California Duster?

[Saluki2003]

I washed my black Mustang last night and this morning there's dust/pollen all over it! I was thinking of getting a Cali Duster to wipe her off every morning but wanted to check in with experts to make sure I'm not harming the paint by using one.

Thanks guys!

[zmcgovern45]

You'll get answers both for and against these products, but the overwhelming majority will say DO NOT use duster products on your car.

A much safer approach is to simply use a quick detail spray/spray wax/spray sealant and a nice plush microfiber towel. Use very little to no pressure and gently remove the dust from the surface.

[yakky]

I don't think you could convince a logical person that pushing around abrasives on a dry surface isn't going to cause some sort of scratches. Sure they might not be visible immediately, but over time....

[dorkiedoode]

It got to the point where if they put very very light scratches I don't mine as long as it's light enough to polish out. Also in order to scratch it has to be strong enough to pierce through 4 layers of protection. Other than that We can only try our best and hope that it stay swirl free.

[Saluki2003]

I need to get a car cover then. I don't want to have to QD my car every morning...lol.

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[dorkiedoode]

Just to let you know car cover cause little scratch too. I've been there lol

[hernandez.art13]

Just to let you know car cover cause little scratch too. I've been there lol

Sheesh!!!

What does work then???

Probably an Air compressor and blow of the air or vacuum it out?

[lkotsios]

Works perfect for me, the strands have to be elevated and barely touching the paint just like the instructions say. I highly recommend the california duster!

[ssnobrakes]

I use the California Duster exclusively for pollen this time off year. It works great..........Just be very gentle when wiping the paint and If the Duster is brand new wrap it in newspaper for 24-48 hours to get the extra parafan off of it so it doesnt cause smearing.

[Wes Bremec]

Depending if the contaminates are sticky or not I will blow it off using my metro outside. I would never even think about using the California car duster on paintwork. I recently did a correction on a porsche(soft paint) and the homeowner used the duster all the time.

[Rmd]

Has anyone ever used a Swiffer duster from the grocery store? It doesn't have those coarse waxy threads on it like the california car duster has. Swiffer seems really soft and picks up dust well. I've used them and it seems like its knocking the dust off when you flick the duster with zero pressure.

[cardaddy]

I need to get a car cover then. I don't want to have to QD my car every morning...lol.

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I use the California Duster exclusively for pollen this time off year. It works great..........Just be very gentle when wiping the paint and If the Duster is brand new wrap it in newspaper for 24-48 hours to get the extra parafan off of it so it doesnt cause smearing.

I'm guilty of all of the above. ;) I have no less than 3 Cali-Dusters. Depending on the vehicle one or the other gets used, not just during pollen season.

Using a duster is like washing with a mitt. It is possible to scratch, just as it is possible NOT to scratch. Need to use all things with caution.

Waterproof covers (made for heavy exterior use) IMHO are the very worst possible solution.

As for the cover; depends on what type of cover. Very light 'unlined' covers while putting less weight on the surface, have no padding to protect the paint. Although with care, (and possibly careful placement of paint safe towels beneath) the very light 'dust' covers can do just fine. I use one about half the time on my G, in the garage and it's no worse for wear because of it. Although it has horribly soft paint. :eek:

My vote.... if you can garage your car.... is a duster very carefully applied as well as a QD before heading out. ;) And SURE you can QD your car before going anywhere! :rolleyes: I keep a bird poo/dusting kit in my trunk (well actually in ALL my cars) and my wife will tell ya', I might just do a QD on the car after we go out to eat, BEFORE we can even drive home!
:laughing:

[Saluki2003]

Garage isn't an option but I'll grab some more QD and a few more good MF towels. I'm also gonna pick up the CA Duster and use with caution.

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[Kevin Cullen]

Garage isn't an option but I'll grab some more QD and a few more good MF towels. I'm also gonna pick up the CA Duster and use with caution.

Hope the duster works for you. I gave mine up, couldn't quite get the hang of it. Now I just deal with the dust, QD it or use Aquawax when I wash.

[SR99]

Has anyone ever used a Swiffer duster from the grocery store? It doesn't have those coarse waxy threads on it like the california car duster has. Swiffer seems really soft and picks up dust well. I've used them and it seems like its knocking the dust off when you flick the duster with zero pressure.

Yes, I've been using them for some time now. I was skeptical at first but not any more. On a new car, which is now 16 months old, I have used them about 3x per week (essentially after every 1 or 2 drives) over that period and still do not have enough swirls or fine scratches to justify compounding.

I don't think any of those are due to the Swiffer, since I always sweep lengthwise and the few fine scratches I have are fine and random directions. If the Swiffer were scratching, the repeated use in the same lengthwise pattern over the past 16 months would be visible. It's not.

Lately I've been blowing the car off first (you could use compressed air, leaf blower, or whatever you have handy), which removes a good bit of the dust, but also will blow off any bigger grit. I'm not sure this step is absolutely necessary, since the Swiffer is such a light touch, but it surely can't hurt.

Normally, one Swiffer duster does the whole car and is barely dirty. The dirty areas are generally the same: lower panels behind the wheels, and back of the car. I do those last, and then I do the windows. I don't reuse them after 1 use (but keep them around for brake dust cleanup, before throwing them out)

A few caveats: You want a good layer of sealant, which seems to keep the dust free to sweep off. Maybe 10% of the time I toss the Swiffer midway and use another one, if the first one gets fairly dirty (judgment call).

If your car is not garaged, and/or is exposed to dew or moisture, use a waterless wash or do a full wash instead (since the dust is then bonded and cannot be easily dusted off).

If the car is dirty enough, I'm sure even the light tough of the swiffer could drag some grit across the paint and scratch. So you still have to use judgment, and best to use a waterless or a full wash if you have any doubt that it might be too dirty.