Quick detail spray instead of washing

[WeakestLink]

Back in the late 90s, I attended a dealer sponsored NSX event and, during the break, virtually everyone grabbed their own quick detail spray and towel to wipe down their cars. I knew immediately that I didn't belong.

Fast forward 20 years and I now find that using a quick detail spray after every few drives keeps the car clean and glossy.

Is there any reason why you couldn't just use a quick detailer and never wash the car? Or very infrequently wash the car?

 

[bullithollywood]

Just so long as you don't wipe on it when theres any dust, dirt or grit on the surface. Else you may as well us sandpaper.

 

[acuhon]

I like to use pressure washer and leave blower. Less you touch the paint, better it is.

 

[stuntman]

I wasnt sure about this concept until I saw my girlfriend wash her black GT3 for months (often covered in dust and dirt) with JUST a microfiber towel and her own brand's quick detailing spray which Emulsifies, Encapsulates, lifts and lubricates dirt from painted surfaces without scratching the paint.

https://www.zkperformance.com/products/mikes-ultimate-detail-spray-16-oz

If I didn't see this for myself on a black car without causing swirl marks or scratches, I probably would still be hesitant of using quick detail spray to do anything other than a touchup to an already clean car.

Now I use this stuff exclusively on my cars and it REALLY cuts down on the time it takes to wash the car, and it ends up as shiny as it does after a nice wax.

Not all detailers are made the same. I'm sure there are other ones out there that might be just as good, but I'm not willing to find out when I already have a year of results on a black car that proves her stuff works.

 

[Hothonda]

One opinion....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA6w5mlGZrI

 

[Honcho]

I wasnt sure about this concept until I saw my girlfriend wash her black GT3 for months (often covered in dust and dirt) with JUST a microfiber towel and her own brand's quick detailing spray which Emulsifies, Encapsulates, lifts and lubricates dirt from painted surfaces without scratching the paint.

https://www.zkperformance.com/products/mikes-ultimate-detail-spray-16-oz

If I didn't see this for myself on a black car without causing swirl marks or scratches, I probably would still be hesitant of using quick detail spray to do anything other than a touchup to an already clean car.

Now I use this stuff exclusively on my cars and it REALLY cuts down on the time it takes to wash the car, and it ends up as shiny as it does after a nice wax.

Not all detailers are made the same. I'm sure there are other ones out there that might be just as good, but I'm not willing to find out when I already have a year of results on a black car that proves her stuff works.

Agree. My 91 was black and keeping it swirl-free was a nightmare. I found that a quick wipe down with Meguiars Ultimate Quick Detailer and a high-quality, deep pile clean microfiber reduced my need to wash and polish it to only once per year. It think it's mostly the nature of microfiber (lifts and holds dirt particles away from the paint) and not so much the detailer product, but it worked amazingly well.

 

[sbkim]

I am afraid this is how I got so many swirl marks on my cars. I keep thinking light dust won't hurt much but I think it def leaves scratches.

My other concern is do rinseless car wash (e.g. ONR) lead to swirls as well? I need to get in the habit of doing 2 bucket wash.

 

[The King]

I am afraid this is how I got so many swirl marks on my cars. I keep thinking light dust won't hurt much but I think it def leaves scratches.

My other concern is do rinseless car wash (e.g. ONR) lead to swirls as well? I need to get in the habit of doing 2 bucket wash.

I have had good results using ONR on light coloured cars when they aren't too dirty. Not using the same cloth for the whole car if a good plan.

 

[drmanny3]

Since it is kept in the garage the dust gets on the car from driving around. I normally dust it off when I get home with the California duster. Once dusted it is easy enough to hit with adam’s detailer or their ceramic detailer. I accept that this is a car that I will drive and not a museum piece. As long as I am not putting in scratch marks that are serious then I can live with some light swirls.

 

[The King]

I use a California duster once and awhile to get rid of light dust that settles on clean cars sitting in the garage. I'd be careful using it for road dirt. If your car is covered in plastic film, then you're probably good to go.

 

[furinax]

I've been doing a waterless car wash for 5 years now on my black NSX. I've gone through a few products but mostly stick with Adam's products as they seem to be the most lubricated and don't add wax. To me, not having a garage was the reason I had to go waterless/rinseless but now I have a garage I actually prefer not wasting all that water to two-bucket the car. In the winter months waterless wash is actually better once you knock off the salt + grime with a hose.

So to answer the OP's question, don't use quick detailer unless your car is clean and free from dirt. Quick detailer is just for light dust and to allow you to have some lubrication when wiping down. If you really want to clean the car use a waterless wash spray, preferably without wax. It works even better if you have your car ceramic coated. If your car has a thick layer of dirt then you want to hose it down first or just wait for it to rain.

A lot of it also comes down to how you maintain your microfiber towels and how you wipe, but that's something you can look up.

 

[NbyNW]

I have a full clear wrap - and I use the Maguires Ultimate Detailer all the time. I’m basically cleaning the wrap and smudges are easily noticed if I’m sloppy. I use their quik wax also. Each smells good too me also, yet the wax smells is better. Thus it must be the key part.

 

[WeakestLink]

One of the drawbacks discussed of the quick detail is that it could scratch the paint if dirt is present. Wouldn't that also apply to a waterless car wash spray?

 

[furinax]

No, not with a proper waterless wash spray. Waterless wash uses emulsifiers on top of lubrication which pull away and encapsulate dirt. Of course, you have to use light pressure as something as simple as the tag on the microfiber towel can scratch your paint.

I've made the mistake of using detail spray when the car is dusty. You can definitely tell the difference just by feel.... also it doesn't really clean the dirt off. Detail spray is great for a clean surface that needs to be shined off since it has lubricants and shining agents. If you have a bug bomb on your car, my suggestion is to not use either of those and try to use the proper spray or hose it off. Each spray has its own purpose.

The towels also have to be washed a certain way as well as used a certain way. I try not to use waxes because ceramic coating does a great job and waxes will stick to microfiber towels and need special detergents to clean.

I also tried rinseless wash for a while but I wasn't really a fan. Rinseless wash uses a bucket of water with rinseless soap but no hose. Maybe there is technique to it that I don't have but it didn't feel as smooth as a waterless wash or two bucket.

 

[AlaiCyclist]

Hello,

I def wouldn’t substitute a full wash with detailing spray. Simply just from a cost perceptive, you would end using a ton of product.

I don’t think it’s been mentioned, but some products like AMMO NYC’s Frothe could be used a quick wash. Either with water or not. Add in a drying agent like their Hydrate can add further lubricant during the critical drying portion of the wash.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sled driver]

Hello,
My $.02 since everyone has an opinion. I'm an amateur Detailer/enthusiast but I've gone one step further and attended three Meguiar's detailing classes (and passed) mainly to prevent me from doing something stupid like trying to color sand a Honda hood which has a very think clear coat.
High likely hood you're going to get micro scratches with continued use of detail spray. Keep in mind some of the dust you think is harmless is also brake dust and it's full of metallic particles.
The second thing is each manufacturer has different hardness of their clear coats.The harder the more resistant to scratching. Cadillac and Audi have very hard clear coats. Mercedes has had a Nano clear cost since 2005 and it's very durable on its metallic paints. The NC1 is in the moderate hardness range. The black aluminum roof on my NSX did exhibit some light scratches from using "Final Inspection" which is Meguiar's pro level quick detailer. It was easily remedied with DA Microfiber correction compound D300.
I recently ceramic coated the roof and haven't experienced any swirling or scratches since so there is some benefit to the ceramic coating.
My experience with dry wash after an "off" at the track is to never use it again.
Jimmy aka sled driver

 

[AlaiCyclist]

You’re right Sled.

I think people will have to make a judgement call on the level of how dirty their car is.

I’d personally only use detail spray in very small areas; ie single bird dropping, missed a spot of wax/sealant.

If you have access to a hose, why not use it? If your car is protected, a quick rinse with water, and either use a leaf blower to dry, or use some MF towels with a drying agent is probably more safe and faster than using quick detailing on the entire car.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sbkim]

Slightly off topic but my understanding is that you are not supposed to use wax or sealant on the car for the first 60 days. Unfortunately most of my detailing sprays have some sealant I believe. So are you supposed to use nothing other than washing the car during this time? I feel like even ONR has something in there that might affect curing process?

 

[DJ Iceman]

That's what I did (nothing but washing and drying for the first 60 days). Some will say that's overkill and not really necessary; I say why contradict what the experts at the PMC (who should know what they're talking about) advise?

 

[RyanRA]

Slightly off topic but my understanding is that you are not supposed to use wax or sealant on the car for the first 60 days. Unfortunately most of my detailing sprays have some sealant I believe. So are you supposed to use nothing other than washing the car during this time? I feel like even ONR has something in there that might affect curing process?

You're correct to avoid wax and sealant during the paint curing period; the first 60 days from vehicle arrival (at the dealership?). Applying wax or sealant during this period could affect the paint's durability.

http://www.nsxwiki.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/NSX_Launch_Playbook_Issue_4.pdf

 

[sbkim]

You're correct to avoid wax and sealant during the paint curing period; the first 60 days from vehicle arrival (at the dealership?). Applying wax or sealant during this period could affect the paint's durability.

http://www.nsxwiki.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/NSX_Launch_Playbook_Issue_4.pdf

Thanks RyanRA - will share with my dealer to make sure they don't use anything. Just checked ONR and looks like even that has some polymers to enhance shine/lubrication. So I guess just stick to water and soap.

Any recommendation for car soap without any additives that might not be compatible during cure process? I typically use Meguiars Gold Class soap but has some conditioner...


I also read that you can't polish matte carbon fiber otherwise permanent damage? I presume 2019 + shiny carbon fiber is OK to polish?