Chamois vs. Towel

[HondaBoy]

well, over the years i have used a number of things to dry cars with after washing them. for the longest time i used regular bath towels that worked well and didnt really scratch the paint, but they would get saturated quickly and i'd end up having to get another towel. then i used synthetic absorber chamois like things that soaked up water and you just wring it out, but they get deteriorated here where i live by the heat and stuff so they start to leave material after drying on the paint. then i've been using real leather chamois. they last for a good while and dont take much keeping care of. but i've been noticing that my paint is getting these "hair line" scratches. they are very small, but theres a lot of them. not just swirl marks. i can tell its from either drying or washing, but i use a good plush wash mitt that doesnt hold dirt too much on the surface. anyway, what's y'alls take on chamois and towels when drying your car? i'd like to see if anyone that has used a chamois has had the paint scratch up or not. i'm really not sure if the chamois is causing the scratching or if my wash mitt is? but i'd like to find out so i can use something else that wont scratch up the paint so much. i could buff and polish the paint out but that still doesnt solve the problem of whats causing the scratches.

i'd like to add that i wont be pointing to just the chamois from drying making scratches, but also could be the wash mitt. let me know what you think.

[AccordEpicenter]

it could be from the wash mitt if youre scrubbing it hard or it has dirt embedded in it, especially if its not wet enough. Not really sure on the chamois i always used towels...

[MessyHonda]

i was use the California water blade...it works hella good...you just got to make sure you scrub all the dirt so when you are drying it it doesnt scratch the paint. we have some Chamois and they do dry good....plus they are resusable...good for the environment.

[Pico]

I use the water blade and a chamois also,towels leave too much lint for me.
But when I get real lazy washing I use Mr. Clean spray and wash,
no drying needed

[qh187]

you're always going to get scratches no matter what you do. scratches come from dirty mitts or dirt left when you try to dry. what you should try to do is minimize the scratches.

in washing, use the two bucket method. one bucket for suds and another to rinse the mitt. wash one panel at a time from the top down, rinsing your mitt after every panel.

when you rinse, try to let the water flow naturally from the hose so you can sheet it off the car; once again from the top down. when you sheet the water it'll minimize the drops left on the car. use a leaf blower to get water out of cracks and crevices. then use a chamois to grab the little spots of water left. this way you won't have to go over the whole car with the chamois and create unecessary scratches.

[HondaBoy]

good tips^. i usually go from the roof to the windows then hood and trunk then the sides. i use a brush for my wheels so i dont get all the crap onto the wash mitt. i always change the water when from wheels to washing the body. i change the water when washing the body also a few times when the suds go away. also, i think that two bucket method is one i'm going to start doing since its so easy to do. i didnt think a chamois would make a great deal of scratches. also, my paint is old and needs a new paint job all together. but i still like to keep it looking good as possible. i usually just do a quick wash not always taking time to rinse the mitt every time i finish a panel. so that could be it. i used to wash with wool mitts, but they got expensive to replace since i have a bunch of cars to wash they wear out. i think they are nicer on the paint finish from keeping dirt deeper in them instead of on the surface.

[bullard123]

I like the terry cloths you buy from Walmart. They work well but keeping them clean is a problem for me.

[speedpenguin]

Cleanliness is always the poblem, isn't it?

[DBMaster]

I have used a real chamois since 1984. The good ones last about ten years. I added the water blade to my drying practice mainly because it cuts the drying time by a good amount. I never have had much luck with synthetic stuff, fake chamois, or PVA towels. They all seem to leave streaks. The chamois you can even use on the windows.

[TheWatcher]

I used to use a chamois, before I knew any better, and I was very happy w/ the results.

But now I'm a lot more demanding, and I only use microfiber towels (mf). For drying a car, Meguiars makes a nice, inexpensive waffle-weave (ww) microfiber that will meet/exceed your needs. I use 2 ww mf towels to dry the car, plus a regular mf towel if necessary. Then I use another mf towel that's optimized for window cleaning to wipe off liquid wax/quick detailer.

Then I hand wash the mf towels w/ woolite, and hang dry.

Peace.

[speedpenguin]

Good idea
I'm going to do that once my paint is worth taking care of again.

[HondaBoy]

i'm thinking of wet sanding the clear coat lightly then polishing it out with my buffer. i wanted to try this 3M stuff with differnt steps, like five? i just dont really want to take the time and get it done. i had a feeling my chamois wasnt the cause of the scratches.

[TheWatcher]

i'm thinking of wet sanding the clear coat lightly then polishing it out with my buffer. i wanted to try this 3M stuff with differnt steps, like five? i just dont really want to take the time and get it done. i had a feeling my chamois wasnt the cause of the scratches.

I don't think you need to wet sand. Meguiars makes 3 grades of buffing pads (for your buffer), a cutting pad, a polishing pad, and a finishing pad. The polishing pad should work, if you use the right product. The cutting pad is used w/ circular buffers only IIRC.

You want to get out MOST of the scratches, if you try to get all the scratches, then you'll likely have to remove a lot of clearcoat. If you can't see the scratches from about 3-6 feet away, then I would say that's a very good result.

Good luck w/ your detailing.

Peace.

[qh187]

in the 80s didn't they use single stage enamel? Do our cars have a clear coat from the factory?

[DBMaster]

I think that the metallic colors and possibly the red and blue used clearcoat. I know for a fact that the white ones did not.

[Feuerstoss]

Wow... I'm impressed at the washing knowhow, definately... I know pretty much nothing about that end... heh. In any case, my '88 LX was supposedly called 'misty beige' from the factory... kinda a metallic brownish-champaigne color, and I know for a fact that has clear coat on it. However, I do have a quick question.

What would you guys suggest for mild to moderate oxidation on a car without clear coat on it? My project Celica has been sitting for a long, long while without any decent exterior care, and while the paint job's held up pretty well, I've got a good bit of oxidation on the front of the car. I don't think it can be entirely gotten rid of(you can't tell the difference after a good cleaner wax past 10-15 feet, but you do notice it closer up), but I'd like to at least try.

[TheWatcher]

I think that the metallic colors and possibly the red and blue used clearcoat. I know for a fact that the white ones did not.

WRONG.

I have a white 89 Accord LX and it's clearcoated.

Peace.

[qh187]

Wow... I'm impressed at the washing knowhow, definately... I know pretty much nothing about that end... heh. In any case, my '88 LX was supposedly called 'misty beige' from the factory... kinda a metallic brownish-champaigne color, and I know for a fact that has clear coat on it. However, I do have a quick question.
What would you guys suggest for mild to moderate oxidation on a car without clear coat on it? My project Celica has been sitting for a long, long while without any decent exterior care, and while the paint job's held up pretty well, I've got a good bit of oxidation on the front of the car. I don't think it can be entirely gotten rid of(you can't tell the difference after a good cleaner wax past 10-15 feet, but you do notice it closer up), but I'd like to at least try.

I would recommend Meguiar's ColorX. Easy to get and it's considered a one step product. Work it in with a terry cloth applicator/towel, let it dry to a haze, and then remove. It might take a few applications but it should work.

Do the following steps:
Wash
Clay
ColorX
Wax (Optional for extra protection)

[TheWatcher]

What would you guys suggest for mild to moderate oxidation on a car without clear coat on it? My project Celica has been sitting for a long, long while without any decent exterior care, and while the paint job's held up pretty well, I've got a good bit of oxidation on the front of the car.

Here is the process used by someone else w/ single stage paint.

Original condition prior to detailing ...



After the first wash (washed w/ DILUTED Castrol Super Clean Cleaner (1st wash).



Follow by a Chlorox rinse than a vinegar rinse, and finally washed w/ some car wash. Meguiar's Mirror Glaze III w a polishing pad applied w/ a buffer. Finally, waxed. Below is the finished picture.



I would NOT use such harsh chemicals as Castrol Super Clean Cleaner, Chlorox, etc., unless you Celica looked like the VW in the 1st picture.

I would suggest:

(1) Wash w/ a car wash until VERY clean.

(2) Clay the entire car.

(3) If you know how to use a buffer (if you can't use a buffer, pay to have it done by a detailer who knows what he/she is doing), then ...

(a) If the Celica has bad swirling/scratches/defects that are visible, apply something equivalent to Meguiar's #83 Dual Action Polish w/ a polishing pad. If there is no visible swirling/scratches/defects, then skip to (b).

(b) Use a milder polisher, something equivalent to Mothers PowerPolish w/ a polishing pad.

(4) Apply wax. If you're really ambitious, apply several "layers" of pure wax (no cleaners, or it may strip off the previous "layer").

(5) Open a beer and stand back and marvel at your achievement.

Peace.

[qh187]

^He can achieve good results by hand using ColorX without doing all of that. ColorX has chemical cleaners that will eat the oxidation, diminishing abrasives that will remove light swirls, and carnauba and polymers that will protect the finish.

[Feuerstoss]

Holy cow.... yeah. There is hope for me yet. Compared to that Beetle, my '165 looks like it came off the showroom floor. Off I go to get a clay bar and detailer tomorrow. Is the three-stage Meguiars Deep Crystal stuff any good?

[qh187]

the deep crystal system works pretty well. Deep Crystal #1 should help remove a lot of oxidation because it is mainly a chemical cleaner. Good luck!

[TheWatcher]

Is the three-stage Meguiars Deep Crystal stuff any good?

Personally, I don't know, Meguiar's "Deep Crystal" line of products are part of Meguiar's consumer line of products. I use Meguiar's Professional line of products.

Here's the url for Meguiar's e-store, http://meguiars.com/estore.

As you can see, the Deep Crystal products are part of the consumer line, and the Mirror Glaze product is in the professional line of products.

Judging by the pictures of the VW, Meguiar's Mirror Glaze III can produce incredible results.

Peace.