scratchless wash

[930slant]

Black is beautiful but boy does it ever show off every scratch and swirl mark! Have any of our "concours" afficianados had experience with using horse hair brushes for washing their cars? It would seem that their value would be in not trapping/holding small particles that could scratch the paint. However, I do wonder if the horse hair is itself so hard that it will adversely affect the paint over a period of time. Lambs wool mits are soft but even they can trap and hold small particles that will scratch the surface if too much pressure is applied. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!!

[Planter91C2]

i think that is the nature of the beast. there is no way to realistically keep black paint in new condition for any length of time.

realistically.

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Daryl 964 Targa

[pbs911]

When you wash the car, always move in one direction preferably in the direction of air flow ove3r the car. Don't move the wash mit, horsehair brush, or whatever, in a circular motion. If scratchs do occur when you wash, dry or wax the paint they will be more visable if they are circular since light fromn all angles will pick them up.

If there are swirl marks, try the Glazing Compound by 3M. Again, only applying it in one direction. Follow it up with a good coat of wax.

I avoid all power buffers. I just don't like them. It seems that any benefits are outweighed by potential probelms. Just imagine what a power buffer could do do a small piece of sand caught in the buffing wheel. A P-car is not that big, so hand washing, waxing and polishing doesn't take that long. Just my .02.


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Paul
78SC Targa

[jabb]

Use the 3m hand glaze after the wax...

This can also be used after you was the car.
it is not a wx just a glaze designed to enhance the wax hide Swirl marks,,,

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• Joe A.
• 84 911 Targa
• 75 914/6 3.0

[Kmatts]

Hey guys.
i have black 78sc with fresh paint.
however, i can see a lot of swirl marks, no orange peel, but lots of circular marks.
I would really like to hide these. I have thought about having someone re-cut the clearcoat. this maybe a bad idea, i don't know. Does this 3m stuff sound like a good idea. if so where the heck can i buy it?
Thank you everyone.
Kyle.

[lsolon]

Here's something I found:
What is the best product to use as a car wash? The correct answer is use what you like the best. There are some drawbacks to certain products and advantages to others. Dish detergents (Ivory Liquid, etc.) may be used, but realize that these products are designed to remove animal or vegetable fat from fired ceramic. They look at your nice coat of wax with the same hungry eyes. If you enjoy washing and rewaxing weekly, then dish detergent is for you. Wax retailers love people who use Ivory Liquid (they send the Ivory Company Christmas Cards every year).

If you prefer to have your wax last a lot longer, you may consider using a product that is specifically designed for automotive use. The quality products are based upon detergents instead of soaps. Most soaps are manufactured from rendered animal byproducts (the stuff the dog food people reject). They contain trace elements that can actually damage your paint. These trace elements are the same goodies that leave a ring in your bathtub. The exception is soaps manufactured from plant fats. (These leave mold in your tub - just Kidding)

Quality car washes/shampoos (same thing - most cars don't have hair) are usually pH controlled, contain gloss enhancers and some even have small amounts of water-soluble wax for good measure. Use only enough car wash to break the electrostatic/ionic bond between the dirt and your car. Start with a clean large bucket (preferably plastic - if you kick the metal bucket, Mr. Paint Chip rears his ugly head); add a small amount of the car wash and fill with cool water. Avoid hot water, as it will soften the wax. Read the directions on the car wash bottle and try reducing the recommended amount by half. I use less than a cap full in 5 gallons. The more car wash, the more wax you remove. Try to avoid powder car washes as the undissolved granules can lodge under your sponge or wash mitt and scratch the paint surface. Make sure that your car is in the shade and the paint surface is relatively cool. Rule of thumb #1: If you can comfortably hold your hand on the hood, you can wash/wax the car.

Spray the car with a gentle spray to thoroughly wet the surface. Don't use a 200 P.S.I. fire hydrant spray, it isn't needed and may grind the surface grime into the paint and cause scratches. Some of the concours purists will not use a nozzle on the hose at all. Start at the top of the car and work down. Rewet the top; gently wash the top and then rinse. Move onto another section, such as the trunk or hood. Rewet this area, wash and rinse. Continue on down the car, completing a section at a time. This way, the car wash does not dry on the paint.

You may use a wash mitt, wash pad or sponge to wash your car. I prefer a wash mitt, as the grit tends to work up into the long fibers and not scratch the paint. When I redip the mitt into the wash bucket, I give it a swirl to release the grit and every so often hold the top open, allowing it to fill with water. I then lift straight up and as the water runs out, it "back flushes" the trapped dirt out of the mitt. The flat surface of a sponge can sometimes catch dirt and act like sandpaper. The purist will use two wash mitts, one for the top half of the car (the cleanest) and one for below the trim line and wheels/wheel wells.

You should dry the car as soon as possible. There are several methods to accomplish this. Lots of towels are a great drying medium. They should be 100% cotton. Check any towels carefully as most towels contain polymer fibers that scratch like hundreds of hypodermic needles. Do not assume that the 100% cotton label on the towel is telling the truth. The only way to check is to actually set fire to a rolled up corner of the towel. If you get a clean flame like a candlewick then it is 100% cotton. If you see black smoke and melted fibers, then you got one of the non 100%, anxiously waiting to scratch your paint type of towels. One person checked 130 towels all marked 100% cotton and discovered that 12 actually were. I love truth in advertising.

Start at the top, lay the towel on the top and then GENTLY blot up the water from the surface. Change to a dry towel and blot any remaining water. Move to the hood or trunk and repeat. Dry the sides last, as the water will usually take care of itself on these surfaces. Another method is to use a chamois. There are two types, natural and synthetic. The natural leather chamois contain acids, primarily tannic, that strip wax. Most synthetic towels don't seem to do a satisfactory job. One exception is the P21S Super Absorbing Drying Towel. I have stopped using towels after trying this goodie and I used to be a "dyed in the wool" towel man. Driving the car to dry it may be fun, but you are re-depositing dirt on the wet surface and allowing the resulting "mud" to dry on the paint.

Bird presents are one of the most damaging "natural" disasters that attack our paint. (I have never seen a Yugo attacked by a bird, but just wait till your brand new pride and joy leaves the garage, they swoop in like someone rang the free birdseed bell.) I don't know what we are feeding the birds, but what comes out of the south end of a northbound bird is highly acidic. The longer we leave these psychedelic bird presents on our paint, the more damage they will cause. The acids tend to etch a microscopic pond shaped depression in the paint. Removal as soon as possible will help minimize the damage. Instead of carrying a hose and bucket in your car, carry a bottle of no salt seltzer water. No salt seltzer water is nothing more than water and carbon dioxide which will not harm your paint. When needed, take off the cap, place your thumb over the top, shake well and you have a fire hydrant that will wash the worst of the bird's thoughtful gift from your paint. Try to rub this area as little as possible. Birds use gravel to digest their food and grit is one of the major components of their presents. If you try and rub off the solids, you may scratch the paint. Once you have gotten home and had a chance to wash the area with car wash, rinsed thoroughly and dried, use a little Meguiar #34 or One Grand Show Off to help remove any leftover acids. When you have the time, give the area a coat of wax. If the acids have left a slight mark in the paint, see the article on cleaning your paint. 3M Imperial Hand Glaze will usually remove all traces.

[pbs911]

I got my 3M glaze from my paint guy. Call a car detail product distributor and they should be able to hook you up.

Before waxing and wiping in one direction, I had put swirl marks into the black paint. The 3M glaze took the swirl mark away with minimal effort.

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Paul
78SC Targa

[jbripps]

Hey lsonlon,

Wow, that was pretty thorough. You need your own infomercial!!

JON

[Fishcop]

Bird poo is bad, but where I am we have fruit bats (or flying foxes). The deposits left by these winged wonders WILL strip paint, ask me how I know! Apparently all the fruit these suckers eat creates an acid that is a superb paint remover. I never park my car under trees now unless I have the cover on.

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John Forcier
69 911T