Left my CL out one day last week while working in the garage. I had no idea that Mt. Saint Helens burped ash and the prevailing winds carried it my way. Now my beautiful silver car is a dull grey color. If you ever ran your fingers over a piece of 400 grit sandpaper, you've got an idea what my paint feels like.

I'm on the Zaino regimen and use microfiber mitts. Damn! I'm afraid to wash my car. Lookin' for some suggestions here. Thanks folks, sieze ya.

 

I would get one of those hose nozzle adapters in which you can add some soap, I got at WalMart for $6. Hose the car down with water and then the soapy water mix. Then when you use a mitt make you have flowing water as you wash the car, it wont hurt to use two buckets either. Once your car mitt gets dirty, dunk it in the second bucket to clean it off. Good luck.

 

I usually try to avoid car washes. But in this case, I think I would take it to one of the high pressure brushless car washes and it blast the ash off.

After that I would take it home and wash it.

 

Make a snow angel on the hood.

I would just use low-pressure stream of water to hose it off.

 

I would just do a regular wash and examine the finish for any other damage from the volcanic ash. Chances are, you should be fine since you used Zaino. :C

 

i would clean the car with air first to get off anything on the surface then hose it down

 

Yep, that's what i would do too!
But i wouldn't hold the wand at the wash too close to the car. The high pressure isn't good for the clear coat. But if you hold it far away. The pressure is more widely distributed and isn't too bad on the clear coat. Then take it home and wash it with the mitt very gently.
I've never experienced volcanic ash before. But if its' sticky, you'll want to be careful. If the surface doesn't feel smooth after hte mitt wash when you get home. Then i'd try the claybar.

 

Sorry to hear about that! Volcanic ash is some serious $hit! I've seen pictures of airplane windshields that have flown through ash, and it looks like somebody gouged the thing with a metal scooper. They've been known to seize aircraft engines as well.

Best of luck in getting your paint back up to par.

 

Holy Sh*t! Got it done! I was sooo nervous.

Went around and around three times with soap and water solution sprayed on with a miracle grow liquid fertilizer dispenser. Only removed maybe 50% of the shmutz.

Used a new Griots sheepskin mitt. One swipe each side of mitt, hose rinse of mitt, and dunk and agitate rinse in clean bucket of water.

Used double the usual Z soap as usual for lubrication purposes.

Thanks for the ideas. I pretty much knew what to do but I wanted to share my dilemma. Took two and a half hours even without the snow angel. Thanks again and sieze ya.