The 'swirl' effect...

cyhliu · Post by **cyhliu** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 8:22 am

Josh mate,

I remember you mentioned that you would show me how to wash and shine without the creating the 'swirl' effect...when you have a minute...cheers...

If other kind members have any ideas that are used and proven, It'll be most appreciated, cheers.

Scorpio1 · Post by **Scorpio1** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 4:10 pm

It gets confusing knowing the best way to clean/polish your car because everyone has 'their' method. Some people say that the swirl marks are left by using the circular motion while others think polishing in straight lines isn't great. I will say one thing, DON'T use automatic car washes

My personal advice would be to apply the polish in a liberal manner, and only polish when the car is out of the sunlight, IE cold. I also found the electric buffers to be good too.

There is a good guide the Autoglym website, click the UK flag, then in the top right corner there is a drop down menu, click on car care

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 6:46 pm

Also, never EVER use non-cotton cloths. Don't know about microfibre cloths, but in any case - just stick to 100% cotton. No old t-shirts, cheap towels, old Jockeys, etc.

I use the 'paint fence' method, btw.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 10:51 pm

THe most common cause of swirl marks is using inferior cloths...as speedy says...it does make a difference...100% cotton hotel grade terry cloth is best.

The other problem is laziness...swirl marks are caused by not sealing polish - ie using a wax...if you polish your car and next time you wash it you cannot be arsed to polish, but just give it a rub with chamois ( I never use one ever)...this creates swirl marks..and then if you find an old t-shirt and think oh I'll just give it a bit of a buff as it's now dry - this causes swirl marks.

The way to prevent swirl marks is to seal the polish with wax - this way you can go-an-wash, dry and I gaurantee you will not have swirl marks - so long as you use 100% cotton terry to give a buff.

If you have swirl marks - best way to get rid is to wash, dry, (if you have time clay), polish and wax...in that order

Make sure you use PLENTY of clean water to rinse the car...always use two buckets of soap - one for wheels and one for body...always do wheels first...

I'm going on a bit now, yes shut up Ian..

ta-ta

SpikeyG40 · Post by **SpikeyG40** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 1:04 pm

this might sound a bit dumb, but why should you do the wheels first? i use one bucket and do the body first, then go onto the wheels and only in that order! this way you don't use really dirty water on the body work!

cyhliu · Post by **cyhliu** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 3:20 pm

Cheers guys, I don't plan to wash the car in a automatic car wash ever after I've seen some nasty accidents in one...one time I was going to go through one and a chap in a Vauxhall was standing there with his wing mirror in his hand...no longer connected to the car need I add...

Will bare in mind what you chaps have advised, I think I've been fortunate so far that nothing has happened, I do wax regularly and so hopefully that should keep the swirl demon at bay!

cyhliu · Post by **cyhliu** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 3:22 pm

Oh Speedlaw, whats the 'paint the fence' method? Is this similar to 'wax on, wax off' method?

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 4:12 pm

Uhm...

Forgot about the wax-on, wax-off move - is that from side to side? Been a while since I saw that movie. In any case - paint fence is straight up and down, no curves of any kind. Less chance of circular scratches.

Says he with the most stone chips, parking dings and other nastiness. Shines nice though.

cyhliu · Post by **cyhliu** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 5:31 pm

Ah I see, the 'wax on, wax off' method is circular, I guess this is the main cause of the swirling, ah Mr Miyagi obviously had a motor with the swirl effect, but I guess it is handy when faced with teenage gangs...

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 6:50 pm

And remember: He who catches flies with chopsticks, can do anything.

Pretty difficult. Takes ages to load.

Post by **Josh_PoloGTi** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 7:57 pm

I "paint the fence"... Waxonwaxoff is for suckers!

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 1:11 pm

doug&dan wrote:this might sound a bit dumb, but why should you do the wheels first? i use one bucket and do the body first, then go onto the wheels and only in that order! this way you don't use really dirty water on the body work!

I fill one bucket half full with this I do the wheels then wheel arches (inside) then tyres then rinse.

With the other bucket I do the body then rinse.

I always use two seperate buckets and seperate cleaning cloths - lambswool pad for wheels and cotton mit for body. I always do the wheel areas first as there is no risk of splashing rubbish on cleaned body work.

Paint fence method - same direction as airflow..

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 1:14 am

i just let the dust build up and then draw patterns in it til the next decent rain storm

the paint is just too ugly to show right now. do keep the windows clean though.. (just screenwash, windolene, paper towels and lots of elbow grease - works a treat)
last time it did have a proper clean (colour restorer and the works) there was tons of swirl so that paint fence method sounds interesting! when you say hotel grade terry cloth, does that basically mean 'face flannel'?

car washes dont just wreck your bodywork.. they can do for your suspension and chassis too, the size of some of those bumps! handy for if you need to look smart somewhere in a hurry but nowt else. have chosen washing with cold water in winter without gloves over them before.

why worry about which way round to do wheels then body, or body then wheels? rinse out and then refill the bucket! water is cheap after all and wheels dont need much shampoo - still far less costly than a garage carwash...

robbiehall · Post by **robbiehall** » Sat Oct 11, 2003 2:31 am

The thing to avoid is washing the car (or wheels) first off - you should RINSE off the dirt b4 even (or better still instead of) touching it with a cloth/sponge. That way you avoid rubbing the dirt into the paint and scratching it.
I did the wife's car with my pressure washer the other week and it came up a treat. Just jet wash, spray on shampoo, jet wash off, chamois off the loose water.

Chauffeurs use two buckets, one for rinsing one for wiping off.

One thing I cannot do is get the wifey to clean her own car !!!
Reminds me of the old joke 'how do you stop your girlfriend from cleaning your trail bike - marry her !!' Xcept it hasn't worked....

Cheers
Rob

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:35 am

Even without getting into the complicated lists of products, i used a few tips from here, and boy what a difference.

Rinsed it first, a lot.
Nice big bucket of warm, mildly soapy water (turlewax shampoo, not a great idea but its all i have), and a medium soft brush and soft sponge.
Go around, working in the one direction (either forward, or down, depending), getting the dirt off with liberal amounts of that water. Very thorough, and do the dirtiest parts - wheels and underneath the rubbing strips - last.
Fresh water for wiping off, two or three buckets.
Then chamois it dry, with a paint-fence. Only an old synthetic one i'm afraid, but it worked fairly well, soaked up lots of water and wrang almost bone dry - will get a proper leather one soon.

Lovely! What a shine, far less swirl (though one wash wont shift that) and no droplet marks.

Now to learn to polish and wax it

just hope i can t-cut away the evidence of those patterns drawn in the dust - left em so long that the paint has faded a little differently and you can still see em in the right light