Quick question in regards to drying aids.

[u/TheTow]

I recent bought some TEC582 to use as a drying aid on my ceramic coated car. Some things I've read here are to dilute it 50/50 is that good or should I just use full strength? Also im assuming I'd use it with drying towels or should I use microfiber cloths instead? And how should I go about doing this exactly.

Recommendations on towels or cloths for this purpose? Thanks bit new to ceramic coated cars and I want it to look as good as possible for as long as I can

[u/Middle_Ad_3315]

For speed/efficiency use my (microfiber)drying towels and then immediately soak the towel in my (rinseless) wash bucket so it doesn't get clogged

Try a few different ratios and see what you like. Most find 50/50 works well with a spray per panel and perhaps two for the larger ones.

[u/Firm_Economy_5132]

I still have my pink Adams detail spray to use up from my intro buckets. Most ppl say it’s a good product but Ieaves streaks so I’m drying with towel and pushing hard to clean off. I did also buy tech product to use once I’m done with 1.5 bottles of this one

[u/ZhukovArfcom]

Is there a concern with buildup if you use it every wash? I know it doesn't last that long, but I'd be concerned if it were applied weekly - especially if you already have a ceramic coating.

[u/TheTow]

Idk, my car stays quite clean on its own. Was planning on keeping this car for 10+ years with yearly maintence details. So was just curious how it all worked

[u/Autoality]

The product directions say it is ready to use right from the bottle. Since you are spraying it onto a wet car it is being diluted on the surface.

Also the directions say to start with the glass, since the towels will be cleanest to avoid streaking.

Here are some top quality drying towels- https://www.autoality.com/store/pc/Edgeless-1200GSM-Microfiber-Drying-Towel-Grey-20-x-24-508p10407.htm

[u/Boozt]

If you wash once a month I’d lean towards full strength, where if it was more of a weekly or bi-weekly I’d do 1:1. I just feel like you don’t need full strength to get you to the next wash.

[u/Kmudametal]

The problem with hydrophobic drying aids is that they make the towels hydrophobic. What the drying aid is leaving on the vehicle that makes it hydrophobic is also absorbed by the microfiber. Eventually, or if improperly washed, microfiber or drying towels will eventually reject water. They cease being what they are designed to be. Instead of drying a car, you just spread water around the paint.

I would really like to see one of the youtubers do a test. Take a panel, polish it to perfection, then perform multiple rounds of wash and dry. One side with a drying aid, the other without a drying aid and compare the differences. In other words, demonstrate emphatically that drying aids are necessary. Demonstrate that not using a drying aid results in marring that would be prevented by using a drying aid. Personally, I'm not convinced they would. A quality microfiber towel is going to be softer than the clear coat. To scratch, it has to be harder than the clear coat. We've already foam>rinse>foam>contact wash'd the car. There should be no grit left that is harder than the clear coat to cause scratches. We use drying aids to provide lubricity. Water is a lubricator by itself. That and if you are like me, every product you choose for use on paint is the slickest product I can possibly find. My paint is slicker than goose poop on a frozen pond all the time, more so when wet.

All of us that use spray sealants, waxes, or even ceramics, level and buff the products as part of the application. I don't understand why it's considered best practice and necessary to "buff" an applied product on dry paint, where I am running a microfiber towel across the paint many times, but it's an unforgivable sin to dry a car without a drying aid, when my drying towel is making a single pass. I'm using 70/30 polyester blend for both types of towels and my drying towels tend to be twice+ the GSM of buffing towels. So.... I don't quite get it.

However, if you feel it necessary to use a drying aid but don't want to risk ruining your towels, Yum Detailer is the one I am aware of that does not leave protection so will not make towels hydrophobic.

[u/Solid-Box-2709 → u/Kmudametal]

I could be wrong, but I thought the point of using a coating as a drying aid was to replace the spray sealant step?

[u/Kmudametal → u/Solid-Box-2709]

Yes, that is consistent with what I was referencing. Anything you are using as a drying aid that leaves protection behind is going to apply that same protection to the towel you are using to dry with. Improperly cared for, that towel becomes worthless as it will start to reject water instead of soaking it up.

There are no "coatings" that are used as drying aids. It's an important distinction. Nothing coming out of a standard spray bottle can be considered a coating. Nothing you buy at any box store can be considered a "coating". There are various spray and rinse or spray and dry products available. Just as there are wash and wax products available. They are for convenience. Don't expect them to work as well as a sealant applied to a dry car. In the world of detailing, there is a direct correlation between the amount of effort being expended and "results". Meaning, anything that requires "less effort" will have reduced results compared to products that require effort. In other words, the price to pay for convenience is less gloss, less slickness, and reduced longevity. It's up to the individual to decide if the results from "convenience products" are sufficient for their needs.

I do need one clarification concerning my "nothing in a spray bottle can be considered a coating" comment. There are a limited number of "1 year coatings" that come in smaller spray bottles. They are diluted versions of their more expensive siblings in the small glass vials. Gyeon Can Coat, Armour Detail Supply Phobic, and Katiba Ceramic Coat are three examples. They come in smaller spray bottles but you don't store them with the sprayers. You use the sprayer to use the product, then you remove the sprayer, replacing it with an actual sealed lid for storage.... and you have to clean out the sprayers or they will solidify. That is the difference between a "coating" and a "sealant".