Keeping Black Clean...Hard Water spots, etc...........

[KwitcherBitchin]

Weather was nice enough in GA today to show the truck some love. So thought I would jump on and show a few things I have in the Arsenal that I use to keep up with the Black.
My main issue I have is Hard Water which leaves the Hard Water Mineral Spots on the black paint and glass so I have to wash a certain way. Sorry no "during" photos...as you'll see its a race against time.

NOTE: Using two inline Water filters, one at House and other at pressure washer

1. Early in the morning before the black heats up if possible (I have no shade to pull to)
2. Have to work one side at a time, no matter the soap.
3. Wash and rinse, then Spray the Formula 4 (1 to 4) mixture on the just rinsed side of truck. Most important part to help with the spots!!!
4. Dry off that side of truck and repeat on other side

So, below are the products I've found that work the best for me (so far, and open for other suggestions). Yours may be different and by no means am I a sponsor for any of these products. I've tested a lot of soaps, etc.. because of the hard water but the Formula4 is a must and is extremely cheap.

This Time around was
WASH: CG BlackLight Soap for Black vehicles, just tried it and pretty happy so far
SPRAYWAX: Formula 4 Spraywax after rinse (Other products change but this one stays a must)
SEALANT: CG Blacklight Sealant (Applied with HF Buffer)
WAX: CG Butter wax (Applied with HF Buffer)
TRIM/WHEEL LINER: CG Dark Shine
WHEEL/TIRE CLEANER: Purple Power Dilluted
WHEELS: Tried the CG MAXcoat because other wheel cleaners left the rims with spots
TIRE GEL: Been using the VRP for a long time because of minimal "slinging"

If I loose the Water Spot battle I keep the Waterspot Killer handy. I had tried everything before on my other truck glass and this stuff took some away that had been there for years.

Hope this helps someone and I'm always open for suggestions.

I can post external links to the products if the Admins is ok with it

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[powerboost]

I also have a black Lariat and also have hard well water at our house. I have been driving to a manual "quarter" car wash and use their soft water soap pressure wash wand and then with a rinse pressure wash after since truck is just dusty and not really dirty with a film so its touchless. After I get done, because truck is a powerboost hybrid, I pull into a nearby parking lot and use a plug in 110v high volume leaf blower and dry entire rig. The other folks using towels on their rigs get a kick out of it and say I'm cheating with a laugh. I think it is a Worx 600 cfm and you could maybe try adding that for quick water removal if you have power plug close. Most battery blowers don't move enough air volume and gas ones blow oil droplets from exhaust. Helps preventing spots though. I am thinking of catching rain water and using a small pump to flush hard water off truck after using hard water for washing. Rain water is naturally soft in Oregon. Your truck looks killer! Our trucks are almost twins.

 

[KwitcherBitchin]

Thanks, yea I’ve tried the leaf blower but still got the spots..pain in the a…

Update….have to figure which one but either the Butter Wax or Blacklight Sealer (believe wax) left a crazy white residue on trim pieces

 

[cool rod]

Outstanding graphic on your truck, very unusual!

 

[BHunted1]

I had all these problems when I had my '19 Shadow Black Ranger. I love black but around here, water is terrible. Never had shade and could not keep it in the garage. My wash cart looks like a mad scientist chemistry set. So now I go to a high pressure self wash not far from here. Cheaper and faster. No spots.
I was tired of doing the sunny side last just so I can dry it before the sun did. Either you did it when the sun goes down and go nuts. I was obsessed with that truck looking like glass.
Here is one last trick. Neighbors think I'm nuts but screw them. I let mother nature do the work.
If it's going to rain and the weather is warm, just wash it in the rain and let mother nature rinse it. Then whenever it stops raining, dry it with a good towel.
I use Aero wash to dry it with a The Original Rapid Dry Towel. This towel will dry my full size truck and wife's 'stang without squeezing it out. Not a cheap towel. But worth every penny. Meguiars has a good towel too, just not as good.

 

[KwitcherBitchin]

Rear window dried previously and this morning again before I got to it, so had to use the Suds Factory …I’ve tried all kinds of different products, Vinegar, etc before this……..it’s a little pricey but works like a charm and you don’t need much.

 

[sbreech]

The suds factory spot remover really does work great. Black vehicles look incredible when they are clean, but it is too much daily work for me. I ordered a black mini JCW and waited months for its arrival, anticipation growing daily. By the time I had owned the car for 3 months, I couldn’t take it any longer and traded it. It was ridiculous that I could spend 4 hours getting it perfect on a Sunday afternoon, park it in the garage, and then by the time I pulled into work on Monday morning it looked mediocre at best. It just wasn’t for me.

 

[AgieF150]

Nice work. Did you consider graphene coating your truck? I just finished two vehicle in house, even soap does not stays on body after the coating. Used Adams graphene coating.

 

[fmdog44]

I had a black Ram and shammied after rinsing and never had water spot because the shammy removed the water!! I never bought in to the color special soaps. A good vehicel soap works just fine and I defy anyone to say one is better that the other. Side by side there is no difference.

 

[Lippy]

Other than my garage queens I won’t have black as a daily driver, for this reason. But ceramic coating helps

 

[Hullguy]

I bought a different color this time!

 

[KwitcherBitchin]

I had a black Ram and shammied after rinsing and never had water spot because the shammy removed the water!! I never bought in to the color special soaps. A good vehicel soap works just fine and I defy anyone to say one is better that the other. Side by side there is no difference.

Has nothing to do with the brand of soap I use, it's the hard water where I live

 

[fmdog44]

Has nothing to do with the brand of soap I use, it's the hard water where I live

I was reacting to the soap you mentioned and the water spots. Keep you paint waxed and sheet rinse instead of spraying reduces the amount of water to be removed with a shammy.

 

[JayceeP]

Looks great! What kind of mud guards do you have?

 

[KwitcherBitchin]

Looks great! What kind of mud guards do you have?

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