[drvai]

My M3 keeps accumulating dust on the back... very easily...
Washed it yesterday and has a lot of dust right now.

I have never wanted to use a duster because of the potential risk of microscratching the car....

The question is.. are they safe?

If the answer is yes.. which one should I get?

[positiveions]

I used it in the past on my E36 M3. I didn't see any major scratches from it. I can attest it was safe. Thus far, I've used it on 4 cars that I have owned.

[BK]

I'd just live with it and wash the car once a week. I use a California Duster for the dash but wouldn't use it on my paint. YMMV.

[purplewidow]

zymol duster... the best.. California duster scratches from what everyone tells me.. i bought the zymol one and it works great. no scratches.

[Bdez]

Never understood why people have problems with the California duster – as long as you glide it over the surface with no downward pressure it’ll pick up the dust – if you try to use it to “wipe” the paint with any pressure then it, and anything else, will scratch the paint without any lubricant (car wash QD) etc. As far as I’m aware no duster will clean paint that has dirt on it as opposed to just dust.

[Sparky66]

Originally Posted by purplewidow

zymol duster... the best.. California duster scratches from what everyone tells me.. i bought the zymol one and it works great. no scratches.

+1

[positiveions]

Originally Posted by bdh2009

Never understood why people have problems with the California duster – as long as you glide it over the surface with no downward pressure it’ll pick up the dust – if you try to use it to “wipe” the paint with any pressure then it, and anything else, will scratch the paint without any lubricant (car wash QD) etc. As far as I’m aware no duster will clean paint that has dirt on it as opposed to just dust.

+1
you have to be an idiot to scratch the paint with a california duster.

[purplewidow]

Originally Posted by bdh2009

Never understood why people have problems with the California duster – as long as you glide it over the surface with no downward pressure it’ll pick up the dust – if you try to use it to “wipe” the paint with any pressure then it, and anything else, will scratch the paint without any lubricant (car wash QD) etc. As far as I’m aware no duster will clean paint that has dirt on it as opposed to just dust.

i have seen horror stories with the cali duster..zymol all the way

and your claim isn't true about any product with pressure will scratch..buddy you need to get some high quality microfiber..i have never scratched paint with my mf's even when doing a lil rubbing in certain cases..problem is with dust you have to be light other wise you rub it in.. the California duster has heavy material and even when you go gently it scratches. i haven't had any issue with the zymol duster..hell when i use detailersdomain ww i have no issues. but the cali duster i had numerous pro's tell me to stay away when i tried to get the swissvax duster which is a cali duster relabeled. also CG fluffer towels work great..they have a lot of nap so they hold onto the dust and trap it between the fibers so it doesn't scratch.

[positiveions]

Originally Posted by purplewidow

i have seen horror stories with the cali duster..zymol all the way

and your claim isn't true about any product with pressure will scratch..buddy you need to get some high quality microfiber..i have never scratched paint with my mf's even when doing a lil rubbing in certain cases..problem is with dust you have to be light other wise you rub it in.. the California duster has heavy material and even when you go gently it scratches. i haven't had any issue with the zymol duster..hell when i use detailersdomain ww i have no issues. but the cali duster i had numerous pro's tell me to stay away when i tried to get the swissvax duster which is a cali duster relabeled. also CG fluffer towels work great..they have a lot of nap so they hold onto the dust and trap it between the fibers so it doesn't scratch.

I beg the difference on the California duster. here is couple of photos of my old E36 M3. I used to dust it on a daily basis w/ C.D. I never had any problems with it.

[Innovative Detailing]

Dont Do It!

[stimpy]

Originally Posted by eatrach73

I beg the difference on the California duster. here is couple of photos of my old E36 M3. I used to dust it on a daily basis w/ C.D. I never had any problems with it.

While I agree that a C.D. isn't terrible for your car if used correctly - your pictures don't prove crap lol. Terrible pics and you'd want to show us pics of your car with some halogen lighting to make some sort of arguement for your case.

[positiveions]

Originally Posted by stimpy

While I agree that a C.D. isn't terrible for your car if used correctly - your pictures don't prove crap lol. Terrible pics and you'd want to show us pics of your car with some halogen lighting to make some sort of arguement for your case.

obviously you haven't been around too long. If you only know the product. And if you only know the history of the C.D. And if you know only know what makes a C.D. Go read about it, and educate yourself. Knowledge is power mon amie.

[stimpy]

Originally Posted by eatrach73

obviously you haven't been around too long. If you only know the product. And if you only know the history of the C.D. And if you know only know what makes a C.D. Go read about it, and educate yourself. Knowledge is power mon amie.

Uhh please re-read what I said. I agree with you that the C.D. isn't harmful if used correctly.

What I am saying is your pictures are crap and don't prove your case whatsoever. "Hey, look at my grainy no good pictures.. see, C.D. isn't harmful!"

[Bdez]

Originally Posted by purplewidow

i have seen horror stories with the cali duster..zymol all the way

and your claim isn't true about any product with pressure will scratch..buddy you need to get some high quality microfiber..i have never scratched paint with my mf's even when doing a lil rubbing in certain cases..problem is with dust you have to be light other wise you rub it in.. the California duster has heavy material and even when you go gently it scratches. i haven't had any issue with the zymol duster..hell when i use detailersdomain ww i have no issues. but the cali duster i had numerous pro's tell me to stay away when i tried to get the swissvax duster which is a cali duster relabeled. also CG fluffer towels work great..they have a lot of nap so they hold onto the dust and trap it between the fibers so it doesn't scratch.

My comment around pressure and scratches was on the basis that this would occur if no lubricant was used – even with a good MF cloth (and yes I do have many including CG stuff) its easy to scratch any truly dirty vehicle especially without a good QD or similar. I don’t think you are proposing to use a MF to clean a car, without any product, by just wiping the dirt away ?

[fragadellic]

Depends a lot on the color of the car. IMO, the OP is probably going to be fine with the California Duster or the Zymol on a white car. I personally wouldn't touch a black car (or monaco for that matter) with any handheld duster.

I'm in Phoenix and my car isn't a daily driver. On the days I do drive it, I dust it when I get home with the best, thickest MF towels I have using Z6, folded and turning to a clean side on every other pass. Yeah, I know, it's overkill and expensive. I use one towel for each side of the car and hood. Usually takes a couple to dust the back and I use some downgraded MF for the lower rockers and front end. I credit the constant switching to a new towel surface and a decent QD for the lack of any type of haze or micro scratches.

Since the car never sees water except from the garden hose, it stays clean and I go sometimes 8 weeks between washes. Of course, there are only a few places in the country that this would work...

[Cygnusx1]

Digging an old post.

Personally I don't see how a CD will scratch any less than anything else that touches the car. Anything you pick up dust with, will retain the dust and then rub the dust against the paint. The lighter the pressure, the less the damage. I think it would take years and years to create deep enough damage to see, if the CD is used properly.

You only hear horror stories about the CD and not the Zymol because there are about 100,000 times more CD's out there, in the hands of fools, than there are Zymols. Personally, I don't even worry too much. My cars are all pretty light colors anyhow.

[BayMoWe335]

Just wash it again.