WASHING ADVICE PLEASE - THE RINSE.

[Jon39]

I have not experienced this before, but after washing, rinsing and microfibreing dry, I could still see water marks.

My only guesses, are that the rinse water is perhaps particularly hard, or there is something unusual in the water supply.

I think I have heard it mentioned, that some people use special water for rinsing, but what it is, or how you make it, I do not know.

I have just thought of an ancillary point.
After washing, what methods do you all use, to clean away the water marks from the surface of the bars (stainless steel?) of the Bright Finish Grille.

Thank you.

Edited by Jon39 on Tuesday 11th October 17:58

[Mansfield]

I always rinse with collected rainwater.
I just leave it to dry naturally.
Never had problems with water marks that way.

If I want to dry it off quicker I use a sidekick blaster I got cheap from one of the detailing companies.

[hornbaek]

It is because you are using the hard water from the tap. If you can't change that (by inserting a water filter) then i suggest you use a leaf blower to get most of the water off quickly and then follow up with a proper thick towel so that you get all the water off quickly before it starts drying. Alternatively you can follow up with a quick detailer spray which normally takes the white stripes away.

[Gettoff]

Assuming you are sticking with your usual routine Jon, as far as time between rinsing and drying the car off. It may be a case of the tap water has got significantly harder where you are recently. Water authorities often switch between sources which can vary massively in their mineral content.

[IanV12VR]

I now use an AirForce blower to dry the car after washing. Took a bit of getting used to but now gets the wate out of all the cracks and crevices, especially the doorhandles. It works best when the car is pretty wet so has to be completed quickly.

An ioniser water filter will also help. Have a look on the detailing sites and you will see a few to choose from.

[triple5]

As above Metro Vac Sidekick, works brilliantly on a bright finish grill. I also run along the window trims, especially around where the door is prone to corrosion by the door mirror. I also do the wheels and calipers if the car is going straight in the garage.

[NickXX]

i use a microfibre cloth to dry the car. Clean a couple of panels, then dry them before starting on the next couple- works well.

[DocW]

I use a Raceglaze water filter for the final rinse after the two bucket wash and normal tap water rinse. I did actually let my storm black vantage dry in direct sun and there were no marks. The filter granules last a year with my weekly wash regime. The canister and granules was about £100 and the refill about £40 once a year. I generally pat the car dry with thick microfibres but I do have a pet drying blaster to get the nooks and crannies dry if the car is going away under cover.

[pschlute]

Get one of these and replace once a year....http://www.monzacarcare.com/water-filters/monza-car-wash-water-filter-30ppm/0/

Use it to initially wet the car/snow foam; fill the shampoo bucket/rinse buckets; and to rinse. If washing on a warm day keep wetting the parts of the car that have been washed/rinsed but not yet dried. Learn the "sheeting" technique for the final rinse.

I live in Surrey...very hard water and have not got an outside tap that can deliver softened water from the house water softener. This is an easy solution that works.

[andy_mc]

Water Butt should do the trick ...

[CPBRI]

A good coating of wax or other such treatment also reduces the stains from hard water.

[davek_964]

I bought a filter last year, from sponsors on the Ferrari forum - lots of people seemed to rinse their cars and let them dry naturally.
It was pretty good, but - at least on a black car - was not good enough for natural drying. A close look showed water marks, which meant I had to dry the car anyway - which meant the filter was a tad pointless.

I don't find I have a watermark problem when using micro-fibre towels to dry the car (unless I try to wash it on a hot sunny day and one side of the car dries before I can get to it).

Mind you, this thread has made me feel like I'm odd because I don't use my leaf blower to dry my car!

Weirdos.