There is a chance you might feel bombarded by all the car detailing products flying around. I can tell you first-hand that not all of them are a must when caring for your car. When it comes to grit guards, are they really necessary?
Grit guards are not paramount for car detailing. An adequate pre-wash procedure eliminates most of the contaminants that could be harmful to the paintwork. Without the existence of scratching contaminants, using grit guards is expendable.
Although there might be a debate around this topic, there is a variety of reasons why grit guards are not completely necessary. Keep reading to discover more about them!
Why Grit Guards Are Not Really Necessary
Grit guards are an extra accessory for washing buckets. They are not strictly necessary when washing a car since other products and processes could take over them. There are ways to protect the paintwork that could be more practical and effective than just using a grit guard.
There is no doubt that grit guards do work to some extend. However, they are not the ultimate solution when it comes to protecting your paintwork. Having a grit guard could complement your washing items, but you can also live without them.
Even when you do use them, using just one grit guard is not effective. You would need to use two buckets, each one with its own grit guard to ensure the protection of your paint. With the two-bucket method, you would have one grit guard for washing and one for rinsing.
Some car owners end up using up to three grit guards in different buckets.
With this in mind, there are other practical options you could take advantage of. That way, you would not be in the need of that many grit guards.
One of the most effective solutions is to do a pre-wash process for your car. The pre-wash process is an efficient way to get rid of most contaminants without even touching your paintwork. Since there is no actual contact, you won’t risk harming the paint.
With a properly-done pre-wash, the need for a grit guard becomes expendable. You would not need to keep much dirt on the bottom of the bucket, so you would still be on the safe side without using a grit guard.
You could also use snow foam to soften the strong contaminants on the car, thus eliminating the need for grit guards. Snow foam is also a non-contact process, just as the pre-wash.
Both these methods can eliminate almost all the contaminants that could scratch the paint. Then, all there is remaining is traffic film, which needs to be removed with a contact wash. Either way, the traffic film is unlikely to scratch the paint.
Taking all of this into consideration, grit guards are not really necessary. As previously said, using them as support accessories for your wash might be a practical addition. Yet, your car will do just fine without them as long as you do any of the processes previously mentioned.
Whether to use one or not is up to you now that you have the necessary information!
Why you might think you need grit guards
Grit guards have made an incredible job at making car owners believe they are the only way to protect the paint. Most opinions on the web talk about how necessary grit guards are. This trend might have made you think you could not wash your car without using grit guards.
Most articles online reinforce the fact that you can damage the paintwork by scratching it with the contaminants on the water of the bucket. Although these contaminants can indeed harm the paint, grit guards are just one of the many possibilities to avoid any harm to your paint.
There is no doubt that grit guards offer benefits, and using them can have their advantages. Keeping all the contaminants on the bottom of the bucket would provide quality to the water, helping you protect the paint.
However, they remain optional items for car detailing. Nowadays, many improved versions of the grit guard have hit the market. Although this is still a reliable product, you might want to check the other alternatives that there are around.
If everything you use to wash your car is a bucket and a sponge, then it might be the case that grit guards are paramount not to damage the paint. However, I strongly advise you to strive to get your car the best care possible.
When you are a passionate owner like I am, you will want nothing but the best for your car. This means that washing your car with just a couple of buckets won’t be enough for you. Once you discover all the items you can use to protect your vehicle, you will want to benefit from the best of them.
As you have seen in the first point of this article, you could perfectly use non-contact methods to ensure the protection of your car. Don’t follow trends. Follow valuable information!
How to protect your car paint while washing the car
To protect the paint of your car while washing it, you need to have the proper equipment for the task.
Here you have some of the most essential items to protect your paint while washing the car:
High-pressure water source
Using a potent water source will allow you to remove contaminants without touching the car. This item will help improve the pre-wash process, thus making the contact wash safer. With an efficient hose, you can make the whole process easier and protect the paint at the same time.
Foam cannon
In case you want to use foam snow, you will need to have a foam cannon or foam lance. In addition to this, you will want to use quality foam. This process will soften most of the contaminants that could be harmful to your paint.
Two buckets
The safest and most efficient way to wash your car is using the two-bucket method. This useful method consists of using one bucket to wash and one to rinse the wash mitt. Since the mitt won’t have contact with the dirty water after rinsing it, there is less risk of scratching the paint.
Microfiber wash mitts
Microfiber is the best material for washing mitts. Although there are other options on the market, microfiber has given me the best results so far. Using quality mitts means that there won’t be any abrasive contact against the paint.
Something to bear in mind is that you should not use regular sponges to wash your car. They are too harsh and abrasive and will eventually damage the paint.
Microfiber towel
Having a microfiber towel to dry your car is a must. Since it is the same quality material, you ensure the protection of your paintwork.
Spray sealant
Although the most common option might be using only a microfiber towel to dry your car, I like using a spray sealant. After years of drying with the microfiber towel, this sealant was a fantastic addition to my products.
After applying the sealant, you can use the microfiber towel to give a better finish. The spray sealant also provides some protection to your paint after the wash.
I personally don’t use grit guards and have not had any inconveniences so far.
For more tips about efficacious and safe car detailing at home, you can check this article I wrote about it.
Accompanied by quality products, these items will give you an excellent wash and will protect your paint.
