coop1018

I wanted to see what most of you use to dry your vehicles, more specifically the NBP. It is so easy to see water marks if you do not dry it correctly. I have been drying it with 100% cotton T-Shirts, and after it gets wet there is not much more it can dry. Should I look in to a Micro Fiber Towel? Any other options?

Thanks in advance

alin2

Definately waffle weave microfiber. It's a revolutionary way of drying your car without streaking or water marks.

Check out:

www.autofiber.com
www.properautocare.com
www.waynestowels.com
www.detailersparadise.com

Enjoy!

flnsx

Electric leaf blower.

coop1018

Are you for real with the leaf blower?

flnsx

Ya,

I do it all the time. It works so well in the front grill area.

cccjoecool

Definitely try the leaf blower. I was skeptical when I first heard it, but it works. It is a timesaver and will keep your headaches down.

You'll have the water off within 5 to 10 minutes, and simply touch-up with a 100% terrycloth towel (white). Just be sure to keep the car rinsed often if washing it in the sun, and your results will be much better if you blow it off in a shady area, garage, etc.

DanG

I use a leaf blower too. It really isn't any different than the high speed fans used at gas station car washes.

Don't substitute a gas powered leaf blower. The engine's exhaust can be sent out in the air stream. You don't want that crud all over your freshly washed car.

coop1018

Wow that is awesome,.....do you do it on a low speed or what? Any dangers of using the leaf blower besides banging it in to your car? How far away do you hold it? Then you dry it off with Terry Cloth towel?

Dr.Murdock

I use some special material(i think its some kind of animal skin...deer skin maybe?) It picks up all the water on the car and leaves nothnig behind. It is specially designed just to do that, its the msot absorbant material i have seen. It feels like leather, and is orange/yellow. It does a great job, sucks up all the water, leaves absolutly no streaks and no drops of water are left, just with 1 simple wipe. Wiping down used ot tkae me long, but now it takes 5 minutes.

jzinckgra

Yep, another vote for the leaf blower. Other than the fact it is ear piercing (maybe I should where earplugs), it works great.

cliff

i think youre talkin about a chaomis, or a generic shaomis.

Aegir

I use a micofiber drying towel. Two suggestions that help me...First, rinse the car with a solid stream of water. Most of the water will just sheet off a well-waxed car, leaving little to dry. Second, either wash early in the morning or later in the evening. When it is hot out, it can be very difficult to dry the car fast enough to prevent spotting.

arkk

It's called a "chamois", or a "chammy". Soft leather made from a deer or a sheep.

I have an Anthracite/Camel, and use one. Don't get the cheapest one out there, spend a few bucks more, and it will reward you for many years.

Alan

Xpditor

After rinsing the car with high volume, low pressure flow (no spray nozzle), most of the water sheets off.

!) I use a faux chamois that I got at the car wash. It hold a ton of water and is very absorbant after it is wet. More than a leather chamois. I wipe in one direction only. On the horizontal surfaces (hood, roof, trunk) front to back in overlapping strokes. On the doors and fenders: up and down. IMPORTANT: Don't wash, dry, or "wax" in circular motions on NPB (especially). You can't help eventually getting swirl marks anyway. If they are in one direction, you have to be standing at just the right angle to see them. If they are circular, you will see them from every angle.

2) I finish with waffle pattern large microfiber drying cloth and then a spray final detailer (Zaino) buffed up with another microfiber cloth.

I have no swirl marks on my 4 month old TL. Yet.

Now... I am moving this generic cleaning thread to the cleaning forum. Follow me!

XP

mkeevil

The only thing I would watch out for with the leaf blower is that you don't flow dirt back onto the car. I am going to try it, but I think I am going to blow all rocks and dirt off my drive way before I start washing it.

jzinckgra

That's why I put my car on the grass.

exceldetail

I wrote this on another forum......Hope some find interest in it...If not, disregard ! If your only interested in Drying Techniques, scroll down to the ***asteriks...

I thought i would start a thread entitled Proper Washing Methods. I ve been reading some threads on other forums, its amazing what and how people wash there cars! So lets get started: The first thing you would like to do is pick a shaded area, this will help in permitting water spotting later. Items you will need for this venture are : 2 buckets, car wash, sheepskin mitt or microfiber mitt/towels, waffle weave drying towel, wheel brush, hose nozzle, a safe wheel cleaner, maybe some tire cleaner. Some folks like to clean wheels first, so I wont get into the particulars of that, its fairly easy, and basic. Apply a safe wheel cleaner, to one wheel at a time, clean with brush or suitable cleaning tool, rinse, continue to the next. lol
While your car is cool, and hopefully in the shade, start hosing the surface off with a high stream of water, start at the top so dirt and contaminants fall over non rinsed areas. Make sure to use a good stream to any side moldings and emblems, you will be amazed at the quantity of dirt hiding in there.
Continue to do this until the entire surface has been rinsed. Remember, top to bottom.....Next add a couple oz of car wash soap to bucket #1, and fill with water, add water to bucket #2. With the sheepskin in hand, or whatever youve selected to wash with, gently wipe the surface with suds from a front to back motion, again, your starting at the roof area, then trunk, then hood, then sides. Depending on your speed, and if it is warm and dry out, you may need to rinse each panel after washing, until you have completed the car. Keep your cars surface wet until your completely finished. When you find the need to redip your sheepskin in the suds, rinse it out in bucket #2, this will remove dirt and contaminants from possibly further scratching the surface. (Your going to want to make sure you have plenty of soap (lubricant) on your sheepskin all the while washing, this will help to suspend the dirt, and let it be carried off during the rinse.)Use that method throughout your washing.
*****After the vehicle is completely finished, remove the nozzle from the hose end, and let the water exit the hose without any added pressure. Hold the hose a couple inches from the roof surface, and start at the high end of the vehicle. Chase the water across the surface with the flow exiting the hose. Run/sheet the water across the surface, and continue with the hood, and rear deck, and sides.
When all is said and done, open the hood and trunk, and let the remaining water sheet itself off while you dry the sides with a Waffle Weave drying towel. (At this point, some like to use quick detailers or Eagle One’s “Wax as u Dry”.) Start at the top, and work your way down to lower panels, refold the waffle weave as it absorbs water, a 24x30 towel is generally all that is needed. You may want to follow in your other hand with a clean and dry microfiber 16x16 towel.
You may find this technique of benefit to you, and if so, you may be able to tweak it a little to meet your specific needs. Good luck, and I hope to have helped at least a few of you !
If anyone needs any additional questions answered, or some help in product selection, just PM me !

If this thread should get enough views, I will post a "Proper Claying" method also...
__________________
Somewhere between the clear and Blackfire....

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Last edited by exceldetail : 05-20-2004 at 04:53 PM.

ResidualFreedom

Preach the word Excledetail!!

"Excle"ent write up!!

exceldetail

Thanks RF !

Vicman17

These guys are the pros. Their comments and advice makes being a member of this forum worthwhile.

Anyway, for my NBP Acura EL, I wash it early morning or just after sunset. When the sun dries up hard water, the stains are hard to remove on black paint. The best soap I used so far for the NBP is Armor All wash concentrate, whic I think softens down the water so it doesn't streak or leave spots. I then do what Excel said about "spot-free" rinsing, squegee off the remaining water with a silicone water blade and finish off with a Simoniz dryign cloth (imitation shammy) or a MF towel. I have yet to try Klasse on the NBP to see if it reduces the static and lessen the dust attraction.

DAVERUBINO

Leaf blowers are where it's at. We bikers have been doing it forever. Gets the water out of all the cracks and crevaces. I've had people stop by to see what I was doing and said that they'll have to try it.

exceldetail

Dave, im just concerned about "dirty" air....Whatever gets ingested in the fan, comes out the nozzle....But use what works for you !

aGenKa

Excledetail, great post

i would love to see your claying post. i sent you a pm

adding to your reputation points

exceldetail

Ill cut and paste....

sir-bentley

If you are having problems w/ water spots on your windows? You can use some thing called [B]DUCKY[/B]. I use on my Wave runner & boat.

mwm

Another leaf blower advocate here. I've been using it to dry my cars for years. It really works great to get all the water out of the "easy to drip after drying" syndrome.