[AZIROC]

Had my car paint corrected and ceramic coated a few months back. I was told to wipe the dust off I just need some detail spray or waterless wash and microfiber cloth (along with a light touch). I pray alittle on the cloth(at 1st) and then onto the surface and go in 1 direction. Then I'll take another cloth and wipe up any extra from the spray. For the most part this works but in some areas I'm still getting very light "scratches". Of course it doesn't help its black paint.



Do I need to go to a softer cloth other than microfiber?

[TMD29]

For cleaning/damp wiping I use a 16x16 Rag Company Creature Edgeless microfiber towel or the Eagle Edgeless 350 microfiber towels.
For dying I use the Gyeon Silk Dryer microfiber towel or Griots Garage PFM. A smaller size for the sides and the larger size for the top. I never had an issue with swirls but I typically do a rinseless wash and try to stay away from quick detailers. I stay away from high pile microfiber towels during the wash stage just in case I get any grit stuck in the rag.

[BlakeR]

I only use quick detailer as a drying aide after washing the car. Dust and especially pollen is just SO abrasive even with the softest towel. Some colors like silver can get away with it, but not black.

[Gunkk]

Originally Posted by AZIROC

Had my car paint corrected and ceramic coated a few months back. I was told to wipe the dust off I just need some detail spray or waterless wash and microfiber cloth (along with a light touch). I pray alittle on the cloth(at 1st) and then onto the surface and go in 1 direction. Then I'll take another cloth and wipe up any extra from the spray. For the most part this works but in some areas I'm still getting very light "scratches". Of course it doesn't help its black paint.

Do I need to go to a softer cloth other than microfiber?

The Museum Rule: The less you touch a thing, the longer it lasts.

Self-healing paint protection film is practically the only way to avoid swirls on black paint. But since that is not your situation...


No matter how clean you think the cloth and paint are, there is ALWAYS some grit somewhere (paint, cloth or both) that will get dragged and create a swirl. The pinch-corners bullfighter style cloth dry is about the best you can do in the dry-dry scenario. But it is always still better to take a detailer dampened 500 GSM plush edgeless microfiber towel to do your final dry after a wash. Why? Because even a little lubrication is better than none.


Question #1: what kind of microfiber towel?

Question #2: Did you roll the towel upwards while wiping so that dirt/dust/grit is lifted away as you wipe?

Question #3: Did you fold the towel so that you never wiped more than once with the same portion of towel?


Suggestion: Use a >= 500 gram per square meter edgeless microfiber. Don't use the low-pile towels on paint. The depth of pile gives you some compliance to reduce spot-pressure from your fingers. Roll upward as you wipe. Fold after every wipe. This is the best you can do when wiping a towel.


Better than that: don't remove dust by wiping. Use a pressure washer. It's a black car, and 2 days is about MTBD (mean time between dirty). So you gotta wash it. With a hose. Waterless wash isn't good enough IMO because it requires wiping.

[Cyrus]

Quick detailer and a good microfiber cloth works for me but you have to get any dust and pollen off first using a California Duster.

Having said that with Black paint your pretty much screwed !!

[AZIROC]

Originally Posted by Gunkk

The Museum Rule: The less you touch a thing, the longer it lasts.

Self-healing paint protection film is practically the only way to avoid swirls on black paint. But since that is not your situation...


No matter how clean you think the cloth and paint are, there is ALWAYS some grit somewhere (paint, cloth or both) that will get dragged and create a swirl. The pinch-corners bullfighter style cloth dry is about the best you can do in the dry-dry scenario. But it is always still better to take a detailer dampened 500 GSM plush edgeless microfiber towel to do your final dry after a wash. Why? Because even a little lubrication is better than none.


Question #1: what kind of microfiber towel?

Question #2: Did you roll the towel upwards while wiping so that dirt/dust/grit is lifted away as you wipe?

Question #3: Did you fold the towel so that you never wiped more than once with the same portion of towel?


Suggestion: Use a >= 500 gram per square meter edgeless microfiber. Don't use the low-pile towels on paint. The depth of pile gives you some compliance to reduce spot-pressure from your fingers. Roll upward as you wipe. Fold after every wipe. This is the best you can do when wiping a towel.


Better than that: don't remove dust by wiping. Use a pressure washer. It's a black car, and 2 days is about MTBD (mean time between dirty). So you gotta wash it. With a hose. Waterless wash isn't good enough IMO because it requires wiping.

Id have to see which kinda i have. I have some that are kinda thin and one thats super soft. All edgeless.



I think this is where I'm messing up. I know I START with a rolling upward motion but sometimes I get lazy and just wipe in 1 direction. That being said its all very light pressure.



Now I think about it, since it is ceramic coated, I may need to just go back to hosing it down and then using a leaf blower to dry.

[indyz]

Ceramic coatings aren't scratch proof or waterspot proof.

Cannot wipe dust off. Need some lubrication. Just wash it.
Even a touch less car wash is better than wiping dust off with a towel

[hawk02]

Between washes, I use a portable leaf blower or my Master Blaster to remove dust and pollen off my mosaic black metallic ZL1. As Gunkk clearly pointed out, the less you touch the paint the less chance there is to cause damage.

[AZIROC]

Sorry for the lack of an update.



So yeah, my brain must have turned off cause while it was still light dust, it was still there. But I never hit the car with a hose. Ended up getting a pressure washer and leaf blower and now no issues.

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

Never brush or wipe your car with a cloth, or anything, after its been driven. The fine layer of dirt that gathers all over the car is like sand paper as it rubs against the car as its being wiped up - no matter how soft the cloth is. My ZL1 is shadow gray metallic so it shows dirt. It gets a layer of dirt on it after one short drive after a wash, and I just live with knowing that will happen, and wash it carefully once per week. The water and soap combo is necessary to separate the dirt from the paint as it's being washed/wiped away so it doesn't create swirls/fine scratches.

[AZIROC]

So as much as i didnt want to go down the road of getting car wash prodcuts and supplies again.... I did.


Got a pressure washer, foam cannon, leaf blower,, wheel cleaner, brushes, ect ect ect. Ended up getting the company that installed my soft water tank at my house to make an extra line so I can put a hose up to it. I've washed it a few times now and I probably should have gone this route from the get go.