These methodologies / products would apply to most forms of dust (Pollen, Sand, Volcanic Ash, and etc) Road dust or just the accumulation of dust from storage needs to be removed safely to avoid imparting scratches to the paint surface.
Dust will settle on your paint, if your vehicle is driven, dust is a fact of life that’s unavoidable. However if your paint is properly cared for, and the correct removal methods are used it will look better than any vehicle that is neglected
One of the first rules of paint care (especially noticeable with dark colours); the less you touch the paint surface; the less you’ll scratch it.
Use an open-ended hose and rinse with capacious amounts of clean water and blot dry surfaces with a waffle weave towel. You may need to follow with a clean micro fibre towel and a detail spray (QD) and gently wipe off any streaks
It important to use these methodologies only for the removal of dry surface dust, don’t use if surface has condensation or dew, or if the vehicle has oily road film, road tar, damp pollen or dust, etc in these instances the vehicle surface should be subjected to a conventional wash or Optimum (OPT) No Rinse Wash™ & Shine New Formula (ONR) car washing process
If you don’t have time for a two-bucket wash, then use a 1:20 Optimum (OPT) No Rinse Wash™ & Shine New Formula (ONR) / distilled water solution in a fine mist spray bottle.
The surfactants it contains encapsulate dry surface dust, pollen or light dirt particles making them virtually non-abrasive and it can be used without causing scratches. Apply with a long nap 100% cotton micro fibre towel using very little surface pressure, dusting with long strokes in one direction only
When I was a Concours entrant / judge most entrants would break out a California Duster as soon as they were allocated a parking spot. I’ve been using them for approx twenty years on all types of vehicles including daily drivers without causing any surface scratches (see use methodology)
If you get a new California Duster, wrap it in newspaper and store it for a week or so, everyday put fresh paper on it to help absorb the excess oils in the duster that will streak your paint.
A weird rule of thumb for these things, the dirtier they get, the better they work.
Methodology -using long strokes, maintain very light surface pressure and use in one direction only, this ensures that any dust is removed not just pushed around. Shake the duster occasionally to ensure any particles picked up will drop out rather than come to the surface while you’re using it. But in all things, including detailing opinions vary; there is no ‘right or wrong way ‘just whatever works for you
Precipitation (that contains dust)
Sahara rain or volcanic cinder cones (that result from eruptions, which resemble cinders) comprise both sand and grit caught up in rain droplets in clouds and then fall to the ground, leaving behind the film of dust when the water has evaporated. It is very abrasive and adheres to a paint surface; so use caution with its removal (flood rinse with an open-ended hose and rinse with capacious amounts of clean water and use a product that is formulated with a surfactant (Optimum (OPT) No Rinse Wash™ & Shine New Formula (ONR) and encapsulating polymers.
Blot dry surfaces with a damp waffle weave towel. You may need to follow with a clean micro fibre towel and a detail spray (QD) and gently wipe off any streaks
Heavy Dust
To remove heavy dust use (ONR) a quick ‘wash’; formulated with surfactants to keep dirt in suspension, avoiding surface contact, it also provides surface lubrication, thereby avoiding surface marring. Alternatively use Optimum Instant Detailer - this formulation penetrates and encapsulates light dust (including pollen) dirt, and grime, allowing for their removal without scratching or dulling the surface. As soon as is practical, thoroughly rinse the vehicle with a hose and clean water to ensure all the pollen is removed.
Light Surface Dust
To remove light, dry surface dust without causing scratches apply very little surface pressure, use a California Ultimate Premium Car Duster (this duster uses 100% cotton fibres impregnated with paraffin wax to collect dust) this product is like Marmite, you either love or hate it, I've been using them for ten years or more without any paint surface problems (including Concours d’élégance events); having said that it’s all in the method you use.
Or the Zymol® Natural Wool Duster (that uses static to attach the dust to the fibres to assure that dust is lifted and removed, not just pushed around) or long nap micro fibre towel and Optimum ONR (which uses a surfactant to encapsulate the dust and polymers to ensure surface lubrication) to ensure the dust lifted from the paint surface will remain in the nap or fibres and not on the towel surface thereby avoiding surface marring.
Methodology
Using long strokes, maintain very light surface pressure and use in one direction only, this ensures that any dust is removed not just pushed around. Shake the duster occasionally to ensure any particles picked up will drop out rather than come to the surface while you’re using it.
Do not use these methodologies on a wet, damp or hot paint surface (soon after driving) as this will cause streaking?
Anti-Static - Static [the process causes electrons to be pulled from the surface of one material and relocated on the surface of the other material]
Static (friction) electricity is an occasional annoyance in seasons of low humidity, but is usually caused when certain materials are rubbed against each other. Using products that do not contain oils will help by not retaining dust. (this is exacerbated by the use of polyester (nylon) Microfiber) resulting in dust attraction to the paint surface. A 100% cotton micro fibre towel is inherently anti-static; as opposed to the static build-up caused by using a polyester Microfiber towel on a polythene clear coat
For reduced dust attraction use Finish Kare #425 - Ultra Slick Polywipe, they contain polymer for lubricity, anti-corrosive agents, UV inhibitors and patented anti-static agents that gently remove fingerprints, smudges, and other light contaminates and reduced dust attraction.
Use a long nap micro fibre towel or a California Duster to ensure the dust lifted from the paint surface will remain in the nap and not on the towel surface thereby causing surface marring. Shake the towel occasionally to ensure any particles picked up will drop out rather than come to the surface while you’re using it.
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