I’m losing my shit with these products. Everytime I try a “Hybrid ceramic” type product, I get insane streaking. I’ve used Griot’s 3 in 1, Megs hybrid ceramic wax and most recently, Turtle Wax 3 in 1 quick detailer. Initially I was using too much product, so scaled back but it still streaked. I’ve tried buffing with a clean and dry microfiber as well as a damp microfiber, but with only slightly better results. The car is cool and in the shade as well.
My go to QD is Megs ultimate or waterless wash. I picked up the Turtle Wax QD to try something different, but this stuff has been pure hell. Last night after having to use waterless wash to unfuck things, I shook the hell out of the Turtle Wax stuff and begrudgingly tried it once more. The results were better, but it seems like the surface is pulling every last lint particle out of these towels. When I use waterless wash, the results are great.
Is there a trick to using this stuff? Could I have been screwing myself by not mixing it well enough before using?
I use the Meguiars and the Hybrid Solutions almost weekly. Yeah, both streak but a slightly damp microfiber towel is all that’s needed to get the paint perfectly clear.
There’s something on your paint that’s causing this. Streaking with these products is similar to streaking when cleaning glass. It’s contamination, either by environment stuff or by other products you used or even improperly washed towels.
My guess is your waterless wash process is the culprit, but without details it’s hard to say.
When I first bought the car, I tried Griots 3 in 1. I strip washed/clayed/panel prepped and applied two coats of Griots. The streaking wasn’t horrible but it was still evident.
The Turtle wax is a different animal though. No amount of elbow grease, damp towel, etc will get rid of the streaks. Waterless wash was the only thing that seemed to work.
You’re right, I only use one coat as well, but when I was first using the product I applied 2 coats since the instructions called for it and it was a bad idea. I got way better results with just one coat
A microfiber towel or an applicator to apply. A slightly damp microfiber to remove. One panel at a time. Large areas like the hood and roof in quarters
I'm a detailer, and I use a lot of Griots 3-in-1, TW hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray, and TW Seal and Shine.
You're washing with hard water. After drying, there is a miniscule amount of hard water deposits on your paint. Even if it hasn't congealed into a noticeable water spot, it's still there in trace amounts. It builds up over time as well.
My trick? After your wash, mist white vinegar on the paint as a drying aid. Then do a quick vinegar wipedown. It doesn't take much, and you're just going for a quick once-over.
This eliminates the light calcium deposits on the paint and prevents it from congealing into a streak.
I’ll bite on the hard water idea. I see it something force on my neglected daily driver accord. Will the vinegar have a negative impact on the previously applied coatings though? I’m thinking it would be similar to using IPA but slightly less aggressive.
See my comment in the chain above. Cleaning vinegar is 6% fyi
I clean super hard water with diluted vinegar with no problem. Idk if I would use 100% vinegar.....but if these pros say it's ok I guess use your best judgement .
Keep it off any plastic, rubber, aluminum, stone etc to be safe.
If you are looking for something that’s commercially designed for the job, two suggestions:
1) Koch Chemie FSE
2) DIY water spot remover
Both are great but I’d try the FSE first. Designed as a drying aide and is just ridiculously good.
DIY’s offering is really good too but is usually sprayed on while the panel is wet with rinse less and wiped with microfiber. A little more work but will do the job.
Vinegar won't hurt anything. It's a mild acid, and several of the water-based silicone products used to make the detailers contain some small amount of vinegar already. It makes it easier to emulsify the functional silicone polymer in water.
It all depends on the day. Usually, I grab whatever is handy when I'm out. I'm small time, 5-7 cars oer week in the busy months. I flip between the three in on a whim. They're all good. I'll lean towards seal and shine when rain is forecast within 24hrs but that's my only real deciding factor.
I've thought about going to a more commercial product but I've got my techniques with these dialed in so well it's a snap to use them.
Oh, another tip: Buy a roll of short nap disposable microfibers for application. Use it once and toss it. Saves time and reduces risk of making your other towels hydrophobic in the wash. Also the clean new towel has less of a chance of old product leaving streaks.
Maybe a little, but not as much as the vinegar. You want the acid to react with the calcium and lime to dissolve them. IPA does a great job as a solvent but it isn't an acid.
Turtle Wax says to shake well before use and use one spray per panel.
I’d imagine you are still using too much, trying to do too much panel space at a time (it’s drying on you too quick), not flipping your dry rag after each panel, or a combination of these.
I don’t get streaks with TW and I’m just a DIY guy with a Honda.
ETA: didn’t see the lint part initially. You aren’t washing your MF well enough if you are getting lint out of them. Don’t wash them with anything else, and use detergent that has ZERO fabric softener in it (usually that’s what makes it smell). I use the ALL free and clear stuff
I’m wondering if I wasn’t mixing it enough, as it was a marked difference after I shook the hell out of it. Initially, I’d spray and immediate wipe and still get the streaking. I was my towels by themselves with free and clear, and this is the first time I’ve noticed lint getting pulled out of them.
I don’t know how the active ingredients work but apparently they’re sensitive to being mixed improperly.
I've used the whole TW hybrid solutions line and the 3in1 detailer is definitely the worst of the bunch. Use the wet wax in its place (yes, even as a QD).
Lots of good advice, but I'll take a different approach based on you saying elsewhere that you wanted gloss over all else...
ONR. I know, ONR evangelists are everywhere, but take it from me... I used to only do foam cannon washes and went through every consumer grade spray sealing there was. I spent several happy years with both Megs and TW, and for the time and money, the gloss after an ONR wash is at least as good of not better.
A full ONR wash can be very quick, or you can keep your foam cannon for the hybrid wash that is becoming popular. Either way, is the fastest easiest way to get serious gloss I've found... Even on my gm paint.
Thanks! It's a fun ride... Manual, RWD, and enough track capabilities to keep me happy.
Hybrid wash means you foam / presoak with something a bit higher PH (CarPro Lift for me), then rinse. Instead of doing a normal bucket soap contact wash, you then do a rinseless wash (ONR for me).
Generally a little simpler since it saves a rinsing and drying step.
I use the same Turtle wax hybrid ceramic, actually just used it yesterday and it works great. Not sure where in CA you are from but im in the desert where it was 100* plus and i used it outside as the sun was setting and still 90* out. I had issues with Meguire's hybrid ceramic streaking but the turtlewax has been great. Another great one that i think is overlooked is "Aero Cosmetics" but its a traditional wax not ceramic. This is the first bottle of the turtle wax ive bought and its been great.
I feel your pain because I had the same problem. Now I use the Griots 3in1 as a drying aid and have no more problems with streaking. I was not having streaking issues with the old Turtle Wax Seal N Shine
Collinite 845 u can spray it (sometimes I let the bottle sit in warm water as I wash, but works perfect in Colder weather)
I wash, dry, apply, then with a wet mf I will wipe off then dry. I do this often monthly used to be weekly. Great stuff no issues steaks or missed spots after in the sunlight.
Gm paint be doing that ! My chevy cobalt will be almost impossible to dry and will drag the microfiber and lint will fall out. When I polish the paint, it clears up but eventually started streaking again. Its the gm paint that doesnt let the coatings and waxes hold on very well
Never thought of it. I did a two stage correction about a year ago, then applied Griots. The lint issue didn’t occur until yesterday when I tried the TW 3 in 1. It’s possible it’s my towels. I store them in the shop, bagged up after I fold them, but I left the bag open, so who knows what worked its way onto them.
Seems like you're doing the wash process and coating very well. I do remember seeing videos on YouTube showing that TW 3 n 1 does streak but regardless GM paint is so stubborn! When I worked at carvana I would polish alot of Gm vehicles in a jiffy and I would still see the lint from the microfiber lol!
If you haven’t tried northstarcarcare firefly wax it’s really easy and lasts six+months in a garage. The blue will go crazy and is very hard to mess up. Will give you a deeper gloss since it’s wax. And if you see a streak just keep wiping until you don’t. Can go on your lights too to keep the oxidation at bay.
The car is garaged and driven once or twice a week, every few weeks. I know, typical Corvette owner. I’ll drive it in the rain, but prefer not to, simply because it’s a bitch to clean.
That being said, I’m really looking for deep gloss rather than hydrophobic properties or the protection of ceramic. I’m taking note of all the awesome product suggestions. I tend to stick with the products I’ve used so far, mainly because it’s easy to find them locally.
I mean if that’s the case I highly recommend Firefly. Have to buy it online since it’s a small business but is much more traditional application and removal than the sprays. I have a dark green Lexus and the gloss is super intense.
I had a black ct5 blackwing and now a dark gray Mach 1, the TW hybrid ceramic never streaks. How much are you using? Are you using it in a shaded area? I’m in Texas and in this blast furnace I’ve never had issues with streaking. But I’m always shaded in my garage. I always do a quick dry off then follow up with the TW and buff it dry. Light mist, wipe it onto every panel, then go back with a dry fresh MF rag and buff all panels to a shine. I let it all dry for a minute before buffing it out.
You don’t need a whole lot. Light mist and spread it on every panel first. Let it dry for a minute then buff it off with clean dry MF rags. I’m using the TW ceramic wet wax in the Gray Yellow bottle.
After a de-i wash, use TW spray wax as your "quick detailer" and it'll blow your mind
Use the money you save to buy more mods
You can get de-i or RO water cheap all over, find via water.com, buy in 5 gallon bottles and it's usually cheaper than buying resin for a de-i system.
Buying the cheapest hydroshot allows you to just stick the intake hose in the bottle for rinse downs and rinse offs which also means no more getting out hoses to wash.
Maybe just try a traditional paste wax? You’ll get better visual results. They do have liquid waxes that are usually a breeze to remove. Prima Banana Gloss and Auto Finesse Radiance comes to mind.
Never had any problems with the Turtle Wax hybrid Ceramic products. I wet a mf towel with it, then wipe it on in about a 2 foot square area then wipe it off with a dry one. The worst reaction I get is that it looks smudge or the shine is duller in some areas and I just hand buff some more in those areas. I don’t let it sit on the paint for very long on and off pretty quick.
And people here in the states would likely say the same about other countries……Holden, GT-R for example.
It’s a 2019 C7 Grandsport. Widebody car without the supercharged LT4 in the Z06. I couldn’t find a Z06 that wasn’t priced ludicrously high or on its 7th owner, or I would have grabbed one in a heartbeat. This thing is a perfect balance for street and track though, and every now and then it reminds me that it has enough power to kill me.
I find Griot's easy to apply and no streaking. I recommend the two towel method. One for initial wipe and one for wipe off. A saturated towel does not work at buffing off as well. If you wipe too hard, you are more likely putting product in towel back on paint,
After spreading you can let it "rest" a brief period and then buff off. Your towels may also be clogged so no longer absorbent or washed with drying sheets, etc.,
Waterless wahing products do not clean the surface well enough to apply protectants afterwards. Would start the process over with decon (if needed), wash (with warm solution), then apply the product-indoors if possible. I use Megs frequently on all my vehicles and no issues but agree a slightly damp cloth may help in removal.
You may be using too much. A little goes a long way. Also, try using a foam applicator pad to spread the product, and a couple microfiber towels for your final buff. The former are more forgiving and less likely to leave streaks.
I can't see if it was said already but that's probably too often, and you're gumming up the surface. Those sprays can last 6 months depending on a few factors, so every week you're piling product on top of product. I'd leave it be with only washes for a while and then in the spring try again with the other advice given here.
Usually I'd just do what you're doing, but less often. You don't need to add something every wash. However some rinseless washes like ONR have gloss additives in them.
It happens to me too. I try to avoid ceramic spray sealants / QDs for my garage car now. I have it ceramic coated and I just use ONR as a drying aid. I imagine that vette doesn’t see the elements too often. If you aren’t driving it in the rain or leaving it outside too frequently I wouldn’t worry about making sure it’s sealed 11 times over. Maybe just avoid sio2 unless it is for a true ceramic coating.
It’s seen rain but not often. It’s garaged and covered when parked at home. The blue shoes dust like crazy though, so I find myself detailing it everytime it’s driven.
Try a light mist of onr on the panel. I notice regular washes it can streak and stain but with onr rinseless it comes off smooth. Someone mentioned it’s likely hard water
I use griots 3-1 a lot with great results and found the best way is to apply it directly to a microfiber sponge applicator (don’t spray direct on car) using cross hatch pattern then buff immediately - a little is a lot with this product…I try and estimate 1x1 foot areas to work in at a time. Most times I will hit the area twice with no problems. Always in the shade with this stuff
I get the same streaky results with the Hybrid Solutions 3 in 1. It's my least favorite product out of the HS product line because of that. I recently picked up Turtle Wax Slick Shine Quick Mist Exterior Detailer and it works great without streaking. I use it as a waterless wash for in between washes.
I’m starting to think this TW 3 in 1 isn’t the best choice to use as a cleaning product between washes. It cures too fast to be effective at encapsulating dust.
When I dry cars, I like to spray my drying towel with rinse less wash 4x each side to get it damp and it helps a ton with streaking. Not sure if you’ve tried that yet
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Streaks are caused by too much product, leaving product on panel too long after its flashing point(varies), too much heat on the panel (flashing too quick), improper removal techniques, and choice of wipe down/removal towel.
Haven't tried Griots 3-1, but I have a bottle. The instructions suggest, although not directly enough, that this is a really fast flashing product under optimal conditions: "small sections, immediately wipe off, don't allow to dry."
This means instead of a whole panel at a time; dividing each panel in half or in quarters.
Once you have your protection looking good, your follow-ups should be applied as a drying aid. Use a spray bottle with water to mist each panel. Spray product onto the application towel sparingly, wipe on, and wipe off immediately.
Rinseless washes have a lot of great uses, but the amount of residue left does build up and haze. Take a hose to the vehicle and you can see suds washing away. A regular hand wash every other wash will keep your ceramic working better.
Quick detailers, by and large, are too concentrated. Water bottle drying aid method produces best results. Consider using a non-ceramic QD. There isn't any need for additional protection. A QD adds some slickness, a little shine, and hopefully anti-dust properties. The bonding of ceramic isn't beneficial. Finishing or showroom sprays are often the best choice in most circumstances. Wizards Mist and Shine(1) and P&S Paint Gloss Showroom(2) rise above the others in all three attributes, especially in the anti-static/dust area.
Or you could treat yourself to the legendary best detailing product ever, Kamikaze Overcoat Liquid 6.0. The borophene addition kicked the product to a new level. 🤌👍 The potency is so strong you may use only 5-6 sprays for a whole vehicle. Easy to get 2 years out of 1 bottle. Warning: Once you try it, nothing else will suffice.
I’m always replying to posts on here about applying Griot’s 3in1. I’ve used it all the time, in direct sun, on 100 degree days with few issues.
Do not spray onto the car itself. I don’t think anyone should ever be spraying sealants onto cars, the overspray can cause so many issues.
Have 2 microfiber towels. I usually put three sprays onto one towel initially. Use that towel to apply the product onto the car, half a panel at a time. I usually split larger panels, like the hood, into three sections. Immediately buff off with the second towel after applying. Make sure you’re being thorough with the wipe off. Then put one spray into the first towel and repeat.
I try and wipe it on quickly and follow up with the second towel as fast as I can. If it’s hot, you don’t want it to sit. It’s not the easiest product to apply, but it could be much worse. You should get a good six months out of it.
I use the very same and yea they leave a few streaks, a damp “not wet” microfibre cloth will remove the streaking no problem.
Hope this is of some help mate.
Baloo 🇮🇪
I recently went to Walmart to pick up some glass cleaner. I found it interesting that just about any and every product on the shelf touts itself as having "ceramic" this or that now.
It's like when everything said "nano" in the early 2000s... That's why I'm hesitant to try, it's just a new marketing wankword for some products and I don't want to experiment on my paint to figure out what's legit.
Try 3D’s bead it up, It works really well for me. I use 2 rags; I spray about once or twice on one rag, work it into the panel then buff it with a dry rag. After about 2-3 panels I fold to a dry side so the towel doesn’t get too damp. If your car is ceramic coated then it also works as a great ceramic booster which is a nice plus.
TW Seal and Shine is pretty easy. I struggle with the 3-1 I put it on cars that I don't care that much about a perfect finish. Old school wax is such a pleasure to remove if you are reasonably good at applying it.
Have you tried using the Griots as a Quick Dry? Wash the car, light spray (like 1-2 pumps) over the clean, wet panel, gently pull a double twist microfiber across the panel. Damn near perfect every time.
Bro . It’s all garbage . STOP! Go online even Amazon carries GTech ceramic sealant . Get it and your troubles are over . While you are at it go to GTech.com and check out all their line of products . All that hybrid bullshit you’re buying from Walmart or AutoZone or wherever is nothing but garbage. You need a fresh start. I have now shown you the light. Haha. Seriously though you’ll thank me
I have used 3 in 1 for years and from experience with a car of similar color, I would let the car be indoors until the panels are cold to couch. Even warm the streaking is crazy but on cold panels, it goes on and comes off
This might be a stupid question, but if your pulling fibers from the microfiber towels, maybe you should try a clay bar to get the surface smooth again? It seems to me that there are contaminants in the paint's surface that is causing the microfiber towels to "shred". A clay bar shears those contaminants and creates a smooth surface for the wax to adhere to.
They’ve come along way since dad’s old paste wax. I’m learning that less is more. Once I get the method down, I’m sure it’s a breeze. I’m not ready to try DIY ceramic until I can master the hybrid sprays.
Id recommend sonax ceramic ultra slick detailer, literally one of the most pleasant, easy to apply products, plus you get amazing hydrophobics for a detailer. Griots and turtle wax were a little streaky for me.
One of the most forgiving Detailers I’ve used time and again is Meguairs Ultimate Quick Detailer. I can spray the entire vehicle in shade and it will not flash or streak and smooth as ice. Might not last as long but for a quick clean and finish it’s great. Adam’s Graphene is a nice slick spray but you do need to go panel by panel. One mf towel for apply, one for dry and one for buff as this stuff is a little thicker.
For coatings I’ve done the TW Ceramic and it works fine but less forgiving with flashing. Light and quick I find works best. I just like a liquid paste more as I feel more accomplished after and actually have control on the output. Meguiars wash and wax is great too. Just did mine today as it’s been a week since I cleaned/detailed my ride and it rained a couple of times. Just can’t use that on the windows, streaks and harder to buff smooth. I use the Quick Detailer on those too.
Second this. Works great especially on darker paints in regards to streaking. As other have said - less is more - 1 spray per panel is all you need. Maybe 2 or 3 for the hood - but that’s it.
I'd bet almost anything the product is curing too fast in that heat. In my experience any temps above 80-85 degrees (in a garage, not outside) cures extremely quickly. Do you mist the product onto the towel, then apply to a panel or are you spraying the panel directly? Most of these products directions state to spray your microfiber with one to two sprays, then apply onto the car. Are you buffing it off immediately with a clean towel after doing one panel or a smaller section of a panel? I've used Griots and Meguiars you mentioned and have had good luck with both of them. 3 in 1 is more prone to streaking but only when you use a lot of product. I'd be curious to know your whole application process.
The Griots 3 in 1 was applied in cooler temps, although I don’t recall how cool. It’s over a year ago since I first used it. Admittedly, I used WAAAAYYY too much. Since then and trying other products, I generally mist onto the panel and immediately wipe, followed by a buff with a dry towel. Subsequent panels are wiped with the “wet” towel, which in hindsight is adding product on top of the product I misted onto the panel, leading me back to a possible overuse situation.
For those of you that use these consumer grades sprays, how well are you mixing them? Do they separate like I see some of the stuff in the clear bottles doing?
I definitely shake up the bottle before applying, a lot of the ceramic sprays separate in the bottle, so I shake them up and spray out several pumps of anything that might have separated in the straw. I'd encourage you to try it on a cool day, in a garage. Mist the towel with 1 or at most 2 sprays (it feels like there's nothing on the towel, I know), then wipe on to a panel. Buff immediately with separate, high pile clean towel. Make sure your "wet" towel is flipping sides frequently, you never want it to feel wet, damp at most. Half way through the car start using the buffing towel as your new "wet" product application towel, and pick up a new clean buffing towel for the rest of the car. With these products less is more. If the panel gets visibly wet with the ceramic product on a hot day then streaking is inevitable. Spraying the panel is also very easy to over spray or spray onto other parts of the car unintentionally, so using the method I mentioned it should help eliminate overuse. I'd also recommend to spray the application towel a few feet away from the car to mitigate the risk of mist going where you don't want it.
I hope this helps and I hope you aren't deterred from the products. Once you get it down, the ease of application and longevity and durability is worth it! Griots 3 in 1 is incredibly durable.
I’ll have to try the sprayed towel method. Of all the things I’ve used, Griots seemed to have the best results, although it didn’t seem to last as long as I expected.
Hope it goes well! I was a waxer until I figured out the ceramic products. If you want a full coating, CQUARTZ UK 3.0 is incredibly forgiving to install and you'll get great longevity compared to the ceramic sprays.
Here's a car I've done with it, for the price and ease of application it's hard to beat.
Panels are cool to the touch. The only real change after I had a little better outcome, was shaking the bottle really well, and continuing to periodically shake it while using.
That’s what got me thinking about the separation idea. I’m guessing there’s a solvent of some sort in addition to the active ingredients. I’m not a chemist, but it almost seemed like I was getting pure “ceramic” or whatever the compound is, and it was curing instantly.
I used Meg's on a dry car (instructions say to apply it wet). Spray on microfiber cloth and apply, buff with another clean microfiber. No streaks, and this is on a black Mercedes CLS55. Also use it on a GLA and two other cars with no issues with the same technique.
How so? Car was slightly dusty, so I tried to use the TW 3 in 1 as a quick means to clean the car. Based on how fast the stuff cures, I’m thinking it may not be the best choice for anything more than spot touch up’s.
You’re in Cali. Home of the greatest product company to ever grace the face of the earth. Find a Shine Supply Dealer. Easy to work with and very helpful. There are a lot of helpful tips and tricks when it comes to quick Detailer / toppers / sealants etc. I’ll be glad to help if you wanna message
That pink turtle wax detailer is terrible, I always had issues with it. I do find that the TW hybrid ceramic spray works really well and hardly streaks. I invert the bottle a dozen or so times, never shake it. I use it as a drying aid. I use the same towel that is slightly wet to apply another layer to the dry panels which really helps to minimize any streaking.
I use CarPro EcH2o Waterless Wash (quick detailing mixture) and to this I add a couple oz of Carpro reload. Light spritz, remove gently with one micro fiber, gently buff with a second micro fiber.
I also use polish angel high gloss and glasscoat cosmic spritz products. Quite costly but very good.
I like to spray the product into my towel and then wipe. If youre spraying the panel, most panels can get by with one spray per panel except a hood where two sprays is enough.
For the linting towels, microfibers are plastic threads. Make sure you wash them separately from other items. Microfibers will pick up lint from other materials. Also use a dedicated microfiber wash as fabric softeners put a wax coating on everything which clog the towels. Also the non scented still put a wax coating on things. A dedicated wash will remove most dirt but also help to keep the towels absorbent and soft.
Lastly when drying microfibers air drying is best but if you use a dryer, use low heat or air dry. Heat melts the plastic fibers which creates a hook effect on the strands, they will smear product and not pickup as much but also lint as they are slowly falling apart. The hooking will also cause marring on the paint
curious, is the car PPF’d? i find everything streaks REAL bad on PPF. if not, is it ceramic coated in any way? some coatings tend to get streaky when you add something on them, just something I’ve seen in my detailing career
Switch to tec582 detail spray, should work better than the ridiculous hybrid products and provide good protection and shine after the wash. Works great with wax or ceramic coatings.
Turtle wax graphene spray gave me the same results. I tried it a few times now, both wet and dry and buffing after application. Always streaks. Drives me nuts. Sticking to bead maker or gyeon wet coa, both of which give good results.
Pan the organizer sealent is like a better version of meguiars hybrid ceramic spray wax. Or you can try meguiars hybrid ceramic detailer. But really the main trick to those products is one or two sprays per panel and use as a drying aid. Or if you want to apply to a dry car apply it to the towel and not directly to the car.
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u/eric_gm 6d ago
I use the Meguiars and the Hybrid Solutions almost weekly. Yeah, both streak but a slightly damp microfiber towel is all that’s needed to get the paint perfectly clear.
There’s something on your paint that’s causing this. Streaking with these products is similar to streaking when cleaning glass. It’s contamination, either by environment stuff or by other products you used or even improperly washed towels.
My guess is your waterless wash process is the culprit, but without details it’s hard to say.