Ronkh
Wax Waster
I live in FL so that means "me too"
Your wash sponge/mitt/pad
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MiVor
New member
I'm thinking that my 'trick' is to not only do the pressure washer pre-rinse AND use foamed wash soap, but I'll also have a no rinse product (prolly ONR) in the bucket with the wash soap (perhaps Meguars gold classic) in combo with the double bucket rinse. Frankly with a decent LSP, the pressure pre-rinse has always left my finish pretty clean - the rest is just 'detailin obsession'...But I'll be extra careful on fenders and doors where road film can be more of an issue.
I think a mitt/mop can be used w/o marring just like MF towels can be used in a no rinse wash - it's all in ensuring the surface is properly prepped and sufficient lubricity to cause any little remaining 'dirt'/film to release very easily.
'nuff (or more) said.
Mr. Gloss
New member
Question.
How much of the LSP does a pressure rinse or pressure wash remove?
It has to remove some of the LSP, since normal washing and rain diminish it.
How much of the LSP does a pressure rinse or pressure wash remove?
It has to remove some of the LSP, since normal washing and rain diminish it.
Ronkh
Wax Waster
Does it? Or dies other environmental things diminish it, like sun, friction, dirt/friction?
Don;t know, but it's an interesting question, since I really believe that anything given enough time is water soluble.
Accumulator
Well-known member
I'd sure want to use something with much better lubricity (and as best I can tell, better encapsulation) than Meg's GC though, I consider that stuff mediocre at bets.
Well, I generally can't use a rinseless wash on most unclean surfaces without (at least occasional) marring, but that's just me.
Hey, as long as there's no need to polish out marring, it's all good.
Accumulator
Well-known member
I actually don't find washing, let alone rain/etc. to remove an appreciable amount of LSP; not like I need to redo it every few months or anything. Guess that'd depend on the LSP though since some stuff I used to use *would* pretty much wash off....
So far, my limited pressure wash-prerinse hasn't dented my LSPs, but I've only been doing it since Christmas.
MiVor
New member
Since running water erodes rock, I think one could conclude that under pressure, it could have a negative effect on wax/polymer LSP's. The extent is probably relative to the pressure and duration. In any case, with a lower pressure home water system (40/60 ppsi), I think it's worth it to blast any 'crud' off.
Accumulator
Well-known member
MiVor- Eh, I suspect that the "water rodes rock" is a bit complicated (water alone erodes *some* rocks to a significant degree but not others, and gee...define "significant", and I'd think that stuff *in* the water often contributes to the erosion) and so the analogy just might be on the spurious side for practical purposes.
Like...rainwater, which might be acidic, has virtually zero effect on my current LSPs. I don't have to redo the roof of the SUV even annually as it stays in "just LSPed" condition almost indefinitely.
Time will tell whether my new pressure washer regimen degrades my LSPs or not, but when I use the non-pw (but note that I have boosted water pressure anyhow) rinsing it sure did not have any discrenable effect. So I think you're OK blasting that crud off as often as you like. Heh heh, now watch your LSP behave differently from mine and make me eat my words!
Like...rainwater, which might be acidic, has virtually zero effect on my current LSPs. I don't have to redo the roof of the SUV even annually as it stays in "just LSPed" condition almost indefinitely.
Time will tell whether my new pressure washer regimen degrades my LSPs or not, but when I use the non-pw (but note that I have boosted water pressure anyhow) rinsing it sure did not have any discrenable effect. So I think you're OK blasting that crud off as often as you like. Heh heh, now watch your LSP behave differently from mine and make me eat my words!
MiVor
New member
I should prolly have elaborated to say that I've been power washing/rinsing for years and have never noticed any surface issues (eg degrading LSP)....however, I often followed up with an ONR wash and often a Durgloss Aquawax topper. So In a sense, I was 'waxing' after every wash in (somewhat) true Autopian style. So no way to determine if power washing had any negative effect at all~. (I'll likely never know).
Accumulator
Well-known member
MiVor- Ah, I see we're on the same page then.
MiVor
New member
I suppose if you have money to burn a ($80 - $125) boars hair brush would be fine. In spite of some others opinions, I'm using a micro fiber dreadlock mit on a stick when I do 2 bucket wet washes and it works just fine for me. But I pressure wash (rinse) first and often lace my inexpensive wash soap with some Optimum No Rinse for extry slickness. I think if/when you hose the real grit off first, use a good slick wash soap, and don't use your mit/brush like a sanding block the dirt comes off without grinding the paint.
WaxAddict
New member
I don't think $80 to $125 spent on something that lasts years and that you enjoy is "money to burn" category. I'd by one in a heartbeat, but after learning Accumulator uses one, I'm dead set against it.
That being said, I use the $6 mitts too.
Accumulator
Well-known member
I don't think $80 to $125 spent on something that lasts years and that you enjoy is "money to burn" category. I'd by one in a heartbeat, but after learning Accumulator uses one, I'm dead set against it.
Heh heh, that's good.
Regarding the price (and yeah, they do last for many years IME), everybody's gonna have their own threshold of significance. I know plenty of people who think that spending any money/time on detailing is a matter of having it to burn!
Repeating for emphasis- Note that used properly, a BHB is so gentle that it probably won't get all the dirt off. Used improperly it can result in marring (from the dirt, not the BHB itself).
ShawnF350- Why not a mitt user? I never wear them like gloves, but I think they work well if filled with shampoo solution and gently whisked across the panels.
Ok..I'll rephrase that..not a mitt wearer. I guess I can use one if it's not hard to hold onto
Accumulator
Well-known member
Glad you're not wearing it like a glove, I can't help but think that approach would lend itself to a too-hard contact with the paint. Plus, I'd rather have it full of shampoo (which seeps out of the mitt pretty gradually, giving some flushing in the absence of a foamgun).
What I do is fold the elastic cuff down inside it, dunk it in the shampoo bucket to fill it with shampoo solution, hold the cuff shut and hold onto that as I whisk it across the panel.
MiVor
New member
Uhm, in another thread you said you used a boars hair brush and would never use a mit???
I own lambs wools mitts, dreadlocks style mf mitts and boars hair brushes.
I use the bhb on the roof of my SUV, smaller bhb around emblems and on wheels.
For paint I prefer the lambs wool mitts it the car is in good shape with LSP. If not I use the dreadlock mitts. I usually use the lambs wool for the top 3/4 and a Mf for the lowest 1/4.
I have not found the mf or bhb to be any less safer than the lambswool in terms of inflicting wash induced marring. The process you use it ultimately the most important factor in maintaining a swirl free finish. That an a durable LSP.
I use the bhb on the roof of my SUV, smaller bhb around emblems and on wheels.
For paint I prefer the lambs wool mitts it the car is in good shape with LSP. If not I use the dreadlock mitts. I usually use the lambs wool for the top 3/4 and a Mf for the lowest 1/4.
I have not found the mf or bhb to be any less safer than the lambswool in terms of inflicting wash induced marring. The process you use it ultimately the most important factor in maintaining a swirl free finish. That an a durable LSP.
LostHighway
New member
I use thumbless MF mitts or pads 95% of the time now, predominantly the rasta/noodle/chenille-style but the Meguiar's-style seems to work fine too. I usually use them as pads with the cuff, if there is one, tucked inside but occasionally the greater control of having your hand in the mitt comes in handy. For me the biggest virtue of the MF mitts/pads is that they are relatively cheap and easy to care for so switching to a fresh mitt (I use two to four per vehicle for paint and a separate pad for wheels) doesn't require a cost:benefit calculation.
I do like some wool mitts/pads for the softest of paints: the Dooka Pad, the CarPro mitt and the DodoJuice Supernatural Short Hair mitt. I see no upside to something like the Wookie's Fist or other extremely long haired mitts/pads and the care required is ridiculous.
I tried both the grout sponges and the big blue Lake Country sponge for both regular and rinseless washes and hated them - too prone to hold pollen, dirt and grit right on the contact surface IMO.
I haven't tried a BHB, the buy-in is expensive and I seem to recall a several posts about QC issues and having to inspect and return multiple examples to get a good one. Life is too short.
I do like some wool mitts/pads for the softest of paints: the Dooka Pad, the CarPro mitt and the DodoJuice Supernatural Short Hair mitt. I see no upside to something like the Wookie's Fist or other extremely long haired mitts/pads and the care required is ridiculous.
I tried both the grout sponges and the big blue Lake Country sponge for both regular and rinseless washes and hated them - too prone to hold pollen, dirt and grit right on the contact surface IMO.
I haven't tried a BHB, the buy-in is expensive and I seem to recall a several posts about QC issues and having to inspect and return multiple examples to get a good one. Life is too short.