RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

I've always used autogylm but find the white cream would dry and go flaky leaving more mess then I want.

I tried meguires and not only does the smell amazing but it's far easier and cleaner to use.

I cleaned our new Touran and when it came to polish & was I started on the roof and noticed I was doing more damage and leaving swirls while using the meguires sponge and white cream based polish.

I instantly stopped and did the rest of the car with meguires spray wax with microfiber cloth (supplied with it) and the car looks amazing. (Normally do this after the polishing)

I'm wondering if the sponges damage cars more then the cloth you can buy in giant rolls cheaply from halfords or should I just stick with spray waxes moving forward?
*Note My cleaning cloths & sponge go in the wash frequently.

John 37

Sponges and cloths vary hugely. Simply saying sponge or cloth is a bit like saying tyre and we know how they vary.
Most sponges are meant for cleaning where a slight abrasive quality helps. Soft sponges are available but I don't know where.
Same with cloth. Just feel the difference when you rub them hard across your skin. There's an old joke about well worn mens vest making good dusters. It's actually true.
Best advice is trial and error then stick with what works.

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

I actually use an old Pajama top to dust 🤣
I've bought some new sponges and micro cloths to use up the creams.

SteveKozy

I'm not 100% sure what the issue here may be. But i'll make a few notations in the hope that it offers some guidance and help.

You mention you washing your sponges and your cloths - washing them in standard detergent will break down the benefit of the microfibre cloth. There are elements you want to look for in a cloth. The density of a microfiber cloth is denoted in grams per square meter (GSM). There are many different GSM grade towels on the market but for example, a 600 gsm towel is about as safe as you can get for any surface. Something of around the 350-400gsm mark is safe for paint and below that more of general towel for wheels, interiors, shuts etc.

In terms of washing. Safe wash technique would be -

Step 1: Separate Your Towels

If you use different towels for different purposes, like one for windows, one for rims and one for the body of the car then it is ideal that you wash them separately. Washing them separately will prevent cross-contamination. However, this isn’t always practical so if you are going to wash them together, you should pre-soak your towels in a bucket of warm water.

Pro Tip: You should never wash your towels with a cloth towel since the lint will get stuck to the microfiber towel.

Step 2: Put microfiber towels into washing machine

Place the towels into the machine and add liquid detergent. Ideally you can use a microfiber wash solution that is designed specifically to wash microfiber towels.
wash microfiber towels. Some people also suggest to wash the microfiber cloth with regular detergent but add a 1/2 cup of white vinegar. The white vinegar will remove the wax, while the detergent will get rid of the vinegar smell.

You must avoid using fabric softener. A fabric softener coats the fibers of the towel with a substance to soften them, but it results in the towels losing its static charge.

Secondly, you mention starting to polish and then talk about a spray wax - these are separate processes, with separate methods of application and work and results will vary by product, car (paint) and how it is used / applied. What process are you trying to achieve? Polishing would be considered the correction/enhancement of the paint. Wax would be the locking in of the finish achieved.

In regards to the AutoGlym product - which of the AG products are you referring too? Is it their SRP (Super Resin Polish) or EGP (extra gloss protection) - both are for different purposes. However, both have similar behaviours as to what you are experiencing, i.e. leaving the white flakes. This is due to too much product being used and it being cured too long - creating large white flaked dust. Use them sparingly, a little goes a long way but alot of products that are "polishes" are designed to break down and will dust up when they've been worked and dried. The meguiars spray wax didn't do this as it's not designed to do a similar job as a polish. A liquid basewd carnauba or polymer based solvent sealant/wax will often not dust up like that if used sparingly and correctly. If mistreated, it will leave streaks instead for example if its left to cure too long. Not to say it won't dust up, some may leave residue (powder etc) some don't. There isn't a singular rule of thumb. The behaviour depends on the application being correct and the environment being correct for that application. So if the paint is too moist (cold damp air) or too hot (direct sunlight) etc.

Swirls - Swirls are damage to the clear coat on your paint. They are etched marks that have been created over time through use of poor wash techniques and day to day environmental factors. They are just one of many issues that effects a finish of a car. Even from the factory but predominantly from age / time. You may be using a safe wash technique ? So not introducing new marks, and it can be that your wash is revealing the swirls each time as the products you use afterwards are likely full of "fillers" that mask these marks/issues with the paint and it looks like you are fixing them with your "polishing" as its filling in the swirl/hologram/etching etc. Your next wash then washes those fillers away. So you think you are adding them back in. Which you could be, or it could be they are just back becuase you've washed away the masking agents that were helping hide the marks.

I am happy to talk you through how to remove and correct those, but, that is not an easy process and takes time/effort/practice and more practice. But happy to help any time.