I love a nice clean car, but really dont have the time to detail it.
Whats the best way to hand wash the car without spending 5 hours doing it? Thanks....

 

pay someone to do it for you

 

Thats like saying you love money, but don't want to work for it.

 

Sounds like my ex.

 

I appreciate the sarcasm but seriously... If I can spare 2 hours to hand wash the car, what products/techniques would you reccommend? Thanks

 

Wash:

1. Hose with a high pressure nozzle. You don't need a power washer.
2. Two buckets. One for your car wash solution, the other to rinse your sponge/mitt.
3. Car wash solution - This depends on what type of wax/polish you use.
4. Natural Sea sponge or high quality Microfiber wash mitt
5. Cheap chenille sponge/mitt
6. Soft Bristle wheel brush

Dry:

1. California Water Blade
2. Leaf Blower
3. High Quality Microfiber towel
4. Abosrber - Optional

 

Technique:

Depending on the skunkiness of your car, add the appropriate amount of car wash solution to empty bucket. Slowly fill bucket with water to cause the soap solution to mix. You don't want it all sudsy. That's the old method of washing cars. The less suds the better.

Initial Hose down: This is the most important step. Spend a good 5-10 minutes just hosing down the car. Get all up in the wheel wells.

Dip the sea sponge in the car wash solution and give it a few good squeezes. Start from the top of the car. Hold the sponge/mitt above the roof and squeeze the chit out of it so the car wash solution pools all over the roof. Then, just using the weight of your hand, move the sponge/mitt over the car from front to back, never in a circle. Never apply any force on the paint when cleaning. If the dirt/grime doesn't come off with ease, you didn't hose the car down enough or your car wash solution isn't strong enough.

Rinse the sponge/mitt out in the other bucket filled with just water. Move onto the next body panel. Never clean the bottom part of the panels with your good sponge/mitt. Break out the cheap chenille sponge for the bottom most parts of the panels.

Clean the wheels last with the wheel brush.

RINSE.

When you are finished rinsing, remove the nozzle from the hose. Turn the water pressure on 1/3 power. Just hold the open nozzle about a foot above each panel. The water will sheet right off. Use the california blade to get the remaining pools of water off the car, making sure the clean the squeegee with your finger tips after every pass. Break out an electric leaf blower and get water out of all the nooks and crannies of the car. Finish it off with a high quality microfiber towel.

That should take you about an hour and a half if done properly. Everyone has their own way of washing a car. But that's the way I do it and many professional detailers I have spoken with approve of that method.

 

Thanks.. I appreciate it....... question... Are those spray on wipe off waxes any good or is it a bunch of BS?

 

It's all about time and effort. Find out what works best for you and just use it. Don't worry too much what other people think. Those spray and wipe waxes are decent if you don't have too much time on your hands and don't want to invest that much money. They aren't as great as the hard core products on the market, but it may get the job done in your eyes. The G is my daily driver so I need endurance and protection first and foremost from the products i use. (LOL! Sounds like a sex commercial).

If my car was a garage queen, i'd probably use a different set of products. But I use and swear by Zaino. I can't be bothered with applying a wax every month. I just slap on five coats of zaino at a time over a long weekend, and then never touch the stuff again for four months. It endures like no other I've seen/used, so I'm quite happy with it. It looks fantastic as it is right after a wash and dry in the 3rd/4th month. But if I want extra bling factor, a quick wipe with the detail spray and it looks showroom ready.

Again, thats what I have found to work best with the my driving/detailing habits. Others will have their suggestions. Find out what your primary needs are, then find a product that fills those needs best.

 

in addition to afr0puff's awesome write-up, i'd also suggest buying the california car duster to keep a clean car (never use on a dirty car) looking shiny. i'm a crystal guard (CG) user and its application does involve spraying on and wiping off, but it is not a traditional wax. 2 coats of CG (although i usually put 3 since i'm paranoid) lasted an entire midwest winter for me. zaino and CG are pricier than the traditional stuff, but anyone who uses those products will tell you it's worth it. happy cleaning!

 

Thx guys...

 

hmmm. I would think you would clean the wheels 1st since anything that splashes on your paint (especially brake dust that you cannot see) will be washed off your painted surfaces when you wash after the wheel cleaning.

 

LOL! How aggressive are you getting when washing the wheels so that you actually get some splash on the paint?

The reason to wash the wheels last is two-fold. One, the run-off from the body that lands on the wheels will help loosen the caked on brake dust for easier cleaning. and two, brake dust will really contaminate your wash bucket. You could always bring out a third bucket just for the wheels, but thats more work.

But I actually do wash my wheels first. I'm a weekly washer, so I always save the remaining amount wash solution from the previous week. I clean the wheels with the remainder, then go inside and clean my wash buckets for a refill.

 

These professional detail web sites both recommend cleaning the wheels first before washing the car:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-wheels.html
http://www.detailingdynamics.com/tipsept04.html