After a lot of research I bought a California Duster - they also have greased it.
I only used it in between car washes - It looks to me that the duster kind of make clay out of the dust and the it gets deposited over the paint after a while. The duster tips are black. The gardener uses a blower weekly = on top of wind, it another cause of dust.
I had the car detailed and I am reluctant to use the California Duster on it now - any tips to handle the dust in between the car washes?
PS: Isn’t there a health dept ban these blowers nationwide?
PS: Isn’t there a health dept ban these blowers nationwide?
Why would anyone anywhere have a ban on blowers? I’ve heard of certain neighborhoods or communities restrict their use to certain hours because of noise, but I don’t find them any noisier than a mower or weedeater.
I don’t really have any input on the CA Duster, I remember seeing them, and thought they worked well, but don’t have any personal experience. If it’s just dust you’re worried about can’t you just hose the car off or drive through the car wash. It’s just dust, right? You don’t live near nuclear fallout or next to a landfill?
I’m pretty careful with my paint. I did buy a California Duster last year after reading lots of reviews. However, the only time I use it is in the spring when my car gets pollen on it after otherwise being clean. I’m nervous using it for anything more than that, although it seems from the reviews that many people use them all the time.
After a lot of research I bought a California Duster - they also have greased it.
I only used it in between car washes - It looks to me that the duster kind of make clay out of the dust and the it gets deposited over the paint after a while.
MY ‘‘california duster’’ is treated also, but THAT is by design so it will catch and pick up the dust ! Otherwise you’d just be pushing the dust around and that would be harder on the finish.
In fact, if yours dries out too much you HAVE to treat it with something to catch the dust anyway.
This almost sounds like SPAM so I'll not comment any further.
I’ve seen @sciconf around here for a long time. If this is spam, he’s playing the long game so well that he almost deserves us to give him a pass
Sciconf, are you saying that the California Duster comes with some sort of grease on it from the factory? I’ve never used one, nor would I, so I have no personal experience. However, I do know that moving dust/dirt around on the car without water to lubricate it is a guaranteed way to put microscratches in your finish, which is why I wouldn’t use it.
My usual tips for keeping a car looking clean are:
Don’t get a black car.
Wash it thoroughly, then wax it at least twice a year with a good carnauba paste wax. I get excellent results from Meguiars gold class.
Don’t get a black car.
Between washes get rid of bug splats, bird dung, etc, with a quick detailing spray and a good, clean microfiber cloth.
Don’t get a black car.
If you wash it and it still doesn’t look clean, inspect the dirty spots. Sometimes there’s stuff on there that won’t come off with normal soap. In that case, use a clay bar kit on it. The clay will lift contaminants off the paint without damaging the paint. Then wash it again and wax it.
Did I mention don’t get a black car? Have you figured out that I own a black car yet?
Sadly my favorite car I ever owned from a keeping it looking clean perspective was an '89 Dodge Caravan SE. White with that burgundy hell interior that was so popular then. That basic white paint hardly showed any dirt. At the end of its life I was just using it as a cheap winter beater and stopped washing it for 3 years. Still looked fairly clean when I donated it.
Meanwhile my black TL looks dirty if you breathe on it. Looks fantastic when it’s clean, but those moments are fleeting and rare.
texases My first thought was Plymouth Duster. I’m thinking there may have been a “California Duster” package. I do remember a couple of 1968 Ford Mustang “California Specials” at my High School. I grajumated in 1970.
shadowfax, next time, instead of a carnauba wax, try the Meguires Ultimate wax. Its a crossed link polymer. I gave it a try last Oct/Nov when ever we had that long discussion about an easy wax to use. It isn’t easy but it has now been over 6 months and the shie is like the day I did it and water still beads off the finish. I never had a carnauba wax last anywhere near that long.
@shadowfax
The duster is advertised and it comes with grease on it
My dilemma is that I need to deal with the dust on a weekly basis - I don’ t think washing weekly is practical. It turned out cal duster is not the solution - so what else other than using baby wipes?
@sciconf Unfortunately, there’s no good way to deal with the dust other than washing the car. You really don’t want to remove it without water because eventually the paint will start to show scratch lines.
My first reaction is to never use anything without water. But then I realized that California is in a serious drought and people there need to look for alternatives that don’t involve water.
