oifish

iTrader: (1)

It seems every time I wash my car I get more swirls and scratches, I dont really know what is causing it so I will go through the steps I take to wash my car

1, Hose down the car with water, then fill up a bucket with Meguairs (sp?) carwash soap

2, use a sponge (kind of an old one) and scrub it clean

3, rinse the soap off and dry with a leaf blower

4, apply wax, (the stuff im using right now is the Dupont teflon spray wax) with a cotton cloth

5, when wax is ready to wipe off I use microfiber towels

And that is what I do when I normally wash my car, it seems that every time I wash it more and more swirling and scratches appear all over my paint.

Is there any problems you see with the steps above?

88monte

iTrader: (10)

i would try a new sponge

johnpr

the sponge is a good possibility because just hosing the car off doesnt get all the fine dirt off, try a good wash mit and get a new one after every few times of washing your car, they tend to hold dirt ive noticed.

splitplug

iTrader: (1)

The sponge might be the problem. It's probably picking up dirt along the way, and scratching up everything. Get something softer.

NDFORSPD

+1 on the wash mit. its difficult to keep scratches of darker colours. Megs also IMO will strip away a fair amount of wax each time you use it(Zaino is a lil more forgiving). On my DD GTP, I HAVE to wax at least once every 4 mos, otherwise it really starts to fade/scratches appear....it also depends on how much you wash(the more you wash, the faster you thin out the wax/polish). And I primarily use Megs on it - wash/wax/polishes/wheel cleaner etc. A great detailing site(lol, almost as good as this!) is autopia.com its like a network of detailers!

ZaneO

Start by picking up a quality sheepskin mitt and using two buckets to wash - one for the soapy mixture and one to rinse the mitt between panels.

Make sure you cotton cloths are 100% made in USA cotton. They won't be auto store cheapies.

Also make sure your microfiber is high quality.

__________________________________________________ ______

Here's the process I use to wash:

-Wash wheels/tires/wells first to prevent spotting on paint and glass

-Don't use the same mitt or bucket for wheels that you use on your paint. The brake dust, etc. from your wheels will cause scratches and swirls in your paint.

-Using foam gun, cover vehicle in a thick layer of foam (optional)

-Use two buckets for washing paint. One with a soapy mixture, the other with plain water to rinse the mitt between panels.

-Never use circular motions. Always wash, dry, and wax using front to back and top to bottom motions.

-When vehicle is fully cleaned, allow a slow, steady stream of water to flow over each panel...sheeting the majority of the water off

-Use the leaf blower to blow all water from flat surfaces, mirrors, lights, etc.

-Remove any remaining water with a waffle weave drying towel and detail spray

*The less you touch the paint, the less chance of marring*

Keeping a good sealant and/or wax on the paint will assist in cleaning and reduce chances of marring.

oifish

iTrader: (1)

Ok, thanks everybody. Ill get a wash mitt, also the 2 buckets for washing and rinsing is a good idea. I also think I need a better wax. Thanks again!

SeriousPWRTRIP

A good wash mitt is a must! If you are looking for a good wax, I use Meguiar's Step 1 paint cleaner, then I do a coat of Step 2 Polish, and I finish it with Megiar's NXT Tech wax. I love the NXT Tech because it gives great results and is easy to put on, but I think i got longer and better protection with the Gold Class I used when i daily drove the car. The car is black and for being 6 years old, I think its holding up great!