Advice for washing my Mk7 GTI

[Jimble]

I use autoglym fastglass to clean the display screen, a little on a clean microfibre will get all the finger prints off, i always keep a bottle in the car cos it's an excellent all round product! Great for getting rid of bird poop or flies.

[Booth11]

Thanks im getting brown marks after i wash car using method AaronMc posted i got all the stuff now it getting annoying im washing and rinsing etc but specs of brown circles pop up all over car when look close up.

Sounds like it could be dirty water spots drying on.  Are you rinsing properly after washing?  Always do the final rinsing with an open ended hose, starting with the roof, so that the water sheets off the car.  And rinse it well.  Make sure you dry each panel off with micro fibre towels BEFORE the clean water dries on, this is especially important if you're doing it in direct sunlight. 

Otherwise, as said it could be tar or fallout, which IronX will sort.  Though if the brown circles are appearing only AFTER washing it seems more likely to be dirty water.

For the interior, Chemical Guys Inner Clean works well.  And baby wipes are great for leather as they clean and condition all in one. 

[Bingham67]

I think open ended hose could be problem here been using hose with attachment used pressure washer aswell today take it shouldnt use that?

Also when you washed area do you rinse it straight after or do you wash it all then rinse?

[AaronMc]

I do it in sections and rinse as I go. Roof, Rear Bumper/Screen, Front Screen/Bumper, Drivers Side, Passenger Side, Wheels.

Thats my routine, this stops the shampoo/water drying on leaving water marks, probably not very noticeable on white, but still.

Pressure wash is fine, alot of people use them, no problems with them if used correctly, and not too close to paint for long periods..

[Booth11]

I think open ended hose could be problem here been using hose with attachment used pressure washer aswell today take it shouldnt use that?

Also when you washed area do you rinse it straight after or do you wash it all then rinse?

Much in the same order as AaronMc, I rinse each panel as I go (open ended hose) and then give a thorough final rinse over entire car, from roof downwards.

It's fine to use pressure washer initially to get dirt off before shampooing, but imo when rinsing afterwards it's best to use an open ended hose.  Black is terrible for showing up the slightest dried on water marks. 

I think your brown spots are dirty water spray marks caused by rinsing with attachment and switching to open ended hose rinse may well resolve it.  Let us know how you get on.

[Bingham67]

I think my problem is hard water anyway to combat this soon as water dries leaves brown marks it looks awful?

[simonpolly]

I think my problem is hard water anyway to combat this soon as water dries leaves brown marks it looks awful?

I find Mer car shampoo to be very good on dark cars but the key is to work quickly and never in direct warm sunshine, quickly wash the car and keep spraying the areas you have done with the hose pipe to keep it wet, then drive a short distance to get rid of most of the water and dry the car quickly using a drying towel.
Worked on my old DPB MK6 GTI and on works well on my CSG MK7 GTI. 

[Bingham67]

Well i dug some info elsewhere and my problem is definitely hard water i bought this Race Glaze 0ppm filter and worked a treat no more big brown marks if look up close.

What a difference this has made plus the biggest plus is i dont need to use the drying towel at end saving more time.

http://www.raceglaze.co.uk/race-glaze/400-litre-0ppm-car-washing-filter/

[Booth11]

Interesting. Very hard water where I am.   Are you using for just the final rinse, or for the full wash?

[dubber36]

quickly wash the car and keep spraying the areas you have done with the hose pipe to keep it wet, then drive a short distance to get rid of most of the water and dry the car quickly using a drying towel.

Seriously Simon. I used to do that, but the crap off the road will stick to the wet car, meaning when you dry it, you end up rubbing it in.

You can virtually dry a well waxed car with the hose. Use an open hose pipe to "sheet" the water off the car, which leaves virtually nothing to dry with the towel. A quick spin around the block to dry the brakes, then back home to dress the tyres.

In the words of OCD Shelvey when we were cleaning my Mk2 for some photos yesterday, "feck the beads, it's all about the sheeting"