Distilled water and black paint....

[Guest51]

I just seen the pic of the Solo sprayer above and thought I'd share my experience with these…..

These Solo Sprayers are superior to any other kind of sprayer I have used in the past.

They are built like tanks and you can put just about anything through them with absolutely NO clogging.

I've got both and they are both handy and get used a lot for different purposes.

They spray a jet stream all the way to a fine mist.

Both of mine have lasted for about two years now and I use them weekly!

Amazon.com : Solo 420 2-Liter One-Hand Pressure Sprayer : Lawn And Garden Sprayers : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : Solo 418 1-Liter One-Hand Pressure Sprayer : Lawn And Garden Sprayers : Patio, Lawn & Garden



So thanks guys, now I found a reason to buy another one and dedicate it only to my Rav4


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[davey g-force]

The 'quick' of it.....
Being as you don't really need a grit guard (nothing goes back into the solution) you can use your clean water bucket. (Mine is the soap bucket, keep dual grit guards in both soap and rinse bucket.)

If it's not black paint (or non metallic colors) you can actually use tap water for the wash bucket. I'll *always* use distilled in the sprayer though.

Any-who.....
Generally 2~3 gallons of water and 12~18 clean microfibers. Only use one side of them, and only use them ONCE. (I'll use a lesser towel on the rockers, bottom of the bumpers, tail pipes etc.) I won't even put my open hand on the back of the towels, just hold them by the corners and lightly pull them across the panel(s) in ONE DIRECTION ONLY. (Not circular.)

If the panel needs another 'swipe' I'll use another towel.

Then to dry it down I'll spray heavily with the distilled mix (also pre-spray the entire vehicle concentrating on below the side moldings, behind the wheels, back deck lid, back bumper etc.).

From there it's switching to PAINT QUALITY towels (as in finishing work towels) to dry down. Preferably something like 530 GSM towels as they are more absorbent. I'll do more laying the towel down and patting the surface of the towel than I'll do outright wiping. I *will not* use waffle weave for rinseless washes, EVER.

Finally.... I'll take a QD spray and finishing towels and go over the entire vehicle.

So you do a rinseless wash (GDM) but rinse anyway at the end with DI?

Just making sure I understood correctly.

[cardaddy]

So you do a rinseless wash (GDM) but rinse anyway at the end with DI?

Just making sure I understood correctly.

Yes... the GDM method. But no, I don't rinse with purely DI water, that'll be a mix in the sprayer with whatever rinseless product I'm using at the time.

Do need to clarify on the statement that "you can use tap water" when washing. Clearly everybody can't use it, but *I CAN* being as here our water is soft, pH around 7.2i-sh and doesn't spot so terribly bad.

[davey g-force]

Ok, thanks

[Lexi65]

Does anyone actually use a handheld sprayer with distilled
water as a final rinse? How long does that specific part
of the car wash take and how much distilled water do you
use? Bo

[harleymike]

Does anyone actually use a handheld sprayer with distilled
water as a final rinse? How long does that specific part
of the car wash take and how much distilled water do you
use? Bo

Yes i do, and takes about 5 min. Use about 2 gallons. But then i dry with a leaf blower. Any water left over or that drips later won't leave water spots.
Mike

[Lexi65]

Yes i do, and takes about 5 min. Use about 2 gallons. But then i dry with a leaf blower. Any water left over or that drips later won't leave water spots.
Mike

Five minutes doesn't sound bad... Is that just the typical spray
mist. I have the sprayer from AGO Professional Mercury that sprays each time
Instead of just once it sprays twice...hard to explain.
Thanks.

[allenk4]

... *I CAN* being as here our water is soft, pH around 7.2i-sh and doesn't spot so terribly bad.

I don't think water being "soft" has much to do with water spotting. Softened water is usually accomplished by adding salt and not the reduction of total dissolved solids, which are the cause water spots.

I am not sure that pH is a variable in water spotting either, but would like to hear more about this aspect. I could see how well water that had a low pH could contain higher TDS, because of the acidic affect on the geology that the water comes from, but I do not believe there is a correlation between pH and water spots


Los Angeles has a published TDS of 93ppm and I find this water does spot prolifically

What is considered the highest TDS that will not cause water spots?

[cardaddy]

I don't think water being "soft" has much to do with water spotting. Softened water is usually accomplished by adding salt and not the reduction of total dissolved solids, which are the cause water spots.

I am not sure that pH is a variable in water spotting either, but would like to hear more about this aspect. I could see how well water that had a low pH could contain higher TDS, because of the acidic affect on the geology that the water comes from, but I do not believe there is a correlation between pH and water spots


Los Angeles has a published TDS of 93ppm and I find this water does spot prolifically

What is considered the highest TDS that will not cause water spots?

Never said it was entirely pH related. I was only saying that I know what my pH is and that it doesn't spot so terribly bad. (Keep track of the pH due to a 75 gallon fish tank.)

What the minimum/maximum TDS figure is as it relates to spotting I have no idea.

I can say that hard water, lime rich, calcium rich, spots like a mofo. So yeah... my water is softer, and doesn't spot horribly. (At least as long as you get if off before it dries on it's own.)

I guess the real measure there would be what water can you just throw on a panel (or glass) and leave to dry in the sun? And how bad does that water (or any other) spot once dry?

[allenk4]

I think you are using "soft" as a synonym for low TDS...right?


Water can be soft and have high TDS...right?