a try it worked for me.

 

-Jason

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I think the problems are pretty well covered so far, I would only add that you probably need to use more than 1 double soft for the detail spray portion.  I find that to do my car I go through about 3-4 double soft towels in order to dry it well and not leave streaks once the towel is saturated with the detail spray.  If you have a couple extra double soft towels laying around give that a shot and it will hopefully help. 

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I used to hate detail spray I believe I even made a post similar to yours. The best way I've found to use it is. Wet the microfiber and ring it out so it's just damp then put a few sprays on the towel then wipe. I have 0 streaking now

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My experience is to mist the car while still wet (in sections) after a pooling-rinse... 

and keep flipping that towel, not going too bananas on the spray. After almost 10 years, I def. learned that you don't need to FLOOD the panels. When I am all done, I get a fresh Single or Double Soft towel, and do a once over... misting and then "buffing" any area that may have streaked or had a drip... lightly, and to perfection.

 

Hope that helps!

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