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Andrew asked these questions:
I've been checking out some of your tips I found while searching and figured
you'd be able to answer a couple questions for me. To step back a minute, I just got my first
car, a 2002 black Jeep Liberty. The thing looks beautiful and I am paranoid about keeping
it shining. But being my first car, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm planning on washing it every 10 days/2 weeks, and
waxing every 6 weeks or so. But what else can I do to keep this thing clean?
A friend of mine says the California Car Duster works well, but I worry that it
might work like the "wipes" you talk about, and just drag the dirt across the paint. Should I invest in a "duster?" for in-between cleanings?
Is there any danger in it? I know that black is the hardest to keep clean but at the same
time I realize it shows minor scratches more than any other color. So I literally don't want to touch it with anything so far.
I was hoping you might sympathize with my paranoia and have some tips to keep me sane, and keep my
Jeep clean.
Much thanks
Andrew Moody
Andrew,
Yes, I understand fully your paranoia, so relax and I will go over the basics:
Dusters: Duster type products can be a great help, but I won't
use them except for very light dust that isn't "old." My
personal favorite similar item is a long fluffy thing I bought from Fuller Brush.
Any of these work ONLY to remove light dust within a few hours or maybe a day from
a wash and/or wash/wax. I recommend you NEVER use them on a car that has been driven for
a longer time, or been through morning fog, rain, etc. The Reason is that light dust can
be "flicked" off without much (there is always some, no matter what anyone says)
damage, but let that same dust sit longer, go through any moisture, or even a very
humid day, and it wants to stick, and can really scratch. I only use my dusters
on cars that have been garaged ONLY and have just dust that settled on the surface, or a
car I cleaned up and drove to a cruise or show and got a bit of dust on it
during the trip, or at the show for dust that has just settled while there,
never after that.
Washing/waxing: Any washing you do will put in small scratches, no matter how
careful you are. Wash the vehicle when it needs it, not any more often. Your plan
sounds good, but use common sense. The more you keep it clean, the less chance it
will get scratched if someone rubs up against it. Waxing every 6 weeks is fine, you could go a bit longer, but your own endurance will finally set that schedule!
Here is the best tip to keep it looking new: Use my glaze (or a similar
ultra fine product) from time to time. Starting right away. Use a very light application,
without a lot of rubbing about 2-3 times a year and you will keep up with or keep
ahead of the scratches that will get in the paint no matter what you do.
Use a non-abrasive wax like my Collinite 915 then to protect that shine and
enhance the shine.
Use spray shine products, and "wipes" like you would the
duster, only on a car with light dust that is not "old".
Follow the tips as on the web site, and you really can't go wrong. Go EASY
when washing, polishing, waxing. use LESS pressure than you might want too. Both
when applying the product and when wiping it off.
DEAL WITH BUGS THE RIGHT WAY: Here is a neat tip I just picked
up. When removing bugs from the front of the vehicle, rinse the area down and keep it wet for a time, while you wash other
areas of the car. Do the front last. When you get around to it, the water will
have softened up some of the bugs. Take a fluffy wash mitt and make a NEW bucket
of suds with Liquid Ivory. Then VERY LIGHTLY wipe the area with the bugs.
IMMEDIATELY take a hose and rinse off the wash mitt completely.
WHY? Because the shells and exoskeletons of bugs are VERY hard! What you are doing in the first wipe is putting all those hard things in your wash mitt, then
if you continue to rub on the bug splats, you are putting new scratches in your paint that may never come out!
With the wash mitt clean again (or use one mitt for the light first stroke ONLY,
and another one for the rest of each wash) go back and work lightly on the splats
left over. Don't rub hard, let the soap do the work. It is even better to take a
fingernail and work on some very stubborn areas than to keep rubbing with the cloth or mitt. Usually your fingernail is smooth, but don't overdo it.
When through, always glaze and wax
the front of your vehicle, and use Rain-X or similar product on the light lenses and windshield to make the next session
easier.
Now go out and enjoy your new Jeep, and don't let the black paint control your life!
Don Mallinson, President
DC CarCare
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