Accumulator`s Non-Marring Wash Technique

[jahoo]

no prob. i`m open to proof read articles old or new. i`m a noob so contextually i may fail to bring out what the author is really saying so i`m gonna confine myself to only clean up jobs. no pun.

[imported_Bert]

I need to rewrite/update this thing (supposed to make it an "article" too) but I never get around to it

Has you system changed all that much over the years?

[Barry Theal]

Geeee`s I thought my 3 foaming wash was a little over board! Your a nut Accumulator. LOL Hey that secret package arrived at its destination. It was an exciting moment. The sandwhich will be delivered shortly! <~~~ Was that not cool secret messaging or what!

[Alexshimshimhae]

so this is the infamous AWM

[Accumulator]

I haven`t been keeping up with this thread Even missed Barrry`s not-so-secret message!



I`ve refined the method, distilling it down, but I`m not 100% sure that what works for *me* with my boosted water pressure will work as well for people with normal water delivery.



I will say that the whole BHB/foamgun, then mitt/foamgun process only takes a *little more time/effort than washing conventionally now that I have the hang of it. And I`ve basically eliminated the need to do significant correction. As David Fermani has teased me, yeah...there are a few little flaws and most of my vehicles would benefit from a light polishing, but I haven`t done a full correction on some of the drivers in *years* and they`re still mighty nice (under *any* lighting* ).

[Xilleration]

Heh, I use five or six buckets as well! I thought it was only me!



Listen, a good tip, if you have accumulated a layer of crud on your car is this. When you get into washing the dirty panels with your mitt (I use lambswool) before you dunk it in the rinse bucket, just lay it flat on the windscreen or rear window and pressure wash it, both sides. It takes only a second, but it "fluffs" up the fibres and gets rid of the serious grit, and also allows for a really easy dunk and rinse of the mitt. I find it keeps the mitt good and thick and soft during the wash, rather than getting a bit "flat" as you work it.

[TheOther1]

When you get into washing the dirty panels with your mitt (I use lambswool) before you dunk it in the rinse bucket, just lay it flat on the windscreen or rear window and pressure wash it, both sides.

I have started just shoving the mitt onto the hose and fill them from the inside while running my hand over the outside to work dirt out of the fibers. I do this before dunking in rinse bucket. It really seems to work as I don`t have as much stuff in my rinse bucket under my grit guard at the end. It also keeps all that stuff off of my just cleaned car... :xyxthumbs

[Accumulator]

Note that with my wash technique the mitt(s) shouldn`t get very dirty, hardly soiled at all, actually. Even the water in the rinse buckets stays nice and clean even after a winter-filthy wash. The idea is that the dirt gets "dislodged and flushed away" rather than getting caught in the nap of the mitt (and then dragged across the paint, which can cause marring).

[extrabolts]

Accumulator - No wash is complete without drying. What`s your non-marring drying technique?:pray2:

[Accumulator]

Accumulator - No wash is complete without drying. What`s your non-marring drying technique?

Ah, yeah...gotta keep that in mind and include it when I finally get around to rewriting this thing.



I blow most of the water off with my AirWand, including the wheels/tires. I use the air compressor to get a few potential problem areas (e.g., the felt surround for the sunroof) dry. I prime my WWMFs by doing the windows first. Then I spritz a (very) little QD on the WW and wipe the car dry.



I used to be a lot more involved about it, spraying the QD on the paint, wiping it off first with one MF (maybe a waffle weave, maybe a plush mitt) and then buffing it some more with another MF (usually a plush one). But I`ve simplified that down to the above-mentioned method and it seems to work just fine.



No, I usually don`t blot dry. Just too much of a PIA. No, I don`t do a sheeting-rinse as my current shop`s water supply system just doesn`t accommodate that.



I guess I rely on getting the car clean to preclude drying-induced marring.



I then do the door/trunk jambs and the engine compartment, using QD. I use both WWMF and *cotton* towels and also a lot of cotton swabs. I try to be very gentle about it and the cotton towels I use are (hopefully!) soft enough not to mar if slightly damp with QD. IMO the cotton often dries things better than MFs in this kind of application. This part of the drying takes forever what with hinges/etc. and all the underhood stuff.



Then I go around the car holding a WW against the other potential problem areas that can retain water while I blow them dry with the air compressor. Then I blow the lug/valvestem areas on the wheels dry and wipe them down with a little FK425,often wiping the recessed areas with cotton swabs.



I use the creeper to move around the car drying the lower areas and certain parts of the undercarriage and, on the good cars, the wheelwells. Yeah, with the lower vehicles that involves jacking them up. Under-car areas that are visible (e.g., the trunk shell on Audis, the trailer hitch on the SUVs) always get QD-wiped.



I seldom dress the wheelwells, but if I`m gonna do that this is the time for it. Ditto for dressing the tires and other rubber items.



Then I move the vehicle back and forth while riding the brakes, to wipe the surface rust off the brake rotors. This usually creates a need to rewipe the wheels with more FK425 (or FK146).



Then I clean the glass properly with glass cleaner and a Griot`s polypropylene window wipe. One last check for drips and it`s done.



Yeah...it`s a big, long job that takes a lot of time and effort. Seems to be a least as demanding as the washing part. And yeah, I do all this stuff on every vehicle at every wash

[extrabolts]

At first I thought, cool this doesn`t look too bad. Maybe I can use my vac n blo as the air wand, no blotting needed, .... but then I kept reading and



:faint2:

[Accumulator]

extrabolts- Well, you can dial it back to sane-person level and keep it reasonable. The general idea of blowing off most of the water and then wiping up what`s left is the big thing, all that other [stuff] is just me being me.



And important part of getting away with the wiping-motion drying is ensuring that you get *all* the dirt off before you start touching the car (to dry it). The reason blotting is really better is that any residual dirt will be far less likely to cause marring, and sooner or later there *will* be that residual dirt.

[Barry Theal]

Hey pal here is a BUMP reminder for ya!!! lol

[Accumulator]

Barry Theal- Aw man, lighten up, I feel guilty enough about not redoing this already



You know how hard it is for old geezers to get it going :chuckle:

[Barry Theal]

Just read in another thread about you saying you needed to update it! Just thought I would remind you lol