The threshold for detailing spray or full wash?

[IMADreamer]

Well I washed my car yesterday and it was looking great, but we just had a small shower come through and now it has water spots and dust spots all over it from the rain. I was wondering if this is a detail spray situation or should this be a full on wash?

[Team Adam's]

Jason,

Great question and experience helps. I learned the hard way what works and what does not, my daily driver is a black truck and it requires much more love than my silver car. I know it's safe when I can soak a section and wipe it off with no micro scratching. I always test a small section first. Typically water spots do need to be washed off - there is more sediment left behind that people realize. Morning dew is sometimes worse because it turns dust into a sort of mud that dries.

[Team Adam's]

Jason is right... water spots are a nasty thing and really safest to wash them off.

[estecoca]

Well I washed my car yesterday and it was looking great, but we just had a small shower come through and now it has water spots and dust spots all over it from the rain. I was wondering if this is a detail spray situation or should this be a full on wash?

 

Jason, thanks for asking this - I have been contemplating this exact idea for quite some time now. The way I look at is that doing a wipe-down on a surface that's really dusty or semi dirty is like playing with fire: maybe you'll be ok, but maybe you'll get burned. I like to play it safe most times. If its anything more than regular garage dust, I play it safe and wash it.

 

If you do choose to go with a wipedown, remember to use LOTS of DS (proportional to the amount of dust/dirt) and keep switching to a new/clean section of the MF or a new towel altogether.

[IMADreamer]

Thanks alot guys for the responses. I guess it will be a full wash for me again. It's going to rain again tomorrow so maybe I'll hold off a few days. lol