A lot of great info has come of this thread - thanks to everyone for the input. I do have one more question for you all though:
I live in Vegas. It's hot out, obviously.
Finding the right time to wash the car myself - which I now thoroughly enjoy - can be tough. My point: I wash it less now than when it was cooler out. I have found, however, that the car stays remarkably clean for MUCH longer than my cars ever did in London (moved to LV a year ago). I guess due to less vegetation, cleaner streets and air, and far fewer insects.
BUT there is a lot of dust in the air and I find that after a week or two, while the paint remains remarkably clean, a thin layer of light but visible dust surfaces the car.
It annoys me because it almost feels like a full clean isn't necessary. And I've seen several people here keep huge dusters in their garage to buff over the car. I DON'T want to do that - the dusters look black and dirty. But I had a similar intention...
My question is: Do you think it's okay to use a clean dry microfiber towel? So, grabbing two adjacent corners of the towel, you just sheet the cloth over the paint - adding no extra force than the weight of the material itself - to gently sheet the dust/pollen clear without having to apply water?
I don't want to damage my paint. I will wash it if you all think it's a terrible idea, but I tried it on the rear hatch and I can't see any problem. If this is a viable option, I'd only need to clean my car roughly once a month, and my thoughts are the reduced handling of the paint will reduce the overall damage that occurs due to the washing process.
Thoughts?