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MK7 "Random / "Stupid" Questions Thread"

Nineeightyone

Autocross Champion
Location
Pennsylvania
Car(s)
Scooty Puff Jr
Yeah I actually ditched the two buckets. I don't rinse a "dirty" microfiber. I just keep grabbing clean ones, and toss the dirty ones in a bucket to be laundered.

I get 4-6 swipes with the soaked microfiber, as I flip and fold to keep a cleaner surface.

The one I use to dry with my misting spray, I maybe use 2-3 for the entire car, but they're larger and dedicated just for drying.
I always thought rinsing a dirty one seemed sort of silly, when they're not overly costly in the first place. I won't say I'm using top tier ones or that I'm doing professional work, but yeah single bucket has been my method for a while.

I gotta get one of those tiny handheld battery blowers for drying the crevices at some point.
 

swcrow

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia
Car(s)
7.5 GTI
One of these days I’m just going to rhino line my whole car and not give a rip about paint anymore lol
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
If I use a waterless wash like ONR can I use a California Water Blade to remove (and then wipe with microfiber) or should I just stick with a microfiber towel? I'm lazy.

How clean is your car after the ONR wash?

NO... you are using ONR to prevent the dirt on the paint from marring it, and you're going to use a silicone blade to rub your paint? oxymoron... microfiber towels grip the "encapsulated" dirt and don't allow it to rub on the paint. All it takes is one particle of dirt to be on the top of the paint with the jelly blade to start scratching the paint. I used those back when they came out and always asked myself why I had so many scratches on the paint. Since I started using ONR the marring on my paint is almost non existent.

Same as those old guys in the car shows with the fancy dust mops and detail spray... creating holograms of spiderwebs in their shinny old Corvettes. The reason most of them don't notice is because the wax detail spray is full of fillers that cover the minor scratches. All it takes is a decent wash to see them all.
Bingo
Very clean. I use the same process. Works great.

I have a clean bucket with ONR I add all my micro fibers to. I have a sprayer that has ONR that I spray the panel down with, grab a soaked microfiber, clean the panel. I use a dry microfiber with ceramic spray I lightly mist while drying.
Nobody asked you 🤪- but a very good explanation of a procedure that works well.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
I always thought rinsing a dirty one seemed sort of silly, when they're not overly costly in the first place. I won't say I'm using top tier ones or that I'm doing professional work, but yeah single bucket has been my method for a while.

I gotta get one of those tiny handheld battery blowers for drying the crevices at some point.
Just get a battery leaf blower. Serves more than one purpose and does an even better job since airflow is typically better.

After i wash a car, I use a clean bath towel and without any pressure just lightly drag it across a panel to lift the big water spots. I then use a microfiber to get the small water and any streaky water up. Finally, leaf blower to every crevice and follow up with a clean fluffy microfiber.
 

Nineeightyone

Autocross Champion
Location
Pennsylvania
Car(s)
Scooty Puff Jr
Just get a battery leaf blower. Serves more than one purpose and does an even better job since airflow is typically better.

After i wash a car, I use a clean bath towel and without any pressure just lightly drag it across a panel to lift the big water spots. I then use a microfiber to get the small water and any streaky water up. Finally, leaf blower to every crevice and follow up with a clean fluffy microfiber.
See that's the thing, I have a larger battery leaf blower but it's fairly unwieldly, and the end of the nozzle is something like 2.5-3". I'm looking for a smaller, more directed static pressure solution.
 

oddspyke

Autocross Champion
Location
Delaware
Car(s)
2016 GTI, 2018 ZL1
See that's the thing, I have a larger battery leaf blower but it's fairly unwieldly, and the end of the nozzle is something like 2.5-3". I'm looking for a smaller, more directed static pressure solution.
I have an EGO leaf blower and got a shorter, narrower, silicone wrapped nozzle for it, made specifically for car drying. I'm sure they make them for other brands. Makes it much easier to use.
 

swcrow

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia
Car(s)
7.5 GTI
See that's the thing, I have a larger battery leaf blower but it's fairly unwieldly, and the end of the nozzle is something like 2.5-3". I'm looking for a smaller, more directed static pressure solution.
I use my Stihl 350.....larger nozzle, but man does it push the water out lol
 

Maiden69

Autocross Champion
Location
Texas
Car(s)
2020 GTI
See that's the thing, I have a larger battery leaf blower but it's fairly unwieldly, and the end of the nozzle is something like 2.5-3". I'm looking for a smaller, more directed static pressure solution.
Check online for the model of your leaf blower and add "stubby nozzle", there are a lot of people making smaller diameter nozzles for a lot of leaf blowers specifically for car drying.

You can also check AliExpress for those new "turbine" style hand help dryers. I have seen plenty of videos out now and those things are amazing. I have the BigBoi Mini+ now, I had a Toro turbine leaf blower before and I can tell you that the lack of noise from the blower whistling near your head is worth the investment. It is still noisy, because of the noise the wind makes when it hits the car, but the blower itself is quite.

One thing about ONR, and something I was skeptical about until I went to the Optimum Academy to get certified as a Pro Installer. It works as intended, do yourself a favor and buy the "big red sponge"(BRS), not the gold one. I think the Rag Company have their own sponge now as well. I am still using the first sponge I bought in 2018 when I went there, and it is still holding on after 2 years of professional detailing, and 3 years of weekend warrior. If you are using a towel, yes, you have to use multiple ones, fold in 1/4 and then use a face for every swipe... as a pro I didn't have time or the amount of towels needed for that nonsense. Especially when the BRS was designed to be used with ONR to release the dirt from the sponge when dunked into the ONR bucket. With ONR and the BRS there is no need for two buckets. Well, I do use a second one dedicated just for wheels.

Get a bucket with a grit guard, a BRS, a few of Spectrum 420 or a pack of Creature Edgeless to use in crevices, under the door handle, etc..., and a decent drying towel like the Double Twistress with a coating design to be cleaned out of the drying towel and you are set for rinse-less washing. There are a lot of drying towels, from the ones I have used, that one is my favorite. They have 2 new models that I have not tried yet, maybe this summer once I move into the house I would order some to try out.

I have bought from the Rag Company since the early 2000's, and even if I find their products slightly cheaper elsewhere they have my business all day long. Outstanding customer service, fast order processing and shipping. And the amount of videos they put out on YT helping detailers is second to none.
 

krs

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas, NV
Car(s)
MKVIIS R
If you buy a battery powered leaf blower, google "Your State - electric equipment rebate". You might be able find a cash rebate for buying something like that.
 

swcrow

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia
Car(s)
7.5 GTI
Hell yeah bro! I use my gas powered Stihl to blow dry my car. I'm able to dry my entire car in less than a minute!
same! and one microfiber for the small areas...
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
If you buy a battery powered leaf blower, google "Your State - electric equipment rebate". You might be able find a cash rebate for buying something like that.

Hell yeah bro! I use my gas powered Stihl to blow dry my car. I'm able to dry my entire car in less than a minute!

same! and one microfiber for the small areas...
Is it legal to use a gas powered leaf blower to blow dry a Tesla? How about using an electric leaf blower on a gas powered car?

In all seriousness - gas powered leaf blowers are on the way out. Many states are making companies switch and, like krs said, some states have rebates.

The other thing to consider is to make sure that your leafblower is pristine before you use it on your car. I looked at mine and saw all sorts of crud inside the tube - and stuff that could cause damage to paint.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
Is it legal to use a gas powered leaf blower to blow dry a Tesla? How about using an electric leaf blower on a gas powered car?

In all seriousness - gas powered leaf blowers are on the way out. Many states are making companies switch and, like krs said, some states have rebates.

The other thing to consider is to make sure that your leafblower is pristine before you use it on your car. I looked at mine and saw all sorts of crud inside the tube - and stuff that could cause damage to paint.
I like the battery blowers because they're a lot quieter. You're right about the crud inside. If you've ever used your leaf blower for mulching, probably best to clean it out well or use a different one. I have a battery one for small jobs and drying the car, while I have a plug in one that makes super quick work of a mature tree yard. The plug in one is dramatically lighter... Like a whole heavy battery lighter. 😅
 

swcrow

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia
Car(s)
7.5 GTI
All my Stihl does is blow air ….no debris
 
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