My car is filthy!

[inderjitbamra]

Hi all,

I am just like everyone - I like to keep my car clean and tidy through detailing and maintenance washing. It is almost an obsession.

I park my car in an office car park everyday and there has recently been a demolition of a building from across the road. Over the week my car has been building dust from the work carried out and it seems to be stuck on the paintwork along with your regular traffic film and tree sap et al.

I am not sure whether the car will need to be detailed again, for example decontaminated, clayed, washed, polished and sealed. Or would another maintenance wash would suffice.

Any advise on helping the car return to its former glory would help, and what products would be best to use.


Thank you.

[Setec Astronomy]

I would try to pressure wash that dust off, it's probably highly abrasive. You may be fine after that.

[TTQ B4U]

If you're car was well maintained and protected, it shouldn't be a problem. Was the car coated or simply waxed/sealed?

My wife's van went nearly 9 weeks without so much as a rinse off and it was looking like a pigged rolled in mud and debris. I just cleaned it up last weekend and it didn't take hardly any effort at all to return her to a 10/10. Gotta love ceramic coatings

Just needed to give her a strong wash, remove a bit of tar/sap and then a complete wipe down with a detail spray after she was dried.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi all,

I am just like everyone - I like to keep my car clean and tidy through detailing and maintenance washing. It is almost an obsession.

Welcome to AGO!

I park my car in an office car park everyday and there has recently been a demolition of a building from across the road. Over the week my car has been building dust from the work carried out and it seems to be stuck on the paintwork along with your regular traffic film and tree sap et al.

I am not sure whether the car will need to be detailed again, for example decontaminated, clayed, washed, polished and sealed. Or would another maintenance wash would suffice.

Any advise on helping the car return to its former glory would help, and what products would be best to use.


Thank you.

Mike aka Setec Astronomy has offered a good option and that's to start by blasting all the loose stuff off with a pressure washer versus a traditioinal wash by rubbing a wash mitt over the body panels as there could be some very nasty abrasive stuff in the dust that has accumulated on the body panels.

If the dust has become wetted with dew, then there could be a FILM instead of a dust and this would increase the risk of scratching.


Here's an option I've used that you can use if you don't already own a pressure washer.


Blasting Bird Bombs at the Coin-Op Car Wash!

[Mike Phillips]

Another option would be to wash the car as normal, that is a water hose and bucket and just do a good job of blasting the body panels with a strong spray of water before washing with a wash mitt.

[inderjitbamra]

I would try to pressure wash that dust off, it's probably highly abrasive. You may be fine after that.

Thank you!

[inderjitbamra]

If you're car was well maintained and protected, it shouldn't be a problem. Was the car coated or simply waxed/sealed?

My wife's van went nearly 9 weeks without so much as a rinse off and it was looking like a pigged rolled in mud and debris. I just cleaned it up last weekend and it didn't take hardly any effort at all to return her to a 10/10. Gotta love ceramic coatings

Just needed to give her a strong wash, remove a bit of tar/sap and then a complete wipe down with a detail spray after she was dried.

Hi,

Many thanks for your reply. It was simply waxed and sealed. I am yet to try ceramic coatings (new to the detailing world).

I will try your recommendation and let you know how I get on!

Cheers,

[inderjitbamra]

Another option would be to wash the car as normal, that is a water hose and bucket and just do a good job of blasting the body panels with a strong spray of water before washing with a wash mitt.

Hi,

Many thanks for your reply. It was simply waxed and sealed. I am yet to try ceramic coatings (new to the detailing world).

I will try your recommendation and let you know how I get on!

Cheers,

[inderjitbamra]

Welcome to AGO!





Mike aka Setec Astronomy has offered a good option and that's to start by blasting all the loose stuff off with a pressure washer versus a traditioinal wash by rubbing a wash mitt over the body panels as there could be some very nasty abrasive stuff in the dust that has accumulated on the body panels.

If the dust has become wetted with dew, then there could be a FILM instead of a dust and this would increase the risk of scratching.


Here's an option I've used that you can use if you don't already own a pressure washer.


Blasting Bird Bombs at the Coin-Op Car Wash!

Many thanks for your detailed response. I'll try your suggestion this weekend!

Thanks once again.

[inderjitbamra]

Hi all,

Thank you for your comments and suggestions. This weekend, we've had great weather in the UK, up to 30 degrees.

I have cleaned the car:

1. Citrus APC Pre-wash using a snow foam lance and left to dwell for 10 minutes, then gently pressure washed using a low setting.

2. Snow foamed again using a high concentrate of snow foam, and dwelled for 5 minutes. Pressure washed using high setting.

3. Washed the car using two-bucket method and dried. When finished, the paintwork with smooth as I had clayed about a month ago.

4. Re-applied Sonus BSD to finish off.

I will monitor the situation this week to see how dirty the car gets again, demolition of building is complete but they are now removing all the debris left behind. I will see to a proper detail (incl, de-con and claybar with polish) once all work has been done on the construction site.

Sorry for no photos.

Appreciate all your advise.

Cheers,