How do you clean/detail your car?

[Steely Dan]

A trick I learned from some Corvette folks is to use a leaf blower to dry your car off.

Less elbow grease and it gets all the nooks and crannies.

 

[Alnamvet68]

I used to love spending hours detailing my cars when I was younger; times are such I don't have that kind of time, so I just let Mother Nature do her thing. I do vacuum thoroughly my Defender every 2 weeks. My wife's car, as is my youngest daughter's car qualify for Superfund Act relief.

 

[chief38]

A trick I learned from some Corvette folks is to use a leaf blower to dry your car off.

Less elbow grease and it gets all the nooks and crannies.

A gas operated Leaf Blower could damage your paint if it inadvertently spews out a rock, piece of sand, etc. and the oil from the engine could also get blown out. While the electric blowers are safer for paint, they lack enough force to really dry the car faster than the method below.

A better way is to use Griots Garage Spray Wax which sheds the water and makes it very easy to dry with a mico-fiber cloth and also adds a thin layer of wax to your regular wax finish.

 

[Hack]

A gas operated Leaf Blower could damage your paint if it inadvertently spews out a rock, piece of sand, etc. and the oil from the engine could also get blown out. While the electric blowers are safer for paint, they lack enough force to really dry the car faster than the method below.

I've used a Craftsman electric blower on my Sky and Harley for years. Never had an issue. However, it is a dedicated vehicle blower that sees no lawn duty.

I recently purchased one of the 8hp electric blowers:


That should really move the air. And the hose/attachments will make it easier to dry the Harley.

As for my everyday car, the last time I washed it, was because someone's little darling tossed a couple of eggs at it while it was parked in front of my house. Car wash + $5 + pressure wand. No drying.