Please help a novice

[AV8R]

Best way to dry your car is with a garden blower then blot up excess water with microfibre towels.
Merlin... try using a good wax and when she gets wet use a good quality detailer to quickly spray on and wipe off water marks and light dust. I use chemical guys stuff but meguires quick detailer is ok. That way you can reduce washes.

 

[AV8R]

Buy one of these to wash with, dont rub just glide across.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Cotton cloth towels will give you swirl marks.

Drying with cotton terry cloth is the possible danger. Not washing. Use enough water and cotton will not be abrasive. I have since purchased microfiber for drying and will never go back to drying with terry cloth.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Buy one of these to wash with, dont rub just glide across.
View attachment 14331

That's how I use terry cloth: "the glide" method. No rubbing.

 

[washguy]

That's how I use terry cloth: "the glide" method. No rubbing.

this? Wash

 

[AV8R]

If its cotton its noton! Cotton is still abrasive.

 

[MerlintheMad]

If its cotton its noton! Cotton is still abrasive.

100% cotton terry cloth is not abrasive with copious water.

As I pointed out at first: no matter what you do to avoid abrasion/swirls, sooner or later your clear coat is going to show imperfections/swirls/scratches. Polishing out looks good enough for most people. But purists/fanatics/OCD types will need their original, flawless, ridiculously mirrored finish back. It will keep them awake at night. So a full detail, probably including the ceramic coat renewed, is the only answer. This should be years down the road. But it will happen.

Getting to that point is inevitable. So I cannot angst over the miniscule difference between a mitt and a good quality terry cloth towel, if there even is a difference, if either one is used properly.

 

[AV8R]

Ok we will have to agree to disagree on that one. Like you im sticking to my preferred washing tools.
I found this on a reputable detailing site...

Some detailers do not like terry towels for several reasons. They tend to be bulkier than microfiber, so they aren’t necessarily quite as versatile. As stated above, they also can lint (although a good towel won’t continue to lint after the break-in period). Microfiber can be used right out of the box, while terry towels need to be washed several times before use to become absorbent and get rid of lint that is common in a new terry towel.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Ok we will have to agree to disagree on that one. Like you im sticking to my preferred washing tools.
I found this on a reputable detailing site...

Some detailers do not like terry towels for several reasons. They tend to be bulkier than microfiber, so they aren’t necessarily quite as versatile. As stated above, they also can lint (although a good towel won’t continue to lint after the break-in period). Microfiber can be used right out of the box, while terry towels need to be washed several times before use to become absorbent and get rid of lint that is common in a new terry towel.

As I pointed out recently, I now use a combo of terry cloth to wash and microfiber to dry. I've found that drying can be completed with a single 2' x 3' microfiber.

 

[AV8R]

As I pointed out recently, I now use a combo of terry cloth to wash and microfiber to dry. I've found that drying can be completed with a single 2' x 3' microfiber.

All ok here. Detailing is very personal, what one person does to their car is their own. In the end if you are happy with it then its a good job done. In the case if those who dont have a regime then i guess they can try all ideas and techniques and see what works for them.

 

[washguy]

All ok here. Detailing is very personal, what one person does to their car is their own. In the end if you are happy with it then its a good job done. In the case if those who dont have a regime then i guess they can try all ideas and techniques and see what works for them.

EXACTLY !......Wash