[allenga]

I live in the desert and there is dust everywhere. Black car shows it all. If I clean my car (properly of course) after a couple days in the garage its covered in dust. Today I tried using a leaf blower to blow off the dust. Did not work well. I tried to blow parallel to the car surface so as to not drive dust into the paint. Some dust came off not all.

So. Is it less work to clean car, use car cover, after drive car, and after a small amount of detailed, put cover back on.

If you have a black car, what do you do.

[b-man]

Paint it white.

Seriously, buy a California Duster or similar dust removal device and get your workout often. You see them used at car shows all the time.

[tjs72lemans]

I use a California Car cover and still use one of their dusters. It seems to leave a bit of lint behind. In your case, I agree, buy a California duster and don't cover it.

[Stuart]

A cover plus dust on a black car is a bad combination, it will act like sandpaper.

[allenga]

Originally Posted by b-man

Paint it white.

Seriously, buy a California Duster or similar dust removal device and get your workout often. You see them used at car shows all the time.

My painter said never use a California duster on a black car especially.

[b-man]

Cars with black paint and other darker colors are a pain to keep clean, but you knew that when you signed up.

Had one car that I did the body work on and painted black in the past. It was beautiful, but never again.

Washing it often is just part of owning a black car unfortunately.

[PDC]

Paint Correction followed by a Ceramic coating. That will allow for more frequent (still careful) washes without introducing micro defects.

[72projectbird]

A Cali duster is a must have for a black car.

If I know the car wont be leaving for a while, I use those clear plastic covers body shops use to keep the dust off.

[Formulajones]

I paint for a living. Also live in the dry dusty desert. Black is a pain.

We have a black car here I painted several years back, that my son drives daily. It never sees a car cover, mainly because it's driven so frequently.

Best thing I've found over the years that doesn't take a ton of time is just lightly wipe it off with a California duster. Then after that I use a micro fiber towel and spray detailer to wipe the car down. Gets the bugs off and any road grime.
If you stay on top of it this way you won't have to wash it so often. Also the wipe down with spray detailer and micro fiber towel removes the paraffin wax left behind by the California duster, which will in turn make the dust collection even worse if not removed. That stuff is like glue for dust which is how the duster works, unfortunately it leaves that wax behind on the car. Another tip, I never just go for the micro fiber and spray detailer first, because pushing all that dust into the paint with your hands tends to leave those fine hair line scratches in the paint you can only see on a black car, which then requires getting out the buffer and some mild polish. Which is usually a once a year thing I do anyway, but I always prefer to get the majority of the dust off first with the duster.

I usually find I only need to wash the wheels and the lower half of the car maybe once a week or every other week for stuff like brake dust and road grime.

[PDC]

I am literally stunned when I hear anyone advocate the use of the old paraffin saturated California Car Duster on any paint - let alone black. That is old-school 8-track-tape era technology. Head to the AutoGeek forums and run a search for ‘dusters’ - the threads will tell the whole story. Those things introduce the very micro-marring that paint detailers spend HOURS with orbital polishers and LED work-lamps chasing down and polishing away. Dry dirt / dust acts as a micro-fine abrasive and when dragged across the paint with a duster ... you may as well grab a bone dry cotton terry-cloth bath towel and drag it across the paint.
There are loads of very high quality rinseless wash products that lift the dirt and lubricate the paint underneath. Again, I cannot adequately stress the importance of thorough, professional paint correction followed by any one of the excellent ceramic coatings on the market today. Use a rinseless wash product for maintenance. ‘Blot’ dry - do not wipe dry - with a thick microfiber towel. And nix the cal car duster.

[ErikW]

The dusters work fine. Don't let them scare you.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by PDC

Dry dirt / dust acts as a micro-fine abrasive and when dragged across the paint with a duster ... you may as well grab a bone dry cotton terry-cloth bath towel and drag it across the paint.

That's not what I've found. The soft touch of the duster doesn't push the dust into the paint like a micro fiber towel would with pressure from your hand, even a wet one.

If you're having trouble with dust scratching the paint with a California duster, then you must be pushing the duster into the paint and applying pressure, which is not how that's supposed to work. you only lightly run the mop over the paint. Pretty self explanatory.

Yes there are loads of high quality rinseless wash products, but then you're getting to the other point I was making. Key words drive it daily and I'm not a slave to it either. With 12 cars here and living in the dustiest climate in the US, I don't have all the time in the world so quick and easy periodic detailing is key and this method works fine for me on award winning paint jobs.

[Chris65LeMans]

X5 on the California duster. Although I’ve seen some on here badmouth them, (Note that the professional painter on here recommends them), It definitely beats washing your car every other day.

I had a black daily driver (the first and probably last black car I’ll ever own) 20 years ago. It was garaged at home AND at work and I still had to dust it twice a week and wash it once so it didn’t look like an abandoned car.

I still use that same duster on my Pontiac today.

[Half-Inch Stud]

2-Stage, Dual-Stage Black Paint has Clear coat with high Static cling.

Single-Stage Black has dissipative Loss. So i noticed dust on dry pollen-loaded days, that go away with a water wash, but never noticed a static dust problem.

Maybe run a garage Humidifier during the dry dusty-pollen seasons?

Have a nice day.

[78w72]

x6 or 7 on the cali duster. ive been using one for 10+ years on my black car & my painter, whos been painting custom hot rods & vintage cars for 40+ years recommends them too for light duty dusting.

as FJ mentions, you have to use it right & only for a light layer of dust, dont apply any pressure, just drag the weight of the duster in one direction the length of the car when possible. they are not 8track era items, i see them at car shows all the time on cars with paint jobs that cost as much as my whole car!

i also use a good spray detailer afterwards & the light wax seems to keep some of the dust too a minimum. but a good wax coat goes a long ways too. black sucks for dust but what you see up close is not what most people will see when driving down the road or walking by at a car show... everyone tells me how shiny or glossy my car is even when i know its covered in dust & needs a wash.

[tooski]

I bought my brother a high quality car cover for Xmas one year. He used for one winter only. He showed me that dust worked its way through. He was very careful taking it off and never used it again.

[dhcarguy]

#12 and #15 are correct. But NEVER let the Weight of the duster slide across your car, JUST the fibers holding up most of the weight.

[78w72]

Originally Posted by dhcarguy

#12 and #15 are correct. But NEVER let the Weight of the duster slide across your car, JUST the fibers holding up most of the weight.

thats basically what i meant, just let the duster slide with no downward pressure.

[ta man]

Cali duster and and a good spray detailer after here as well. Once or twice a year depending on mileage a full detail.

[67GTONUT]

My experience....

When I painted the GTO, I had the roof painted black.... in 2009

On weekends when I drive it...... just leave it uncovered in the garage... get to a cruise night.... spray detailer and microfiber

Sunday when I put it away for the week...... Spray detailer and fresh microfiber towel and then cover car...

If car gets extremely dusty..... California Duster, Spray detailer with a microfiber...

Been doing this for 11 years since it was painted..... Roof still looks perfect.