How do I get road grim off?

@MaGuyver, I found a dealer local to you

 

What's wrong with the old fashion tried and true way, washing by hand. Have we forgotten how good that works, or have we just gotten lazy?

 

What?
No one told me I have to wash it!!!!
I want my money back.

 

Didn't realize that regular simple green causes crosion of Aluminum.
There is a few other versions and one that made for wheels. I still like regular simple green for mats and plastics.

 

Yep I use two mits on like @verynearlypure posted a pic of and one on a pole to make reaching to roof easy. I use Two buckets. I'm not picky about the soap brand but any good name brand like Meguires, Mother's or even turtle wax will do. Start at the top with the mit, rinse it often, do a panel at a time. It's also best to wash in shade or if that isn't possible keep the truck wet, don't let soap dry on the paint.

 

I am not knocking anyone here about any method or process they have offered. I just think you all are coming off the rails when it comes to washing a truck. A TRUCK! By any sane persons standards I am considered ANAL about my vehicles and yet I am perfectly comfortable getting out my single bucket, 5 year old wash mitt and cleaning supplies purchased wherever they were on sale. I mean in most cases your paint finish is exposed to 10 times the punishment driving in the rain or sitting in the blazing sun than the damage you could ever cause simply putting water in a bucket and washing a truck. I can't help but feel many of you are falling victim to this age of marketing. Again, if these precautions is where you want to spend your time and money good on you. All I am saying is I have never washed my vehicles in my simple old process and stood back and was like "NOOOO, NOW MY PAINT IS RUINED". It is possible to overthink shit.

I would go as far as saying to those of you who are spraying hard chemical agents on your finish and going to town with a clay bar several times a year you are actually doing way more damage to the finish but that is just my opinion.

 

I respect your opinion and while it is just a truck, a Toyota one at that, may I remind you there is an entire industry built around washing a vehicle. A very successful one too in which billions dollars are spent by people who take passion around maintaining properties that inevitably get dirty. While some methods are accepted more than others, the only thing I saw off the rails was some guys simple green on paint recommendation and your rant.

 

I would not call it a rant, simply my opinion. One which I take it you oppose and that is a right you have and I can respect that. You pointing out that vehicle detailing is an industry worth billions does however reinforce my main point that many are falling victim to marketing. All of these things have a place in the industry, just not so much on a daily driver in my opinion. You must use simple logic sometimes and realize that those industries that make billions off of the back of the regular consumer are there to get your money not to tell you what is best for the application you have. To each his own.

Keep in mind that much of the money that industry is made of is spent convincing you that your 5 gallon bucket and wash mitt from Walmart is destroying your paint so you spend $30 on a $3 bucket with a plastic screen in the bottom. LOL...

 

There's a balance to everything, for sure. I can tell you though that what I thought was "traditional" washing methods ended up in my previous car's black paint being a swirly and hazy mess. The OP brings up a good question on how to get road grim off since that is where 95% of swirls and scratches happen.

 

Gosh.....so much rocket science to wash a truck.

I use a 5 gallon bucket, a squirt of car wash soap, garden hose with nozzle, open weave dish cloth, syn chamois. Simple Green and nylon brush for wheels/brake dust.

Soap and water to fill bucket. Toss in wash cloth.
Rinse truck and wheel wells with strong water jet.
Use the cloth, start washing at the roof working down. Frequent cloth rinses, rinse each section with water. Keep wet.
Scrub the bugs off the grill. Rinse. Keep truck wet.
Simple Green a tire/wheel. Agitate with brush. Rinse. Keep truck wet.
Dump wash water, Rinse bucket.
Fill bucket with water, toss in chamois.
Wring out chamois. Dry truck from top down.
Wax if I have time.
Otherwise, clean up the equipment
Enjoy a clean truck.

This process has worked for me for nearly 40 years. Don't see a need to get twisted up into a rocket science complex process.

Dirt needs to be agitated to come off the surface.

In the Spring, when the thawing is complete. I crawl under the truck for a thorough rinse of everything to remove salt. I'll do this 2-3 times over the next couple weeks.


<edit> That Opti-coat stuff works really good on a clean car that sits in a showroom.

 

I never made a claim about paint being destroyed but there is a method to the madness. Has nothing to do with marketing manipulation but the same claim could be said for most if not all industry’s capitalizing on this. From Toyota to McLaren, washing to paint correction, and paint protection film. It’s all related. I took the bait but your points of argument don’t have much weight. Personally for me I don’t worry too much about my trucks paint but at the end of the day it’s still an asset.

 

Its okay to be wrong. Some people care about paint and how you maintain it and touch it makes a difference. I had a black truck for 3 years and paint corrected it when I first got it and didn't need to do it again tell I sold it, and even then it was better than 95 percent of black ones with minimal spider webbing etc. Because I use two bucket method, pre rinse, use a blower to get most of the water off and always have it waxed. Parking in the sun is terrible for your truck and so is weather but it holds up a lot better with maintenance

 

Question......
How can someone's opinion be wrong????? Just because the opinion is different from yours.

 

Let me give an example. Person 1 and person 2: Person 1 says rubbing dirt on your paint isn't bad for it just hose it off. Person 2 says it is def bad and will scratch that paint. Person 1 opinion is wrong. Its just how life works sometimes

 

FWIW. Person 1 didn't say that.

Oh well......Its your opinion.

 

I know it was a hypothetical.

 

Thanks for the aid however you must not take most things on a forum seriously. We now live in a day and age where you cannot settle on a simple difference of opinion, you must plant your flag, throw out all logic and die on your hill. Forget what has been the standard for 80 years. The new truth is what our phone has enlightened us to be. I take solace that most of these people have never been punched in the face for a differing opinion and thus is unable to comprehend common differences and why they must be allowed to exist. I can make peace with this.

 

I never had swirls in my paint until I had body work done and they washed it before I picked it up, I was not stoked. Definitely matters how you do it IMO.
For OP, even if you foam your truck you're supposed to take a wash mitt to it after. Straight lines only, roll your mitt to avoid dragging debris around and rinse it out often while working on very dirty sections of the truck. Watch Detail Geek on youtube if you want to get real crazy with it.

 

Agree. Cell phones and Internet are destroying the ability to think independently and process facts. Also destroying acceptance of differing opinions, thoughts and processes.

I recall when we first go married. She would cook, I would clean up. One day, she was instructing me on washing dishes. I stopped and asked her the following question, "Are the dishes clean when I'm done?" "Yes" "Then let me use my method." The washing dish instruction never resurfaced.