[sfscott]

My X5 is carbon black metallic and has both PPF and Ceramic Pro on it.

Unfortunately, it is that time of year, and where I park, I get hit with a lot of pollen from trees. And 15 minutes after a wash, it needs another.

Any recommendations for wiping off the pollen and assorted crap between washes? I would take a microfiber rag and just "dust" but I am worried about the pollen or other stuff scratching the coating.

[Alan l.]

Safest way would be to use a leaf blower to blow off the pollen. Any surface contact will eventually leave marks. Get the Ego leaf blower 650. You need something powerful.

[denaliman]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

Safest way would be to use a leaf blower to blow off the pollen. Any surface contact will eventually leave marks. Get the Ego leaf blower 650. You need something powerful.

EGO is a good blower. Unfortunately if you just wipe you will smear the pollen on the finish. The pollen is sticky and makes one hell of a mess. Every few washes you can refresh the ceramic with a spray on/off ceramic booster. I usually dilute it down and put into a spray bottle. On the last rinse I just spray it into the water stream from the hose onto the car and rinse off as I go. not much you can do except either cover the car or wash after a pollen bloom. Currently I use WaxedShine Aquaboost, but any should work.

[Busa Dave]

My vehicles are sealed and waxed more often that necessary that is for sure. Keep this next to your hose winder or where you store it. Just using the spray attachment on a hose will give you enough pressure to get the pollen off and it will not spot. Works kike magic.

Mine has a quick release system I fabricated up using couplings I got at the hardware store. Makes it easy to disconnect and go back to regular water.

https://crspotless.com/product/dic-2...olling-system/

[nZtiZia]

I just ordered one last week. Excited for it!

[denaliman]

Originally Posted by Busa Dave

My vehicles are sealed and waxed more often that necessary that is for sure. Keep this next to your hose winder or where you store it. Just using the spray attachment on a hose will give you enough pressure to get the pollen off and it will not spot. Works kike magic.

Mine has a quick release system I fabricated up using couplings I got at the hardware store. Makes it easy to disconnect and go back to regular water.

https://crspotless.com/product/dic-2...olling-system/

I have been using DI water (CR Spotless DC-20) for a few years. It does work well especially on dark cars that tend to show more water spots. The resin is expensive to replace and depending on your level of water hardness you'll go through more if it is high. Mine is about average to low. I get about 10 washes before the disolved solids meter tells me to change. Considering I wash my car at least once a week in the spring/summer and fall it gets expensive. Finding replacement resin is even more difficult in Canada.

[Alan l.]

What i do if the car is just dusty is hit it with a pressure washer (water only) to get the surface dust/pollen off. PW uses less water so the car isn't as hard to dry. Then I use the Ego blower to dry the car off. Being ceramic coated helps tremendously since the water flies off the surface. This wouldn't really work on a non ceramic car since the water "sticks" to the paint when you try to blow dry it.

Alan

[sfscott]

Originally Posted by denaliman

EGO is a good blower. Unfortunately if you just wipe you will smear the pollen on the finish. The pollen is sticky and makes one hell of a mess. Every few washes you can refresh the ceramic with a spray on/off ceramic booster. I usually dilute it down and put into a spray bottle. On the last rinse I just spray it into the water stream from the hose onto the car and rinse off as I go. not much you can do except either cover the car or wash after a pollen bloom. Currently I use WaxedShine Aquaboost, but any should work.

Getting confused and conflicting advice. My PPF/ceramic installer suggests not worrying about using a ceramic booster other than letting them check the car once a year for contamination and a re-fresh if needed.

When you are using the ceramic booster, are you spraying the diluted mixture onto a wet car and then rinsing? Have also heard people say to use a waterless wash, but I worry that the stuff on the car will get smeared or scratch.

Who uses the Ceramic Pro cleaner/booster and how do you use it?

[denaliman]

Originally Posted by sfscott

Getting confused and conflicting advice. My PPF/ceramic installer suggests not worrying about using a ceramic booster other than letting them check the car once a year for contamination and a re-fresh if needed.

When you are using the ceramic booster, are you spraying the diluted mixture onto a wet car and then rinsing? Have also heard people say to use a waterless wash, but I worry that the stuff on the car will get smeared or scratch.

Who uses the Ceramic Pro cleaner/booster and how do you use it?

I wash the car then when I do the final rinse I just grab my spray bottle of product then while I am rinsing with the hose nozzle I just spray the product into the water stream from the hose, product is carried with the stream of water onto the car. This way it spreads evenly I just keep the hose water running until it is rinsed off moving around the car. It’s not so much the ceramic product (gtechniq in my case, car pro in yours) degrading, it’s the hydrophobic properties. They will all loose the hydrophobic properties to some degree.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by sfscott

Getting confused and conflicting advice. My PPF/ceramic installer suggests not worrying about using a ceramic booster other than letting them check the car once a year for contamination and a re-fresh if needed.

When you are using the ceramic booster, are you spraying the diluted mixture onto a wet car and then rinsing? Have also heard people say to use a waterless wash, but I worry that the stuff on the car will get smeared or scratch.

Who uses the Ceramic Pro cleaner/booster and how do you use it?

of course your installer will tell you not to worry about applying a booster but to bring it in for them to check and refresh = MONEY!

this thread has info about waterless wash. the biggest takeaway is to ensure a dense foam that lifts contaminants off the surface prior to wiping it off with a quality mitt:
Goodbye Carwash! https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1805588

personally, I'm not comfortable with my own skills to apply a ceramic booster. let me get comfortable with caring for the ppf+ceramic first...

[Busa Dave]

Originally Posted by denaliman

I have been using DI water (CR Spotless DC-20) for a few years. It does work well especially on dark cars that tend to show more water spots. The resin is expensive to replace and depending on your level of water hardness you'll go through more if it is high. Mine is about average to low. I get about 10 washes before the disolved solids meter tells me to change. Considering I wash my car at least once a week in the spring/summer and fall it gets expensive. Finding replacement resin is even more difficult in Canada.

WOW I get about 50.. I do not use the filtered water EXCEPT for the final rinse......

[gqgambler]

Originally Posted by sfscott

My X5 is carbon black metallic and has both PPF and Ceramic Pro on it.

Unfortunately, it is that time of year, and where I park, I get hit with a lot of pollen from trees. And 15 minutes after a wash, it needs another.

Any recommendations for wiping off the pollen and assorted crap between washes? I would take a microfiber rag and just "dust" but I am worried about the pollen or other stuff scratching the coating.

Get a garage
Best way to remove pollen is a wash or a rinse. Wiping will cause it to smear and blowing it off still leaves a residue behind. Sometimes a rinse isn't good enough and you need to wash. A pressure wash rinse should do the trick. With the ceramic coating water should just bead off and be easy to dry (hand or blow), if not maybe you need a refresh.

[luckylingy]

My X5 is garaged at home but parked outside at work (subject more to dust than pollen). The paint is ceramic coated and boosted regularly to restore hydroponic properties (CarPro Elixir, plus Reload occasionally). I just hose down with filtered water, blow dry and follow with a microfiber drying towel to wick the remaining water droplets.

Anything more than a light dusting, and I revert to my normal wash regimen.