{"id":39268,"date":"2023-04-06T00:00:21","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T04:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.detailedimage.com\/Ask-a-Pro\/?p=39268"},"modified":"2023-03-24T10:29:49","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T14:29:49","slug":"pollen-and-safe-washing-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.detailedimage.com\/Ask-a-Pro\/pollen-and-safe-washing-habits\/","title":{"rendered":"Pollen and Safe Washing Habits"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Pollen<\/p>\n

For professionals and detailing enthusiasts who struggle to encourage or educate people on caring for their paint, feel free to share this content.<\/p>\n

Pollen can be a real pain. But like many foreign substances in the detailing realm, safe removal is the real issue.\u00a0 Especially with pollen affecting many of us in Florida, this article is meant to help those that appreciate seeing their paint looking good and discerning about its appearance even after the dirt is removed. The micro scratches, called swirls, are a product of how people are washing their cars.<\/p>\n

Improper hand washing causes swirls!\u00a0 Most people are more concerned with the cleaning aspect of the car at the expense of focusing on being gentle.\u00a0 You may not care about swirls, and in that case this article does not apply to you.\u00a0 I get it!\u00a0 Everyone does not care about their paint at the level of an enthusiast who is into paint correction or just appreciates how very reflective paint looks post auto detailing.\u00a0 This article is for those that appreciate polishing (paint correction) services, that improve the aesthetics of your paint.\u00a0 For those individuals who do not want to see their paint looking like a spider web (the swirls), I have some particularly important wash tips.<\/p>\n

\"pollen<\/p>\n

I believe it has always been a bad idea to use a quick detailer or worse spray wax to clean your dusty car.\u00a0 Bad wash technique immediately causes the spider web appearance called swirls and deeper scratches (see below).\u00a0 If you go on a five-minute drive, even if it does not look like it, your car is too dirty for a quick detailer.\u00a0 I have multiple clients who attended car shows.\u00a0 Their paint looks better than most of the cars there for a reason.\u00a0 You see most of the people presenting their cars at these events rubbing a dirty microfiber over their car with a quick detailer or spray wax, scratching their car.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

But casually cleaning or wiping away pollen with a quick detailer and towel is significantly worse.\u00a0 Pollen is not dust.\u00a0 A collection of pollen is like sand in texture.\u00a0 It is harsher, more rougher to the touch.\u00a0 From experience, the annual or biannual pollen season can be a severe annoyance for Florida residents.\u00a0 As I write this article, the pollen attack in Gainesville is brutal.\u00a0 I emphasize that it is not fun to look at pollen on your car.\u00a0 But removing it is the biggest problem.\u00a0 Most people do not realize how much damage rubbing this off your car can do to your paint.\u00a0 Even with the water rinsing the pollen off from a rainy day, you are not out of danger due to its clingy nature.\u00a0 Pollen also has acidic properties that are activated by moisture.\u00a0 This accelerates wax degradation.\u00a0 This is another case for (true) ceramic protection.\u00a0 You need to approach even a light layer of pollen the same way you would for a very dirty car!<\/p>\n

For those that need a refresher on the 3 different wash types; there is the Two Bucket (traditional) wash method, the Rinseless wash method, and the Waterless wash method<\/a>.\u00a0 There are intelligent variations of the traditional wash method and rinseless, but my intention is to not go too far down that tangent.\u00a0 I am more focused on troubleshooting areas where you may be marring your paint.<\/p>\n

When in doubt the traditional two bucket method is the most comprehensive approach to safely washing your car in most scenarios.\u00a0 Although I often use the rinseless wash method and believe a legitimate case can be made that the rinseless wash method is just as safe if not safer than the traditional wash method.\u00a0 The only reason I rank the two bucket method ahead, is the opportunity to flush loose debris with a source of free flowing water.<\/p>\n

\"hose\"<\/p>\n

Rinsing the car with water of loose debris with your pressure washer or just a hose cuts down your margin of error.\u00a0 It also starts the breakdown process of dirt and grime.\u00a0 This is particularly the case for scenarios in which you have gone a while since washing, driven on dirt roads, or your car is moderately caked in pollen.<\/p>\n

Detailed breakdown and example of these two wash methods below:<\/p>\n