Swiffer No-Wash Method. Good or bad??

[BlackSnake99]

I am a recent convert to the no-wash philosophy (thanks to RobZilla), on a trial basis. I never drive my car in the rain, so I have been Swiffering the road dirt off (works MUCH better than I thought it would). I then go over it with detail spray to get bugs etc. off, then spray wax. I don't think wax build up will be an issue. It looks good but I can't tell if I am increasing the number of swirl marks. I plan on washing it every few weeks and reapplying a carnauba, probably Turbo wax. At some point I plan on getting Titos power swirl remover set and eliminating the swirl so I can tell if the method is working.

The advantage seems to be the lack of water spots, plus no water gets down into areas that can't be dried. I just worry that I am not getting all of the grit off of the surface with the Swiffer and causing swirl.

Does this sound like I am smoking crack with this method to anyone? Any input appreciated.

 

[Timmer]

I've been a big fan of the no-wash system for some time. Like you - my car is not subjected to the elements. I use Adams Detail Spray almost every time I take it out.

I've had my 08 for about a year and a half and have only taken water to it once.

I'll put my shine and finish up against anyones...

I also regularly use WheelWax on the wheels to keep them shining.

The big trick with detail spray is to use a California duster first so you don't cause any scratches with dust.

 

[BlackSnake99]

I've been a big fan of the no-wash system for some time. Like you - my car is not subjected to the elements. I use Adams Detail Spray almost every time I take it out.

I've had my 08 for about a year and a half and have only taken water to it once.

I'll put my shine and finish up against anyones...

I also regularly use WheelWax on the wheels to keep them shining.

The big trick with detail spray is to use a California duster first so you don't cause any scratches with dust.

Good. Glad to hear it. I wanted to make sure I am not crazy. I use Adams detail spray, then a couple Meguires products. As I said I use a Swiffer for dust and road dirt. I am impresses with how it picks up dirt with almost NO pressure.

Anybody else have tweaks to my method?

 

[Tito Tw]

Sorry but I was out of the country preparing cars for a car show I also did this one which I think is pretty cool.

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Back to the subject.

All of us in the car care industry face many challenges due to changes around the globe, the first one was the VOC for the products.

What are VOCs?

VOC stands for volatile organic compound. These compounds are household products and car care products, just to mention a few. All of these products can release organic compounds into the air as you use them or even during storage, sometimes accompanied by a strong smell, sometimes not depending on the chemical.

VOCs are known to pose health risks to humans and animals. Inhalation of VOCs causes a variety of symptoms.

All of Turbo Wax Products comply with all the regulations regarding the VOC.

Waterless Products

Now you see more and more Eco friendly products that are appearing since is the "New" thing.

However, this product has found an empty space in the marketplace due to the ability to resolve multiple problems such as water restrictions, apartments with no water handy and the winter time for some.

I don’t think you can replace water to wash a vehicle but some of these products are doing a pretty good job. Some of them are not! Buyers be aware. Some of them will even advertise "Waterless' but you are required to use two buckets even if is with small amounts of water, which then can’t be called "waterless".

The waterless spray actually lifts the dirt, it goes under it, rather than like water which stays on top of the dirt when sprayed, this goes under, lifts it up a bit and results in less scratching of the surface when you wipe it off with a Microfiber towel. BUT some of them with a poor quality Microfiber will scratch your paint surface.

I'd like to think of this system as a "temporary" tool as I am not fully convinced on how you will handle Tar spots, some tree saps and various other surface contaminants.

Regarding the advantage seems to be the lack of water spots

Generally speaking, the wash product per say does not cause water spots; it is the water that causes it. Now with that said, what a water spot is, it is a calcium deposit left when the water evaporates. Now this calcium has a tendency to etch into whatever surface it is on, be it clear coat, glass, etc. Left long enough, it will go very deep into the clear coat or glass, many times so deep they cannot be taken out, they are all the way through the clear coat.

Now, a clay bar many times will take out a lot of them if they aren't too deep, some that are a little deeper, can be taken out with a R/A and swirl mark remover or even a light cut compound, ones that are a little deeper can be taken out with a high speed, light cut and then go back over with a R/O and take out the buffer marks. In some cases, you must color sand, then buff to take some of the very bad ones out.

How to prevent the water spots: Starting with a clean non-spotted surface, you must put some kind of protectant on the surface that the calcium will not *********. Not many products on the market do this. Ours does. Neither of these products by themselves will take out calcium deposits but they will prevent them, especially if a good regular program of use is put in practice. Of course the ideal thing would be to never let the automobile never be subjected to in climate weather or regular water systems.

I just worry that I am not getting all of the grit off of the surface with the Swifter and causing swirl.

You have every concern about this however it appears that some people are having excellent results. I have personally seen two demos of this system and I’m still not sold yet, however we are doing R&D to see what results we come up with.

Does this sound like I am smoking crack with this method to anyone? Any input appreciated.

No I don’t think you are But of course this is just my opinion.

 

[RobZilla]

Using the swiffer pad lightly should clear almost all the dirt and grime. If you want to go behind with a micro fiber and detailer you wont be dragging lots of small particles over the paint surface (swirl marks).

I noticed significantly less swirl marks since using the method discussed. After every few drives I have used the clay bar to remove all the grime and bugs that get smashed on the front fascia from the massive speeds.

Swirl remover twice a year keeps the paint looking sharp.