Microfiber towels

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by krudmunk

1. Pressure wash with soap and spotless rinse.
2. Blow off car and wheels.
3. Go over with griots microfiber towel.
4. Spray ceramic detailer to microfiber towel and buff out product dry to touch with another microfiber towel. Otherwise you'll get product streaks if you leave it to dry on their own.

Step 3 is not really needed. The blow dry should dry the car 99%. Spotless rinse is suppose to dry fully once you start driving with ceramic coating. But sometimes it would leave water spots near the front of the car. But not an issue if you fully dry the car with some sort of ceramic detailer or microfiber towel.

I really don’t want to bother with the ceramic detailer. The only reason I would apply it to the car or microfiber cloth after most of the car is dried is to prevent swirls. Is it really necessary??

[krudmunk]

Originally Posted by jonf49

I really don’t want to bother with the ceramic detailer. The only reason I would apply it to the car or microfiber cloth after most of the car is dried is to prevent swirls. Is it really necessary??

It's not required. But recommended to keep your ceramic coating in top shape and most effective for longer duration.

1. Pressure wash with soap and spotless rinse.
2. Blow off car and wheels.

[c63sss]

For me when I wash I
1. Spray it with the foamy soap and let it sit
2.pressure was car without touching it
3. Spray foamy soap but this time go over the car with the paint safe wash mitt thing
4. Pressure wash car
5. Use a rubber squeegee thing to get the big water droplets
6. Go over the car with chemical guys wooly mammoth towel(works well)
7. Go over car with ceramic detailer

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by krudmunk

1. Pressure wash with soap and spotless rinse.
2. Blow off car and wheels.
3. Go over with griots microfiber towel.
4. Spray ceramic detailer to microfiber towel and buff out product dry to touch with another microfiber towel. Otherwise you'll get product streaks if you leave it to dry on their own.

Step 3 is not really needed. The blow dry should dry the car 99%. Spotless rinse is suppose to dry fully once you start driving with ceramic coating. But sometimes it would leave water spots near the front of the car. But not an issue if you fully dry the car with some sort of ceramic detailer or microfiber towel.

I’m thinking of doing this minus step 4. Ceramic detailer every 2 weeks ugh. Is this just to make the car shine more, or get rid of/present swirls? I was under the impression that a high quality cloth like the griots wouldn’t leave swirls.

The Feynlab Plus ceramic coating is also supposed to be self healing.
I just want to keep these washes pretty quick if I’m doing them every two weeks.

This is what I found on Amazon, but I really don’t think I need to be spending even more $ on things. The self healing ceramic coating is 1800 and they do a boost application for 200 once a year to retain the 7 yr warranty.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08JV...Q4SGFG3D&psc=1

So torn… Uguh

[krudmunk]

Originally Posted by jonf49

I’m thinking of doing this minus step 4. Ceramic detailer every 2 weeks ugh. Is this just to make the car shine more, or get rid of/present swirls? I was under the impression that a high quality cloth like the griots wouldn’t leave swirls.

The Feynlab Plus ceramic coating is also supposed to be self healing.
I just want to keep these washes pretty quick if I’m doing them every two weeks.

Anytime you touch the paint you add chances of swirling. A dry towel will swirl more than a damp towel, but still add swirl or scratches but maybe at the micron level. Best practice is to blow dry and dont dry with towel afterwards.

The detailer helps keep the hydrophobic properties longer and also add shine and slickness. Self healing or not, if you don't feed the silicas what they like then the healing properties will fade after a while.

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by krudmunk

Anytime you touch the paint you add chances of swirling. A dry towel will swirl more than a damp towel, but still add swirl or scratches but maybe at the micron level. Best practice is to blow dry and dont dry with towel afterwards.

The detailer helps keep the hydrophobic properties longer and also add shine and slickness. Self healing or not, if you don't feed the silicas what they like then the healing properties will fade after a while.

So you recommend completely wetting the big Griots microfiber towel before going over the paint? The thing holds like 5 gals of water!

[krudmunk]

Originally Posted by jonf49

So you recommend completely wetting the big Griots microfiber towel before going over the paint? The thing holds like 5 gals of water!

I think you should just wash the car and then blow dry. Don't use any towels or anything to dry the car if you want to prevent swirls and micro scratches.

[darrvao777]

Originally Posted by jonf49

A little confused and frustrated.

So right now I’m thinking

1. pressure wash car with soap and pressure rinse. Then spotless rinse (light pressure)

2. Blow off car and wheels with leaf blower to get rid of most water

3. Spray some kind of ceramic drying agent (????) all over paint

4. Go over all paint with griots microfiber towel or dreadnought.

5. Go over wheels with small microfiber towels

Thoughts?

You have a CR Spotless?

If you want, you can skip the drying altogether then

I have found the CR Spotless will not result in perfectly spot-free results but it is a huge time saver to not have to dry off the car (it will increase your chances of water spots but decrease your chance of scratching, although it sounds like you have PPF anyway)

Just so you know, the drying aid is something you spritz on your drying towel or one spray per panel. It's not something you need to douse the car with. It's usually considered the funnest part of the wash process since it leaves the paint super slick. It's the reason I still towel dry the car despite having a CR Spotless but if you are all about efficiency and minimizing workload, I would skip it. This was my former lazy routine:

WHEELS
1. Rinse with Pressure Washer
2. Foam with Wheel Cleaning Agent (you can skip this if your wheels are also ceramic coated)
3. Agitate with wheel tools in a separate wheels bucket
4. Rinse

PAINT
1. Rinse
2. Foam with Car Soap
3. Two Bucket Wash
4. Rinse
5. Final Rinse with CR Spotless (you blow through a ton of resin if you use the CR Spotless from the beginning, I finish my wash process and then do a final light rinse with deionized water)
6. Blow Dry if you would like
7. Done

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by darrvao777

You have a CR Spotless?

If you want, you can skip the drying altogether then

I have found the CR Spotless will not result in perfectly spot-free results but it is a huge time saver to not have to dry off the car (it will increase your chances of water spots but decrease your chance of scratching, although it sounds like you have PPF anyway)

Just so you know, the drying aid is something you spritz on your drying towel or one spray per panel. It's not something you need to douse the car with. It's usually considered the funnest part of the wash process since it leaves the paint super slick. It's the reason I still towel dry the car despite having a CR Spotless but if you are all about efficiency and minimizing workload, I would skip it. This was my former lazy routine:

WHEELS
1. Rinse with Pressure Washer
2. Foam with Wheel Cleaning Agent (you can skip this if your wheels are also ceramic coated)
3. Agitate with wheel tools in a separate wheels bucket
4. Rinse

PAINT
1. Rinse
2. Foam with Car Soap
3. Two Bucket Wash
4. Rinse
5. Final Rinse with CR Spotless (you blow through a ton of resin if you use the CR Spotless from the beginning, I finish my wash process and then do a final light rinse with deionized water)
6. Blow Dry if you would like
7. Done

I’m not sure what CR spotless is so I probably don’t have it. I go to a self pressure wash place where turtle wax soap comes out of the pressure washer… when I said spotless rinse… it’s when the pressure is really low and makes the exterior just have small water droplets on the exterior.

If I plan on using the Griot’s large pfm microfiber to dry the car after the blow dry, should I wet the Griots microfiber cloth first with the pressure washer?
Or would it be better to use the griots microfiber when the car is still really wet and then use the blower for the remaining water droplets?

Looking to avoid water spots and swirls. But not anxious to spend more money and time on a drying agent.

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by krudmunk

I think you should just wash the car and then blow dry. Don't use any towels or anything to dry the car if you want to prevent swirls and micro scratches.

Is it safe to clean up any left over water spots with a microfiber towel though? I don’t want water spots - don’t think it’s distilled water. But not sure.

Or alternatively, I can go over the car with the griots large pfm microfiber and then blow dry the remaining water?

Can I get some opinions about which would be the better route?

[ONEof500]

Originally Posted by jonf49

Is it safe to clean up any left over water spots with a microfiber towel though? I don't want water spots - don't think it's distilled water. But not sure.

Or alternatively, I can go over the car with the griots large pfm microfiber and then blow dry the remaining water?

Can I get some opinions about which would be the better route?

Originally Posted by jonf49

Is it safe to clean up any left over water spots with a microfiber towel though? I don't want water spots - don't think it's distilled water. But not sure.

Or alternatively, I can go over the car with the griots large pfm microfiber and then blow dry the remaining water?

Can I get some opinions about which would be the better route?

You are over thinking this. Watch these videos. Follow his process and stress no further!

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by ONEof500

Leaf blower then clean up with plush microfiber.

I forgot, I also do this after rinsing to get the excess water off, especially around the grill and the wheels. Then the Griot's PFM with Griot's Spray-on Car Wax.

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by ONEof500

You are over thinking this. Watch these videos. Follow his process and stress no further!

Very nice videos. Thanks.

A few areas I fall short now. I currently live in an apartment so I go to the local self pressure wash place. Unfortunately they have either high pressure with or without soap, and they have a low pressure setting which basically leaves microbeads of water on the car. I’m on the clock so I can make a quick pass with a microfiber wash mit I have with some of the soap I can collect from the stations foaming brush. Not sure going over the car with a wash mitt is even necessary after the high pressure soap spraying.

It seemed like the low pressure rinse he did after the hand wash really helped him obtain a smooth surface of water making drying with a leaf blower very easy. When I’m done with the rinsing there are small water droplets all over the car. This is why I was thinking of getting rid of these by dragging the griots large pfm microfiber over the car and getting the sides and then really finishing it off with the leaf blower. But that’s where I was unsure whether to use the leaf blower first or the microfiber drying towel first.

I wasn’t sure if his car was ceramic coated.
If I use a spray drying agent am I only supposed to use the one made by the brand of my ceramic coating? The reason I ask is because I’m going to be paying a premium for the self healing stuff - Feynlab plus. I want to be sure it can still do what it’s supposed to do. This is what I found on Amazon, but this stuff is expensive and I’m not very impressed with the reviews… can you tell if it’s even supposed to be used as a drying agent after every wash?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08JV...Q4SGFG3D&psc=1

So wondering if other drying agents can be used on Feynlab plus self healing ceramic coatings.

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

I forgot, I also do this after rinsing to get the excess water off, especially around the grill and the wheels. Then the Griot's PFM with Griot's Spray-on Car Wax.

Is Griot’s large pfm microfiber considered “plush”?

[darrvao777]

Originally Posted by jonf49

Not sure going over the car with a wash mitt is even necessary after the high pressure foam spraying.

That is a common misconception. The pressure and foam knock off some stuff but you still need a contact wash for a true cleaning.

Originally Posted by jonf49

But that’s where I was unsure whether to use the leaf blower first or the microfiber drying towel first.

Leaf blower first, then microfiber drying

You seem to be hung up on the drying aid. Why don't you ask the person who applied your ceramic coating what to use? In the end, I don't think it really matters what drying aid you use. But if you insist on using a drying aid for maximum protection and want to ensure maximum compatibility with your coating, check with the person who applied the coating. If you do not care about micro marring, simply skip the drying aid.

For people who live in an apartment and use a self pressure wash location, I would strongly favor rinseless washing (plenty of videos of this on Youtube) simply because it is a lot less stuff you need to lug to the wash location.

[krudmunk]

Originally Posted by jonf49

Is it safe to clean up any left over water spots with a microfiber towel though? I don’t want water spots - don’t think it’s distilled water. But not sure.

Or alternatively, I can go over the car with the griots large pfm microfiber and then blow dry the remaining water?

Can I get some opinions about which would be the better route?

Even when I blow dry my car and drive some distance, there will be some dried up water spots here and there. I clean them up with ceramic detailer and microfiber towel.

I tend to stay away from drying the car with a towel or microfiber cloth. Ceramic coating and blow dry works very well. The water just beads and runs off the panels.

Also, if it was my decision, I wouldnt pay 1800 for self healing ceramic coating. I'd just get a bottle myself and do it myself. As long as you get your paint corrected and polished then applying ceramic coating is the easiest thing ever. I don't think ceramic coating is worth 1800. At that point, you might as well ppf the whole car.

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by darrvao777

For people who live in an apartment and use a self pressure wash location, I would strongly favor rinseless washing (plenty of videos of this on Youtube) simply because it is a lot less stuff you need to lug to the wash location.

Are you referring to the car wash in a spray bottle?
I don’t know if I’m comfortable washing the car in our garage due to space and poor lighting and there’s not much space outside, which is why I go to the self wash place. I bought the chemical guys eco wash and wax, but that was something i was just going to keep in the car for prompt bird dropping or tree sap incidences.

The car is not ceramic coated yet, but I will ask what kind of a drying agent the installer recommends. The griot’s extra large pfm cloth arrived today… taking a look at it tomorrow. I guess since it’s rather large I can spray the front to back of the car down and drag the towel over the drying aid .. in addition to just bunching the towel up like he did in the video and just kind of rubbing it around where there is drying aid.

I will use the wash mitt at the car wash, and I’m becoming more amenable to using a drying aid, hah.

Maybe someone on here knows what will work with Feynlabs ceramic coating.

Thanks for you input. More is always welcome

I’m going to:

1. Pressure wash with water
2. Pressure wash with soap
3. Foam wash with microfiber mitt
4. Pressure rinse
5. Use a leaf blower to dry as much as I can
6. Spray some kind of unknown drying aid on the car and dry wipe it off with the griot’s large pfm microfiber cloth

Hope that looks kosher.

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by krudmunk

At that point, you might as well ppf the whole car.

But it won’t have the same shine and hydrophobic properties as a ceramic coating, right? I was planning on doing the hood, bumper, front fenders, and front mirrors in Suntek PPF and covering the whole car in the Feynlab ceramic coating.

Another user on here said he did that combo too and he loves it.

[darrvao777]

Originally Posted by jonf49

Are you referring to the car wash in a spray bottle?
I don’t know if I’m comfortable washing the car in our garage due to space and poor lighting and there’s not much space outside, which is why I go to the self wash place. I bought the chemical guys eco wash and wax, but that was something i was just going to keep in the car for prompt bird dropping or tree sap incidences.

The car is not ceramic coated yet, but I will ask what kind of a drying agent the installer recommends. The griot’s extra large pfm cloth arrived today… taking a look at it tomorrow. I guess since it’s rather large I can spray the front to back of the car down and drag the towel over the drying aid .. in addition to just bunching the towel up like he did in the video and just kind of rubbing it around where there is drying aid.

I will use the wash mitt at the car wash, and I’m becoming more amenable to using a drying aid, hah.

Maybe someone on here knows what will work with Feynlabs ceramic coating.

Thanks for you input. More is always welcome

I’m going to:

1. Pressure wash with water
2. Pressure wash with soap
3. Foam wash with microfiber mitt
4. Pressure rinse
5. Use a leaf blower to dry as much as I can
6. Spray some kind of unknown drying aid on the car and dry wipe it off with the griot’s large pfm microfiber cloth

Hope that looks kosher.

the installer will definitely provide guidance (it’s an upsell opportunity for them too) as to what kind of drying aid to use

with regards to your first question, you are thinking of waterless wash which isn’t what i would recommend

search youtube for ONR washing or rinseless washing, it is a more efficient way to wash your vehicle especially if you have to lug everything to a car wash

i also used to rinseless wash in my dark cramped garage but you can just as easily modify this to be done at the car wash

here’s how i used to do rinseless:

1. Pressure wash with water
2. apply onr solution diluted 1:256 in one bucket to your car using a sponge or microfiber mitt (think of this as your wash with soap)
3. DO NOT rinse after
4. DO NOT blow dry after
5. you can safely skip the drying aid here since the onr solution is a lot more lubricating than plain water
6. dry with any microfiber towel you feel comfortable with drying

feynlab has a very good rinseless product too if you prefer using the same wash product as your coating . it isn’t necessary, onr and n914 are considered to be amongst the top names in rinseless washing

[krudmunk]

Originally Posted by jonf49

But it won’t have the same shine and hydrophobic properties as a ceramic coating, right? I was planning on doing the hood, bumper, front fenders, and front mirrors in Suntek PPF and covering the whole car in the Feynlab ceramic coating.

Another user on here said he did that combo too and he loves it.

Most ppfs have a top coat which has some hydrophobic properties. There is no additional shine or fade on ppf because it is suppose to be transparent material of your paint unless you specifically get the matte ppf.

I'd get the whole front end ppf'd and ceramic coat over the ppf and other paint panels. Because these 2 things together will protect your car the most. Either one cannot protect as good as the other. Front end sees most damage, rocks debris and grime will be thrown. Most damage is actually the hood and front bumper which over time will get rock chips and stuff if you like to drive on back roads, canyon roads or like to push the car little bit during the weekend.

I got my car professionally polished and paint corrected. And then I did the ceramic coating myself. A whole bottle 30ml to 50ml costs like around $100. You just soak an applicator pad with the coating and then go over the panel few section at a time. You'll see some rainbow effect (this is called flashing) and then after few mins you can buff it dry with a clean microfiber cloth. Do this to the whole car, ppf'd or not. And wait like couple hours and do another coating. Call it a day.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by jonf49

Is Griot’s large pfm microfiber considered “plush”?

Seems "plush" to me, but I don't know what your definition of "plush" is.

See for yourself: https://www.griotsgarage.com/pfm-ter...-drying-towel/

[jonf49]

Originally Posted by darrvao777

the installer will definitely provide guidance (it’s an upsell opportunity for them too) as to what kind of drying aid to use

with regards to your first question, you are thinking of waterless wash which isn’t what i would recommend

search youtube for ONR washing or rinseless washing, it is a more efficient way to wash your vehicle especially if you have to lug everything to a car wash

i also used to rinseless wash in my dark cramped garage but you can just as easily modify this to be done at the car wash

here’s how i used to do rinseless:

1. Pressure wash with water
2. apply onr solution diluted 1:256 in one bucket to your car using a sponge or microfiber mitt (think of this as your wash with soap)
3. DO NOT rinse after
4. DO NOT blow dry after
5. you can safely skip the drying aid here since the onr solution is a lot more lubricating than plain water
6. dry with any microfiber towel you feel comfortable with drying

feynlab has a very good rinseless product too if you prefer using the same wash product as your coating . it isn’t necessary, onr and n914 are considered to be amongst the top names in rinseless washing

Don’t think I’m going to go the rinseless wash route with my current circumstances. I don’t mind keeping my car washing stuff in the trunk anyway… just have to grab the blower and pop it in the trunk with the rest of the stuff.

Still, I would like a drying agent that works well with Feynlab ceramic coatings, especially since the reviews on this product by then are pretty bad… clouding, hard to use, etc:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08JVJ2YKQ/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_2?smid=A13M9ZQ4SGFG3D&psc=1

It’s also rather expensive. But I just want a product that is compatible with the their self healing ceramic coating.