"The sky is falling, the sky is falling" Chicken Little
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From: Ponte Vedra Beach FL/ Hampstead, London, England
'84 380 SL/ '02 XK8
"The sky is falling, the sky is falling" Chicken Little
Pollen [: Micro gametophytes - pollen grains]
"The sky is falling, the sky is falling" Chicken Little
The yellow fines to coarse powders you see in the air is made up of small sperm cells from blooming plants and are one of the most common allergy triggers. The pollen from trees are the main concern, vehicles get hit with pollen laced trees that include: oak, western red cedar, elm, birch, ash, hickory, polar, sycamore, maple, cypress and walnut (which also leaves an oily residue). Pollen grains of pines, firs, and spruces are winged.
Pollen must be strong to protect the male gametes on their journey. The outer wall of the pollen grain, called the exine, is composed of a very unusual substance called sporopollenin which is very tough.
The inner layer is made of cellulose and is similar in construction to an ordinary plant cell wall; pollen will literally ‘wear’ away wax or polymer sealants.
Pollen isn't removed by air friction as you drive because it adheres to a surface with microscopic barbs that can attach to even a very slightly uneven surface. Carnauba wax molecules, which are closed linked, which means that they only butt up together to protect the surface. They align themselves to form an egg-grate type structure (with their long axis vertical) this is what gives it depth.
This mesh-like structure allows the exine or barbs of the pollen to gain a hold and adheres to a natural wax better than a synthetic polymer. As well as being allergic pollen is also very abrasive (due to its exine or barbs) and slightly acidic dust, especially when mixed with moisture and should therefore be removed from paint surfaces as soon as is practicable.
To remove heavy dust (do not use a California Duster as the pollen exine will cause surface marring) instead use Optimum No Rinse (ONR) a quick ‘wash’; formulated with surfactants to keep dirt in suspension, avoiding surface contact, it also provides surface lubrication, thereby avoiding surface marring. As soon as is practical, thoroughly rinse the vehicle with a hose and clean water to ensure all the pollen is removed.
No wax or polymer sealant can provide a permanent shield against: Micro gametophytes (pollen) Collinite 845 Insulator Wax is probably the most durable Carnauba wax product and / or Finish Kare FK425 Detailing Spray; but either of these may only provide enough of a barrier to enable it to be removed quickly before causing too much damage to the paint film surface
Information resource:
Wikipedia Dictionary - Pollen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition - Encyclopædia Britannica 30 Day FREE Trial
“Automotive Detailing Inside & Out, A Knowledge Base for the Perfectionist"–
"The sky is falling, the sky is falling" Chicken Little
The yellow fines to coarse powders you see in the air is made up of small sperm cells from blooming plants and are one of the most common allergy triggers. The pollen from trees are the main concern, vehicles get hit with pollen laced trees that include: oak, western red cedar, elm, birch, ash, hickory, polar, sycamore, maple, cypress and walnut (which also leaves an oily residue). Pollen grains of pines, firs, and spruces are winged.
Pollen must be strong to protect the male gametes on their journey. The outer wall of the pollen grain, called the exine, is composed of a very unusual substance called sporopollenin which is very tough.
The inner layer is made of cellulose and is similar in construction to an ordinary plant cell wall; pollen will literally ‘wear’ away wax or polymer sealants.
Pollen isn't removed by air friction as you drive because it adheres to a surface with microscopic barbs that can attach to even a very slightly uneven surface. Carnauba wax molecules, which are closed linked, which means that they only butt up together to protect the surface. They align themselves to form an egg-grate type structure (with their long axis vertical) this is what gives it depth.
This mesh-like structure allows the exine or barbs of the pollen to gain a hold and adheres to a natural wax better than a synthetic polymer. As well as being allergic pollen is also very abrasive (due to its exine or barbs) and slightly acidic dust, especially when mixed with moisture and should therefore be removed from paint surfaces as soon as is practicable.
To remove heavy dust (do not use a California Duster as the pollen exine will cause surface marring) instead use Optimum No Rinse (ONR) a quick ‘wash’; formulated with surfactants to keep dirt in suspension, avoiding surface contact, it also provides surface lubrication, thereby avoiding surface marring. As soon as is practical, thoroughly rinse the vehicle with a hose and clean water to ensure all the pollen is removed.
No wax or polymer sealant can provide a permanent shield against: Micro gametophytes (pollen) Collinite 845 Insulator Wax is probably the most durable Carnauba wax product and / or Finish Kare FK425 Detailing Spray; but either of these may only provide enough of a barrier to enable it to be removed quickly before causing too much damage to the paint film surface
Information resource:
Wikipedia Dictionary - Pollen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition - Encyclopædia Britannica 30 Day FREE Trial
“Automotive Detailing Inside & Out, A Knowledge Base for the Perfectionist"–
Last edited by TOGWT; May 19, 2008 at 10:26 AM.
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From: Long Island, NY
2004 E500 Wagon 4Matic
