Share your washing approach

[Pegasi]

Check weather
Make drink
Get headphones
Spray wheels, clean wheels
Spray car with pressure washer
Use under carriage fitting to spray underneath car
Refresh drink
Foam Cannon & rinse
Foam Cannon and wash with microfiber wash mitt
Blow off excess water with blower
Refresh drink
Dry car and inspect
Put everything away
Stare at car
Put car away

 

[CarrHarris]

This!

 

[Rorie]

My dealer said there have been some ECU issues with automatic car washes spraying too mch pressure into the back vents. So I use a wash yourself car wash and just not shoot the sprayer directly or up close to the vents.

 

[NJemira85]

My dealer said there have been some ECU issues with automatic car washes spraying too mch pressure into the back vents. So I use a wash yourself car wash and just not shoot the sprayer directly or up close to the vents.

The ecu issue is lotus left the fucking thing exposed. Hilarious

 

[NJemira85]

My approach: just say no.

Don’t do it.

Wouldn’t be prudent use of funds.

 

[sk8nSam]

I hate washing cars and especially drying them. (This probably relates to my youth when my Dad had me dry the Caddie with an ragged piece of deerskin shammy.)

But, after I foam cannon and rinse my Emira, this towel takes all the work out of getting the water off:

Extra-Large PFM® Edgeless Drying Towel

Experience superior drying power with our Extra-Large PFM® Edgeless Drying Towel. Unleash 1,044 square inches of thirsty microfiber for faster vehicle drying.

www.griotsgarage.com

 

[Lotus64]

Here's my current Emira wash routine. It's excessive. The car gets about 3-4 complete washes per year. The wheels / calipers get cleaned about 6 times per year.


1. Rinse wheel - one at a time avoiding body
2. Wash wheel with microfiber
3. Rinse wheel
4. Cover front window door seals with tape
5. Cover bottom of windshield with towels
6. Low pressure rinse body, avoiding window seals and all vents
7. Wash with new microfiber in 4 sections (front, sides, rear) using straight lines - 2 bucket method with dirt catcher
8. Rinse (4 sections)
9. Remove towels, clean base of windshield
10. Carefully rinse windshield
11. Spray on Griots 3-in-1 ceramic wax while wet
12. Final Rinse
13. Remove tape from door seals
14. Blow dry - extra attention to doors, vents and crevices
15. Spot dry with damp microfiber - windows first, then body
16. Dry door jambs
17. Short highway drive to completely dry and prevent brake rust
18. Final blow dry

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

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.

Don't shoot me for this but I've been using McGuire's Hot Rims Tire and Wheel Cleaner with good success. Per the instructions, I hose the rim off using just the regular trigger nozzle on my hose, spray on the McGuires, wait no more than 30 seconds while simultaneously brushing with a soft wheel brush, then hose off. Works great, and can be done between full car washes with little to no overspray. Hopefully I haven't been doing damage to my rims this way. Although I realize I may have taken off whatever remains of my ceramic coating done a year and a half ago, but it never really delivered on its promises of the brake dust just rinsing off anyway.

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

Check weather
Make drink
Get headphones
Spray wheels, clean wheels
Spray car with pressure washer
Use under carriage fitting to spray underneath car
Refresh drink
Foam Cannon & rinse
Foam Cannon and wash with microfiber wash mitt
Blow off excess water with blower
Refresh drink
Dry car and inspect
Put everything away
Stare at car
Put car away

Great procedure! But you missed one step after Put car away: REFRESH DRINK!

 

[UCLAFC]

Great procedure! But you missed one step after Put car away: REFRESH DRINK!

Like you guys I also schedule my wash based on the weather but can’t count number of times I’ve checked weather again when I’m done just to see rain now in the forecast

 

[Beachbum]

Like you guys I also schedule my wash based on the weather but can’t count number of times I’ve checked weather again when I’m done just to see rain now in the forecast

When the cleaning chemicals say "Do not use in direct sunlight" take heed. I made the mistake of doing this and its a nightmare sorting it out afterwards. What was usually a 90-120min job, turned into over 4hrs

 

[Beachbum]

Check weather
Make drink
Get headphones
Spray wheels, clean wheels
Spray car with pressure washer
Use under carriage fitting to spray underneath car
Refresh drink
Foam Cannon & rinse

Add a step here. Foam cannon with Citrus wash.......... Was put onto this by another Lotus owner, made it much easier getting bugs off the paintwork

Foam Cannon and wash with microfiber wash mitt
Blow off excess water with blower
Refresh drink
Dry car and inspect
Put everything away
Stare at car
Put car away

 

[Lotus64]

Add a step here. Foam cannon with Citrus wash.......... Was put onto this by another Lotus owner, made it much easier getting bugs off the paintwork

An alternative method for removing bugs and droppings is to soak a paper towel (or microfiber) in hot water, place it on the splatter and let it soak for 10 minutes before gently lifting up (not rubbing).

 

[Blue131]

The ecu issue is lotus left the fucking thing exposed. Hilarious

Would it really be a Lotus if it didn't have oddities like this?

 

[Blue131]

I will admit - the P&S Rinseless Wash and associated towels from the The Rag Company is hard to justify. When my wife discovered that I spent $150 on some 'snake oil and rags' she knew that I was insane! However, if you already have the towels, you really only need to invest in the Rinseless Wash and Rags to Riches for washing the microfiber towels, and since both products have such high dilution rates, the stuff goes really far. I have also turned my wife onto it for cleaning things around the house, as I keep a pump sprayer of it available at all times. It works great on windows, patio furniture, etc. Like I alluded to, the finish left behind by this product looks feels like it was also coated. This is something I have never experienced with typical wash products. That said, I went for gallon bottles on my last purchase, as this should last me many years.

With respect to power washing, I have not had any issues. However, I do use the widest tip, and spray from a distance to minimize the force only any seals. The only place I bring the wand anywhere close is at the wheels and wheel wells. But, this enables me to remove 90% of the brake dust by simply rinsing before washing.

Here is a quick photo of the car after winning 'Top 5' at my local car show last Saturday.
View attachment 73203

Looking great! The lighting is throwing me a bit, is that Atlantis Blue?

I hear you on the justification, I was asked why I needed so many different sizes and types of microfiber and aren't they just all towels

 

[Pegasi]

Great procedure! But you missed one step after Put car away: REFRESH DRINK!

Agreed because I am not really washing my car. I am really drinking and finding something to do! Lol

Honestly washing cars is my labor of love. Love when the weather is perfect. I have a lot of trees so no direct sunlight to worry about so I can take my time.

 

[geoffbland]

Agreed because I am not really washing my car. I am really drinking and finding something to do! Lol

Honestly washing cars is my labor of love. Love when the weather is perfect. I have a lot of trees so no direct sunlight to worry about so I can take my time.

I also enjoyed washing cars when I first got my Elise but then got bored with washing them when the Elise was off-road in the garage and we just had the "family" cars. Strangely, I now enjoy washing cars again; the fact that this change of heart has occurred since I got the Emira is surely just a coincidence.

 

[Sanguineous]

Before buying the Emira, I wasn't at all a "car washer Enthusiast", kinda hated it TBH. But now I wash it every 1-2 weeks, for about 3h exterior + interior and I really enjoy the process!

For me it was this video: Cleaning a Dirty Porsche 911 GT3 RS - Exterior & Interior Detail that helped me find a complete wash routine.

Basically you can follow the video for a "in-depth" wash and cut some steps if you want to make it quick wash.

Some steps are not to be done every weeks; like Ceramic coating. and other redundant like pre-wash. But still, you have more info than needed!

After, you should follow a list of products and buy on online local reliable site (I use "Carzilla" since I'm in Canada).
The video suggest products, but you should compare different brands to get the best price/value.

Cheers!

​

 

[allenyao09]

Now with 2 kids I only hand wash my cars a couple of times a year. The Emira is garaged with a car cover during the rain season.

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

I also enjoyed washing cars when I first got my Elise but then got bored with washing them when the Elise was off-road in the garage and we just had the "family" cars. Strangely, I now enjoy washing cars again; the fact that this change of heart has occurred since I got the Emira is surely just a coincidence.

I have to admit (kind of true confessions, let the judgments begin!), there's a certain sensual pleasure to washing cars with sexy curves! One that I remember in particular was the hood bump on my 62 TR-4.