Im just wondering what everyone else does for just removing dust from your truck. You know the point where you have just washed your truck and park at the end of a lot and then all of a sudden out of nowhere when you come out its covered in dust. Now, short of rewashing to remove the dust what do you do to remove the dust without scratching the paint. The wet microfiber will still scratch so thats not an option. So what do yall do?

 

The simple answer is to utilize a quick detailer product... but, the use of a quick detailer product is VERY subjective.

I say subjective because one person's version of 'dusty' is another person's version of 'dirty'. The key is to distinguish between the two to know when you should wash or when you can simply get by utilizing a QD product.

My rule of thumb is, generally, this... if I'm a bit worried about scratching and such, I'll wash. If it's a light coat of dust -- like after a day of sitting outside after a wash -- I'll utilize a high lubrication QD product like Poorboy's Spray and Wipe. I'll typically follow the PB's S&W with a product like 4-Star Ultimate Gloss Enhancer or Meguiar's Final Detail.

A wet mf towel isn't an option -- you're right there. Water, in and of itself, really doesn't offer much lubrication on the paint.

Here are a few options...

1. For Heavy Dust:

a. Poorboy's Spray and Wipe (I literally just bought another gallon of this a few hours ago via DetailCity).
b. DP Waterless Wash

2. Light Dust or a follow-up to one of the above:

a. Quik Detailer Mist & Wipe Aeresol
b. Four Star Ultimate Gloss Enhancer (UGE)
c. Meguiar's Quik Detailer Spray - my personal opinion is that the bottle that this product comes in is one of the best bottles available out there for a QD! Ultra fine mist!
d. Meguiar's Final Inspection #34 A tried and true product. This one has been around for a long time... and there's a reason it has been!
e. Meguiar's Last Touch Detailer D-line product... probably my least favorite of any that I've mentioned here. A bit too smeary for me.
f. Pro's Proactive Spray Sealant. I've only used this one once at my distributor's shop but, I will say, I liked it.
g. FK1's #425 Ultra-Slick Poly Wipe Spray Detailer. Currently one of my FAVORITES... I would only use this AFTER something else though as it offers little to no lubrication and is more of a 'gloss enhancer' versus a spray detailer.


That help a bit?

=RP=

 

For light dusting, I just use my California Duster. I haven't noticed any scratching/swirls.

 

same here, its my favorite detailing product along with the california dry blade.

 

I wish I could say the same for the Cali Duster...

I swore by it for a long time... even defended it in threads of this nature on other forums...

Well, I won't be doing that any longer. It can and, indeed, does scratch. I had far too many 'straight line' scratches that followed the duster and, as a result, have pitched all three of mine (including both California and Meguiar's branded versions).

Bottom line... when you're running something that is dirty continuously across the paint -- as is encouraged with the Cali duster -- you can and will induce some level of scratching at some point in time.

Dry abrasion is dry abrasion... no other way around it... you may not notice it as much on lighter colored vehicles but, I'm a FIRM believer that it can and will induce some level of scratching eventually.

 

and this is why i love silver

 

Thanks RP I was tring to think of a process to keep scrtching a a minimum. I use Meg's NXT quick detailer quite often and didnt know weather or not this was enough lube for the paint or not. Thanks for the info.

 

I've used NXT SD but, I really don't like the product. I find it very smeary and lack-luster on the 'pop' as well. I do, however, like the NXT smell but, that only goes so far with me...

 

I use my Cali duster on my glass .. and my mini duster on my dash .. but I don't use ti on my paint ..

Meg's QD and #34 are the two I have been using a lot lately.

 

My old silver birch Explorer used to get dirty like this too

I either drive fast & try to make dust shoot off but I usually use a wipe & shine formula and wipe the body down, I usually in winter do this from the pinstripe & up, as you can tell in most of my photos of my truck while dirty the bottom is dirty and the top of it is clean.

 

well the more I read this thread I want to say that RP you have changed my mind on the cali duster. Think I will give mine up also, have to tell my dad about it to because it is what we use on the Stude for car shows. Another thanks for one of the many tips I have read about.

 

RP Have a question, what is the main difference between the Meg's Quick Detail and their Final Inspection. Is one better than the other and why. I know I'm a avid Griot's user but last year at a car show my dad had some Meg's QD left over and we whiped the car down with it and I loved the gloss and depth it gave it. Now im thinking of using one of theirs as a quick detail instead of Griot's.

 

They're different formulations... Also, QD is an 'A-Line' (consumer) product and #34 is M-Line (Mirror Glaze / Professional).

QD has silicone whereas #34 is body shop safe (ie: no silicone). My honest opinion is that Meg's QD gets the nod over #34 for pop and overall depth.

#34 is better, in my opinion, as a clay lube.

 

Cool thanks for the advice RP, thats what I wanted to know.

 

You bet!