Car Wash Soap and Sea Sponge to clean, California Water Blade, 100% cotton towels to dry. Also my air compressor... Get some Zaino Polish!

 

I use a method better than a leaf blower. After a thorough wash and rinse, I drive about a mile going 60 - 70mph and pull into a shaded parking lot to finish the job with a cotton towel or chamois. 90% of the water blows off during the drive.

 

Driving fast to dry off the car doesn't always work though- especially when you have to pass through leaves, or roads with
debri that fly onto your car while its still wet. And of course, there are puddles or mud that has dried into a dust trap on roads you have to pass through to get to construction. Its just risky...you may end up blowing more dirt on the car than you washed off.

You should always wash your chamois with a mild soap and water after each use and rinse it well. This removes some a lot of the grime it can pick up.

And someone else mentioned this a while back and I do it now- but using 2 buckets- one with soap and the other with water to rinse the sponge is a great way to go.

Of course, nothing will PREVENT swirl marks. You can remove them though with Zaino or other high quality wax and polishes. If they are very bad you might have to strip the wax and buff the car.

-B

 

Leaf Blower first, then 100% cotton towels. The blower is great for getting 92.8% of the water off. The towel gets the rest off.

 

I never really thought about the blow dry idea; I'll have to try it with my mini-vac (which, by the way, is a great vacuum for really cheap)

http://www.sears.com/sr/product/summary/pr...pid=00917711000

 

I'd never thought of using a blower, either... tho I myself have nearly passed out trying to blow the water out of the taillight-bumper crack.... Ok that don't sound good...

And the leaf blower I have is wayyy too powerful for this. Maybe the super-sucker shop-vac would do... (plug the hose in the other end and it blows).

I'd still think water spots are an issue... I typically give the car a good hard run down the circle, spin each direction and back up the driveway, hard accel and brake... just to whiz out the water in the hidden areas... and only if it's not windy/dusty out.

Man this just sounds wrong. Guess I'm a little sick in the head

- Chris

 

I rotate using a mild soap one week and plain water the next,I find a small air compressor does a nice job of getting water out of the spots that seem to drip(weepers as I call them)long after the car is dry.I'm still looking for the right stuff to clean the top and have read some things to try on these boards.Only problem I have with the compressor is some of the neighboors don't like waking up to PSSSSSSSST.....PSSSSSSST every five seconds on a Saturday.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 1FastS2k
[B]I use the California Water Blade.

 

The best tip on drying the car came from this site.

On your final rinse take the nozzle off your hose and let the water gently cascade over the car.

This technique virtually leaves the car dry, then soak up the rest of the water with a shammy. The less you touch the car the less swirl marks you will have.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by animeS2K
[B]I'd never thought of using a blower, either... tho I myself have nearly passed out trying to blow the water out of the taillight-bumper crack.... Ok that don't sound good...