Car Duster thoughts/experience?

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Hi all. My dark colored Nissan really shows dust and dirt. I can wash it and within a few days of short around town driving here in dry (and often dusty) Colorado, there will be a fine coating of dust/dirt. (Car is garaged). It is especially evident after highway trips going past construction will all the earth moving machines and wind blowing. It is a pain getting the hose, wash bucket, etc. etc. out just to wash off light dust and dirt so I got to thinking about a duster. Plus, I have to think every time you wash the car, you remove just a bit more of your wax coat too. I am aware of the California Duster but have never been fond of the concept - namely wax coated "yarn" that basically just embeds the dirt in the duster and leaves marks for the first few uses (at least from what I understand). I googled dusters and found the Chemical Guys Merino Wool Duster. Has anyone tried one of these. They advertise dirt is electrostatically attracted to the wool and you simply twirl the duster to expel the dirt. They say it is for removing dust from sitting in the garage etc. so not sure if it is really suitable for what I'm talking about. The last thing I want is scratches in my clear coat as fine scratches are very evident on the dark color.
 
I have to believe the duster would cause micro scratches that eventually will be noticeable the more you use it.
 
Car Scratchers.

Cars get dirty. A waterless wash product might work well for you, but my general rule is that if the car looks like it needs washed, then it's time to get the hose and bucket out.
 
Originally Posted By: oilmutt
I have been using one for over 30 years-no problems!


Me too and my car does not have any scratches due the the duster.

On my black Firebird FORMULA in my signature, prior to buying a California Duster, I had always felt the same way as the OP, NissanMaxima. But the duster won me over.

However, the duster DOES NOT replace proper washing, it only keeps the paint free of dust between washes. And NEVER use the duster on a wet car, if the vehicle is dusty and then has been rained on, NOR after the raindrops have dried on the paint. Use only on a clean/waxed surface that is under the dust. And ONLY buy the California Duster or equivalent as the cheaper off brand dusters only push the dust around and don't capture it.

You may also want to use the California Water Blade or equivalent as this will get you to your normal drying method faster. Only use the blade with the silicone handle not the hard plastic handle(which could scratch paint).

Again, the blade does not replace towel drying, it only gets you there quicker.(towel, chamois, microfiber)whichever your choice. I like microfiber.
 
FYI,
Also, after about 15 years, I decided to wash my CalDust and this was a mistake! It never worked the same again as it did not collected the dust. The duster only pushed it around on the paint so, I had to buy another. DON'T WASH IT!
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Car Scratchers.

Cars get dirty. A waterless wash product might work well for you, but my general rule is that if the car looks like it needs washed, then it's time to get the hose and bucket out.


That's how I feel, I try and keep an open mind but no matter how much I read up on car dusters or waterless car wash products I won't use them. Especially if there's a little crusty mud or dirt on the vehicle that needs to be hosed off.
 
Not sure I am saying this right but, somehow the lubricating properties of the waterless car washes gets underneath the dirt, allowing it to be removed without scratching the vehicle's paint. I have tried them(I was given a 32oz bottle at a car show) and yes, they work. How well?

Well, do they work to the standards of the most fussy car enthusiast? Probably not! But, for those who live in areas such as condo/townhome, apartment or dorm living and have no access to water & hand washing or it's prohibited in these areas, these waterless car wash products are an alternative to even driving through the local car wash.

Also, these waterless car washes could be for those car enthusiasts, where the vehicle never leaves the garage unless it's sunny outside and never gets dirty. Then, a quick swiffering of the car duster and then, the waterless car wash would work nicely as the these products also adds a protective wax/silicone type of protector while cleaning off those spider droppings and webs. I call it "spider poop".
 
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I have a "car show" friend that owns a late 60s muscle car and he never uses water washing on the car and hasn't in over 30 years. This car only see a cloth lubricating wipedown(I don't know what it is). I'll have to ask him if he's ever considered or use these waterless car wash products.

Quick story:
One day at a car show, he told me that he owned this car in high school but, sold it later on due to needing money. According to him, it was never in the show car condition during those HS years. Some 20 yrs later, he was looking through some "cars for sale ads" and spotted a car like he once owned. Turns out through the VIN, it was the car he sold some 20 years earlier and he had verified it. It had been sold several times since he sold it in the 70s. He bought it, restored it, and only shows it.
 
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Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Not sure I am saying this right but, somehow the lubricating properties of the waterless car washes gets underneath the dirt, allowing it to be removed without scratching the vehicle's paint. I have tried them(I was given a 32oz bottle at a car show) and yes, they work. How well?

Well, do they work to the standards of the most fussy car enthusiast? Probably not! But, for those who live in areas such as condo/townhome, apartment or dorm living and have no access to water & hand washing or it's prohibited in these areas, these waterless car wash products are an alternative to even driving through the local car wash.

Also, these waterless car washes could be for those car enthusiasts, where the vehicle never leaves the garage unless it's sunny outside and never gets dirty. Then, a quick swiffering of the car duster and then, the waterless car wash would work nicely as the these products also adds a protective wax/silicone type of protector while cleaning off those spider droppings and webs. I call it "spider poop".


You make valid points. I guess I'm fortunate in a sense that I live in a house and have the luxury to use the two bucket wash method, which is a big contributing factor to not ever trying a waterless wash or a duster. But under the circumstances you mentioned I'd opt for that over a car wash any day of the week.
 
I have one for the Mustang.
Since we have a carport, I would be washing it everyday during convertible if I didn't.
I have been happy with it. No visible scratches after almost 10 years (in September.)
Whatever they treat it with, seems to be effective. Actually, the dirtier the duster gets, the better it works. As noted, it is advised on the package not to wash it.
 
Waterless wash, all the way. Skip the duster.

I live in Phoenix, and I like my daily driver to look good.. but in Phoenix, there's a lot of dust in the air, so I find that my car gets dusty pretty quick - roughly 2 days after washing, on average, and sometimes within 24 hours, especially when we get windy weather - so I definitely feel your pain.

The best solution is to get a decent bottle of waterless wash concentrate, such as Ultima, Optimum, Blackfire, Pinnacle, etc.., a high-quality, chemical-resistant spray bottle, and a stack of GOOD quality Microfiber towels. You'll be glad you did.

On the plus side, some of the waterless wash products, such as Ultima, are designed to reduce future dust collection.
 
Thanks all. Great input as usual.

For clarification (if that is even needed), I'm talking about "pure" dust/dirt and not rain splotches, mud splats, etc. on a very well maintained surface (always good base coat carnauba). The car here in the foohills of the Rockies seems to act as a magnet for this stuff. I can wash it, drive it freshly washed a few miles and back to the grocery store, back into the garage, and there is a fine layer of dirt/dust on the rear bumper (air streaming effect back there??). It is gritty stuff too. Then, because there is salt/gravel applied to the roads sometimes, a car in front of you can drive through a patch of that stuff and up comes a plume of dust, drit and grit! Grrr.. In the grand scheme of life, it is a small thing to "worry' about for sure but it is just annoying when you take the time to do a careful hand wash/dry (car has never seen a car wash) and then the grit is back plus I started wondering if the duster would be a simple solution. I can see the layer on the hood almost build up sometimes on the hood from inside the car driving down the road! Because the finish is well protected and the nature of the dust/dirt it seems you could almost just blow it right off the surface (or dust it!).

I have read about these waterless wash products but from what I understand they still require getting out the bucket, water, products, and a pile of MF towels. They don't seem like that much less work than adding getting out the hose but I may be wrong.

Also, I have tried the Quick Detailer products (like Meguiars in the burgundy bottle) but I quickly gave up on that for this application as it embeds the dirt in the MF towel that just gets dragged again over the surface. ow I reserve that stuff pretty much exclusively for claying.

For those that have used a duster, you didn't specify if you have used the California Duster or one of these merino wool type dusters. I've got to say, I'm tempted to try it. There were only like 35 reviews on Amazon but almost quite favorable. I like the idea that there is apparently a static charge attraction to the wool fibers and you just spin it out of the duster. The primary intent of the duster seems to be light dust a car accumulates after a wash and sitting in the garage, but they do mention using on show cars after sitting in the lot which seems like it might be similar to my situation. Maybe I'll drop them a line. I've never bought from Chemical Guys but they seem like a good outfit.

here is the video for any interested...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqdQeecKNYA
 
Originally Posted By: NissanMaxima
I have read about these waterless wash products but from what I understand they still require getting out the bucket, water, products, and a pile of MF towels. They don't seem like that much less work than adding getting out the hose but I may be wrong.

You're thinking "rinseless wash" here.. Bucket, water, portion of rinseless wash, soaking MF cloths in the bucket, and going from there. VERY different than waterless wash. Waterless wash basically requires a spray bottle with your mixed WW liquid and a short stack of MF towels.

Originally Posted By: NissanMaxima
Also, I have tried the Quick Detailer products (like Meguiars in the burgundy bottle) but I quickly gave up on that for this application as it embeds the dirt in the MF towel that just gets dragged again over the surface. ow I reserve that stuff pretty much exclusively for claying.


Quick Detailer is not the same thing, IMHO, as a proper Waterless wash product. When done right, the waterless wash lifts the 'grit' off the surface of the paint, traps it in the MF towel, and provides sufficient lubrication in the process. The MF towel, used right, keeps the grit away from the paint in future passes. Doing this right means folding the MF a few times, making one pass, then rotating the towel a bit before the next pass. If you've done it right, the towel should look kind of 'tiger striped' afterwards.

When I do it, I spray the entire car down with the WW solution, then hit each panel with another spray (or two, if needed) as I go to make sure it's wet enough. Once I've gone over the entire car once, I spray it down one more time and go over it again with a clean MF towel. I use about 2-3 towels per waterless wash. Last step is a quick spray of D156 or Eagle-One spray wax and a quick buff.

When done right - methodically, with clean towels and patience - you should not cause any marring.

Here's my car, immediately following a waterless wash.

24pxma1.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
oilmutt said:
You may also want to use the California Water Blade or equivalent as this will get you to your normal drying method faster. Only use the blade with the silicone handle not the hard plastic handle(which could scratch paint).

Again, the blade does not replace towel drying, it only gets you there quicker.(towel, chamois, microfiber)whichever your choice. I like microfiber.


Thanks. I might have to order one of these. Indeed, drying is a substantial portion of my process. I've never had much luck with the "hose at an angle" sheeting process. I've been using a Meguiar's Water Magnet. It does hold a lot of water, but you have to wring it out a few times. So I find myself going around the car two to three times with it before it is all dry.
 
Thanks for the clarification on waterless wash SirTanon. I see Meguiar's makes one of these apparently all prediluted and ready to go. I have only used the Meguiars Gold Class Liquid Carnauba so this might be interesting to try.

If the dirt and grit accumulation didn't happen so fast, it wouldn't annoy me. Plus, combine that with the dark color and it is noticeable quite fast! Next car will be something lighter in color but that's not happening anytime soon.
 
Phil of Detailer's Domain said something like the California duster is one of his favorite products.....because it gives him more paint correction business on show cars than anything else.
 
Originally Posted By: gofast182
Phil of Detailer's Domain said something like the California duster is one of his favorite products.....because it gives him more paint correction business on show cars than anything else.


That's why pro detailers call it the California Car Scratcher!
laugh.gif
 
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