Mr Clean Auto Dry

Does anyone use this system? I've been using it for a few months on both my cars and I think it might be stripping the wax. I noticed my white wash mits would get black and would never wash out, like wax residue. The cars would dry with no spots but after feeling the paint, the wax is gone.

I tried my normal wash soap but it won't try without spots.

Anyone else experience this?

Thanks,

Doug D

as far as i know, mr. clean will not strip your wax. in the little booklet that came with the kit there is a list of faq's pertaining to the kit. i can remember one asking why does the wash mitt seem dirtier than usual? they claimed that mr. clean soap gets out the stuff that other soaps cant. dont know if its true or not but thats just what i read. i got a new wash mitt after the old one got dirty and the new one did not get like the old one. i have been using it for about 6 months now and it hasnt stripped my wax.

Kinda weird that it didn't dry with another soap, the spray thing you hook up to the hose is just a water filter, the spots usually occur from hard water and mr clean just filters it so it's not hard water anymore.

If you are also using Mr. Clean's car wash soap, it is very possible that it is removing wax. A soap like Dawn contains a degreaser (using harsh detergents, alkali or acids) and is great to tear down a car in prep to add the first coat of wax. However, soaps with degreasers should not be used when you are trying to build up the wax and detailing level. Instead, use a car wash soap designed to keep the wax coats. I'm sure there are more, but the only car wash soap (without degreasers) that I know of is Zaino Z-7.

If you live in a dry environment where the humidity is low, then you should consider a squeegie like the California WaterBlade. I lived in Idaho for a few years, and I could not dry it in time with towels, so I started using a sqeegie. But in normal climates, you can dry your car in time if you have 2 or 3 100% cotton bath towels. I can normally get it done with 2 towels.

Caution! Squeegies are more risky than towels. If a small stone gets on your car, and you squeegie it off, it can scratch your car. Towels are the safer bet. They have plenty of space (crevices) for the stone to hide in, and the scratch will be minimal or none.

I only use it for the rinse to reduce water spots.

If you are also using Mr. Clean's car wash soap, it is very possible that it is removing wax. A soap like Dawn contains a degreaser (using harsh detergents, alkali or acids) and is great to tear down a car in prep to add the first coat of wax. However, soaps with degreasers should not be used when you are trying to build up the wax and detailing level. Instead, use a car wash soap designed to keep the wax coats. I'm sure there are more, but the only car wash soap (without degreasers) that I know of is Zaino Z-7.

If you live in a dry environment where the humidity is low, then you should consider a squeegie like the California WaterBlade. I lived in Idaho for a few years, and I could not dry it in time with towels, so I started using a sqeegie. But in normal climates, you can dry your car in time if you have 2 or 3 100% cotton bath towels. I can normally get it done with 2 towels.

Caution! Squeegies are more risky than towels. If a small stone gets on your car, and you squeegie it off, it can scratch your car. Towels are the safer bet. They have plenty of space (crevices) for the stone to hide in, and the scratch will be minimal or none.
Pretty much any over the counter car wash soap will keep the wax on, but make shure to read the label. I dont think there is a best car wash soap, just add more if it doesnt lather and sudd up good. BTW suds are important for reducing scratches and also a clean mitt.

Doug,

The stuff you're using is leaving residue on the paint. It's fairly common for it to happen with the Mr. Clean stuff, as well as cheap OTC shampoos.

-Matt

I used it and the same night it stormed, figures right. The problem i had was trying to see through the windows with my wipers going. It made them all smeary for several minutes. And that was with the Rain-X still applied. Back to the old 5 gal bucket and a mit!

I use it to wash, but I generally dont let it air dry, I use microfiber towels to dry. I can do the entire car with 2.

Easy "self dry" system (for most of the car, atleast) is after you're done washing, remove the nozzle from the hose, and allow the water to run onto your car. Start at the top, and the "free flowing" action from the nozzle-less hose will actually sheet 90% of the water right off your car. Then it's just a simple task to grab a microfiber and wipe down the remaining waterspots. It takes a little practice to get the angles right on the hose, if you don't angle the hose right it's just going to splash all over the place, but if you angle the hose so the water is flowing out onto the body panels, the water sheets right off.

Easy "self dry" system (for most of the car, atleast) is after you're done washing, remove the nozzle from the hose, and allow the water to run onto your car. Start at the top, and the "free flowing" action from the nozzle-less hose will actually sheet 90% of the water right off your car. Then it's just a simple task to grab a microfiber and wipe down the remaining waterspots. It takes a little practice to get the angles right on the hose, if you don't angle the hose right it's just going to splash all over the place, but if you angle the hose so the water is flowing out onto the body panels, the water sheets right off.

thats what I was going to say too :)
only works with a good wax though, on my dads car (he uses mothers) the water wants to bead more then sheet off like mine with zaino.

I use some towel that feels like rubber to dry the car, works awsome :)

I've used pretty much nothing but Mr Clean in the last year... either that or my pressure washer depending on how many bugs I have on the front of my car. But I've never had a problem with it stripping wax with the green 'OEM' soap (that stuff smells nice, BTW:D), and have never had problems with spotting using 'aftermarket' soap, either, as long as I thoroughly rinse with the filtered setting, which I really wish was faster-flowing, BTW.:think:

We don't have too much of a problem with spotting in our area anyhow - at least compared to other areas I've seen.

I've been using it for the last couple months. I don't use it so much for the cleaning but more for the drying. The thing takes a lot of soap (expensive soap too) so I usually use 1/2 my own soap and 1/2 water. Still works out good.

Then I'll use the auto dry and a water blade to remove any excess standing water.

Not bad...

I've been using it for the last couple months. I don't use it so much for the cleaning but more for the drying. The thing takes a lot of soap (expensive soap too) so I usually use 1/2 my own soap and 1/2 water. Still works out good.

Then I'll use the auto dry and a water blade to remove any excess standing water.

Not bad...

You can buy two larger sized autodry soap bottles and two full sized replacement filters for something like 15 bucks at Costco, FWIW.

If you have well water the Mr. Clean filter do not last more than a few uses, there is a company that has a large unit that we have been testing and works very well. http://www.crspotless.com/

I really wish was faster-flowing, BTW.:think:


I'm glad I am not the only one that finds the final filtered rinse slow and annoying.
I have developed a system to aid in rinsing my Camaro faster by using the wash gun like a paint gun "sweeping" the entire vehcile like I was painting it.

So, to answer the original poster's question, I personally find Mr. Clean's Auto Dry system acceptable. But, after using Zaino's Z7 and rinsing the vehicle using "meissenation's" method and quickly drying the car with a 100% bath towel far superior. IMO.

Easy "self dry" system (for most of the car, atleast) is after you're done washing, remove the nozzle from the hose, and allow the water to run onto your car. Start at the top, and the "free flowing" action from the nozzle-less hose will actually sheet 90% of the water right off your car. Then it's just a simple task to grab a microfiber and wipe down the remaining waterspots. It takes a little practice to get the angles right on the hose, if you don't angle the hose right it's just going to splash all over the place, but if you angle the hose so the water is flowing out onto the body panels, the water sheets right off.

Thanks