A bit frustrated

[jpu471]

I spent a lot of hours yesterday on my car wash. Clay, polish, etc. you all know the drill. Today a fine layer of dust so I tried the waterless wash. I used a MF cloth and low and behold a zillion scratches. These are new cloths washed only a few times. I have been through all the different ways of washing, Woolite no Woolite, warm water, cold water, liquid detergent, a powder given to me by Adams folks, why do I have scratches. Is there an official way of cleaning these towels so they don't scratch or leave fibers? The videos show everything except how to care for the towels. As of today there are still current posts about this subject. I am ranting but I think everyone of us who has gone through the complete process then shoots themselves in the foot when using a non scratch item knows the frustration. For some reason my icons are not working but if they were it would be the HELP one.

[Junkman2008]

Ken, I can tell you exactly what caused your problem. It wasn't the towel you used (in this case), nor was it the type of towel you used. Here's what happened.

 

First off, there was way too much dirt on the car for you to be using the Waterless Wash in the first place. I don't even have to know how much dirt was on the car and I can still say this with the utmost confidence. It doesn't take much dust or dirt but obviously, the amount on there was enough. Here's the second mistake you made.

 

When you wet an area down with Waterless Wash and bring the towel across the paint, a ridge of dirt will show up on the towel if the car is too dirty. That is your only warning that you are about to screw up your paint. If there is enough dirt to leave a ridge on the towel, you need to wash the car using the two bucket method. If not, here's what is going to happen. The first stroke of the towel picks up all the dirt in its path. That's fine. It is when you take the towel in the opposite direction and grind that ridge of dirt back into your paint that you screw up. I see this at every freakin' car show I go to and it makes me cringe. That is why I wasn't all giddy when the Waterless Wash was introduced because I knew that guys where going to be doing EXACTLY what you did.

 

I am going to do a video on how to wipe your car down with Waterless Wash. But lets look at this using common sense. You wouldn't take your hand and wipe it back and fourth across the paint while dust is sitting on the car, right? So why would you do that exact same thing with a towel? The dirt doesn't magically disappear because you sprayed Waterless Wash on it or because you are using a microfiber towel. The dirt is sitting there and when you go back and forth with the same section of towel across that dirt, guess what you are doing? That's right my friend, you are grinding dirt into your paint and creating those micro-fine scratches you saw. Jesse actually got it right in his post about using multiple towels. That's the other part of the scratch free equation.

 

Keep a look out for the video.

[bigred vette]

Aj, I thought the WCW was suppose to "encapsulate" the dirt and prevent this? The way I understood your post is there has to be almost no dirt/dust on the car. If that's the case, DS should only be used when there's no dust on the car? Now I'm confused.

[magnum3.14]

Keep a look out for the video.

 

I have been waiting for a WCW video for a logn time! used a brand new WCW waffle weave towell on a 'recently rained on and now dry with water spots and a little dust on my car' becuase I wanted to remove the water spots and still got scratches. Granted they were VERY fine scratches and I am not even conviced yet that there were paint scratches but rather 'wax scratches' (if you read this link http://www.adamsforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=79019#post79019)

[DP 08 GXP]

Aj, I thought the WCW was suppose to "encapsulate" the dirt and prevent this? The way I understood your post is there has to be almost no dirt/dust on the car. If that's the case, DS should only be used when there's no dust on the car? Now I'm confused.

 

X2

[jpu471]

You know AJ I think you are correct in your assessment of WCW. I did though use the two bucket wash, and it was a relatively light coat of dust which is why I tried the WCW. I also used it on my wife's new Escape ,with the special towel, had also done a two bucket and voila scratches. I think from now on I am just going to wash my car when its dirty after all I have to use my new foam gun to impress the neighborhood. Thanks for the response. P.S. notice I now use capitals and punctuation. Just don't ask me to diagram my sentences. Ken

[Junkman2008]

Aj, I thought the WCW was suppose to "encapsulate" the dirt and prevent this? The way I understood your post is there has to be almost no dirt/dust on the car. If that's the case, DS should only be used when there's no dust on the car? Now I'm confused.

 

And that it does but the part that is not stated is how much dirt can be safely encapsulated without creating an issue, and how.

 

It can be done but there is definitely a technique to it and you need quite a few towels, depending on how dirty the car is. Personally, I won't take a chance when that much dirt is on the car. I will do one of two things. Wash the car or remove the dust first with a California Duster and THEN use the Waterless Wash. The CA Duster is just as bad as grinding dirt into the paint when used improperly. If used exactly as the manufacturer calls for, this is a very important first step to using a waterless washing product.

 

This is nothing but common sense logic. The dirt goes into the towel and stays there. If you grind said dirt against the paint, the outcome is obvious. You don't even have to think about this. It just makes common sense.

 

I have been waiting for a WCW video for a logn time! used a brand new WCW waffle weave towell on a 'recently rained on and now dry with water spots and a little dust on my car' becuase I wanted to remove the water spots and still got scratches. Granted they were VERY fine scratches and I am not even conviced yet that there were paint scratches but rather 'wax scratches' (if you read this link http://www.adamsforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=79019#post79019)

 

After driving in the rain is the absolute worse time to use a Waterless Wash type product (especially a lite rain). Here's why.

 

When it first starts raining, all of the dust and dirt on the road is getting slung around all over you car. The dirt is fresh and laying around in the middle of the street. As you drive, the drops of rain on your paint are collecting this dirt and grime. The key here is that we are talking about grime at this point, NOT dust. Grime, as in extremely tiny rocks! If you attempt to wipe this grime off your car, you will definitely scratch the paint no matter how careful you are. If you drive in any kind of rain, no matter how light it is, wash the car, period. I can tell you this from many anal paint experiences. Your paint has to be darn near perfect (or perfect) for this damage to show up as obvious as Ken is seeing it. Those of us with dark colored cars really have to pay attention to what we are doing because once you've incorrectly rubbed on the car, the damage looks hideous.

 

You are right, the scratches are extremely fine but they are not wax scratches. They are in the clear coat. Here's the good news. They come out in a heartbeat with a pass using the white pad and some FMP. Very easy to remedy, but who needs the extra work.

 

You know AJ I think you are correct in your assessment of WCW. I did though use the two bucket wash, and it was a relatively light coat of dust which is why I tried the WCW. I also used it on my wife's new Escape ,with the special towel, had also done a two bucket and voila scratches. I think from now on I am just going to wash my car when its dirty after all I have to use my new foam gun to impress the neighborhood. Thanks for the response. P.S. notice I now use capitals and punctuation. Just don't ask me to diagram my sentences. Ken

 

You have improved Ken!

 

Just watch the video that I produce. There is a better technique to dealing with the dust on your car using Waterless Wash than the technique you used. I will cover it in detail. I've been meaning to address this for quite some time but I've been busy as all get out!

[magnum3.14]

After driving in the rain is the absolute worse time to use a Waterless Wash type product (especially a lite rain). Here's why.

 

 

sorry, maybe I wasn't clear enough in my post, I ment. I had a freshly polished brand new looking car parked outside. 2 days passed, then it rained. 1 more days pass, the rain has now left water spots that I don't like, and want to hit it with WCW and I am sure in that last day after the rain, the a very very light film of dust had settled. That is when the WCW caused the very very fine scratches that I am not totally conviced either was if they are wax scratches or CC scratches. But the car was parked in a driveway, open to the elemnts, but too far for any car to splash it with muddy/rocky rain water or anything. The reason for wanted to wash it was strickly from dried up sky rain (that I assume washed off the first 2 days of dust, and one more days worth of dust.

 

But some good info about driving in the rain, thanks.

[Junkman2008]

sorry, maybe I wasn't clear enough in my post, I ment. I had a freshly polished brand new looking car parked outside. 2 days passed, then it rained. 1 more days pass, the rain has now left water spots that I don't like, and want to hit it with WCW and I am sure in that last day after the rain, the a very very light film of dust had settled. That is when the WCW caused the very very fine scratches that I am not totally conviced either was if they are wax scratches or CC scratches. But the car was parked in a driveway, open to the elemnts, but too far for any car to splash it with muddy/rocky rain water or anything. The reason for wanted to wash it was strickly from dried up sky rain (that I assume washed off the first 2 days of dust, and one more days worth of dust.

 

But some good info about driving in the rain, thanks.

 

If I leave the car outside overnight where there is enough temperature change to create dew, that car gets washed. If dust has the opportunity to adhere to the paint (like it does with morning dew or dried rain), that is scratching dust just waiting to happen. Both scenarios mean that I would wash the car.

 

But again, I'm anal like that.

[DP 08 GXP]

hey A.J. you got a video on how to use the california duster correctly lol?

[Junkman2008]

hey A.J. you got a video on how to use the california duster correctly lol?

 

It will be included in the Waterless Wash video.

[DP 08 GXP]

It will be included in the Waterless Wash video.

 

cant wait