May 13, 2016, 02:54 PM
Last edit by: IB Advertising
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Washing your car
Originally Posted by AnimalSS
I use a microfiber wash mitt that looks like it has neon green dreadlocks 
and I only use it to wash the car. It gets washed out after every use.
Apartment living sucks when you're trying to take care of a car.
and I only use it to wash the car. It gets washed out after every use.Apartment living sucks when you're trying to take care of a car.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 317
Likes: 52
From: Charleston, SC
I use a two bucket system combined with the Mr. Clean Auto Wash. I rinse off a section, spray the mr clean soap on the section. Then I take my wool mitt from the soapy water bucket and wipe the section using paralled motion, not swirling action. I put the mitt in the clean water bucket and rub the dirt out of it briefly. I'll spray the section with Mr. Clean soap again and then use the purified water rinse from the Mr. Clean AutoDry. It's a lengthy process, but I don't get water spots and rarely have enough scratches where I have to bust out the Porter Cable. My car's black so it's special needs.
The Mr. Clean AutoDry is the way to go with a dark colored car. The less you have to touch it, the less chance you take to get scrathes and swirls. With the AutoDry, I don't have to touch the car to dry it, so I'm not taking the chance that I pick up a dirt spot that I missed washing and rubbing it into the paint and scratching it.
The Mr. Clean AutoDry is the way to go with a dark colored car. The less you have to touch it, the less chance you take to get scrathes and swirls. With the AutoDry, I don't have to touch the car to dry it, so I'm not taking the chance that I pick up a dirt spot that I missed washing and rubbing it into the paint and scratching it.
Originally Posted by DUSTYWS6
I use a two bucket system combined with the Mr. Clean Auto Wash. I rinse off a section, spray the mr clean soap on the section. Then I take my wool mitt from the soapy water bucket and wipe the section using paralled motion, not swirling action. I put the mitt in the clean water bucket and rub the dirt out of it briefly. I'll spray the section with Mr. Clean soap again and then use the purified water rinse from the Mr. Clean AutoDry. It's a lengthy process, but I don't get water spots and rarely have enough scratches where I have to bust out the Porter Cable. My car's black so it's special needs.
The Mr. Clean AutoDry is the way to go with a dark colored car. The less you have to touch it, the less chance you take to get scrathes and swirls. With the AutoDry, I don't have to touch the car to dry it, so I'm not taking the chance that I pick up a dirt spot that I missed washing and rubbing it into the paint and scratching it.
The Mr. Clean AutoDry is the way to go with a dark colored car. The less you have to touch it, the less chance you take to get scrathes and swirls. With the AutoDry, I don't have to touch the car to dry it, so I'm not taking the chance that I pick up a dirt spot that I missed washing and rubbing it into the paint and scratching it.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,813
Likes: 0
From: Tucson, AZ
The most important thing when I was looking for an apartment was a car wash area with a hose to hand wash my truck. I didn't really care about anything else, LOL. I am the ONLY person who washes my truck. Automated car washes (scratch-o-matics) are banned from my truck. I use 2 buckets to wash. One is used for the tires/wheels, wheel wells, and the engine compartment. The other bucket is used for the body. I use a wool mitt on the body and an older, retired mitt for the tires/wheels, etc with Turtle Wax Zip Wax car soap. Rinse from top to bottom and wash 1 area at a time and rinse in between areas. I go in this order: roof (rinse), hood (rinse), doors and windows (rinse), windshield and back window (rinse), entire driver's side (rinse), entire passenger side (rinse), tailgate (rinse), grille (rinse). Rinse everything and dry with the Absorber. Every 3 months I give my truck a good coat of Meguiars Gold Class.
If you are using Meg's gold class .. I would recommend more than once every three months.. Gold class has an awesome looking finish, but is way down the list of carnubas when talking about durability .. imo ..
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Verdad Gallardo TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 317
Likes: 52
From: Charleston, SC
Originally Posted by PedroDePackas
How do you like the soap you use witht the AutoDry? I didn't care too much for it. It always left a wierd film on the windows and I had to clean them afterwards with a window cleaner anyway.
Originally Posted by DUSTYWS6
The soap is a little on the weak side, that's the main reason I also use a bucket of soapy water to wipe down the car. I'm not convinced that the AutoDry soap has enough suds to lubricate the surface enough to prevent scratches. Fortunately it's never left any film on the car, maybe that's an issue that depends on the hardness of your water. I primarily use the AutoDry for the filtered water to avoid water spots. Maybe one of these days I'll just buy a few gallons of distilled water and see if I can use them to rinse the car. Between the cost of the AutoDry Soap and Filters, it may be cheaper to buy two or three gallons of distilled water.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Originally Posted by thecarolinakid~98ss
Whats the point of this thread she said she doesn't even wash her car
Originally Posted by Trust
People are going to hate me for this, but I use a pressure washer. Pre-soak, soap, rinse, spot free rinse. Dry it off there with an Absorber synthetic chamois, drive home, polish the wheels, dry anywhere that has dripped, take a blower to my tail lights to stop them from draining on my bumper, polish the tips, dry the door sills, inside windows etc. And thats my normal washing procedure, I'll wax once a month and get the car buffed and Zaino'd every 6 months. It looks really good to me.
I take it to the drive-in bay wash. It's almost touchless. I use the brush stage and that's all that hits the car other than water/detergents.
The triple-poly shine and wax is pretty amazing. For the longest time I used to skimp and race the timer and only wash. I'd then wax by hand.
Now I use the 3x poly and wax and by the time I hit the spot free rinse stage, it's beading off nicely. I take the long way home and let it air dry. When I get home I use a microfiber to get the remaining drops off, polish my rims and use tire shine. If the windows need it, I'll get them.
Last stage is interior detailing and vacuuming.
Total cost - 5-6$. I'm getting good at it and each time I do it, it takes me less time
On an a-side, I found a neat product at Autozone by Black Magic, that has a gel and sponge to do the tires. No more slop all over my rims and panels. It works quite well. They had 3 left and were clearance for some reason at $1.98 a piece. I bought all three. I have yet to see if it stains my tires brown like the non-satin foams I was using a while back.
I also use the 2 bucket method with lambswool mit.
Am I the only one who uses a leaf blower to dry the car? It works awesome, just use a microfiber waffle weave towel to get the little drops once you are done with the blower.
Am I the only one who uses a leaf blower to dry the car? It works awesome, just use a microfiber waffle weave towel to get the little drops once you are done with the blower.
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
its funny to see useless threads that really shouldnt warrent much of a response get huge responses from everyone because a girl posted it
try using newspaper on windows it works the best for some reason
try using newspaper on windows it works the best for some reason
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
I groom dogs and my old boss would use the High Velocity dryer to dry her car off... LOL. She'd also use it to blow the snow off her car too. It took care of the snow and the ice on the windows. It works great.
its always good idea to use two buckets one for washing one for rinsing. i to use the lambs wool mit. if your going to use towels or rags make sure they are lint free so you wont have little pieces of lint all over your freshly washed car
