The California Duster...SAFE?

[SumpChump]

Is it safe to use a California duster or is it a gimmick from the 80's?

I waxed a car about 36 hours ago and it wasnt driven but sat and got pollen andcassorted particles on it.

Otherwise I suppose I could do a mist of Meguires Ultimate Quick Detailer and wipe gently with a microfiber.

 

[RooflessVW]

It all depends on your top coating. I have used one on my Phaeton for pine pollen, and it leaves no scratches in the Griot's Best of Show wax.

That said, a quick detailer and a microfiber works even better.

 

[Merkava_4]

So that's the reason for the username! You drive a Phaeton. Now it makes sense.

 

[SumpChump]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
It all depends on your top coating. I have used one on my Phaeton for pine pollen, and it leaves no scratches in the Griot's Best of Show wax.

That said, a quick detailer and a microfiber works even better.


Top coated with two layers Meg's Ultimate Liquid.

So the QD would have the upper hand on lubricity though vs the duster. Hmm

 

[Prune_Juice]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
So that's the reason for the username! You drive a Phaeton. Now it makes sense.

A Phaeton is roofless?

I thought he had an Eos. Nice car

 

[Prune_Juice]

Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Is it safe to use a California duster or is it a gimmick from the 80's?

I waxed a car about 36 hours ago and it wasnt driven but sat and got pollen andcassorted particles on it.

Otherwise I suppose I could do a mist of Meguires Ultimate Quick Detailer and wipe gently with a microfiber.



What is a California Duster? Is it like an orbital with a buff pad?

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Prune_Juice
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Is it safe to use a California duster or is it a gimmick from the 80's?

I waxed a car about 36 hours ago and it wasnt driven but sat and got pollen andcassorted particles on it.

Otherwise I suppose I could do a mist of Meguires Ultimate Quick Detailer and wipe gently with a microfiber.



What is a California Duster? Is it like an orbital with a buff pad?


You could say it looks like a dust brush. https://www.google.com/search?q=californ...920&bih=943

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: Prune_Juice
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
So that's the reason for the username! You drive a Phaeton. Now it makes sense.

A Phaeton is roofless?

I thought he had an Eos. Nice car

The username comes from my first VW, a 1986 Golf Cabriolet with a G60 swap we did in my apartment's parking lot. That car, though long gone, remains my spirit animal.

The Phaeton is the most recent in a long line of VWs and BMWs, and it will be around for the foreseeable future. Amazing machine.

Edit: I was going to gloss right over the EOS comment... But COME ON MAN!

 

[billt460]

I have been using a "California Duster" on my vehicles for the last 25 years with no ill effects. That said, it has it's limits. You must use it on an almost daily basis. You cannot allow dust to build up for several days or weeks, or use it after traversing a dusty dirt road.

But for taking off a very light coating of dust, it works very well. I'm talking about the amount of dust that would accumulate overnight on a gloss black vehicle while sitting in a garage. I also toss it for a new one when the treated yard looks excessively dirty. One needs to remember this is a dust removing tool, not a shovel. Used within it's parameters, it works safely, and as advertised. I've been to car shows and have seen owners using them on custom paint jobs costing thousands of dollars.

Also, when you first purchase them, you must air it out for a day or 2. If you don't it can streak your paint with the product it's treated with. My wife even has one she uses around the house on our furniture and table tops.

 

[Branson304]

I have never had any paint damage from using dusters to remove light gravel dust or pollen. Just don't put any pressure on the paint with it, just "glide" the duster lightly over the paint. Shouldn't have any issues that way. I've been caring for my vehicles' paint for years & none of them have visible swirls or paint damage.

 

[Chris142]

The guys at the car shows who are very picky about their paint all carry one

 

[69GTX]

Been using dusters since 1992 without any issues. I've attended hundreds of car show events on show fields. By the end of the show every car there is coated with light dust, dirt, pollen, etc. And many or most take it off with a duster.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Prune_Juice
A Phaeton is roofless?


Maybe not roofless, but definitely ruthless if you're trying to race it with an average car.

 

[RTexasF]

The trick is to BARELY touch the surface after reading the break in instructions. Do not drag it across the surface with any pressure on it. It works but is quite limited as to what it can do. I like the one for the dash more than the one for paint.

 

[topbliss]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Been using dusters since 1992 without any issues. I've attended hundreds of car show events on show fields. By the end of the show every car there is coated with light dust, dirt, pollen, etc. And many or most take it off with a duster.


Me too. Been using them on all my show cars for decades and never one scratch. They work great

 

[FastEddie]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Been using dusters since 1992 without any issues. I've attended hundreds of car show events on show fields. By the end of the show every car there is coated with light dust, dirt, pollen, etc. And many or most take it off with a duster.

Just went to a huge car show this weekend and saw quite a few people using these. I do have one but don't use it that much. Darn near every car at the show (well this goes for every car show really) had swirls of some magnitude, thus the duster swirling the paint was a non issue as they were already swirled up.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Prune_Juice
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Is it safe to use a California duster or is it a gimmick from the 80's?

I waxed a car about 36 hours ago and it wasnt driven but sat and got pollen andcassorted particles on it.

Otherwise I suppose I could do a mist of Meguires Ultimate Quick Detailer and wipe gently with a microfiber.
What is a California Duster? Is it like an orbital with a buff pad?
You could say it looks like a dust brush. https://www.google.com/search?q=californ...920&bih=943

California duster is for the lazy Californian who doesn't want to wash his/her car more than 2-3 times a year. I used it once a month for my cars, so that I only need to wash my cars once every 3-6 months.

The duster itself is washed once a year by hand, or in washer machine by itself.

It is more or less a dust brush like the one in demarpaint's linked.

 

[ryanschillinger]

I love the California Duster. Been using them for a long time. I leave one in the trunk of my work car, usually dust it once a day and it stays looking clean for weeks if I stay on it (and no rain or anything). I dust the dash with it when it gets dusty also. I have an older one in the garage that I use on the motorcycle. Dusted off pre-ride keeps it clean a long time.

 

[razel]

Love mine as well. It does not replace a car wash. I also recommend using it only on waxed cars. Use it only when the car is dusty and as stated, don't let it's weight sit on the car and drag it. Hover it so that strands are verticle and touching enough. If you use it beyond common sense then any scratches you get are your fault.

It's 13 years old and I keep thinking of wanting to wash it or replace it with a duster that is washable, but I usually end up using the garage vacuum on it.

 

[gofast182]

I get some of my supplies from www.detailersdomain.com and since they're in Jersey I decided to drive up to their shop/store to attend a sale and detail clinic they had a couple years ago. They love the California Duster, said it brings them more customers for fine swirl removal than any other product on the market.

Back in 2009 I was using one on my S2000 (not long after I got it and had it freshly detailed). That didn't last long because after I figured out it was what was creating the swirls in my beautiful black paint it went in the trash.