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If you are someone who enjoys a clean appearance, especially when it comes to your vehicle, then dust is your enemy. It should be anyway because of all the damage dust can do to your car’s clear coat and paint.
Removing dust from your vehicle goes beyond a simple swipe of a clean rag, though. If you are curious whether wiping dust off a car will scratch it and how you can best go about removing dust particles from the exterior of your car, then read on and learn some helpful tips!
Will Wiping Dust Off A Car Scratch It?
Yes, if not done properly, wiping dust off a car will cause fine swirl marks and scratches.
Many people use car dusters like the California Duster brand. These too can potentially cause scratching.
Quick detailer sprays are the safer method for removing dust without scratching. I also recommend ceramic coating your vehicle to help prevent scratches.
Does Dust Scratch Your Car?
Dust contains all kinds of dirt, sand, grime, pollen, particles and contaminants, which is why it sticks to your car. If it is not removed from your vehicle in the most appropriate manner, it will remove the shine from the paint, scratch the paint, and leave swirl marks behind.
So, ultimately, yes, dust can scratch your car and chip your paint when it is being removed from your vehicle. After all, dust often contains tiny little pieces of sand and rock. You may not be able to see them, but they’re there. It is these abrasive particles within the dust that potentially scratch the surface of your paint as you wipe them away.
Do Car Dusters (Like The California Duster) Scratch Paint?
Some people report very light and fine scratches in their clear coat. Many others report no issues. There are probably a few different reasons for the differing reports.
Bottom line is I don’t recommend using dusters to keep your car or truck dust-free without it being ceramic coated first. A ceramic coating is very durable and will prevent scratching from a duster, towel, or other cloth. Even grit and dirt will be far less likely to cause any scratching.
That said, many people love the convenience of a duster to quickly and easily wipe away dirt and dust on cars and trucks. The potential for scratching is very low on most cars.
The scratches that can be caused are extremely fine and much less noticeable on light colors like white or silver. You may want to avoid using a duster to wipe your dirty car or truck’s clear coat if it’s black or some other dark color.
Car dusters are extremely popular for eliminating both interior and exterior dust. They do a lot more than a simple cloth could ever do. For the most part, as long as you don’t choose the cheapest ones on the market and pay special attention to the material used to create the dusters, you should be good. For instance, opt for cotton, wool, microfiber, and other soft, non-abrasive materials when choosing a car duster to use for cleaning your car.
California Duster
The California Car Duster brand is a very popular car duster used to keep the exterior (and interior) of a vehicle clean and dust-free. This duster is made of 100% cotton and is nontoxic. It’s lightweight, compact, and extremely easy to use. It works thanks to static electric attraction, picking up dust and other particles and holding onto them.
The California Car Duster doesn’t leave any kind of streaks or smears behind after use. The longer it is used to remove dust from your car, the better it works. Keep in mind that the first time or two you use it you may notice some small pieces of red fibers left behind as you get it broken in; however, there are instructions in the manual that will help you avoid this!
How To Safely Remove Dust From Your Car's Exterior Without Scratching
If you have some dust on your car but it’s really not enough to bother doing a full car wash on it, you need a method to safely remove dust without scratching. To ensure that you remove dust without scratching your clear coat, you need to have some sort of lubrication. Lubrication is the only method of removing dust, or any other surface contaminants, without causing swirl marks or fine scratches.
Quick Detailer
The best method to remove dust safely is to use a product called waterless wash, or quick detailer. These products are perfect for removing dust from your car or truck. A quick detailer spray coats your finish with a lubricant that you should wipe away with a microfiber cloth.
Cleaning your car or truck with a quick detailer is a great way to keep dirt from building up on the paint and to stretch out the time between full vehicle washes.
Pressure Washer Rinse
A quick rinse of your car or truck with a pressure washer is less labor intensive than either car washing or using a quick detailer. Once you’re done with rinse you need to properly dry your vehicle.
Water that isn’t dried can easily leave behind water spots. Water spots can be very stubborn to remove so be sure to do any car washing out of direct sunlight and thoroughly dry your vehicle.
Air dryers are preferred for their completely hands-off method of drying and ability to get into crevices, but a quality microfiber towel is reasonably safe and faster.
Touchless Wash
A method that I personally love is the touchless car washing method. I find it a lot less labor intensive and faster than using a quick detailer or waterless wash. A touchless wash will easily remove dust, just like a pressure washer rinse, but it will also remove more stubborn light dirt and loose contaminants.
A touchless car or truck wash involves coating your vehicle with car wash shampoo suds via a foam cannon and allowing them to dwell to lift up contaminants that aren’t really adhered to the surface and also loosen adhered contaminants.
Once the shampoo has had a chance to work its magic for 5 minutes or so, you can rinse the dust, dirt, and other loose road grime away with a pressure washer.
It’s important not to forget to dry properly your car or truck when you’re done. To complete the touchless method, you should use a quality air dryer. You can get away with a leaf blower but you’ll want to make sure you don’t accidentally mar you paintwork by accidentally banging the leaf blower tip against your finish. Purpose-designed air dryers have soft protective rubber tips to prevent this type of damage.
How Do I Keep My Car Dust-Free?
There are a few different things you can do to keep your car as dust-free as possible, which will minimize the risk of scratches and other damage. It really comes down to how you take care of your car.
Invest in a Car Cover
If you have a vehicle that is not driven very frequently, then it is going to be more prone to dust build up than any of your other cars that you drive on a regular basis. To keep dust away from that vehicle, you can invest in a car cover to place over it.
Ideally, you should purchase a car cover made specifically for that car so that it fits snug and doesn’t leave any parts of the car exposed to the elements. While there is never any guarantee that a car cover will keep 100% of the dust away from your car, it will significantly reduce the chances and protect the paint surface.
Just don’t forget to take the cover off every now and then to give the vehicle a good washing.
Go to the Car Wash or Hand Wash Your Vehicle Frequently
One of the easiest and most effective ways to keep your vehicle dust-free is to wash it on a regular basis. You can go to a car wash, or you can choose to wash your car yourself with a garden hose or bucket of water and a sponge.
Either way, it is a good idea to ensure you are washing your car thoroughly from top to bottom and using a microfiber towel afterward to dry it completely. Make sure to rub the microfiber towel in straight back and forth motions to prevent swirl marks and streaks.
Apply Wax to the Surface of Your Car
If you don’t currently wax your car, it’s time to start because wax can help maintain the shine of your car that it loses over time as a result of dust particles.
Now, one question you may have right now is: is there a car wax that repels dust really? 303 Automotive Spray Wax is a popular wax that is gentle on the surface of your vehicle and adds a protective layer over your paint to repel dust particles. Further, it offers UV protection to help prevent color fading!
By waxing your car on a regular basis, you can not only work to improve the shine of your vehicle’s finish but also repel dust. Wax creates a slick surface, making it much harder for dust particles, soil, and grime to cling to it. In fact, when dust does fall onto the car, it will stick to that protective layer of wax as opposed to the paint, preventing the risk of car scratches.
You can do this job with your car yourself or have a professional do it, but if you do it yourself, just make sure to wash it thoroughly first. Utilizing a clay bar can help in the removal of any dirt that may have been left behind on the exterior of the vehicle after washing.
Before applying the wax, just make sure that the car is fully dry. Simply follow the directions on your wax product to apply it, as these directions will vary based on the type of wax you use (spray, paste, etc.
Use a Detailer Spray
As a car owner, you should have a detailer spray in your arsenal. It helps to not only capture and remove dust particles, but it also protects the paint and improves its shine. You should opt for a high-quality detailer spray and always use a microfiber towel of quality material when wiping down your vehicle.
Don’t forget to double-check that the towel you’re using for the detailing process is clean. Using dirty microfiber towels can cause damage to your paint, so it is important to ensure you are only using clean microfiber towels at any given time. Microfiber is known for attracting dust and can safely remove it from your car without scratching the paint.
Make sure to start from the top and work your way to the bottom to avoid cleaning an area twice. Spray a generous amount of the detailer spray on the surface of your car and wipe the microfiber towel back and forth in straight lines, as this will help to avoid leaving swirl marks.
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Conclusion
It’s important to ensure the exterior of your vehicle is in good condition and looks great to passersby, as well as yourself. While it is true that wiping dust off a car can scratch it and cause swirl marks, there are steps you can take to protect your car and remove dust. By using high-quality products and the right process, along with the aforementioned tips, you can maintain that gorgeous shine and not cause scratches all at the same time.
