best drying aid

[Blueline]

Re: best drying aid

If you use the hose method Michael described, there will be little water to towel off. Whats left should be able to be blotted off, (almost with a Kleenex) rather than dragging/rubbing your drying towel over the surface. Alternatively if you have access to a leafblower, or a shop vac, you can blow the remaining water off.

[Top Gear]

Re: best drying aid

Depending on how much time I have and how much gear I've chosen to break out, I'll use either a leaf blower or (shocker!) a squeegee I got from Target. Believe it or not, I've found the squeegee does not scratch the surface at all if I wipe the leading edge regularly and squeegee gently and quickly. I always follow with UWWA or GCQW, because it's likely removed some wax, and there are always leftover lines of tiny water drops from the edges - it's just a way to knock off most of the water. Still, I can have a decently dry and re-waxed car in minutes, and let it drip fully dry after that. Otherwise, I use the leaf blower to get the entire vehicle properly dry, as well as to blow out the interior of dust. After a blow dry, I don't have to follow with GCQW, but there's no better time to apply QW.

Drying by wiping, unless only a few drops, just soils and wears out and mildews towels and makes drying longer and harder, I've found. I do not like to wash the towels until I've "towel managed" them to the point where they are no longer helping me. This makes use of the UWWA/GCQW build-up in a given towel, too. Even after a rain while the car was parked and there are only a few drops can lead to a sopping wet towel, or several, so I tend to let the rain drops evaporate and get the minor spots later. Another trick is not to dry by driving the tap water drops away, because that attracts dirt and dust to the drops, and you have spots to clean up as well as the dirt. Maybe on a long trip, but not as a habit, and certainly not now that I have that handy squeegee in my merch kit in the trunk. However, it's fine to drive off rain drops.

Anyway, I've learned some tricks the hard way to work with water rather than against it.

ps. You know you want that squeegee

[MicrofiberMan]

Re: best drying aid

So I'm wanting to pick up something as a drying aid. Is it best to use a detailler or a quick wax, or does that just depend on what I'm looking to get out of it. I wouldn't mind the extra protection a quick wax would provide, but does it work well as a drying aid?

Also, right now when drying I use a waffle weave microfibre towel, and just pat the car dry. When using something like a quick wax, should I be using more of a rubbing/buffing motion to dry the car? Will I increase the chance of scratches/swirls? I much prefer a rubbing/buffing motion to the pat dry, it seems to be to do a better job of drying, but if it is going to leave a worse finish I will keep patting dry. Thanks!

I would say the quik detailer because quik wax is supposed tobe applied and left saturated on the wholecar to flash dry and them be wiped off. Almost like a real wax. The quik detailer is not supposed to be left on the paint to dry so it seems it would work better for that purpose. For what its wort ive been having good luck with a water blade to remove the bulk of the water then quik detailer. I only need 1/2 a drying towel on an suv as compared to 2 without the waterblade

[Top Gear]

Re: best drying aid

It's odd how we've revived this old thread, but then again, the problem of drying off water doesn't change

In the hot and humid South, QD is unwise and very unhelpful as a drying aid, multiplying how much wiping is needed, because it smears all over the place. QW is essentially wasted on the task, IMO, soaking the QW out of the better towels reserved for QW, soiling those towels, and doesn't help the drying. UWWA I sometimes use to dry off a few remaining rain drops without streaking, but I'm talking about a few drops on the roof and hood, not literally drying the whole car. Still though, marrying drying with waxing/detailing just doesn't work for me. Keeping them separate keeps my towels ready for another use, rather than having to be washed every use. The main problem is that it just creates more and more wiping, as the towels get soaked, they just spread water around. Maybe in a desert it's different, but I live in a semi-tropical climate.

BTW, I never leave QW to "saturate", MicrofiberMan. Are you seeing a benefit to that? On many surfaces, too much of the precious stuff just runs off onto the ground, LOL.

[Mr. Slick]

Re: best drying aid

I live in the desert. I use my rinse bucket and go over the whole thing then panel by panel I rinse then dry with a supreme 530 giant towel.

[Mr. Slick]

Re: best drying aid

Also if there is somehow any spot missed I use last touch spray detailer and MF towel.