Share your washing approach

[daSchtick]

What step are you saving with rinseless washing?

Regular washing = rinse/presoak > soap > rinse > dry
Rinseless washing = rinse/presoak? > soap > dry or is it just soap > dry?

Is that basically it? So your towels get really dirty instead of rinsing the car before drying? I don't really understand the benefit.

Trust me. It took me a looong time to convince myself to even try it. It all seems so counterintuitive. Even the first couple of times I tried it, besides the noticable improvement in the final finish, I still wasn't sure I liked doing it. However, after 3-4 times, I really got the process down, and discovered that it actually took me less time. I would say that the wheels still take about the same time, but the main body goes so fast. I really can't explain the difference - perhaps it's related to not performing a second rinse, dragging the hose around the car, etc. I keep several towels on my shoulders as well, so once I wash a panel, I have the towels immediately available for drying.

One process you need to figure in is washing rags immediately afterwards. I toss them in the washer with a little Rags to Riches, and let them run. This is something you probably need to do with regular washing as well if you dry with microfiber, but it may be new if coming from a chamois.

There are lots of videos on rinseless washing on YouTube (The Rag Company, Obsessed Garage, Pan the Organizer) to help you better understand it before trying it. That said, (like the Emira) this is probably not for everyone. But it is definitely game changing for some of us.

 

[netsinah]

No right answers to the OP question; it's too dependant upon an individual owner's preference, OCD level and past experience.

Darker exterior paint needs more care. For example, I had a black E550 Mercedes which I bought new and kept for 10 years. Back then, I didn't worry much about paint swirls and the only PPF was on the front of the car (the usual areas, except I did the complete hood). One warm sunny summer day when washing the SUV "family-mobile" on our driveway, my spouse decided to spoil me so she pulled out my (then) 5-year old Mercedes and had a go. I couldn't believe it when she said afterwards my car looked ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE due to all the paint swirls visible in the bright sunlight, considering she's decidedly NOT a "car-person" and always accused me of worrying too much about my vehicles. It was a hard lesson to learn and I've since taken better care when washing any vehicle, for example, to follow the advice of my detailer when using microfiber cloths: dumping them (or folding over any slightly dirty contact surface) when they pick up the least amount of dirt...and moving them in the same direction on the paint surface when washing (with a solution recommended by my detailer) or drying, to avoid swirls. But that's just me and each to his/her own.

 

[Wolkenspiel]

I usually wash my cars by hand using the two-bucket method 1-2 weeks after buying them, and then again a couple of years later just before selling/trading them.

 

[harleyujoe]

Does anyone have a solution to wash the wheels only? I find that the car stays clean pretty well, but the wheels get dusty fast.

Ceramic Coat them...Really Helps....I also removed wheels and Clay Barred them..

 

[geoffbland]

One thing to mention - just in case anyone doesn't already know this - don't wash your micro-fibre clothes with any heat, keep it below 30C. It's also safer to air dry rather than tumble dry.
The reason is that the micro-fibres are super-thin polyester strands that melt easily - if you "overcook" them they will look and feel the same but you'll find they stop picking up the water as well and start leaving a lot of streaks.

 

[Lots_Of_Trouble]

Simple, get it wrapped!

Did it to mine and its an absolute bugger for swirl marks on the vinyl, even with the stuff provided by the guy who wrapped it.

I plan to get a full paint job when im done with this wrap and head straight to the shop for a PPF!

 

[Blue131]

One thing to mention - just in case anyone doesn't already know this - don't wash your micro-fibre clothes with any heat, keep it below 30C. It's also safer to air dry rather than tumble dry.
The reason is that the micro-fibres are super-thin polyester strands that melt easily - if you "overcook" them they will look and feel the same but you'll find they stop picking up the water as well and start leaving a lot of streaks.

I learned this the hard way. Fortunately it was a pack of Costco towels so a cheaper way to learn the lesson

 

[seriously]

Ceramic Coat them...Really Helps....I also removed wheels and Clay Barred them..

I did ceramic coat them. Most of the dust comes off with powerwashing, but I still need to soap it down to get it to 100%.

If I could just wash the wheels without powerwashing then I wouldn't have to wash the whole car. I wonder if anyone does that and if they use any type of method for it.

 

[harleyujoe]

I did ceramic coat them. Most of the dust comes off with powerwashing, but I still need to soap it down to get it to 100%.

If I could just wash the wheels without powerwashing then I wouldn't have to wash the whole car. I wonder if anyone does that and if they use any type of method for it.

I spray all the wheels with Adams wheel spray and let it sit for few minutes and then take a brush over front of wheels and use a skinny wand
brush on inner and power wash.. And sometimes I can get away with Adams wheel spray and just power washing at times...
I take the wheels off every spring to clean Calipers and inner rims and clean suspension while wheels are off.....I did clean all
suspension of oxidation when on the lift and Ceramic Coat it..

 

[Foxy87]

I love cars and take care of the ones I own, but I am not obsessed with it, its still a car in the end. So my question is: is it really frowned upon to just run it through a (good) car wash?

(genuine question)

 

[harleyujoe]

I love cars and take care of the ones I own, but I am not obsessed with it, its still a car in the end. So my question is: is it really frowned upon to just run it through a (good) car wash?

(genuine question)

I suppose others will tell you if they run theirs through....And I know I would not but then it is a car as you put it and wish I could feel that way
but do not view my Emira as just a car but special care vehicle during my ownership...My Emira would not be out of garage unless for a
clear day ride but know others who bought my Evora's and left them out in all the weather...So we all value cars in different ways..
But sure the Emria should hold up to a car wash...

 

[ADC]

I love cars and take care of the ones I own, but I am not obsessed with it, its still a car in the end. So my question is: is it really frowned upon to just run it through a (good) car wash?

(genuine question)

I think most of the frowning involved would possibly be when water goes around the window seals or all up in the electrics

Car washes with brushes are basically a swirl factory, which is why I'd avoid them in any car I care about. I PPF'd my Emira so that I could be less precious about just giving it a half-assed hand wash, but no way would I put it through any sort of mechanical car wash - having water blasted in at all angles, having it dragged along by some chain-driven mechanism, and possibly having mirrors snapped off by spinny things.

 

[Jbrock]

Owners manual says no automatic car washes. I won't risk it.

 

[UCLAFC]

I first water rinse with my power washer to get surface dirt and grime off. Foam cannon/soap the entire car, let sit for about a minute, rinse off. Soap again and wipe entire surface lightly with wash mitt, wheels have their own mitt. Rinse off. Electric leaf blower to get excess water off, fully dry with microfiber towels, wheels also get their own microfiber towels. Ceramic boost to use every 3-4 months given by my ppf shop for the Emira. I also use spray on ceramic by hybrid solutions every 4 months for my other cars, really helps with washes, water just beads off the paint after applying.

 

[RoryBellows]

spray wheels
wipe/brush wheels
rinse wheels and car
foam cannon car
rinse car
foam cannon car
wipe down car
rinse car
dry car
ceramic detail spray car
clean windows

 

[seriously]

I love cars and take care of the ones I own, but I am not obsessed with it, its still a car in the end. So my question is: is it really frowned upon to just run it through a (good) car wash?

(genuine question)

Please don’t. Water will get all over the engine bay. If it’s not touchless it will scratch up your paint.

I used to think it was all nonsense until I did my first ceramic coat. You have to clean the paint of any swirls first and man my car had tons of little scratches.

 

[Read T]

I have PPF. I hit it with my cheap electric pressure washer, then foam cannon it with Manett's snow foam - or any foam, then use a electric leaf blower to dry it. Almost all the water beads up and runs off, but I do a quick wipe down with microfiber and quick detailer to dry it the rest of the way. Takes 20 minutes (measured in number of songs and a beer). I feel it's a good balance between intensity and end result.

 

[MiamiBlue]

If you have the black pack be super gentle with the black roof. Very easy to put light scratches/swirl marks on there that will look terrible in sunlight.

 

[kitkat]

Ppf to protect the paint
Ceramic coat to protect the ppf
Graphene top coat to protect the ceramic coat

But what protects the graphene and where did all my money go?

 

[ADC]

Ppf to protect the paint
Ceramic coat to protect the ppf
Graphene top coat to protect the ceramic coat

But what protects the graphene and where did all my money go?

Finish it all off with a nice thick layer of Vaseline, to keep all your other coatings safe and sound