steps to wash a black vehicle

[spikerS]

ok, so this truck is really the first black vehicle I have ever owned. I heard black was hard to keep clean, and I believe it.

I have been doing wand washes, and for whatever reason, I just can't get the truck clean...

I don't really bother with a pre-soak, I just do 2 laps of the truck with high-pressure soap. The first pass is just a quickish one to get the truck wet and a layer of soap to loosen up everything, with the second pass being a more through and slow job.

I then use the high-pressure rinse and go around slow the first time, and then much quicker the second.

Then comes the wax, I just do a fairly quick pass with that, followed by the spot free rinse.

Now, I am not sure what is going on, but, I don't wipe it down, but instead, drive it about 2kms home to air dry. By the time I get home, I have this "film" or whatever on the sides of the truck, basically, everywhere the truck was most dirty, like the bottom half of the panels, especially right behind the wheels.

I don't know if it residue from the soap or wax, but I think if it were, it would be everywhere on the truck, not just in the before mentioned places. Having said this, I seem to have much more success with the automatic washes as I have not noticed the same kind of residue left behind...So I figure I must be doing something wrong.

On my previous vehicles, I haven't had this issue, or at least, not that I have noticed. Maybe it is just more noticeable because the truck is black.

is there a better way to do this?

[realazy]

I use A LOT of pre soak and it seems to work well. At the wand wash for my car, I would probably spend 5 mins on presoak making sure its on every panel and then double or triple back on the really dirty areas. Then 2 mins on high pressure soap. Then 2 mins on rinse. Then a quick walk around ~1 min of high pressure wax then spot free rinse for about 1-2 mins. I usually pay by credit card and this usually comes to about $8-9 for a small car.

The film is probably a layer of dirt and grime that didn't get washed off.

[Tik-Tok]

The film is dust, you can't air dry black in this city. It's too dirty.

You have to hand wash it with microfiber, hand dry it with microfiber, and then apply a good coat of legitimate wax, or even better, paint sealant. And do it at least twice a year. That carwash "wax" is terrible by the way, don't ever use it.

[SportEL]

You need to use a wash media as pressure from water alone won't remove all the dirt and grime. Something like a wool or microfiber wash mitt, pad or sponge or Boar's hair brush. Use a bucket with a grit guard and a Rinseless wash solution. I usually just go to a wand wash and do a quick wash to get rid of most of the dirt and then finish off with spray of Waterless wash for additional cleaning and protection or if I want to be more through, I would use the Bucket method. It's much easier for dirt to show on a black vehicle.

[craigcd]

Are you going to "Top Gear" car wash? I know I have several friends that cant seem to get their black vehicles clean there.

(though it is a good wash)

[The_Penguin]

The film is probably crappy recycled rinse water. I get the same thing at the few local car washes I go to. on the way out, hit the wipers. the area of the windshield not covered by the wipers looks like crap.

[spikerS]

Originally posted by craigcd
Are you going to "Top Gear" car wash? I know I have several friends that cant seem to get their black vehicles clean there.

(though it is a good wash)

Yeah. Pretty much exclusively.

[craigcd]

Originally posted by spikerS


Yeah. Pretty much exclusively.

Haha, figured. Try a different wash and see if if you get the same result.

[jaylo]

http://www.detailedimage.com/Auto-Detailing-Guide/Washing-and-Drying/#overview

Good article and road film and contamination can only be moved by properly washing the car.

Also, car wash bays does not have the best soap and water which could cause additional damage to your paintwork and rubber seals over time.

[GT.....O?]

Originally posted by SportEL
You need to use a wash media as pressure from water alone won't remove all the dirt and grime. Something like a wool or microfiber wash mitt, pad or sponge or Boar's hair brush. Use a bucket with a grit guard and a Rinseless wash solution.

THIS... You need some seriously high pressure to get that film off, and with pressure that high you are probably doing other damage to your paint. Unfortunately you have to put in a little elbow work and wipe it down with a wash mitt or microfiber towel. But you need to constantly rinse that mitt. I usually wash the whole truck with high pressure soap, then rinse it off, then use the wash mitt, then rinse the vehicle again. after that you should be good and can dry it off with a towel.

You'd be surprised how "dirty" your vehicle is after coming out of the car wash if you arent physically removing the dirt/film and just spraying it.

[HiSpec]

Another extra step you can take to reduce the chance of marring the paint is to use drying-aid while drying.

[Sentry]

Step 1: Lie down
Step 2: Try not to cry
Step 3: Cry a lot

[rlim891]

Originally posted by spikerS
ok, so this truck is really the first black vehicle I have ever owned. I heard black was hard to keep clean, and I believe it.

I have been doing wand washes, and for whatever reason, I just can't get the truck clean...

I don't really bother with a pre-soak, I just do 2 laps of the truck with high-pressure soap. The first pass is just a quickish one to get the truck wet and a layer of soap to loosen up everything, with the second pass being a more through and slow job.

I then use the high-pressure rinse and go around slow the first time, and then much quicker the second.

Then comes the wax, I just do a fairly quick pass with that, followed by the spot free rinse.

Now, I am not sure what is going on, but, I don't wipe it down, but instead, drive it about 2kms home to air dry. By the time I get home, I have this "film" or whatever on the sides of the truck, basically, everywhere the truck was most dirty, like the bottom half of the panels, especially right behind the wheels.

I don't know if it residue from the soap or wax, but I think if it were, it would be everywhere on the truck, not just in the before mentioned places. Having said this, I seem to have much more success with the automatic washes as I have not noticed the same kind of residue left behind...So I figure I must be doing something wrong.

On my previous vehicles, I haven't had this issue, or at least, not that I have noticed. Maybe it is just more noticeable because the truck is black.

is there a better way to do this?

One problem I'm seeing here is not wiping dry. Remember Calgary is very dusty and if your vehicle is wet it attracts more dust and because the vehicle is black..it becomes more noticeable, making it look like your vehicle is not clean.

Wiping dry is needed for black vehicles even if you car had been nano coated. Coated vehicles will make it a bit "cleaner" but not 100%.

Another option you can look at is once you arrived home, use Quick Detailer to help clean it up.

[rlim891]

Als, depending on how often you wash your truck and how dirty you let it get before washing. Its almost impossible to have it 100% clean at a touch-less.

Lower panels always attracts the most contamination/dirt/film build-ups.

[Mitsu3000gt]

When you drive your wet car around, dust gets into the "spotless rinse" water and when the water dries on your vehicle, deposits the dust/dirt. If that's your main complaint, just give it a good dry with a waffle microfiber or something right when you're done at the car wash.

Also if you only ever pressure wash it, you probably won't always get everything off - you're going to have to use a physical method at some point.

I'm also guessing the spray-on wax does almost nothing, you could probably save your money there. If it's anything like the the coin wash I go to, everything is so crappy that I can't imagine anything decent is coming out of that nozzle haha.

[revelations]

If you have the option, I would also look at soap less washes here in Calgary, at your house.

As long as its just water going down the drain the city doesn't really care.

I haven't used a wash bay in years - in the winter I just hose off the worst in my attached garage.

[heinz256]

This happens to me as well (I also go to Top Gear). I don't bother drying it afterwards because I know it's still dirty and drying it will just rub the dirt around and create swirls in the paint. I just go home after the car wash and use the two bucket method with Optimum No Rinse. Gives pretty good results. Bought a clay mitt kit and sealant kit as well from Amazon on sale so I will be able to detail it as well hopefully.

[know1edge]

.

[bjstare]

I've been driving black cars for about 5 years now. Every time I swear I'm not going to buy another one, and the right deal comes up on a black one :facepalm:

As mentioned a few times, contact and drying are the keys. I don't have the time or patience to hand wash every time, so I only do this a couple times per year, but it's definitely critical to get all the shit off your car.

Drying, I find to give the biggest payoff. Obviously wand wash/hand dry is not the best method, but it's the most bang for your buck (in my experience). As mentioned, this city is super dusty, so as soon as you depart the car wash you need to dry your car, otherwise it's just a dust magnet and you'll have spots/residue everywhere, even if you drive home on side streets.

And like Sentry said. Just cry. Your truck will never be clean. Even when it's clean, it's still not clean. The only time you'll really be happy is when you look at it in the rain, after dark.

[rlim891]

Having your car nano coated or with any good nano sealant will definitely help make them easier to clean at wand wash. But again, it all depends on how often vehicles are washed.

[italianstylez]

I have all black cars. I use the foam gun, works great, then I go to soap, wax and done, no rinse or spot free.
The best option which I always do, when I get a new one, is I see Stephen at mr frosts detailing, get a nice cut polish and clay bar, finished off with a nano coating or a ceramic coating, cleaning is a breeze and makes it stay cleaner then non protected, and you can air dry with minimal water spots from dust, and I don't even use my wipers cause water sheds off so nicely :)
I end up With maybe 5-10 spots on the back and I only have the nano coating for now, ceramic is more money but much more effective and helps prevent scratching too I shall be doing it soon this season

[gpomp]

Step 1: Put a good wax, sealant, or coating on your car
Step 2: Spray down your car at the car wash to remove loose debris
Step 3: Wash with ONR when you get home

IMO, this is the best way to wash a car with the drainage bylaws we have in Calgary.

[A2VR6]

Originally posted by gpomp
Step 1: Put a good wax, sealant, or coating on your car
Step 2: Spray down your car at the car wash to remove loose debris
Step 3: Wash with ONR when you get home

IMO, this is the best way to wash a car with the drainage bylaws we have in Calgary.

:werd: This is exactly what I do, works awesome until i drive the car again and then dust starts to dirty the car again :rofl:

[SOAB]

as stated above, water pressure alone will not get your truck clean. depending on dirt level, some sort of agitation is required to loosed then dirt and grime stuck on your paint.

when I get back from a camping trip, I take my truck to the local car wash and get the bugs off right away. i use the foam brush on the bad areas such as the grill, hood, mirrors, etc. most of it is protected by PPF so i'm not too worried about scratches or marring. i do spray down the truck with soap first as a pre-soak and also spray the brush to try and clean it as best as possible before using it on my truck.

i usually end up spending about 15-20 bucks each time i do this but my truck comes out pretty clean in the end.

[HiSpec]

For anyone that's not familiar with ONR wash method. If you are lazy you can go with ONR Wash & Wax as a one step, but washing method is the same.

Pwki2c21pBw

[spikerS]

I will give ONR a shot. Where is the best place to get it in the city?

[heinz256]

Carzilla off of 16th Ave and Deerfoot.