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Proper Washing & Drying

Most of the swirl marks that occur on your vehicle are likely caused by regular washing and drying. Though weekly washes and towel-drying are the best care you can give your vehicle, improper techniques will cause unsightly swirls and scratches in the paint that will require compounding or polishing at the very least. You can prevent these problems and save yourself a lot of extra work by following a few simple tips when washing and drying your vehicle.

Why wash weekly?

Weekly washing is optimal because some contaminants can do serious damage to the paint if they are not removed quickly. One such contaminant is bug splatter. Their bodies contain organic acids that break down the carcass, but they also eat into the clear coat if not removed promptly. Weak spots in the clear coat make your vehicle susceptible to corrosion.

Another problem contaminant is brake dust. It contains metal shavings from the rotors and an adhesive used in the production of brake pads. This makes brake dust highly corrosive and very sticky. Washing your vehicle weekly will remove these contaminants before they have the opportunity to do permanent damage.

Wash Tools

It’s very important to choose tools that are gentle on the paint, yet effective at removing contamination. As a rule of thumb, sponges and mitts that are plush or have a deep nap are better than flat weave towels or dense sponges. For example, a Natural Sea Sponge has numerous deep compartments where dirt and debris can accumulate. The natural fibers themselves will not scratch the paint and they will essentially pull contamination into the sponge’s openings, away from the paint. Always use the softer side of the sponge for washing. Rinse new sea sponges thoroughly before use to remove any shell fragments or sand.

Another option is a Sheepskin Wash Mitt. Sheepskin is extremely soft and plush. The fibers are gentle on the paint while the nap is deep enough to accommodate loose dirt and sand so they do not rub against the vehicle. Because sheepskin is natural, it does not last as long as a synthetic microfiber mitt. However, for luxurious softness, you can’t beat the texture of sheepskin.

Microfiber mitts are another paint-safe option. Microfiber’s combination of polyester and polyamide make it capable of scrubbing the paint without scratching or swirling. It traps dirt and grit within the fibers rather than leaving them on the surface of your vehicle. Be sure to rinse the mitt frequently to release these particles.

Cotton chenille pads and mitts are also good choices because they clean easily and they last longer than sheepskin or natural sea sponges.

Washing
1. Wash the wheels and tires first. If you splash wheel cleaners or dirt onto your vehicle, you can simply wash it off as you wash. Use a cleaner that is safe for all wheels, like Wolfgang Tire & Wheel Cleaner. It is water-based and has no corrosive chemicals, which is safer for coated wheels and rubber. Agitate with an OXO or New England Wheel Brush to clean wheels without scratching. Wash each wheel and tire one at a time and rinse thoroughly before moving on to the next one.

2. Now you’re ready to wash. It’s important to use a car wash that is rich in lubricants. The purpose of the car wash is to remove contaminants and lubricate them so they do not scratch the paint as they slide off the vehicle. Dish detergents

 

How bout an article specific to scooters??

mud

 

Go to WalMart and buy a Mr. Clean AutoDry. Wash bike with soft mit using Mr. Clean soap and spot free rinse. Let bike dry while having a beer. Now hit the road. Total time is about 20 minutes.

For the really anxious rider you can buy a Cycle Dryer to speed the process up. You can skip the beer and just go riding. I prefer the beer though.

 

I dry my bike with my leaf blower. Like a giant hair dryer for my bike. It takes about 5 minutes at the most and it dries it completely. It even gets the loose water out of all the little cracks and crevises that cant be easily reached.

 

I agree with kevin! I went and bought a electric leaf blower from home depot. It cost me like 30 buck's and it work's great!

 

I usually wash my bike right in the drive way and I have a 50' air hose, so I just fire up the compressor and dry it with that.

works great!!

 

Yea, if you're lucky enough to have an air compressor, it does the job.

 

I have had the same luck with the leaf blower, especially with the engine, it makes drying the engine better with less drip marks. I always wash mine in the shade as well.

 

I just bought a "air force blaster" blower/dryer kit to dry off my bikes. It was much more than a leaf blower but much easier to use and blows warm filtered air, it does a really nice job.

 

DITTO
Its the difference between making a bulky piece of equipment do a job or a machine that was made to do the job. I experimented with other the other forms of drying...leaf blowers, vac blowers etc. When I went to the Black Baron I immediately knew that a lot of time had be wasted experimenting.