Alright i am going to buy this, but one thing bugs me alot.

"Use Dawn to wash initialy" Really dish soap on my car? Something about this bugs me big time. I just bought my car its brand new, 200 miles on it, can i avoid useing the dishsoap?

Any one else wanna tell me tips they have learned the hardway, advise, any thing.

 

The Zaino myth is that Dawn will help diminish any "oils" that are left on the paint from previous products therefore allowing the Zaino to bond correctly.

 

Dawn is not recommended for everyday washing because it is a strong base (soap) that removes wax, grease and road grime very well. Thus perfect for prepping a car to be clayed and then finished with Zaino or any other sealant or wax for that matter.

 

The Dawn is used to strip off any old wax or oils you may have on your car so the Zaino can properly bond to the paint. Don't worry it will not harm your paint and you will be extremely happy with the results after you finish with your first Zaino application.

 

Ok so liquid Dawn, just go to store and buy it? any thing specificly or there normal blue product right off the shelf.

How much of this stuff do i mix with water.


Secondly what shoudl i use to actualy "rub" the soap on the car, a 100% cotton towel? then dry with a 100% cotton towel?


And near each wheel is i guess break dust on the side of the car and close to the underside, is it advised to wipe that area then use the same cotton towel to rub the rest of the car? i mean its there pretty thick i dont wanna have crap on the towel then clearly wipe it else where.

 

Never EVER use cotton towels for washing or drying. Go to Target (or similar) and get a good chenille wash mitt for washing and some QUALITY microfiber towels for drying. Waffle weave towels are awesome for soaking up water.
It seems education is what you really need so may I recommend you head on over to AUTOPIA and download the "guide to detailing".. It will help you.

 

Why is this a problem, especially when they recommend using cotton for removing polish?

 

I use to use cotton towels, now I use only micro fiber. Don't reuse the water after you put brake dust in the bucket.Make a fresh batch. I will also say that if you want get two buckets for washing and rinsing your towel off...that way your towel is clean when you reinsert it into the soap bucket.

 

If you are extremely careful and "blot" the car dry...go ahead and use cotton towels. Zaino's website is in serious need of an update. Waffle Weave Microfiber is the all around best towels for drying the vehicle. I use a blower after washing so there really isnt any water left to mop up. For polish removal, the best (and safest) towels are deep/soft/plush microfiber. Were talking Baby *** soft..
And did you know you should never wash your car towels with powdered laundry soap ?? Yes, swirl marks suck !!!

 

sQuashed you are absolutely right i need to be educated on how to detail.

I shall read that website and learn.

 

No fabric softener or bleach either.

 

Good deal Forrest80, there is a wealth of info for you !!!

shezzzhot...you are so correct

 

I've used the "Absorber" for quite some time on my WRX. Just got my Z and will be washing tonight...but after all this talk about "microfiber towels" is the only way to dry (besides blower), should I not use the Absorber. I've had no complaints so far.

 

I havent used the absorber but I do know that it traps dirt so ya just got to make sure its clean before you run it down your car !!!

 

I disagree. A true high quality cotton towel is just as safe for your paint as a quality microfiber. A quality supima cotton is more than adequate for any high quality finish.

In fact, when using a product like Zaino Z8.....cotton is much better for this task because it does not soak up product like microfiber and allows you to spread the Z8 more evenly over the surface.

Plush towels are great for regular detail sprays.....a tighter weave microfiber with less nap is much more effective for removing polishes.

 

As long as everything is clean you will be fine. The absorber has no where to trap a dirt particle other than to scratch the finish though.

For drying, you should look into a waffle weave microfiber. I use the Sonus der Wunder drying towel and one will dry my entire car.

 

[QUOTE=Forrest80]Ok so liquid Dawn, just go to store and buy it? any thing specificly or there normal blue product right off the shelf. [FONT=Comic Sans MS]Just go to the sto & buy it. HOWEVER, instructions say to purchase 'original' formula dawn. Try cheapest place possible. I just used the Zaino 'system' for the first time this past weekend & if you follow the instructions water will slide off w/ no beading whatsoEVER & be about as 'squeaky' clean as you've ever seen. It WILL make a diff 200 miles or not.[/FONT]

How much of this stuff do i mix with water. The more suds the better. PLENTY of rinse water tho.


Secondly what shoudl i use to actualy "rub" the soap on the car, a 100% cotton towel? then dry with a 100% cotton towel? [FONT=Comic Sans MS]IF the car is VERY dirty, you can mix z wash w/ water in a lawn sprayer & 'pre-soak' the car before heavy power rinse & then washing. Helps to loosen dirt & grit in general + brake dust. Dried mine with an electric leaf blower which is one of the better ideas I've used. As for cotton towels, bought mine from Ira @ LAZaino & they worked great. Follow his instructions & wash ALL towels - cotton or mf before using them & NEVER wash or dry any of them with fabric softener. Tuff it out thru the 1st coat & it's butter from there on.[/FONT]

 

I will tend to agree with you on the "true" high quality cotton, BUT, being the owner of 3 black vehicles in the last 8 years , Ive evolved to the microfiber towels. Now that I think about it, its probably wise to mention the family of 4 that no matter how hard I try, they always ruin the cotton towels.They dont mess mith my microfiber...they know better.

 

Forrest80

Let me throw in my 2¢ here. This is from a post I made a while back on the subject of swirls....



It's more than just towels. In fact, what and how you wash it are probably more important than what you dry it with.

If you use a sponge or something that holds dirt, then you're scraping the dirt across the surface of your car. Use a lambs wool or cotton chenile mitt. Never use something like a kitchen dish towel or an old T-shirt. Too many things in them that can scratch your paint (i.e. nylon threads).

If you use a 1 gal bucket of water to wash the whole car, then by the time you're finished the water looks like chocolate milk from all the dirt. Again, you're rubbing it all over your paint. Use a 5 gal paint bucket - actually two of them. Once with soapy water to wash with and the second with clear water to rinse the mitt with before soaping it again.

Use powered detergent? Don't, it doesn't totally dissolve and the solid particles will scratch your paint.

Wash your wheels with the same mitt/cloth as the car? Wash the wheels first? Don't - the brake dust will get into the cloth and your wash water and scratch the paint. Wash the wheels first then rinse everything out before washing the car. I use a soft cloth on the wheels that never touches the cars paint.

Don't wash the lower parts of the car first - they're usually dirtier having picked up road grime, tar, etc. Always wash from the top down.

Drying the car is the easy part to avoiding scratches. When done properly most of the water beads off anyway. What little is left can be absorbed just by laying a WW towel on it. No rubbing - no scratching.



Don't let people scare you away from cotton towels. If they're good quality cotton (i.e. Fieldcrest) and are cared for properly then there no harm in using them on your Z. The waffle-weave towels just absorb better, they weigh less and are easier to handle so that's why I prefer them over cotton.

Go to http://autopia.org and download the free e-book titled "Autopia guide to detailing". It's a great starting place for learning the ins and outs of detailing like the pros. You can find the link at the bottom of the home page in the "Downloads" section. Check out the Autopia "University" for tips, tricks and instructions on all aspects of car care. Your Z will love you for it in the long run.

 

Yeah, I make sure and let everyone know if they touch my towels it's all over.