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Washing and Cleaning


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Hi all,

I haven't really washed the 911 almost 6 months. I will generally take it for a drive, give it a wipe with a clean microfibre cloth and spray detailer when I return home the same day/night (depending on the weather) and then cover the car until I repeat the cycle. The car doesn't get driven in the rain, so it's basically just wiping off the dust that's been accumulated from the trip. 

I follow the same procedure with the wheels, but I'm thiking this might not be the best as the brake dust may be abrasive and corrosive, so I might just remove them and give them a proper wash every month or too. 

I'm wondering if anyone else does this, or something similar routine, or am I being too paranoid about rust and leaks. The last few time I washed the car, I used a chamois, a blower and took it for a decent drive, but there was still water in alot of spots and it wiIl take quite a while to dry, if it's just sitting in a cool garage, which is the perfect environment for rust. 

 

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I just use detailer to clean the brake dust off the wheels as well.

 

When it does get washed, I do leave the frunk open afterwards for a few days as I've noticed water sits in the body channel that holds the rubber seal for a long time otherwise.  After saying this they are robust and I don't fret about driving in the rain. 

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4 hours ago, Peter M said:

I just use detailer to clean the brake dust off the wheels as well.

 

When it does get washed, I do leave the frunk open afterwards for a few days as I've noticed water sits in the body channel that holds the rubber seal for a long time otherwise.  After saying this they are robust and I don't fret about driving in the rain. 

Thanks Peter. Even when the wheels are washed. After one drive, they are difficult to clean with just the quick detailer. Heaps of break dust.

I'm just worried I'm doing more damage without water to lubricate and rinse off. There's also the fact that it's very hard to thoroughly clean the wheels properly with just a cloth and a quick detailer.

4 hours ago, TDW911 said:

That is exactly what I do. The only extra thing I do is wash the wheels with car shampoo and dry off with a separate chamois.

I think that's what I need to start doing. I think the key to this method is staying on top of it every drive. If you leave it for too long in the garage, or more than one drive. More swirls in the paint. 

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5 hours ago, wangan said:

Thanks Peter. Even when the wheels are washed. After one drive, they are difficult to clean with just the quick detailer. Heaps of break dust.

I'm just worried I'm doing more damage without water to lubricate and rinse off. There's also the fact that it's very hard to thoroughly clean the wheels properly with just a cloth and a quick detailer.

I think that's what I need to start doing. I think the key to this method is staying on top of it every drive. If you leave it for too long in the garage, or more than one drive. More swirls in the paint. 

Maybe for the wheels a pressure washer with snow foam & then rinse off prior to your QD.  Would take all of about 3min & remove 90% of particles.

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I wash about every 4-6 weeks.  Nice hot day, morning wash, blower and leave it in the QLD sun for a while.  I usually use a clay bar once a year to remove build up of paint contaminants and then a 100% Carnuba wax.  Any major swirl areas I use my DA polisher and a suitable compound.

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On 25/12/2021 at 16:03, Merv said:

I wash about every 4-6 weeks.  Nice hot day, morning wash, blower and leave it in the QLD sun for a while.  I usually use a clay bar once a year to remove build up of paint contaminants and then a 100% Carnuba wax.

So I'm not the only one. That's good to hear! 

I was thinking about getting the car ceramic coated, just to minimise swirls from my so called waterless washing. 

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Some colours need washing more than others.  Dark ones obviously show the dirt more and require good washing techniques to reduce scratching. There are now hybrid wash solutions that allegedly have ceramic. I have had some success with them but no real evidence on the chemistry in their products.

 

I am not keen on waterless washes as they can scratch or deteriorate the top coat over time.  Up in the North we have hotter weather and washing a car with water is not a major risk. I guess it depends on the age of the car and the condition of its rubber seals (window scrapers, windscreens, doors, etc). Using a strong garden blower to clear cracks and crevices of water also helps.

 

 

 

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I've been doing this for a few months now. 

I just wipe down after every drive. I use CarPro elixr quick detailer (recommended by another member). It's very Streak lately. I may be using too much, or it may be the hot weather too.

I haven't washed my car in about 6 months. I figure swirls are better than rust and my paint is good, but isn't perfect either. 

I usually spray twice on the cloth for each panel, but do the whole car almost with 1 cloth. 

I was doing the wheels after every drive, but there's just too much brake dust. Even if I spend 5 minutes on each Fuchs wheel, a clean cloth will still have marks on it. I think it might be better to just leave the wheels and wash them once a month, or so (removing them, so they can dry fully too). 

I tried washing, but it was near impossible to get rid of all the water. The next morning, it would still be in my rubbers and other spots, even after a drive. 

I should probably give it a proper wash and clay bar it. Maybe even ceramic coating. I just don't like using water. 

 

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On 22/12/2021 at 21:08, wangan said:

Hi all,

I haven't really washed the 911 almost 6 months. I will generally take it for a drive, give it a wipe with a clean microfibre cloth and spray detailer when I return home the same day/night (depending on the weather) and then cover the car until I repeat the cycle. The car doesn't get driven in the rain, so it's basically just wiping off the dust that's been accumulated from the trip. 

I follow the same procedure with the wheels, but I'm thiking this might not be the best as the brake dust may be abrasive and corrosive, so I might just remove them and give them a proper wash every month or too. 

I'm wondering if anyone else does this, or something similar routine, or am I being too paranoid about rust and leaks. The last few time I washed the car, I used a chamois, a blower and took it for a decent drive, but there was still water in alot of spots and it wiIl take quite a while to dry, if it's just sitting in a cool garage, which is the perfect environment for rust. 

 

I do exactly this after each drive. Spray with quick detailer and wipe down with a micro fibre cloth. A good Canubra wax every 3m helps make the process quicker and easier. The wheels I may do the same thing with but every 3-4m rather than every drive. (Note I only take the car out every month and only on a nice day)

I do this “waterless” wash technique on my 1999 Harley that I’ve had since new, and she still looks schmick. Photo taken yesterday after a ride.

DD1A7B6C-E00F-4CC5-9700-04D14E66B9BA.jpeg

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If all your painted surfaces are in good condition rust shouldn’t be an issue from washing. Rust starts with areas that stay wet because mud/dirt buildup. Never park under trees if it can be avoided, leaf litter composts in cracks, blocks drains and causes problems. 
 

The trick for me is to use the water lightly and concentrate on flushing away surface contamination.

I got caught in the rain the other day.  Sad but they are designed for all weather driving.

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8 hours ago, Coastr said:

If all your painted surfaces are in good condition rust shouldn’t be an issue from washing. Rust starts with areas that stay wet because mud/dirt buildup. Never park under trees if it can be avoided, leaf litter composts in cracks, blocks drains and causes problems. 
 

The trick for me is to use the water lightly and concentrate on flushing away surface contamination.

I got caught in the rain the other day.  Sad but they are designed for all weather driving.

I do agree. More modern Porsches with decent galvanising and rubber seals need to be able to cope with rain and with some washing.  My old '62 356 had never been repainted and had no rust but I spent  lot of time on new seals and under body and cavity sealing.  Drove it to Sydney and back from Brisbane and there was plenty of rain around.  Never a problem. Use sensible hose pressure and proper washing and drying equipment. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 04/01/2022 at 17:42, Merv said:

I do agree. More modern Porsches with decent galvanising and rubber seals need to be able to cope with rain and with some washing.  My old '62 356 had never been repainted and had no rust but I spent  lot of time on new seals and under body and cavity sealing.  Drove it to Sydney and back from Brisbane and there was plenty of rain around.  Never a problem. Use sensible hose pressure and proper washing and drying equipment. 

I rememeber reading that the galvanised body was guaranteed for 1.5 times the standard guarantee, which was 10 years. Meaning the later models were guaranteed for 15 years. It's at the stage where we are at around 30+ years now, so cars that have been driven and not stored would be a bit more prone to rusting. Windscreen seals, door seals etc. It's difficult for most to replace all of these items, so taking care is more of a precaution, incase anything is compromised. 

I think my car would be ok, but why take the chance, is my logic. My car has that patch around the interior sunroof, which alot of 911s do from water ingress. I also know of friends that have had leaks into the footwell and other areas without knowing for a long time. 

I guess I'd rather have small swirls on my paint, as opposed to potentially rust. 

 

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Fair enough. With newer Porsches, I don't worry about driving in the rain or washing.  On the 1968 911- I never took it out in the rain.  The general consensus is that galvanising will last for 40-50 years and even longer if top grade steel is used.  Porsche used the latter (via an alliance with Thyssen Steel from the late 70's I believe). The longevity of galvanising is also dependent on the quality and condition of the prep and paint applied over it and of course, the severity of the climatic and road conditions in which the car is used. Australia is a very sunny place, with Perth the most and Melbourne having the least number of sunny days. Then there is dust and that can cause havoc with paintwork if not removed well.  Some of the cars that I have seen abandoned to the harsh and mostly hot conditions  in the 'Territory over the years had remarkably well preserved bodies. There is a cottage industry up there collecting some of them for sale.

It comes down to personal decisions, like most things.

 

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Buy yourself a blower to dry the car. 

I use this: https://www.sparesbox.com.au/part/bigboi-blowr-mini-drying-system-with-9m-bonus-hose-mini9moffer

Having paint corrected quite a few cars that have swirls and scratches from various washing and drying techniques, I now only wash my car fully. I use a foam cannon to cover the car and loosen any particles, then it gets pressure washed (from a distance) to rinse it all. Then a 2 bucket wash. Wheels are cleaned with proper cleaner and wheel brushes.  Then the dry. 

The blower is mainly to shift large amounts of water.. it's brilliant for door jams, under the doors, front and rear bonnet areas etc. Blows all the water from around door handles and mirrors and is perfect for the wheels. (where ear muffs) Wheels end up dry and you can make sure all the water in the wheel nut area is out too.

With the small droplets of water still on the paint, I spray with a detailer wax... then use a microfibre drying towel to spread the wax and absorb any remaining water.

Yeah, this wash method takes a little longer, but compared to polishing out swirls etc, is much less time invested overall.

 

Oh, and most importantly, do it in the shade, never the sun. Make sure the panels are cool too. Ie, don't take a car that has been in the hot sun and drive under cover and wash immediately...

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1 hour ago, Joz said:

Ok so what would be wrong with the garden leaf blower.....

Just as long as it's a 4 stroke engine. If one is worried about getting a car wet, then they will be as sure as anything be concerned about oil residue over the car. Oil may be a water dispersant but being a petro chemical, it's also corrosive and in smoke form it's very capable of getting in to all nooks and crannies.

Fog, humidity, rain and so on are all the same..... moisture. If you want to avoid that stuff and store something in a dry non controlled environment then you need to go to central Australia.

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Big leaf blowers are too unwieldy and hard to avoid incoming the paint, defeats the purpose if you scratch it with the tip of the blower.  Small shop blower works well in warm climate.  Colder climate might take longer to blow dry without the heat. 
don’t discount a good drive around the block to dislodge some water

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 24/01/2022 at 06:23, Mike D'Silva said:

Buy yourself a blower to dry the car. 

I use this: https://www.sparesbox.com.au/part/bigboi-blowr-mini-drying-system-with-9m-bonus-hose-mini9moffer

Having paint corrected quite a few cars that have swirls and scratches from various washing and drying techniques, I now only wash my car fully. I use a foam cannon to cover the car and loosen any particles, then it gets pressure washed (from a distance) to rinse it all. Then a 2 bucket wash. Wheels are cleaned with proper cleaner and wheel brushes.  Then the dry. 

The blower is mainly to shift large amounts of water.. it's brilliant for door jams, under the doors, front and rear bonnet areas etc. Blows all the water from around door handles and mirrors and is perfect for the wheels. (where ear muffs) Wheels end up dry and you can make sure all the water in the wheel nut area is out too.

With the small droplets of water still on the paint, I spray with a detailer wax... then use a microfibre drying towel to spread the wax and absorb any remaining water.

Yeah, this wash method takes a little longer, but compared to polishing out swirls etc, is much less time invested overall.

 

Oh, and most importantly, do it in the shade, never the sun. Make sure the panels are cool too. Ie, don't take a car that has been in the hot sun and drive under cover and wash immediately...

What is the problem if you wash the car in the sun? Or only have partial shade?

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Washing in the sun dries the water droplets on the paint.  There’s always a bit of minerals in the water and the sun evaporates the water and leaves behind a little crater of minerals.  You want to wipe the water off before it dries.  An hour before sunset is the best time to wash.

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1 hour ago, Coastr said:

Washing in the sun dries the water droplets on the paint.  There’s always a bit of minerals in the water and the sun evaporates the water and leaves behind a little crater of minerals.  You want to wipe the water off before it dries.  An hour before sunset is the best time to wash.

so theoretically the mineral sediment could scratch the paint when you dry it off?

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