Topic: DYI car wash

[yugrus]

Those brushes that they've got at the places should only be used on tires and the painted finish of '85 Dodge Caravans.    They're full of nitty-gritties just waiting to destroy your paint.

Although I completely agree with that, but is it not the same as washing a car with just one or two buckets of water? You get the same stuff in your mitt, I guess. That's why when I wash my car myself I do not re-use the water, that's what Mr. Clean AutoDry is for! It takes any soap, BTW, and its rinse filter works pretty well.
This was the first "touch"- type automatic wash I've been to, and these brushes work with significant flow of soapy water. I'd say this provides equal or better surface lubrication and less wear then when you do a clay job or wash from the bucket...
I'm not sure if all washes work like that.

[Turbo Bob]

I've just been down the local jet wash, waited until about 8pm when the sponge monkeys have gone home, then I take my own bucket, soap and sponge.

It's a timed one but whilst I'm rinsing and getting most of the initial dirt off, the bucket with the soap in fills up from the brush head, no way I'd let the brush near the car though.  So then hand wash, and jet rinse.

Perfect.
 

[airbalancer]

most of you should be shot for the way you wash the your car
touch car noway, maybe touchless in winter usually presure washer kind.
Also if you let the water flow over the car when you rinse there will almost no water to dry off

[Turbo Bob]

most of you should be shot for the way you wash the your car

The only way to wash a car properly is to touch it.  How else can you do it??

Only then can you dry it, and apply polish/wax.

 

[Brigitte]

Although I completely agree with that, but is it not the same as washing a car with just one or two buckets of water? You get the same stuff in your mitt, I guess. That's why when I wash my car myself I do not re-use the water, that's what Mr. Clean AutoDry is for! It takes any soap, BTW, and its rinse filter works pretty well.

It's my understanding that the whole point of Mr. Clean AutoDry IS the soap; it's got a polymer in it that allows the water to sheet off your car, hence the lack of water spots when it dries.  The final filtered rinse is an added bonus, which also slides right off.

By the way, I use a Black Magic bucket for soaping up the car with some extra AutoDry soap.  The bucket has a bottom rack which keeps the sludge/sand below it, and it prevents you from moving it around or grabbing it with your mitt. 

Also, and this cannot be stressed enough... I use two separate mitts:  one for the lower/rocker panels, and the other for the rest of the car.

My neighbours used to think I was completely insane, until they had a look at my baby after a thorough detailing.   

[Brigitte]

And... SPEAKING of which...

I tried out some Turtle Wax ICE this weekend.  What I liked was that you can still use it if you can't put your car in the shade (I no longer have that option).

Goes on well, comes off easily.  Makes the job a very, very quick one.  I like that.     A few streaks, but I think that's because I put on a heavier coat than necessary in some spots.  They buffed out immediately.

I was anxious to see if I would still get that all-important beading during a good rain... And today, we got bucketloads of rain.  Lots of beading on all surfaces, so no problem there.  It's my understanding that it doesn't last as long as normal wax; however, if I can do it anytime I want, without regard for cloud cover, who cares?  I can re-polish at will.

The other appealing feature for me:  it glosses up any plastic surfaces.  On the Jetta, there are quite a few black plastic areas (front bumper/skirt, lower part of rear bumper, mirrors) but here's the kicker... The rubber at the base of my antenna had turned a pale grey over the years.  The ICE glossed it right up!  It's back to a shiny black again.

Two thumbs up.     

[AVToller]

I too used Turtle Ice Wax on Jack a while back. He's had one good wash since and still beads wello, but not as well as Nu-Finish after several washes. My experience was similar to yours and I do really like what it does to the plastic bits. I give it 1.5   

[Brigitte]

I too used Turtle Ice Wax on Jack a while back. He's had one good wash since and still beads wello, but not as well as Nu-Finish after several washes. My experience was similar to yours and I do really like what it does to the plastic bits. I give it 1.5   

My EagleOne NanoWax beaded for a good four or five months, so I understand what you're saying.  Then again, I had to wait for a good cloudy day (on a weekend, with nothing else needing to be done around the house because it took so fricking long) to redo it.  Didn't always work out.  IMO, ICE is to waxing what the pill was to sex 40 years ago.   

You remember that, don't you, Ross darling?   

[AVToller]

My EagleOne NanoWax beaded for a good four or five months, so I understand what you're saying.  Then again, I had to wait for a good cloudy day (on a weekend, with nothing else needing to be done around the house because it took so fricking long) to redo it.  Didn't always work out.  IMO, ICE is to waxing what the pill was to sex 40 years ago.   

You remember that, don't you, Ross darling?   

Sex? Uh, vaguely. 

[Giant Dwarf]

GD, what kind of winter is it that you can spend over 1 hr out doors (almost) playing with water? 

A Niagara-area one.  Would you like some coconuts or citrus?  I can pick 'em in my yard for you if you like. 

[initial_D]

OK.  Would be fun to see  how long it will take you to get up the ladder.