To wipe up and down? or front to rear?

J

JL9000

New member
I've read a lot of people say that I'm supposed to wipe up and down on the side panels. Why is that? Is that to make scrathces less visible?
 
Many people feel that any swirls you may cause are less noticable because of the angle of the light reflection. Front to back on horizontal surfaces, up & down on verticals.



Charles
 
You should go in the direction that air moves over your vehicle. That is going to be the "grain" of your pain. If you go against the grain then you are going to get some nice crosshatched swirls or something. ;) Front to back would be the best way to do it. Up and down on the trunk, but front to back everywhere else.
 
Hey Jngr:

It's not my idea, it came from Sal Zaino.



From the Zaino web-site:

Want an even higher level of optical light refraction and reflectivety. Here's how. When applying Show Car Polish do the following; On all Top surfaces of vehicle, use a back and forth motion (from front bumper towards windshield). On all Side surfaces (doors, fenders, etc.) use a vertical motion, up and down. This technique will increase the way light attracts and reflects off of Show Car Polish. The body lines and contours of your vehicle will seem to glow. This trick really works.



Heck, I'm lucky if I get it all off, let alone what direction I wipe.



Charles :)
 
I've found Sal's advice to be true. One day I just spent several minutes staring at my car's vertical and horizontal surfaces in the sun and seeing if the sun's reflection highlighted up and down or side to side microscratches. I found at most "natural" angles the most visible swirls ran opposite to the recommended waxing direction, so I believe it.



That said, I don't have the discipline to follow it 100% of the time... :o
 
I am a little confused. All this up, down, horizontal, vertical, is making me woozy.





So let me get this straight.





On the-



hood

roof

trunk (top)





you wash back and forth?





on the-



front side panels

door panels

back panels

and trunk (bottom)





you wash up and down?









So this would include washing* and polishing by hand?



waxing does not matter.







Is this accurate in what is suppose to be done?





I wonder how Zaino determined the light refraction from scratches being put in the surface from washing and polishing another way than the above process?







Maybe I should give them a call.









:up
 
Knight said:


I wonder how Zaino determined the light refraction from scratches being put in the surface from washing and polishing another way than the above process?



Click to expand...



Sal is just admitting that drying your car will cause lines. If the lines are vertical on vertical surfaces then they will be less visible becaue the light won't be refracting off the edges of the microscratches. If you are going to dry that way then you always need to dry that way. If you dry up and down one week and then back to front the next week then you will get those cross hatched microscratches that are visible from any angle. Just pick a direction and go with it. :up
 
Jngrbrdman said:
You should go in the direction that air moves over your vehicle. That is going to be the "grain" of your pain. If you go against the grain then you are going to get some nice crosshatched swirls or something. ;) Front to back would be the best way to do it. Up and down on the trunk, but front to back everywhere else.
Click to expand...



I agree with this. Always go front to back, and apply very little pressure using a top quality wash mitt. Wash a panel at a time, make sure the wash mitt or whatever you are using is clean by washing it with plenty of water after each panel.
 
Still wondering if I described it correctly?





I wan't to make sure after I polish the finish to perfection that I can make sure to try and keep it looking that way.





:up
 
The perfect finish isn't a destination; its a journey. I doubt that any of us could keep our cars looking perfect for more than a day. I mean, if you drive your car at all then its going to get messed up. The perfect shine is something that has to be constantly maintained. Swirls happen. Scratches happen. It is the purpose of sites like this to teach us how to repair that damage and maintain our cars so you don't notice it very often. :xyxthumbs
 
Sounds good, but the question I asked? lol



I am all for any way to minimize the appearance of imperfections.





That way I get a break from polishing all the time.





maybe this will help( referral )



wait a second

I am a little confused. All this up, down, horizontal, vertical, is making me woozy.





So let me get this straight.





On the-



hood

roof

trunk (top)





you wash back and forth?





on the-



front side panels

door panels

back panels

and trunk (bottom)





you wash up and down?









So this would include washing* and polishing by hand?



waxing does not matter.













:up
 
It doesn't matter, dude. Either way could cause scratches. Washing your car isn't brain surgery. Just wash it in the same direction. I would say wash it in the same way the air moves over your car. You can figure that much out. Obviously the air is going to go up and over your car. I mean, figure out what "in the direction of the air" means and then wash in that direction. :D What part of your question do you feel hasn't been answered?



By the way, do you think you could put a couple fewer lines between your text? Its kind of annoying to read this 15 inch post with only 5 lines in it. Ya know? :P
 
Jngrbrdman said:
By the way, do you think you could put a couple fewer lines between your text? Its kind of annoying to read this 15 inch post with only 5 lines in it. Ya know? :P
Click to expand...

The first time, it is distracting, the second time it is somewhat annoying, The third time, the post is just ignored.

Problem solved.:p



Charles
 
Jngrbrdman said:
By the way, do you think you could put a couple fewer lines between your text? Its kind of annoying to read this 15 inch post with only 5 lines in it. Ya know? :P
Click to expand...











Ya,















I find















It alittle hard











To read. Is there a reason









































for it?
 
It really bothers you guys that much? Just trying to make things neat. I guess I won't be spacing then. Now, I am unclear on a couple things. First, I just want to know if what I said is correct? That's it. (either yes or no) I know both can cause scratches, but, I just want to know if what I said was correct? Alright? I mean I understand the air going over the top of the car, back and forth. The sides though, you guy's say up and down strokes. I don't see how the air does that, but i am willing to accept it. In one of the previous posts though someone said that the reason for going back and forth on the top and up and down on the sides is so the light refraction is not as great. So again, in my previous spacy post did I repeat it back correctly? Now the second question I am unclear on is about when I need to do this. I am guessing, washing,drying, taking off polish, and waxing? Do you understand where I am unclear?





:up
 
There isn't a right or wrong way. that is what we are trying to tell you. Sal recommends you go up and down because it will show scratches less than if you go side to side. Either way you choose to do it just be consistant in your method. If you go back to back then stay that way. If you go up and down then stay that way. It really doesn't matter. So your answer is 'no'. It doesn't matter so there is no correct assumption. Do it however you feel comfortable doing it and whatever way gives you the results you are looking for.



Now the second question I am unclear on is about when I need to do this. I am guessing, washing,drying, taking off polish, and waxing? Do you understand where I am unclear?
Click to expand...



Could you clarify what "this" is? You should go the same direction when you wash and dry and wax and seal and everything. That is where the consistancy comes from. It doesn't matter which way you go as long as you are going in straight lines and you are being consistant.
 
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