dirt-sand on all panels of black paint

[MoparG]

a couple of pics

[MoparG]

it's also possible that one of the airborn rock/ashpalt bit caused the scratch on the roof

[rudebwoy]

Originally Posted by MoparG

no only recently, I didn't want to see any accidental scratches or swirls from car washing.

Keep your wash media (i.e. wash mitt, drying towels) clean and you should have no reason to worry about inducing scratches. I'd recommend using the two bucket method, with at least one grit guard in your rinse bucket. Just rinse your wash mitt out after every panel, or more often on a heavily soiled surface. Also be sure to get some quality drying towels if you don't already have them.

You can't expect to clean effectively by just simply rinsing your car with water and patting soap on the wet surface with wash mitt. You have to run your wash mitt gently back and forth across the surface to dislodge any of the surface contaminants. Working gently and clean will be the keys to avoiding scratches.

[MoparG]

so what of the concern of rubbing that pre-existing dirt into the paint then? You're saying that if i do move the mitt around lightly it should be ok.

I suppose i frowned at the idea of dipping the mitt into the clean water after each panel because of the loss of (expensive) soap. I use the Zip Wax car wash bottles of soap (yes I know its not the very best stuff either but it's not the worst and still costs something.

[MoparG]

Originally Posted by rudebwoy

Keep your wash media (i.e. wash mitt, drying towels) clean and you should have no reason to worry about inducing scratches. I'd recommend using the two bucket method, with at least one grit guard in your rinse bucket. Just rinse your wash mitt out after every panel, or more often on a heavily soiled surface. Also be sure to get some quality drying towels if you don't already have them.

You can't expect to clean effectively by just simply rinsing your car with water and patting soap on the wet surface with wash mitt. You have to run your wash mitt gently back and forth across the surface to dislodge any of the surface contaminants. Working gently and clean will be the keys to avoiding scratches.

Rudebwoy: what is a grit guard exactly?

[Kean]

Originally Posted by MoparG

Rudebwoy: what is a grit guard exactly?

The Grit Guard Insert

[Kean]

Originally Posted by MoparG

so what of the concern of rubbing that pre-existing dirt into the paint then? You're saying that if i do move the mitt around lightly it should be ok.

I suppose i frowned at the idea of dipping the mitt into the clean water after each panel because of the loss of (expensive) soap. I use the Zip Wax car wash bottles of soap (yes I know its not the very best stuff either but it's not the worst and still costs something.

The idea is to mitigate the chance of marring while still effectively cleaning your vehicle. ….you can’t do that by dabbing and you are likely doing more damage as a result as you dry (since the dirt has not been fully removed).

Using Grit Guards in your buckets, using two buckets, using wash media that releases contamination easily, rinsing the car before beginning to wash, using a quick detailer or quick wax as you dry, etc. are all things that can help lessen the chances of creating new scratches. Your choice of products, techniques and tools can also make a big difference since quality and characteristics will vary.

The following video is from Mike Phillips who is an excellent instructor and contributor to the detailing community (he's participated in discussions on various detailing forums over the years). He used to work for Meguiars and currently is Director of Training at Autogeek. .....nice, knowledgeable guy. .....and an old, but good video and one of my favorites to reference since it demonstrates some simple, effective washing techniques & ideas:

How to Wash Your Car (ShowCar style!) - YouTube