Are we overly cautious washing

[black bart]

Recently I posted that I used a quality wash brush and some seem to be concerned about marring and one poster said he used a body brush on his wheels.
Their is a saying better safe than sorry so being careful is good but we may be a little overly cautious case in point I wash my aluminum wheels with a brush that I bought at Big-Lot's for a buck it is not soft or hard just medium and it has worked well for a couple years.

Today after I washed the tires wheels and fender wheels I blasted the brush with the hose and then used it to wash the lower portion of my explorer with NO MARRING.
I'm I recommending this NO absolutely not but what it proves is when someone is paranoid about using a high quality wash brush you may be going to extremes with you caution.

[CharlesW]

Originally Posted by black bart

Recently I posted that I used a quality wash brush and some seem to be concerned about marring and one poster said he used a body brush on his wheels.
Their is a saying better safe than sorry so being careful is good but we may be a little overly cautious case in point I wash my aluminum wheels with a brush that I bought at Big-Lot's for a buck it is not soft or hard just medium and it has worked well for a couple years.

Today after I washed the tires wheels and fender wheels I blasted the brush with the hose and then used it to wash the lower portion of my explorer with NO MARRING.
I'm I recommending this NO absolutely not but what it proves is when someone is paranoid about using a high quality wash brush you may be going to extremes with you caution.

Overly cautious probably describes me as far as tools and their use.
I use a Meguiar's body brush on my wheels for several reasons.
1. My wheels are clear coated, paint or powder coat, I have no idea. Just made sense to treat them like any clear coated part of the vehicle.
2. The long soft bristles of the body brush reach around the lug nuts and into the corners of the spoke/wheel juncture quite well.
3. Using whatever wash system I choose, I never need to use anything other than that brush and the wash solution to clean the face of the wheel. I do need a different tool to clean the inside "tub" area.
I have never needed to use a wheel cleaner on any of our vehicles using that method.

One reason I try to avoid anything I have doubts about is the fact that the damage is usually done by the time you decide it was a bad idea.

As far as the lower portion of your Explorer is concerned, does it have the textured coating that is supposed to resist rock chips?
My 1998 Chevy Astro Van had that and I think it would have been pretty mar resistant as well.

While I have never used the Meg's brush on the body panels, it would probably be OK, but I have no reason to try it and find out I was wrong. The Boar's hair brushes must work fine since quite a few people use them, but the price has always stopped me from using them.
Being too careful is kind of like being too rich.
Since I have become reconciled to not being rich, I work on the careful.

[black bart]

Originally Posted by CharlesW

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As far as the lower portion of your Explorer is concerned, does it have the textured coating that is supposed to resist rock chips?
My 1998 Chevy Astro Van had that and I think it would have been pretty mar resistant as well.

YES below the trim piece that is about a third way up the door it has the rock resistant paint.
While the textured paint will not shine like a smooth finish, I like it because I'm not one that trades often and at 18 years old it still looks like it did 18 years ago which is probably a lot better than it would look now if it had been painted with regular paint.

When I wash the explorer with a mitt I have to use a ladder to do the roof but with the Meguiars brush the handle is long enough that I can wash the roof standing on the floor a real time saver.
After washing it today I used AW first time in months that I had used AW man I forgot how awesome that stuff is.

[gvilledetailing]

I don't believe that there is ever such a thing as "too cautious", however one should also know when there is no need for caution. Some things require special tools that cannot be found at big-lots. With that being said I still use Walmart wash buckets.

[Beemerboy]

I have a large boar hair brush on a broom stick pole that I used on SUV and trucks and in the winter when I don't want to put my hands in cold water. I don't notice any more marring than with a lambs wool mitt

[black bart]

Originally Posted by gvilledetailing

I don't believe that there is ever such a thing as "too cautious", however one should also know when there is no need for caution. Some things require special tools that cannot be found at big-lots. With that being said I still use Walmart wash buckets.

I knew that mentioning the brush from big lots would not be well received here but the fact is my tires and fender wells don't seem to mind but my wallet appreciates the fact that I didn't blow a lot of money on a brush for such mundane jobs.

[CharlesW]

Generalizing by store probably doesn't work too good.
Several Meguiar's brushes have been available at times from Big Lots.
My body brushes and some applicators came from there.
I stop in the store about once a month and buy something about once every two years. We only have one in the area and it very seldom has anything worth buying.

[njcarting1]

Most of the time I use a wash brush for cleaning a vehicle that's not cared for. That said, I use the brush on most truck and SUV roofs only. Cars get a mitt. I never use a brush on any freshly prep-ed paint this includes my 13 year old post office runner SUV. The brush has no feelings in regards to sand and grit. Therefore, I don't like them on cars or any nice finish in most cases. After a vehicle is already marred up from winter time washes and road rash some get the brush until correction is done in the spring. My newer finishes never get the brush anytime because of the unforgiving grit catchers that they are.

You gotta remember where I live, Maine has some harsh road treatments in the cold weather. When the wind blows around here you get sand blasted and salt blasted from open lots on any given day. All that winter sand has to fly around somewhere. Nice vehicles around here, Its sad to say but its almost foolish...:craz y2:

[Bunky]

Originally Posted by black bart

I'm I recommending this NO absolutely not but what it proves is when someone is paranoid about using a high quality wash brush you may be going to extremes with you caution.

I think it just shows why some can use a 1 bucket wash and others insist on a foam cannon, pressure wash, two or more buckets, grit guards, multiple mitts, etc. etc. yet they get identical results with no marring.

It is technique and luck.

[black bart]

Originally Posted by CharlesW

Generalizing by store probably doesn't work too good.
Several Meguiar's brushes have been available at times from Big Lots.
My body brushes and some applicators came from there.
I stop in the store about once a month and buy something about once every two years. We only have one in the area and it very seldom has anything worth buying.

Good point I also bought several of those Meguiars brushes only different between them and the ones sold elsewhere is the price.
Last summer I bought 5 bottles of Meguiars wheel mist at half price.
I also found some nice foam applicators 4 for a dollar.

I don't get in BL often but last time I was their I found nothing that I wanted.
I buy 90% of my stuff from AG but I don't pass up a chance to get the same thing for half price.

[njcarting1]

Originally Posted by Bunky

I think it just shows why some can use a 1 bucket wash and others insist on a foam cannon, pressure wash, two or more buckets, grit guards, multiple mitts, etc. etc. yet they get identical results with no marring.

It is technique and luck.

Who wants to bring "LUCK" into the mix??? I am the guy that has to re do the mess made by marring up the paint. Why would I ever want to chance the longevity of nice paint? I use 2 buckets and a foam gun on almost every wash just to save from having problems. I guess it depends on what type of finished products some want to sign there name to. I myself tend to be over the top, and enjoy the best possible swirl free marr free finish I can have. That's why others never wash at all.

Luck, wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one fills up first. Could be I miss the point, could be others have so much time they wanna mess up the paint so they have something to do for the day dunno.

[Mr. Clean]

I admit that I subscribe to the theory that if you'll spend far less time taking precautions up front than what will be required to fix problems caused by carelessness. But at the same time I could see where there is a limitation on some returns. I think that hobbyists/enthusiasts have different approaches than someone who is working to make a living.

As far as tools I have used a W-M brush for years now on wheels w/o inducing any harm. It is an expensive tool, but it does exactly what I want/need it to do. I also use the EZ Detail brush which is a great companion tool. Though there is a detailer whom I respect greatly who wouldn't use either, preferring a boar's hair brush. Based on my personal experience and his posts, neither of us are wrong.

1 wash bucket (I read that lots of rinseless guys get by with just 1) or 4 (yeah I usually have 4 counting my dedicated tire/wheel bucket) everyone has their own system. I use a foam gun on my dirtier vehicles in an attempt to speed things up (I'm still not sure I have ever accomplished that ) but I managed to wash for years w/o one without causing any significant harm. If it works for you, great.

[Rob Tomlin]

No such thing as being overly cautious when washing your car to prevent marring.