California Car Duster!

[Landerholm]

I got my california car duster today. I life off a dirt road and its been hell on my black paint.

The instructions say to lay the duster on newpaper for 24 hours prior to use....

"2. Set your Duster on newspaper and let it air out for 24 hours."

I really want to try it now! Can I? Why am I supposed to let it air out? Its been airing for about 4 or 5 hours now.

Thanks guys

[neeCo]

hmm...i did it. works like a charm for me and my cosmos. i have to use that duster everyday because of dust. :rolleyes

[hatm3]

I think they have you let lay it on newspaper b/c it's coated with carnuba wax, and needs to air out so it won't leave any residue.

I have one and love it. Great for in b/t washes when there's just a little dust. And spring time when the pollen starts!!

[JaguarXJ6]

Put several layers of newspaper beneath the duster (I would recommend 5, folded it up for 10), fan the duster out, and let it sit for 3 days. Yes, 3 days.

The duster comes packed with a ton of oil and this will leech out of the fibers slowly over the course of a couple of days. The manufacturer doesn't want you putting this oil to your finish, for obvious reasons!

There are several problems with the duster and thats the accumulation of dirt, not dust. Note, what follows is only my opinion since I'm an exotic car detailer.

The duster is meant to remove the dust that settles from the air on the surface of the car when its immobile for several days (preferrably in a garage). Otherwise, you're going to be using the duster to remove dirt.

I used to use one until I found out how much I was scratching the finish with it. Its no substitute for a microfiber and a quick detailer.

I would go so far as to say the most effective way to remove dirt kicked up from the road is an air compressor. The duster is guaranteed to leave behind that dry wiped swirl/haze you get when you take your car to be washed but not waxed. This is most noticible on darker colored cars.

The small duster for the dash and interior of a car works well. However, there are so many things your paint is exposed to, it will have a scrubbing effect on your paint.

[Landerholm]

OMG.... I just lifted up the duster and there are oil spots on the newpaper! As though someone had eaten french fries off of it!

Thats a little shocking. Why does it come with so much oil?....And why would I want to remove more than 24 hours worth of that oil?

And finally -- should I be changing the newspaper?

[Landerholm]

After some searching I am seeing alot of ppl wrapped the duster in newspaper... I think I will go a step beyond laying or wrapping and use my expert hairdresser skills to foil the mophead with newspaper.

[Casebrius]

I think I will go a step beyond laying or wrapping and use my expert hairdresser skills to foil the mophead with newspaper.
:rofl

[JaguarXJ6]

LOL!!

There will be plenty of oil on the duster to collect dust as you use it. The duster will darken over time, this is OK. Just make sure to give it a good couple of twists to wring it out after each use.

I had almost a "puddle" under my duster when I first bought it and laid it out for two days. I had forgotten about it and was shocked that there was still a great deal coming out. Better on the newspaper than in the carrying bag. When it only oozes out a tiny bit is what you want, where the newspaper becomes slightly discolored after a while, not wet. :)

Sunny

[donoman]

I tried mine for the first time today, didn't seem to work all that great as the car had been sitting out for 10 days since washed. Plus, the car is white. I'm not too happy with the product actually. I guess it's a good product if you get little tiny dust on your car but once it starts building up, forget about it. I gave up on the duster and did a quick wash, which i think was actually faster and more effective.

[Steve530]

I think the dusters work well for light dust, like pollen. Of course, it's no substitute for a good wash.

[Landerholm]

I have to travel a mile+ long gravel road every day to get to/from my home. It kicks up a little dust when traveling it alone....But if someone else has just been on it, or is on it, youre driving through a mile long cloud of dust.

Its very fine and you can blow if off of the car but that sort of just moves it around. When I close the back of the car you can see the dust just sheeting off.

I'm hoping the duster will work well for this becuase its just so much dust. A MF towel just moves it around and Quick Detailer just turns it into like mud.

The duster seems like it should be just the thing to lightly remove the dust -- I'm just worried that the dust might be composed of highly abrasive particles having come from a gravel road.

[Casebrius]

I'd use a leaf blower if I had to do it every day.

[RRdawho?]

I tried mine for the first time today, didn't seem to work all that great as the car had been sitting out for 10 days since washed. Plus, the car is white. I'm not too happy with the product actually. I guess it's a good product if you get little tiny dust on your car but once it starts building up, forget about it. I gave up on the duster and did a quick wash, which i think was actually faster and more effective.

Q/D and Microfiber.

[JaguarXJ6]

I have to travel a mile+ long gravel road every day to get to/from my home. It kicks up a little dust when traveling it alone....But if someone else has just been on it, or is on it, youre driving through a mile long cloud of dust.

Its very fine and you can blow if off of the car but that sort of just moves it around. When I close the back of the car you can see the dust just sheeting off.

I'm hoping the duster will work well for this becuase its just so much dust. A MF towel just moves it around and Quick Detailer just turns it into like mud.

The duster seems like it should be just the thing to lightly remove the dust -- I'm just worried that the dust might be composed of highly abrasive particles having come from a gravel road.

If there's enough to turn into mud with a quick detailer, a duster is a very bad idea. You're going to wreck havoc on your paint. Be prepared for swirls and fine scratches as if you used the rough side of a dry dish sponge on the paint. I would only trust air or water to remove that amount of dust.

If your priority is to keep it undusty, than the duster will work ok.

Sunny

[aok2me]

Seems to work for me with no scratches that I have seen. I used it straight from the package. It left some oily streaks the first few times, but worked fine after that.

Also, it's a duster not a dirt remover. I use it every week to remove dust. I think it's great.

[JaguarXJ6]

If there's enough to sheet off the back of the truck, what do you think will happen when you lightly drag a mop across the paint? Its the same thing but without the liquid. :help

I'm picky; I'm a detailer. So actual results may vary! :D

[Landerholm]

Ok I let it sit for like 3 days. I've been using the duster under a 300 watt Halogen light to watch for scratching. I've been using it very lightly.

So far I am VERY impressed with the duster. It has not created any visabal scratches (which was not the case when I used a MF cloth and QD -- I would have to change cloths constantly). Its just the perfect invention to remove the massive amounts of airborne dust that settles on the car. I have had no streaking while using it lightly.

I highly reccommend this product.

[aok2me]

So far I am VERY impressed with the duster. It has not created any visabal scratches (which was not the case when I used a MF cloth and QD -- I would have to change cloths constantly). Its just the perfect invention to remove the massive amounts of airborne dust that settles on the car. I have had no streaking while using it lightly.

I highly reccommend this product.Nothing beats washing. But to wipe off dust, I like it too. It keeps the car from looking dirty and dusty. It's not meant to be a cleaner. I haven't seen any scratches during my use. It doesn't smother dust away. If it did that, it would cause scratches. It actually uses static to lift it up and into the brush. You can feel the static. Then twist it a few times to shake off the dust.

I don't believe that quick detailer and a MF is any better. If you have dirt stuck to the paint, then wiping it with a MF will cause scratching. The duster won't remove it, so you can't create any scratches.

[IanBMW]

I like my duster. It's now 3 years old and works better than the first time I used it. I even gave that b*stard a little rinse before use on my new bimmer. It's not meant to take off anything other than light dust that a compressor would likely take off, but honestly who has a compressor handy all the time. :rolleyes

[JaguarXJ6]

As I stated before, if you're not after perfection, the duster will suit you fine. Take a black car in perfect shape with a just waxed appearance. Let it sit for 1 day, dust it, and its no longer perfect. We each will choose the method that is best for us. In the detailing world, you won't see any of us using a duster.

Sunny

[Schwarz3]

I use mine twice a day, allowing only fine pollen to rest on my paint. Anything more then that and its wash time.

[jusdrake1]

I bought one of these and used it right away. Seems to work great so far. No scratches, but I only use it for really light dust. Anything thick enough to where you can wipe your finger across the hood and see dirt and it is time for a wash.

[HBpredhunter]

God, guys with hondas dont even think about stuff like this with their cars!
we are nuts... on how much we care about keeping our cars looking bitchen. it takes alot of dedication. i wish they could come up with a better car paint, that u could wash with a a towel and some water, let it air dry and it would look super sexy everytime...

[HBpredhunter]

If there's enough to turn into mud with a quick detailer, a duster is a very bad idea. You're going to wreck havoc on your paint. Be prepared for swirls and fine scratches as if you used the rough side of a dry dish sponge on the paint. I would only trust air or water to remove that amount of dust.

If your priority is to keep it undusty, than the duster will work ok.

Sunny



yea... im starting to get BUKU swirl marks with it... i no longer use it.

[bakhtyari]

These things work better as you use them longer and get them more "dirty" - also, don't use it on a hot car!!