How To Wash Your Car

GJ-Molestor

Banned
:
2011 BMW 528i, 2015 Mazda 6, 1995 Nissan Maxima Manual
Do any of you use one of those self serve coin washes? After some experimentation, I found this to be the most effective way to clean your car.

1. Use wax wash to spray down the entire car. Try to get all the grit off your paint
2. Use the foam brush to spray car wash soap into a bucket. Alternatively you can bring your own car soap, preferably with wax already in it. DO NOT use the foam brush on your paint.
3. Use a couple clean microfibre rags and carefully wipe down the whole car. Take your time with this step to ensure the wax seals a good layer on your clean clear coat. Do not use a swirl motion to avoid swirl marks. Flip, fold, scrub and squeeze the rags often to ensure you’re not scraping grit into your clear coat. This is especially important to those of you with dark paints that show imperfections easily.
4. After the car is covered in soap, give it one more rinse with the wax wash. All this wax will build a layer on your clear coat which keeps your paint always looking fresh and reduces the frequency of washing. Once you get a layer of wax on your car, any grit just comes right off so you don’t need to worry about scratching your clear coat when you are wiping everything down.

You have the pay for the coin machine system twice to do this properly, but it’s still half the price of an automated car wash and your paint will look amazing after you build a layer of wax on your paint. You will reduce rust and keep your car looking fresh for a very long time.

For the interior, all you really need is a light detergent or interior detailer to clean everything, including the seats. The seats have a protective coating on top of the leather so don’t bother wasting your time “conditioning” the leather, because it’s not getting past the protective layer. You can also hang up the interior carpets on the wall at these self serve places and give them a good clean with the pressure washer... you will be amazed at how clean the mat looks afterwards and how much grit came out. Just be sure to give them a good couple whacks against the wall before you put them back in your car and once you get home, allow them to fully dry overnight somewhere ventilated to avoid bacteria buildup in your car.

A cheap, and effective way to keep your car looking fresh for those of you who gotta do it themselves. Just be very careful with your clearcoat when wiping down the car.

Cheers
 
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I use this method during the winter time here in CNY. Too cold to be doing this at home with the risk of having my water line freezing on me. I do 2 $3 sessions for $6 total. I'm with you on being more effective while stretching your money. Other than that I always wash mine at home.

I do things a little differently though. I bring my own wash & wax soap from Adam's Polishes and 3 buckets. 1 for soapy water, 1 for rinsing after so many passes with my wash mitt, and 1 for the wheels alone. The first session I rinse the car down first (undercarriage, wheel wells too) with the soap spray from the wash bay and then fill my buckets accordingly with soap/water or water. AMMONYC just introduced his new Winter Boost soap last year that you add into any soap to help prevent further oxidation and potential rust from the salt/sand. https://www.ammonyc.com/shop/ammo-boost-winter-wash/ Watch his video on it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCQ0X5E5Ig&feature=youtu.be And watch his other, very in-depth videos. The second session I just spray down with water (undercarriage, wheel wells too) to get all the soap off.

The drying process can be where more scratches and swirl marks can introduced without even knowing it. I prefer using a dry-inhibiting spray with a dedicated micro-fiber drying towel to prevent any unwanted scratches/swirl marks as much as possible. Or using compressed air is even better. No touching the paint at all!

Interior is always done at home. Keep the methods coming guys!
 
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I use this method during the winter time here in CNY. Too cold to be doing this at home with the risk of having my water line freezing on me. I do 2 $3 sessions for $6 total. I'm with you on being more effective while stretching your money. Other than that I always wash mine at home.

I do things a little differently though. I bring my own wash & wax soap from Adam's Polishes and 3 buckets. 1 for soapy water, 1 for rinsing after so many passes with my wash mitt, and 1 for the wheels alone. The first session I rinse the car down first (undercarriage, wheel wells too) with the soap spray from the wash bay and then fill my buckets accordingly with soap/water or water. AMMONYC just introduced his new Winter Boost soap last year that you add into any soap to help prevent further oxidation and potential rust from the salt/sand. https://www.ammonyc.com/shop/ammo-boost-winter-wash/ Watch his video on it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCQ0X5E5Ig&feature=youtu.be And watch his other, very in-depth videos. The second session I just spray down with water (undercarriage, wheel wells too) to get all the soap off.

The drying process can be where more scratches and swirl marks can introduced without even knowing it. I prefer using a dry-inhibiting spray with a dedicated micro-fiber drying towel to prevent any unwanted scratches/swirl marks as much as possible. Or using compressed air is even better. No touching the paint at all!

Interior is always done at home. Keep the methods coming guys!

Unfortunately I live in a condo, so I have to use this method year round (2 purchase of $3 car wash)

I dont dry the car, I think its not worth the extra wear that it causes on the clear coat. I just drive off and wipe any water spots when I get home and the car always looks great.
 
A suggestion for those without a garage- purchase one of these https://www.walmart.com/ip/Detailer...8&wl12=15111242_0&wl14=car brush hose&veh=sem

- A bucket
- Your choice of car quality soap, ideally with wax included.
- Wheel brush
- Microfiber towels

At the DIY wash place put in cap full of soap in bucket and fill up with water. Rinse the car with their hose (not using their brush). Then dip your clean brush into your soap in your bucket onto...yes your car:) Lightly scrub allowing the soap to do the work. Work from the top down. Use the wheel brush for you wheels and tires last. Rinse and Dry car. Always keep your brushes clean too.
 
Good lord it is a car man. Give the dude $12 and run it through the wash. It isn't a big deal.
 
Good lord it is a car man. Give the dude $12 and run it through the wash. It isn't a big deal.

I respectfully disagree. I enjoy keeping keeping my paint in decent condition. I've switched recently from the 2 bucket wash method to using Optimum No Rinse. It does use up way more microfiber rags which then need to be washed so the water savings is negligible. But if you're in a condo or without a gargage with hose I think this is the way to go. You'll need to buy some decent microfiber cloths for both washing and drying but it's fast and easy. I prefer doing an initial spray down especially on the wheelwells. I'm also a big fan of Collinite 845 wax. Switching to Collinite 476 for the winter prep just to see if I like it better.
 
I clay bar when necessary, and Wax every few months. I don't really have time to wash her myself anymore so I take her to the wash once a week, sometimes twice a week. My theory is the crud that gets onto the car is more likely to damage the paint than the car wash. When I get her home I wipe off any water that strayed, and apply the chemical guys tire shine.

Now time to start looking into a hitch and roof rack.
 
Good lord it is a car man. Give the dude $12 and run it through the wash. It isn't a big deal.

Not gonna lie, that was pretty Ignorant. I guess some people just care and want their car to look nice?

The bad automated car washes often dont get the dust and baked on s*** on the side of the car so I cant build any layer of wax to keep the car clean. Id rather pay half the price and clean my car properly by leaving a coat of wax on my paint. You dont need wash the car as often..

I respectfully disagree. I enjoy keeping keeping my paint in decent condition. I've switched recently from the 2 bucket wash method to using Optimum No Rinse. It does use up way more microfiber rags which then need to be washed so the water savings is negligible. But if you're in a condo or without a gargage with hose I think this is the way to go. You'll need to buy some decent microfiber cloths for both washing and drying but it's fast and easy. I prefer doing an initial spray down especially on the wheelwells. I'm also a big fan of Collinite 845 wax. Switching to Collinite 476 for the winter prep just to see if I like it better.
 
I agree OP, I do this all the time. Auto car washes are terrible at getting inside the rims and all the bug splatters off of the front bumper. I bring two buckets using one to hand wash and the other to rinse the microfiber hand mit. I keep and empty pill bottle and fill it with my quarters from change I get during the week.
 
I do similar, but it does nothing to prevent rust. Still get plenty of it anywhere the paint has chipped, which on a Japanese car, is many places. Owned 3 Japanese brands. All super chippy.
 
I do similar, but it does nothing to prevent rust. Still get plenty of it anywhere the paint has chipped, which on a Japanese car, is many places. Owned 3 Japanese brands. All super chippy.

Mazda is well known for having one of the thinnest body paint out there
 
Mazda is well known for having one of the thinnest body paint out there

All Japanese brands I've had suck for paint durability. I've only had the bargain basement cars like Infiniti, nissan, and mazda though. Cannot speak to toyota, lexus, or honda.
 
All Japanese brands I've had suck for paint durability. I've only had the bargain basement cars like Infiniti, nissan, and mazda though. Cannot speak to toyota, lexus, or honda.

Haven't seen anything about Toyota paint
 
I've never seen anything other than conjecture regarding paint thickness and don't believe that the Japanese don't do what other global makers do - apply it in accordance with the paint manufacturers recommendation. I've seen some dreadful examples of German and French car paintwork. It scratches and chips like any other if it isn't treated right.
 
I've never seen anything other than conjecture regarding paint thickness and don't believe that the Japanese don't do what other global makers do - apply it in accordance with the paint manufacturers recommendation. I've seen some dreadful examples of German and French car paintwork. It scratches and chips like any other if it isn't treated right.

My jeep had nearly 100k miles. I had 2 or 3 chips. My cx5 has a bit over half that. Many more chips. Also, 2 windshields had to be replaced already. It's a trend...
 
My jeep had nearly 100k miles. I had 2 or 3 chips. My cx5 has a bit over half that. Many more chips. Also, 2 windshields had to be replaced already. It's a trend...

Not really unob. That could just be bad luck. If you go on other forums they are all complaining of the same thing. I've got a TSB on the glass of the new model somewhere if it helps you decide about choosing one.
 
I use a do-it-myself car wash. Soap>rinse>Spot free rinse. Nothing too special. I wax the complete vehicle with NuFinish in the spring and the hood again in the Fall. My vehicles look great for the 10 years or so that I own them. Ed
 
Good lord it is a car man. Give the dude $12 and run it through the wash. It isn't a big deal.

We may not be able to take things of this world with us in the end, but we all have something to keep us occupied in the mean time.

The bad automated car washes often don’t get the dust and baked on s*** on the side of the car so I can’t build any layer of wax to keep the car clean. I’d rather pay half the price and clean my car properly by leaving a coat of wax on my paint. You don’t need wash the car as often..

+1. There will always be a very thin layer of film on there no matter how many washes it goes through. Plus all the contaminants on the sides and lower rocker panels. Touchless car washes are nice to help keep the elements from building up on your vehicle, especially during the winter.

I understand people have time constraints and limitations but hand washing gives the best results every time.
 
Not really unob. That could just be bad luck. If you go on other forums they are all complaining of the same thing. I've got a TSB on the glass of the new model somewhere if it helps you decide about choosing one.

Noone on the jeep forums ever complained of windshield or paint issues. Same on the corvette and f body forums I was on when I owned those.
 
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