Car Washing

[stevej37]

It's finally nice enough around here to wash cars outside. My water comes from a well that pumps water that is very hard. (ph) A water softener inside takes care of the hardness...so I put in a switchable diverter to send the soft water outside for car washing when I want.
Made a big difference. No more water spots...don't have to towel dry. Windshield still shows faint spots if not toweled.
Anyone else do this? I wish I would have years ago!

[RKDinOKC]

Yep, when I put in a water softener it was on the feed line just inside the house. My outside faucets are after the softener. Noticed a lot less spots right off.

[enzo1]

In the old days (70's ) car wash places would soften water by filtering it through small pebbles in a big round container. If that system wasn't functioning properly your car wouldn't get clean hence the need to run it back through and not get it clean again. Probably have a much better system now...

[sugarwood]

Once you use this, you will never bucket hose your car again.
I habe not "washed" my car once in 3 seasons, and it looks immaculate.
https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3626-Ultimate-Waterless-Wash/dp/B006FUT0CS

[JackDidley]

I have hard water. A splash of vinegar in the wash bucket, drops the Ph and cuts down on water spots.

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Once you use this, you will never bucket hose your car again.
I habe not "washed" my car once in 3 seasons, and it looks immaculate.
https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3626-Ultimate-Waterless-Wash/dp/B006FUT0CS

How "clean" does the car have to be in order for that product to work. I'm asking because I have to drive about 50 ft of a gravel road from my driveway to the paved road. The dust is not kind to my black car for certain.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Once you use this, you will never bucket hose your car again.
I habe not "washed" my car once in 3 seasons, and it looks immaculate.
https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3626-Ultimate-Waterless-Wash/dp/B006FUT0CS

I use Optimum No-Rinse, similar rinseless wash product. Typically if it's nice enough I'll hose wash outside though, the no-rinse does a good job but you still can't rinse off the wheel wells, undercarriage, etc.

I've looked at water softeners and de-ionizers that are designed for car washing but they are pricey! No spots sounds good though. Griots has an inline system for $150 that looks pretty interesting.

[GH85Carrera]

We have a water well for washing the cars. I use a car soap that does a pretty good job of reducing the sports. After a wipe down with a towel I drive about a mile total and then wipe down the door jambs, trunk lids, gas door covers and so on. Drips coming from rear view mirrors and other hidden spots seem to mostly blow off on a short drive. Few if any spots after I am done.

[ted]

Every other time before I spray wax the paint I first clean the paint with this Clay towel.

This Speedy Surface Prep Towel - Fine Grade is awesome.
They replace the clay bar method of cleaning before waxing.
Clay bar is a hassle, when it slips and falls on the ground and gets contaminated.
Speedy Surface Prep Towel, speedy prep towel, clay towel, sm arnold clay towel, clay bar towel

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Once you use this, you will never bucket hose your car again.
I habe not "washed" my car once in 3 seasons, and it looks immaculate.
https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3626-Ultimate-Waterless-Wash/dp/B006FUT0CS

Will have to try that.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

How "clean" does the car have to be in order for that product to work. I'm asking because I have to drive about 50 ft of a gravel road from my driveway to the paved road. The dust is not kind to my black car for certain.

Can you wipe off the level of crud? If you need to hose, then you probably went off roading.

Our cars don't get muddy. For dust and dirt, rinse less of perfect.

Water = rust.

[MBAtarga]

My main concern is the gravel dust/grit and wiping across black paint using only the squirt bottle product. When I wash the car- I use a forceful rinse first - then soapy water/towel to wash.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Optimum No-Rinse is mixed in a big bucket with a grit guard, I typically mix 4-5 gallons to wash normal car. So there's an abundance of water to lubricate the cleaning. I would be pretty concerned about the spray bottle not putting enough liquid on the car to adequately lift the dirt and lubricate the surface.

[cabmandone]

I have been using soft water to wash my cars for several years now. I also use a backpack leaf blower to blow dry it and the carwash soap that is supposed to dry "spot free" but just the cheap stuff.

[berettafan]

Anybody try the griots inline softener? I'm just not able to wrap my head around the waterless products.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[svandamme]

get a rain collector off your roof.. no calcium or bad ph in that..
You don't even have to dry off the car, it dries without streaking or causing stains

Got one of these off my garage roof, 400 liter.

[Chocaholic]

Leaf blower. Wash car, dry with my Stihl leaf blower, wipe excess with towel. No spots, no time. Awesome for motorcycles.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

My main concern is the gravel dust/grit and wiping across black paint using only the squirt bottle product. When I wash the car- I use a forceful rinse first - then soapy water/towel to wash.

You'll have to try it yourself to see it's a non issue. The spray totally lubes the panel. You are wiping dirt away into the towel. It's like when you Windex bird **** off your car. You don't scratch the car. Each wipe uses a new clean towel section quarter.

Again, washing your car with a bucket or hose is an obsolete paradigm. Buy the bottle. Buy 20 microfiber towels. You'll never go back.

Find some videos for a demo.

[bleucamaro]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Anybody try the griots inline softener? I'm just not able to wrap my head around the waterless products.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have the CR Spotless one, Costco and other places sell it. It works OK. The pros are that it does what it says. The con is that line pressure drops significantly, so flooding away soap and dirt takes far too long.

When I use it, I use 2 hoses, one to wash and rinse the car, then the softened water as a final rinse to remove the hard water before it has a chance to dry.

[wildthing]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

My main concern is the gravel dust/grit and wiping across black paint using only the squirt bottle product. When I wash the car- I use a forceful rinse first - then soapy water/towel to wash.

Me too.

Though I did buy a bottle and will get it by mid-month.

I plan to use a California Car Duster first then the Meguiar's. My car doesn't really get all that dirty quickly. I could get away with 3 months between washes. But it does get dusty.