Drying

Water accelerates corrosion and hard water can leave damaging spots on a vehicle’s finish. After washing, dry a vehicle with a clean microfiber detail towel or a super absorbent chamois. A chamois, usually made from sheepskin, will be hard and abrasive when dry, so wet it and wring it out first. Drag it across the finish to pull water off and then wring out the excess until the chamois is just damp. Make sure your chamois or detail towel remains clean to prevent scratches. It is also important to open the doors, trunk, and hood to wipe around them with a shop towel. Do not use a chamois or detail towel in these areas because you will pick up contaminants that were missed when you washed. Once the vehicle is dry you should evaluate the finish condition. Slide a clean, dry detail towel across your hood. If it does not glide effortlessly, then the finish should be waxed. Next move your finger along the paint, if it feels rough there are contaminants and oxidation on the surface. This roughness indicates that the finish also needs to be polished.