Swirl marks? washing car etc...

[KaBar6]

What is the most likely way to get swirl marks? Is it when drying the car, or when washing it?

I don't have the room I need to wash my car(not yet anyways), and there is construction on a new house right door and there is a lot of dust everywhere. I take my car to the manual car wash and use the brush there. I clean the brush off before I use it. Now, are swirl marks caused by using a brush at the car wash or when drying off the car afterwards?

Also, when I use the PC orbital buffer, would I need to clean my car right then and there, or would it be okay to drive a mile from the car wash to my house then use the buffer(in a garage)?

[Murr1525]

Re: Swirl marks? washing car etc...

Swirls can come from wash, drying, dirt sliding along the paint, random strangers....

As far as washing and drying, you want to use good quality brushes, pads, towels, etc. Using poor quality, dirty, stiff types of brushes, sponges, can certainly cause all kinds of marring.

Using a brush at a car wash is pretty much asking for swirls, but depending on what quality of towels you chose to use, it could be from both.

As far as using the DA after driving, if you live in a dusty, polleny area, or just to feel comfortable, you might want to use a Quick Detail type of product for a quick wipe down before going to polishing. A mile isnt too far, but it depends what kind of things you are driving through. I mean, if you drive through mud, you would want to re-wash....

[KaBar6]

Re: Swirl marks? washing car etc...

It's not too bad of an area to drive through, it's actually a pretty busy street to travel. I'd be using the DA in my garage too. When I dry the car off, I have one of those micro fiber towels I purchased off of this website. There is going to be an addition to my driveway in the upcoming months, so I can probably start washing my car by hand then. What product(s) do you recommend when I wash my car?

[BlueZero]

Re: Swirl marks? washing car etc...

Use the two bucket method. Make sure you have grit guards. And then really any good quality soap and wash mitt. I like Gold Class soap, it's easy to find just about anywhere. The chenille wash mitt, the ultra plush or microfiber wash mitt would all work good. Make sure to rinse off the big grit.

[TrufflePig]

Re: Swirl marks? washing car etc...

you might be fairly new here, so if you are, welcome to MOL.

you might want to start here and read the following.

How to Wash Your Car Using the Two Bucket Method

How To Wash Your Car using the Two Bucket
Method

start there.

then products wise.

Soap - NXT is my choice
Drying - Microfiber Water Magnet and/or Microfiber Super Suede Drying Cloth

Some people use both to dry.

I have TWO Water Magnet, and I pass the car over with one and then follow with the dry one afterwards picking up any left over water.

Towels - MEGS Microfibre are nice to use

then when you're done washing. and ready to totally clean your car. this is a good read and very informative.

The 5-Step Paint Care Cycle.

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

Step 1 Wash

Step 2 Clean

Step 3 Polish

Step 4 Protect

Step 5 Maintain


BEst of luck.

[kellyinkc]

Re: Swirl marks? washing car etc...

With black just looking at it causes swirls it seems!
Seriously, do the above things to reduce the chances of swirls.

[TrufflePig]

Re: Swirl marks? washing car etc...

the whole black car thing always peaked my mind.

until I did my g/f black suv last summer. than i saw what people were speaking off.

just so happen ONE WEEK after I worked 9 hours on it, it got stolen.

I know, and you know, it was because it looked so DARN SEXY!!!