[merlin3008]

When my car is exceedingly dirty, I do use a pressure washer and snow foam to pre-rinse the car. Anything you can do to remove some of the larger particles before you touch the paint by hand is very helpful in preventing swirls. I will tell you that there is no substitute for a good two bucket wash though. Breaking the hydrostatic bond of those smaller particles just doesn't happen to the level that you need with any sort of rise. Also, I don't like drying a car with a towel when I'm not sure if there is dirt left on the car. Hand drying a dirty car is a recipe for disaster.