All righty then...if you followed this thread http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=5220541#post5220541 over the last couple of days you know whats about to go down.
I will try to create a long term testing of rinseless washes over the 2016/2017 winter to find out how much damage they can inflict on the car. But its gonna be on my terms and rules. I'm not a idiot...Im not gonna slap a wet sponge on a gritty or muddy surface and say its safe for paint. I know its not and some common sense and caution will be used here. I don't live in a water restricted area, I have the luxury of using water, electricity, a PW with a foam lance, snow foam, APC, and other what you call normal wash stuff at my disposal.
I have been using different rinseless shampoos for the last 2 years and have adopted a routine / a method you might say that suits me. Over this time I have found their limits and know how far I can go with them but Ill still lay in some ground rules at the start just so you wont be dissapointed later on.
OK the rules:
1. We will be observing only one panel. Its gonna be the driver door. I have already winter prepped my car last weekend. I wont do it again. That is why I will do this on one panel. Besides its easier to watch for swirls on a smaller area.
2. I will correct the panel prior and protect it with LSP of my choice. I will try to photograph and video document it the best I can to show there are no swirls (there might be some deeper RIDS left at some places). Just a note...Im not a photographer and dont have a pro camera but I will do the best I can.
3. When I drive I keep my distance from other cars in front so they don't throw road film on my car. My daily trips are usually short and I don't do many miles on the highway. The mileage will be documented from wash to wash (if I don't forget).
4. Ill wash it when I feel like it...It can be after a week, after a month or after a day if I decide to.
5. I normally pre spray the panel with the rinseless solution but its gonna be winter meaning ice and snow and salt so I will use my judgement and asses the car prior washing and react accordingly. This means if I think its too dirty I will use the PW and maybe even snow foam. I will document this as I go. I also normally use the 2bm where I have the wash solution in one bucket and rinse water in the other that is also equipped with a grit guard. For the wash media I use a waffle shaped soft sponge. For anyone asking its similar to the one that Serious performance sells, I just get it elsewhere.
6. I will use different rinseless shampoos over this period of time. I like rinseless washing and I like trying different rinseless shampoos. At the moment I am using Optimum No-rinse, Wolfs chemicals mean green and lately Surf city garage rinse free wash & wax (Jesus fu..k they really gotta find a new name for the last one...its too freeking long). In the near future I just might buy CG rinse free and Surf city professional rinse free (although I think its not much different to the one I have) as they popped up at a dealer in my country.
7. I will dry it with a microfiber drying towel. I will vary between Martin cox waffle, CG miracle dryer and Gyeon silk (the small one).
8. I will use as QD or spray sealant as a drying aid. At the moment I am using OPT QD, OPT opti seal, OPT ONR+OCW mix and Autobrite project32.
9. I will look for swirls with a pocket flashlight I use for correcting paint and try to photograph them or make a video about it at least once a month.
10.If you have any suggestions I am open for a discussion but will not necessarily consider them all.
There you go...10 simple rules.
Let us begin shall we?
First of. Wash the car with ONR
Claying was skipped (I did it last week) so I skipped straight to polishing. I used my DA machine with Optimum hyper polish and orange and white CG hex logic pads. The residue was removed with a ONR soaked microfiber towel and panel wiped with OPT paint prep.
LSP of choice was OPT Gloss coat and after 1h a layer of OPT opti-seal.
Gloss coat curing
There is a deeper scratch under the window I could not remove and some paint blobs around the handle from the previous owner.
And the video showing no swirls or scratches (may not be the best quality, if so I am sorry)
What are my expectations. I think its fair to say I do expect to get a some light swirls over winter and this is normal. We all try to be careful about our cars as much as possible but in the end we all make mistakes here and there and so will I.
Well the prep is done. After polishing I did not notice any swirls except on the lower part where I polished it 2 times but oddly could not remove them. But you really have to look very carefully under an angle to notice them.
OK now its time to get the car dirty so...Ill see you when I see you...at the next wash.
I will try to create a long term testing of rinseless washes over the 2016/2017 winter to find out how much damage they can inflict on the car. But its gonna be on my terms and rules. I'm not a idiot...Im not gonna slap a wet sponge on a gritty or muddy surface and say its safe for paint. I know its not and some common sense and caution will be used here. I don't live in a water restricted area, I have the luxury of using water, electricity, a PW with a foam lance, snow foam, APC, and other what you call normal wash stuff at my disposal.
I have been using different rinseless shampoos for the last 2 years and have adopted a routine / a method you might say that suits me. Over this time I have found their limits and know how far I can go with them but Ill still lay in some ground rules at the start just so you wont be dissapointed later on.
OK the rules:
1. We will be observing only one panel. Its gonna be the driver door. I have already winter prepped my car last weekend. I wont do it again. That is why I will do this on one panel. Besides its easier to watch for swirls on a smaller area.
2. I will correct the panel prior and protect it with LSP of my choice. I will try to photograph and video document it the best I can to show there are no swirls (there might be some deeper RIDS left at some places). Just a note...Im not a photographer and dont have a pro camera but I will do the best I can.
3. When I drive I keep my distance from other cars in front so they don't throw road film on my car. My daily trips are usually short and I don't do many miles on the highway. The mileage will be documented from wash to wash (if I don't forget).
4. Ill wash it when I feel like it...It can be after a week, after a month or after a day if I decide to.
5. I normally pre spray the panel with the rinseless solution but its gonna be winter meaning ice and snow and salt so I will use my judgement and asses the car prior washing and react accordingly. This means if I think its too dirty I will use the PW and maybe even snow foam. I will document this as I go. I also normally use the 2bm where I have the wash solution in one bucket and rinse water in the other that is also equipped with a grit guard. For the wash media I use a waffle shaped soft sponge. For anyone asking its similar to the one that Serious performance sells, I just get it elsewhere.
6. I will use different rinseless shampoos over this period of time. I like rinseless washing and I like trying different rinseless shampoos. At the moment I am using Optimum No-rinse, Wolfs chemicals mean green and lately Surf city garage rinse free wash & wax (Jesus fu..k they really gotta find a new name for the last one...its too freeking long). In the near future I just might buy CG rinse free and Surf city professional rinse free (although I think its not much different to the one I have) as they popped up at a dealer in my country.
7. I will dry it with a microfiber drying towel. I will vary between Martin cox waffle, CG miracle dryer and Gyeon silk (the small one).
8. I will use as QD or spray sealant as a drying aid. At the moment I am using OPT QD, OPT opti seal, OPT ONR+OCW mix and Autobrite project32.
9. I will look for swirls with a pocket flashlight I use for correcting paint and try to photograph them or make a video about it at least once a month.
10.If you have any suggestions I am open for a discussion but will not necessarily consider them all.
There you go...10 simple rules.
Let us begin shall we?
First of. Wash the car with ONR
Claying was skipped (I did it last week) so I skipped straight to polishing. I used my DA machine with Optimum hyper polish and orange and white CG hex logic pads. The residue was removed with a ONR soaked microfiber towel and panel wiped with OPT paint prep.
LSP of choice was OPT Gloss coat and after 1h a layer of OPT opti-seal.
Gloss coat curing
There is a deeper scratch under the window I could not remove and some paint blobs around the handle from the previous owner.
And the video showing no swirls or scratches (may not be the best quality, if so I am sorry)
What are my expectations. I think its fair to say I do expect to get a some light swirls over winter and this is normal. We all try to be careful about our cars as much as possible but in the end we all make mistakes here and there and so will I.
Well the prep is done. After polishing I did not notice any swirls except on the lower part where I polished it 2 times but oddly could not remove them. But you really have to look very carefully under an angle to notice them.
OK now its time to get the car dirty so...Ill see you when I see you...at the next wash.