Hi Guys

Many Car Shampoo manufacturers advertise their Products as leaving a streak free shine.

But should you rinse the Shampoo off before you dry it, or just dry off the Shampoo with a Microfibre cloth.

 

Rinse with rainwater, and then dry off.

Been doing it that way for waaaaay toooo many years.

And NO, parking it out in the rain after shampoo WILL NOT cut it.

 

You don't wash your hair with shampoo and don't rinse it, do you?

 

Car shampoo is a detergent that needs to be rinsed off. (As Daim says, you wouldn't just leave shampoo on your head!) The streak-free finish is achieved by including a water-repellant element in the shampoo that bonds to the bodywork. It's the equivalent of a wax coating which enables water dispersal and beading. The smaller you can get the water particles to break down, the less likely there is to be a streak finish. So you rinse off the detergent, leaving the thin coating and the car dries off streak-free. Well, that's the theory!

Paul

 

Hi Paul

Cheers!

The Perfect Explanation!

 

Yes but I'm not trying to get a Streak Free Shine!

 

I've done that 'Gig' already and you're right!

 

My beautiful old C30 had immaculate paint and was washed weekly by hand. No matter if summer or winter. Storm or sun. Negative or positive tenperatures. I never had streaks. I would wash the car in the shade and then use a leather to remove all traces of (super hard) water. No streaks ever...

 

Uh.. just follow the directions?

If you are breaking dirt free it needs to be removed, water can rinse it away but using a cloth will likely create some small swirls.

Rinse, wash, rinse, then blow dry if you have the equipment.

If you don't have a reversing vac or leaf blower or dryer made specifically for cars, then get a silicone blade to wipe off the majority of the water and use compressed air to chase off the rest. hint: cheap silicone blades aren't worth it.

 

I use drying wax after washing. five ml are mixed in a pumping garden sprayer. then wipe it with a microfiber.

 

my paint was getting a little ruff when touched ,not showing tho.

decided to wash and go over it with Mothers Clay bar system.

unbelievable results , shines and smooth to the touch ,better than when 1st done paint work!

IT WORKS!!!!! a picture will not show the results, have to see in real life!

 

ronbros,

You MUST now wax the car. Clay barring (or clay-clothing) gives a beautiful finish but you've now removed all the wax protection from the paint, so it's really important to get a coat of wax protection back on.

Cheers

Paul

 

The best way to dry your freshly washed car is still to drive it at 100 mph. :-)

 

Just by way of an experiment, I washed my Merc with Car Shampoo and then I let it dry naturally, without either rinsing it off or drying it off with a microfiber cloth.

(don't use Chamois anymore)

It dried to a perfect streak free Shine!

What am I doing wrong?

 

OB, that probably means:

- you've got a good coat of wax already n the car
- you're using decent shampoo with some wax or water-dispersing elements in it
- the water isn't too hard where you live

Keep doing what you're doing!

Paul

 

Hi Paul

No Wax but I Polished her with 'Mer' last year and am just about to do that again for this Year.

As for the Water its 'hard as a rock' where I live.

But I am using Turtle Wax Car Shampoo.



Is this the secret of the Perfect Shine
I certainly think so!

 

I never put pooh or detergent on my ragtop, rinse water only and no high pressure water.