Anyone else dry their car with a leaf blower

[Ronpc]

Like the title says

[new2mx5]

All the time, it works great. Once I tried its the only way to go for me.

[I<3flippyheadlights]

I'm got to try this now. Seems so awesome!

[tsingson]

I use an absorber. Works great for me. That's a first for the leaf blower though.

[Martin]

I've only done it on my wife's Pilot. I'm a little more careful with my cars :mrgreen:

[RotorNutFD3S]

Haven't tried a leaf blower but I've used a blow gun attached to my air compressor. Works great, especially for getting water out from in between panels, under lights/reflectors, etc.

[SM16RMSM]

Done it once to dry the whole car. My detailing guy tells me that if there is dirt in the water when blowing the water off, it can scratch the paint. So, I rinse extra and hand dry. Then I use compress air to get the water out from the tight spots and wipe away.

[fkafady]

Unless you have 100lbs of water sitting on your paint leaf blower won't damage anything..btw the best place get details about car detailing is autogeek forums.those guys take it wayyyyyy too serious.

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[maharaj]

I don't and wouldn't do it. If there is any dirt or any small type of debris that gets to the blower it can cause damage. I leaf blower isn't an air compressor, it sucks in air/particles around it and blows it out. Come on guys, it's a Miata, it doesn't take that long to dry it by hand. :D

[new2mx5]

Drying by hand is direct contact with the paint, are you saying there is more risk of pulling debris out of the air than debris being on the rag or remains from a missed wash spot and being drug all over your paint by whatever you use to dry your car. On a black car like my wives, I try to minimize any contact with the paint.

[maharaj]

I use a clean cloth and don't let it touch the ground.

[new2mx5]

Even a clean towel can cause micro scratches in the clear coat. It's not as important on most colors, but black cars show every scratch. A blower does not ever touch the car, so the only damage that can happen is from the washing process. If given the option to rub on my paint, even with a clean towel, or "blow dry" my car with no contact it's a no brainer to me. Not to mention it pulls all the hidden water out of every nook.

[maharaj]

Guess you might have a corner on the market and should open up a touchless detail system then. :P Microfiber towels work well and I completely agree with you on black, the worst color to try and keep clean. If it works for you then keep it up. I've done it the old school way at the bodyshops that I've worked at doing bodywork and paint. To each is own.

[Agent☣Orange]

Changed title from "leaft" to "leaf."

[roy obanion]

The junkman recommends it and he is a boss at detailing. I would do it if I had an electric blower. I will probably get one for this purpose sooner or later..


^Oh and I completely agree about the not touching your paint.

[SM16RMSM]

the best place get details about car detailing is autogeek forums.those guys take it wayyyyyy too serious.

I going to take a look. Since I having the back of my car painted from the crash, I might as well find out what is good for detailing.

[iRoadster]

It's only natural to give a hairdresser's car a blow dry after you've washed it.

[psulja]

Leaf blower is safer than using microfiber towels.. Especially if you are "wiping" it since this will take any contaminants you may pick up and drag them across the paint giving you swirls. If you don't have a leaf blower and need to use a towel/microfiber make sure not to wipe it across the paint, rather fold it in half and put it on the paint, tapping the towel to absorb the water in that spot, then move over to the next spot and repeat for the rest of the car.

California wiper blades are also really good at giving scratches if you get small contaminants on them. Although I still use it on my nb since the paint is already crap and I don't really care about it that much.

[bigx5murf]

I prefer a waffle weave MF towel, and spraying panels to be dried with spray wax before drying, this minimize the changes of swirls from drying. Blowers are great for getting the water out of nooks and crannies like the lights, and in between body panels.

A good way to minimize drying in the first place is to use a bare hose and rinse by letting the water run off everything. It's hard to explain, but watch this video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGFSJveN_6Y

[Junkman2008]

Done it once to dry the whole car. My detailing guy tells me that if there is dirt in the water when blowing the water off, it can scratch the paint.

Whoever told you that is smoking crack. Think about it logically. A dust particle being blown across your paint has more of a chance to damage your paint than grinding that same dust particle across the paint with a towel? If that was the case, then driving your car down the road, where all manner of dust is in the air would scratch your paint to hell and back. Before you dry the car, you're going to rinse the hell out of it anyway so no dust should even be on the car unless you wash it outdoors and the wind is whipping up dirt by the gallons.

Here's the deal: The less you touch the paint, the less opportunity there is for you to damage the paint. That's not rocket science, that is nothing but common sense.


I don't and wouldn't do it. If there is any dirt or any small type of debris that gets to the blower it can cause damage. I leaf blower isn't an air compressor, it sucks in air/particles around it and blows it out. Come on guys, it's a Miata, it doesn't take that long to dry it by hand. :D

First, you want to use an ELECTRIC leaf blower. Gas blowers spew exhaust and that will land all over your car. Second, the air that is sucked in by the leaf blower is filtered before it exits. An electric leaf blower does NOT blow remotely hard enough to 'sandblast" the paint. Last of all, any dust that is capable of sandblasting the paint is heavier than air so it is NOT going to be floating around in order to get sucked up into the leaf blower and somehow get past the filter and exit.


Drying by hand is direct contact with the paint, are you saying there is more risk of pulling debris out of the air than debris being on the rag or remains from a missed wash spot and being drug all over your paint by whatever you use to dry your car. On a black car like my wives, I try to minimize any contact with the paint.

BINGO. You sir, completely understand. http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh216/Junkman2008/Smileys/approved.gif


Even a clean towel can cause micro scratches in the clear coat. It's not as important on most colors, but black cars show every scratch. A blower does not ever touch the car, so the only damage that can happen is from the washing process. If given the option to rub on my paint, even with a clean towel, or "blow dry" my car with no contact it's a no brainer to me. Not to mention it pulls all the hidden water out of every nook.

BAM! Two in a row. http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh216/Junkman2008/Smileys/approved.gif


Guess you might have a corner on the market and should open up a touchless detail system then. :P Microfiber towels work well and I completely agree with you on black, the worst color to try and keep clean. If it works for you then keep it up. I've done it the old school way at the bodyshops that I've worked at doing bodywork and paint. To each is own.

No offense but I wouldn't let anyone from a 'old school' body shop anywhere near my car with a bucket of soap. They are just as bad as car dealership detailing hacks. http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh216/Junkman2008/Smileys/nonod.gif


The junkman recommends it and he is a boss at detailing. I would do it if I had an electric blower. I will probably get one for this purpose sooner or later..


^Oh and I completely agree about the not touching your paint.

You can get one that works very well at Sears for $30. I used this one (http://www.sears.com/poulan-electric-blower-7.5a-160-mph/p-SPM7740276413?prdNo=34&blockNo=34&blockType=G34) for years until I bought my Air Force Master Blaster.


I going to take a look. Since I having the back of my car painted from the crash, I might as well find out what is good for detailing.

I have started some threads on this forum that will teach you all about how to touch your paint without damaging it, as well as how to fix your damaged paint. You will find them very easy to follow.


California wiper blades are also really good at giving scratches if you get small contaminants on them. Although I still use it on my nb since the paint is already crap and I don't really care about it that much.

Yea, those things are the work of pure evil on paint.


I prefer a waffle weave MF towel, and spraying panels to be dried with spray wax before drying, this minimize the changes of swirls from drying.

This is a false myth that people pass around on detailing forums. The only way to prevent swirling on paint when wiping on it is to make sure that the paint is dust or dirt free BEFORE wiping on it. The other way to ensure that you don't create any swirls is not using some cheap, crappy made in China towels to wipe on your clean paint. Cheap towels can do as much to damage paint as dirt does,


A good way to minimize drying in the first place is to use a bare hose and rinse by letting the water run off everything.

I made a video that shows that years ago. Adam's is finally catching up. :D


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAmb9DWdnFc

[WASABI]

Junkman's video is proof positive! You can't harm your paint if you don't touch it. Nice job! (from three years ago too).