Probably some silly detailing questions but...

[VickMacky]

I still want to ask. I'll say I'm not new to detailing but I am new to being efficient and effective at it while doing it right. Many thanks in advance.

1- With a quality PH neutral car shampoo (currently using Griots brilliant finish), is it ok to wash the whole vehicle (shade and sun) and then rinse rather than washing a panel and rinse? Will it leave spots or runs? I know foaming is the new hotness but that's an investment for next year.

2- Does using a detail spray as a drying aid diminish it's effectiveness? Common sense says yes because it's diluted but what do I know.

I think there was another one but I'll edit later when I remember.

[rangerbay]

Personal opinion, and I'm no expert, but I don't like to leave soap on the paint if it's in the sun. You have to rinse it anyhow, just do it then. I also like to keep spraying the car with water often while washing the rest of the car to keep it from drying out and water spotting. I do like to let soap dwell for a little bit if its in a cool spot out of the sun. Detail spray helps drying, and helps to keep spotting down. I don't know if it diminishes the effectiveness of the spray, but it sure helps in drying. The car is clean, so the spray probably doesn't need to be real effective.

Bill

[VickMacky]

Thanks Bill. I try and read and search and it seems a lot of people just leave the soap on the car and do one rinse but I've always been like you, rinse often. It just sucks that I have no shade really and I'm trying to go about the best way to wash quickly while also not getting spots in the sun. I thought leaving the soap on would prevent it.

[rangerbay]

I think the soap drying on the car is never good. Have you used ONR or one of the rinseless washes?

Bill

[Kamakaz1961]

I usually keep my ride wet and do not like my car being dry with soap. But your questions aren't silly questions! Keep on rocking! As for a detailer as a drying aid...I don't use a detailer for assisting a drying aid.

[VickMacky]

Bill, I totally use no rinse washes. I love Griot's rinseless wash and wax. It works great and smells even better. But sometime the truck is a little too dirty for my comfort to do a rinseless.

Kamakaz, thanks. I think I prefer using it after drying myself but a lot of people do use it when drying.

[BadgerRivFan]

A couple of comments (for what it's worth [emoji846])...

Adding one oz. of ONR to your wash bucket along with your car wash soap will help reduce water spotting. It effectively acts as a water softener and will also add a small amount of lubrication to help cut down on wash induced marring.

The new McKee's 37 Sio2 Auto Wash is the only soap marketed as one that can be used in direct sun and okay to let sit on the paint 'til you're ready to rinse. If you prefer to wash your whole car before rinsing - and your forced to do it in direct sun - this may be one to check out.

https://www.autogeek.net/no-rinse-wash.html

https://www.autogeek.net/mckees-sio2-auto-wash.html

[PaulMys]

A couple of comments (for what it's worth [emoji846])...

Adding one oz. of ONR to your wash bucket along with your car wash soap will help reduce water spotting. It effectively acts as a water softener and will also add a small amount of lubrication to help cut down on wash induced marring.

The new McKee's 37 Sio2 Auto Wash is the only soap marketed as one that can be used in direct sun and okay to let sit on the paint 'til you're ready to rinse. If you prefer to wash your whole car before rinsing - and your forced to do it in direct sun - this may be one to check out.

https://www.autogeek.net/no-rinse-wash.html

https://www.autogeek.net/mckees-sio2-auto-wash.html

^^This^^

[rangerbay]

Have you guys used the McKee's Sio2 wash? I've been curious as to how it would perform in the sun.

Bill

[VickMacky]

A couple of comments (for what it's worth [emoji846])...

Adding one oz. of ONR to your wash bucket along with your car wash soap will help reduce water spotting. It effectively acts as a water softener and will also add a small amount of lubrication to help cut down on wash induced marring.

The new McKee's 37 Sio2 Auto Wash is the only soap marketed as one that can be used in direct sun and okay to let sit on the paint 'til you're ready to rinse. If you prefer to wash your whole car before rinsing - and your forced to do it in direct sun - this may be one to check out.

https://www.autogeek.net/no-rinse-wash.html

https://www.autogeek.net/mckees-sio2-auto-wash.html

Thanks, I will. So I've seen people using a foam gun on the vehicle, leaving it a few minutes then using a mitt around the whole car without rinsing. It that because the foam doesn't spot?

ETA" so I just looked at that soap and it says it's meant for costed vehicles. I'm a nuba fan so I wonder if it would hurt the nuba or work well with it.

[BadgerRivFan]

You can also use Sio2 Auto Wash on uncoated vehicles. Wash and dry the car, top it with your wax of choice, and you're good to go.

If I was using a foam gun/cannon, I would rinse after foaming the car. The idea is to foam the car, let it dwell to soften up and encapsulate topical contaminates, then rinse away so as not to rub the dirt around on the paint with your wash mitt.

[kevincwelch]

Adding one oz. of ONR to your wash bucket along with your car wash soap will help reduce water spotting. It effectively acts as a water softener and will also add a small amount of lubrication to help cut down on wash induced marring.

This is not the first time I've heard this espoused on the forum by a respectable member. However, I have a hard time believing that it will improve the lubricity of the already fantastic lubricity of car wash soap. Softening I can see. But more lubricity???

[PaulMys]

This is not the first time I've heard this espoused on the forum by a respectable member. However, I have a hard time believing that it will improve the lubricity of the already fantastic lubricity of car wash soap. Softening I can see. But more lubricity???

I'm not a chemist. But I do use ONR as a rinseless wash, and the lubricity is very good.

I guess what I'm saying is that ONR probably wouldn't hurt the lubricity.

[kevincwelch]

Definitely agree that it won't hurt the lubricity.

I see a double blinded trial coming on here... ;)

(Sent via my mobile device...)

[LSNAutoDetailing]

I live in Arizona, Valley of the Sun. Typically my wash process is around 8 am before sun comes up over the west facing side of the garage.

Reality is, that doesn't happen all the time and the wash happens in sun-light. Most high-end shampoo's are somewhat "sun friendly" Meaning, even if they dry on the vehicle before the rinse, the typical rinse with water should still remove all of the residue. I use Megs Hyper wash and have used Pinnacle Shampoo and that has been my experience. I just bought CarPro Reset and plan on trying that on my own cars...

As far as efficiency, I foam the entire vehicle using Hyper Wash in my foam gun, then using a 2BM, I start with the roof, windshield, hood, rear glass and trunk. Then I move onto the sides and work my way down, saving the bumper covers and rocker panels for last.

Then the vehicle gets rinsed. Now, here is where it's more about your water than it is the soap. AZ water is crap. I don't think there is an Arizonan that will deny that. It's mineral rich, copper, zinc and who knows what else. If I even sprayed my vehicle with our water here, it would severely cause water spots. Spots so bad that they instantly almost start etching.

It's the water that will cause you issues in most cases, not the soap. That is why we use demineralized and deionized water for the car washes. Doing one panel at a time is pointless *if* your problem is the water.

There are typically two types of washes, Gentle and Aggressive:

Gentle Wash:
https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/2009-2016-how-articles-mike-phillips/103632-how-wash-coated-car-gentle-approach-washing-car-mike-phillips.html

Aggressive Wash:
https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/86146-aggressive-approach-washing-car.html

Hope this helps!