How much pressure to apply when washing

[mikebai1990]

I've always used very little pressure when washing our cars with Meguiars Gold Class shampoo. I've recently switched to using grout sponges, and I've been able to use one sponge to produce lots of foam, and another to clean the paint. I've noticed that when I wash softly and gently, the water beading isn't that great after rinsing the car off. I experimented putting more pressure and thoroughly cleaning the surface (multiple passes back and forth), and I got much better water beading.



We do have a pollen infested tree which the cars are parked under, and I suppose this is what's laying the film of whatever-it-is on the car. If there's just dirt, I'm sure that a gentle wash would get it right off. But with the sap and pollen, it seems like I have to apply lots of pressure to get the surface clean. Is this normal?



When I apply lots of pressure, I'm always worried about marring the paint, so I may be considering using a clay bar to clean the surface next time instead...

 

[thesacrifice]

with a sheepskin mitt I use barely any pressure. If something needs that much pressure to come off the car, I'll come back and get it with something else later (clay, bug tar remover , etc)