How to finish washing?

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I recently bought an '05 black Astro LT. Had it transported across the country (MD to WA) in an open carrier. I think my vehicle was in one of the rear spots. I believe the vehicle was well maintained. It had only 19K miles on it and was used by a company to transport executives.

I'm not much of a car guy, but I have run it through a touchless car wash about 3 times since I got it. The rear (both rear panels and rear window) is still quite dirty.

I decided first to hand wash it, second to clay it if necessary (don't really know what I'm doing regarding claying a vehicle, but figured "why not?"), and third to apply some protection.

I got some Meguiar's Soft Wash (sort of arbitray choice-- it was on the shelf at a local store, seemed like it might be good quality, and was inexpensive). I also bought the Meguiar's Clay Kit, which included clay and bottle of "Quick Detailer". Because I'm interested primarily in long lasting protection, and wanted something immediately and economically available, I bought some NuFinish for protection.

So, yesterday, I washed the vehicle. I used a microfiber mit and the Meguiar's Soft Wash, but I just can't get that back panel and window clean. Actually, it doesn't look so bad anymore, in fact it actually has a shine, but the back feels like sandpaper. Well, maybe slightly "gummy" sandpaper. Even the window. The rest of the vehicle feels pretty smooth.

Should I use clay now? Can the vehicle's surface be too dirty to clay? I'm thinking maybe the clay would pick up all those tiny little grits and turn the clay into sandpaper as I use the clay???

Maybe I just need some kind of stronger car wash to disolve more of the dirt, first. I had no idea there were so many different kinds of car wash. Meguiars must have 4 or more, and I have no clue about whether there is any difference between them, or if I chose the best one. On the other hand, maybe this kind of seemingly embedded dirt is just the thing that clay is for. It's just that I don't want to damage the paint in my effort to preserve it.

Any suggestions? Should I try to additional washing and more scrubbing with wash water and microfiber mitt? Should I try the clay? Something else?

Thank you.

Regards,

DG
 
So the window has a gummy feeling? Is it like an adhesive? Actually, now is a perfect time for a clay bar. This is what it is intended to do...to remove those rough areas that are caused by fallout, pollen and debris that get trapped on the surface of the finish. Just make sure you keep the vehicle well lubricated with the spray detailer and kneed the clay bar every so often. You will feel that contaminant will be removed.

If that gummy feeling is sort of an adhesive and it just won't come off, get some Goo-gone and give that a shot. It's a non-toxic adhesive residue remover that will be save on the finish and help remove that gummy residue.

Wash it, clay it, wash the surface again to get the clay residue all off, then protect it with a good quality wax. Then, if you are satisfied with the results, put a clear seal like Zaino Clear Seal on the wax so you won't have to do this in three months again.
 
Well, maybe "gummy" isn't quite the right term. It's just that, on the window, my perception is that it isn't a 100% dry feel. Maybe just the barest hint of moisture or greasyness. I shouldn't have complicated it by mentioning it. Basically both the rear and the rear window is like sandpaper, and didn't come off using Meguiar's Soft Wash.

I will try the clay bar (with the Quick Detailer) and see what happens.

Thank you.

DG
 
I'm betting your clay bar will remove that contaminant. That rough feel won't be removed by washing alone.
 
Will the clay bar dry out (and become unusable) after the plastic packaging is opened? In other words, do I have to do the whole car at one time, as soon as I open the clay?

DG
 
No, you can keep the unused portion. Just keep the clay in a plastic baggie with a little water to keep it from drying out. Or you can get a small used plastic container and keep it in there with a little water.
 
It's probably oil and road grime kicked up from the long trip to AK. Try something you know will cut thru oil and grease, Goo Gone or similar is fine for a test.

If you think its clean enough, def try the clay on a small spot to see how it goes. It's super easy to use and you should see results right away.
 
If it is oil and grime, perhaps you can try a little bit of the good ol' Water Dispersal-40 on it in a small area to see what the results are. See if that removes that gummy texture you're describing.
 
Although using dish detergent on a regular basis is not a good thing, using Dawn to wash your car the first time will strip all the old wax and helps on any grease which may have found it's way to the windows and quarter panels.

Then clay bar it as suggested. I always wash mine again after using the clay bar, using a standard car wash (Meguiars is my personal choice). You can then try a "three-step" process which is a cleaner, polish, wax (in that order). The cleaner will take care of anything the clay bar may have missed and the polish sets the surface (removes fine scratches) for the wax. If you have deeper scratches, use Scratch-X or another OTC product.

I would HIGHLY recommend using Rain-X on the windows. It's a PITA sometimes to remove all of the haze but is well worth the effort.
 
Thank you all for tips.

Haven't had a chance to try the clay, yet, due to rain. (It rains a lot here.)

DG
 
Wow.

I used the clay bar, yesterday.

It really, really works.

No more "sandpaper". Smooth as glass

Clay got very brown. But, I was surprised at how the dirt disappeared when I kneeded it a little. I was concerned that working the dirt into the clay would turn the clay into a big gob of abrasive material, but that didn't seem to happen.

The clay works and is actually sort of fun to use.


DG
 
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