Your Wash Routine - How do you wash your car?

[Car Care Products]

SO .. the question is.

What do you do when you wash your car, how long does it take and what do you use?

[HERONVY]

just found this thread, sorry for the slight thread dig

Surprised no one has responded to this?

Anyways here goes my routine

1- Hose off car
2- Fill bucket with 2 capfulls (5L bottle) Of autoglym shampoo and conditioner + fill bucket with hot water
3- Spray bug and tar gel remover to car if there is any bugs
4- Rinse off areas where applied with bug & tar remover
5- Spray decon gel all over car and hose off
6- sponge over with the autoglym shampoo + conditioner
7- Hose off
8- wash again with wash
9- Rinse + Chamois off with detailers chamois (if not continuing with clay,polish and wax)

10+ - clay, polish + wax if needed

Followed by dressing all rubbers and plastics with 303 protectant

[GTS-Replica]

1. Pay the guy $6.00
2. Drive up into the car wash
3. Nutral
4. No hand brake
5. Drive through
6. Air dry
7. Done
Takes about 3 mins no scratches comes out excelent.

[Reaper]

1. Pay the guy $6.00
2. Drive up into the car wash
3. Nutral
4. No hand brake
5. Drive through
6. Air dry
7. Done
Takes about 3 mins no scratches comes out excelent.

Hahaha - not sure about no scratches unless it's a pressure wash system but sounds easy anyway.

As for my cars - wash it every week or so with maguires wash and wax and a microfibre mitt + drying cloth. Give it a proper wax ever 3 - 6 months. Not sure the maguires is particularly good but compared to others I've found it ok.

Reaper

[toey@carfx]

hot water rinse
foam lanced
hot water rinse again
clean rims, wheels and arches with vikan brushes and autoglym pm3
hot water rinse
wash with duragloss 901 car wash using 2 bucket method and mint microfibre wash mitt
hot water rinse
low pressure cold water rinse to sheet off water
dry with mint waffle weave drying towel and duragloss 951 aquawax
compressed air to blow out water in panel gaps and such
duragloss 921 fast clean and shine and mint premium microfibre cloth to remove any water marks left behind
autobrite berry tyre gel and mint contoured foam applicator
stoners invisible glass and mint glass cloth and mint general purpose microfibre cloth

duration...about 30 minutes

[Wombles]

Get 6 bucks in change, goldies.
Insert into hole.
Grab pressure gun.
Push 'pre wash'.
Wash car.
Push 'high pressure soap'.
Wash car.
Push 'high pressure rinse'.
Wash car.
Push 'wax'.
Wash car.
Push 'No spot rinse'.
Wash car.
Air dry.

[SM1D3Y]

hot water rinse
foam lanced
hot water rinse again
clean rims, wheels and arches with vikan brushes and autoglym pm3
hot water rinse
wash with duragloss 901 car wash using 2 bucket method and mint microfibre wash mitt
hot water rinse
low pressure cold water rinse to sheet off water
dry with mint waffle weave drying towel and duragloss 951 aquawax
compressed air to blow out water in panel gaps and such
duragloss 921 fast clean and shine and mint premium microfibre cloth to remove any water marks left behind
autobrite berry tyre gel and mint contoured foam applicator
stoners invisible glass and mint glass cloth and mint general purpose microfibre cloth

duration...about 30 minutes

30 mins ! your a machine toey!

My routine is similar to HERONVY's, tho i use Durogloss 901 wash and now use Dodojuice Red Mist Detail Spray. Usually takes around an hour.

Toey, iv been considering buying a foam lance to introduce a touchless pre-wash to my routine. What kind of results are you getting ? Is the outlay worth the result ?

[toey@carfx]

i use it to help loosen up dirt and grime but it isnt a touchless solution. i find that i dont really get the wash induced swirls with the above routine. you wont stop them but it does make a difference when combined with a good sealant and/or wax.

dont know about a machine, just have it down pat, and all the gear is already out and the hot water pressure washer makes a massive difference

[Voodoo_SV6]

Whenever possible I wash the car in the shade (early morning or late afternoon)
I low pressure rinse the car to remove loose dirt
2 bucket method, and a standard car wash sponge I wash wheels inside and out with heavy duty car wash, also do the under guard area and mudflaps and exhaust tips.
High pressure wash the underbody of the car and under guard area and low pressure wash the wheels.
Low pressure rinse the car again to remove the pre soaked dirt from the first rinse.
2 bucket method I wash the paintwork one panel at a time using Duragloss 902 car wash and a microfibre wash mitt, then low pressure rinse.
I keep the already washed panels with fresh water.
Once all panels washed and rinsed, I use a waffle weave drying cloth on the paintwork.
Synthetic chamois the wheels and tyres before applying one of many different tyre waxes I have depending on what I want - super shiny or durability.

If I have been to the farm (on dirt roads) the car gets a lot of love with plenty of soapy water and fresh water before and cloth goes near the paint to soak it and loosen dirt and mud

[Car Care Products]

Whenever possible I wash the car in the shade (early morning or late afternoon)
I low pressure rinse the car to remove loose dirt
2 bucket method, and a standard car wash sponge I wash wheels inside and out with heavy duty car wash, also do the under guard area and mudflaps and exhaust tips.
High pressure wash the underbody of the car and under guard area and low pressure wash the wheels.
Low pressure rinse the car again to remove the pre soaked dirt from the first rinse.
2 bucket method I wash the paintwork one panel at a time using Duragloss 902 car wash and a microfibre wash mitt, then low pressure rinse.
I keep the already washed panels with fresh water.
Once all panels washed and rinsed, I use a waffle weave drying cloth on the paintwork.
Synthetic chamois the wheels and tyres before applying one of many different tyre waxes I have depending on what I want - super shiny or durability.

If I have been to the farm (on dirt roads) the car gets a lot of love with plenty of soapy water and fresh water before and cloth goes near the paint to soak it and loosen dirt and mud

Do you have a high pressure washer?

Cheers

[Loaded Dice]

In the shade where possible, low pressure rinse off, currently trying supercheaps wash 'n wax, using a soft shaggy mitt wash 2 or 3 panels at a time depending on the temperature before low pressure rinsing them. After panels are done I change to an old bug sponge mitt to do wheels, arches and exhaust tips. Apply tar remover where needed then re wash those panels. Chamois dry then clean all inside doors, boot etc with soft damp cloth, then ultra soft towel dry the lot. Exterior is finished off with supercheap tire silicone applied with my home made no mess applicator. Frequency, about every 4 days in good weather, 7 in snot. Duration, about 40 mins. I also blow the road snot off every couple of days with the high pressure gun at work, starting from about 10 feet back to let it get wet and blow the crap off gently.

[LowerSpasm]

just found this thread, sorry for the slight thread dig

Surprised no one has responded to this?

Anyways here goes my routine

1- Hose off car
2- Fill bucket with 2 capfulls (5L bottle) Of autoglym shampoo and conditioner + fill bucket with hot water
3- Spray bug and tar gel remover to car if there is any bugs
4- Rinse off areas where applied with bug & tar remover
5- Spray decon gel all over car and hose off
6- sponge over with the autoglym shampoo + conditioner
7- Hose off
8- wash again with wash
9- Rinse + Chamois off with detailers chamois (if not continuing with clay,polish and wax)

10+ - clay, polish + wax if needed

Followed by dressing all rubbers and plastics with 303 protectant

What decontamination product do you use?

[Bill44]

Always in the shade, every 2-3 weeks. Don't do a lot of K's.

1. Zinser wheel cleaner sprayed onto wheels when needed. Leave it soak while I get everything else ready.
2. Pressure rinse the whole car including wheel arches, finishing off with the wheels.
3. Two bucket wash, microfibre mitt with Duragloss shampoo.
4. Pressure rinse everywhere.
5. Blow off excess water with compressed air.
6. Final dry with waffle weave drying towel,towel only just gets damp.
7. Open doors and boot and dry the obvious places with ordinary microfibre towel. Dry the wheels & tyres with ordinary old towel.
8. Apply Duragloss Fast Clean & Shine.
9. Apply 303 when/where needed.
10. Dress tyres with Duragloss Tyre and Rubber Dressing.
11. Clean windows and apply Rainex to front and rear glass.

About 1 1/2 hours for a decent job, I'm 67.

[MadAboutDetailing]

Rinse then Wash wheels with wheel cleaner and all purpose cleaner, scrub tyres
Rinse loose dirt of paint, then foam, let foam soak
2 bucket, 2 microfibre mitt wash with grit guards
rinse
air dry with air compressor
apply some spray on shine and wipe with microfibre towel
dress tyres and metal polish mags
open a beer

[ryan101]

Beer should be step 1

[Voodoo_SV6]

Do you have a high pressure washer?

Cheers

Yes I do, a Gerni with the patio cleaner attachment. I find it great for under the car.

[toey@carfx]

What decontamination product do you use?

my guess would be something like wolf's decon gel or similar type of product. there is a few on the market these days

[HERONVY]

What decontamination product do you use?

wolfs decon gel from ccp online store.mate

Sent from my GT-S5570 using Tapatalk 2

[HERONVY]

my guess would be something like wolf's decon gel or similar type of product. there is a few on the market these days

correct toey, wolfs seems to be the go

Sent from my GT-S5570 using Tapatalk 2

[twogirlsdad]

It all depends on the time of year and just how dirty the vehicle is. In the winter months I will two bucket w/Grit Guards wash my car in the garage with a heater on using Optimum No Rinse and MF towels. I will hose the road salt and winter grime off at the spray it yourself place first. If the heater gets the garage into the mid 50's F I will follow up, if needed with a spray wax. Once the outdoor temps hit 50F or greater than it's two bucket wash time.

1. Clean wheels, wheel arches, tires, rear fascia and exhaust tips with respective cleaners and appropriate boar's hair brushes.
2. Clean the engine bay where needed with All Purpose Cleaner. As clean as I keep it I usually just do a quick wipe down followed by appropriate dressing.
3. Rinse vehicle well making at least two circuits around the vehicle.
4. Spray bugs and tar with appropriate cleaners and let it dwell while attaching foam gun.
5. Foam the vehicle.
6. Using a small boar's hair brush clean around one remaining badge, side marker lights, area around wipers, radio antenna and fuel filler access.
7. Rinse vehicle.
8. Re-foam vehicle, wash top to bottom and front to back. I use two wash pads; larger pad for top half of vehicle and smaller pad for lower half.
9. Rinse vehicle making at least two circuits around vehicle.
10. Finish rinsing by doing pooling/sheeting rinse.
11. Spray detail spray over entire vehicle.
12. Dry vehicle using giant MF drying towel.
13. Using Master Blaster blow all hidden water out from door seams, mirrors, boot and bonnet margins and that damned honeycomb grill. Dry any of this remaining water with MF towel.
14. Appropriate dressings on tires and trim. Clean glass as necessary.
15. Pour wash buckets out on lawn.
16. Rinse out buckets, Grit Guards and wash pads.
17. Pull up lawn chair and sit down.
18. Remove adult beverage from cooler, feet up on cooler, relax.
18. Repeat step 18 as needed OR until wife comes to see what I'm doing...

Winter ONR wash can be done in under an hour. Two bucket wash 1-2 hours. Cleaning or detailing my car is my Zen so time spent is not a matter of concern to me.
I use Adam's Polishes and the occasional Meguiar's on my vehicles.

[Sabbath']

Find the biggest puddle I can and drive through it. Mud content optional.

[ari666]

i use red scrotchbite to make my matte the mattest its ever been for silky smooth softness.

[fuzzy2308]

car wash
2am
squirt car with high pressure soap
fill bucket with water
place soap in bucket
place sponge in bucket
wash car with soap and water from the bucket using the sponge
squirt soap off
chill
dry with Chamois

waxing when the sun comes up is a optional extra

[HamaTime™]

Find the biggest puddle I can and drive through it. Mud content optional.

Winning.

Here is my routine:

1. Gerni wash the car
2. I use Morning Fresh in a bucket of boiling hot water, use a nice big piece of steel wool and work in circular motions, getting all the crap off
3. Gerni rinse off
4. pour some metho on a rag and buff whatever is left of the paint
5. get a chammy and dry car.

End result

'U mad?

[hakhawk]

Winning.

Here is my routine:

1. Gerni wash the car
2. I use Morning Fresh in a bucket of boiling hot water, use a nice big piece of steel wool and work in circular motions, getting all the crap off
3. Gerni rinse off
4. pour some metho on a rag and buff whatever is left of the paint
5. get a chammy and dry car.

End result

'U mad?

mines pretty much the same, except i rub oil from my last service into the clearcoat, comes up mint!!