Washing the Prius

[DaveOrgans]

I am still waiting for my Prius, but I have kept my current car looking like new using the 'touchless' car washes in this area, every week or two. They are basicly computer controlled pressure washes where only water (and liquid wax) touch the car. Locally they are refered to a 'Laserwash' units. Prices range from $6.00 to $9.00 dollars depending on option chosen, and they are open (i.e. unattended) 24/7.

On top of that, once a year I take it to have it hand waxed at the local 'fancy' carwash.

Dave H.

[sunnysandiegan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Manksgloob @ Jun 8 2006, 11:51 PM) [snapback]268473[/snapback]</div>

Well, I just went out of purchased a Mr. Clean AutoDry Pro Series* kit for $40 dollars at a local car shop.
You can also find it at places like Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Home Depot, and some grocery stores.

The kit includes a starter container of soap+polymer - good for two washes.
Starter water filter - good for 3 washes.
AutoDry water gun thingy.
Wash mit.
Tire scrubber.
Swiffer wipe-on-a-stick for interior cleaning.

I didn't really care for the swiffer cloth, but boy was the AutoDry system really cool.
The gun attaches to a waterhose and has four settings:
Spray, 5x Spray, Soap, Filter.

So you spray the car, using the 5x Spray for the tough-to-clean caked-on-mud.
Then in sections, soap the car. (The soap supposedly contains a polymer that will cause de-ionized water to bead up and run off/sheet off of the surface of the car, but this doesn't happen until later.)
Using the mit, you can gently scrub off the junk on the car.
Then rinse it off with Spray.
Go around your car until you've scrubbed and rinsed the whole thing.
Then switch to the Filter mode which will essentially mist the car with de-ionized water. "Mist" is too much of an understatement. It's more like a heavy mist or a light, even shower. Make sure to displace all of the unfiltered water with the de-ionized water. After a while the water will just bead up and run off the car. You're done.

Let it air dry. (No streaks!)
Because none of the hardwater stays on the car (it was displaced by the de-ionized water) you won't get spots from the drying
.
It worked really well for me.
Was it worth $40? I don't know, I think so.
I know I'll be using it regularly, so over time the cost-per-wash should drop. It will only be in the cost of refills.
I still recommend it.

It only took 25 minutes to wash the whole car and it looked really nice (not uber-detailed nice, but clean.)

Refills for the system cost 6 and 8 dollars for the soap and filter, respectively.
However, these last a little bit longer than their starter counterparts. Eight washes with the soap (but I'll say 5 to be safe), and ten washes with the filter.

I guess in the end (after several washes), the target would be $2.00 per wash. Plus a little bit more for the initial cost of the kit.

$2.50 for hand-wash? Not too bad.

*: The difference between the Pro and non-Pro is it includes the wash mit, tire scrubber, and the Swiffer thingy. Also, the pro version's water gun includes the 5x Spray setting (which sprays the water at 5x the force as the normal Spray setting) which the non-Pro does not. I forget if the non-Pro is $20 or $30 dollars, but if it's $20, it's almost a steal because the "meat" of the system is the gun+soap+filter contraption.
[/b]

Thank you!

[sunnysandiegan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jun 9 2006, 01:27 AM) [snapback]268496[/snapback]</div>

If he takes Dawn to it, be prepared to wax the car, because it will all be gone when he is finished washing. And if all the wax is gone and he is washing the car with a tee shirt, expect scratch marks on the car.

The list of supplies I would get for a basic car wash:

1) A long enough hose and a spray nozzle so you don't waste water and can quickly rinse the small sections as you finished washing them . . . before the soap dries on the car!
2) Car wash soap. Whatever brand, just make sure it says for all car finishes. (which I believe they all do). P.S. Dish soap should only be used to strip the old wax prior to applying a fresh coat.
3) A wash mitt. I recommend one that fits over your hand like a mitt and is made of microfiber. I had one which had loops . . . it sucked as it caught on sharp edges. The one I have now is a fuzzy type . . . nothing to catch on.
4) A brush for the tires and wheels. (so you don't get that crud on your wash mitt and scratch your paint.
5) A bucket.
6) A microfiber towel for drying.
7) A squeegee (like at the gas station) for quickly drying the windows. (I keep mine in the trunk with a bottle of water for quick window cleanings while away from home/on the road.

That is MY basic list of supplies for a wash job, although I have now taken to using Turtle Wax 1-Step Wax & Dry – Spray & Dry Car Wax and soft cotton cloths (the baby dipper types sold in car part stores for waxing/buffing cars). I use three. One for the wet application of the wax and removing the majority of the water, and the other two for buffing off the light haze [so, it is really a 2-step process, but not much more work than it takes to normally dry the car]. The dryer the butting cloths stay the better . . . that's why two. I am impressed with the stuff as it definitely helps maintain a high gloss and protection longer than if I just wax the car three or four times a year.
Rinse off all the dirt and grime you can with the hose before ever using the mitt. Start at the top and work your way down. Never let the soap dry on the car. NEVER, EVER use circular motions – only back and forth. If you scratch the car using circular motions, you will see the scratches (swirls) from all angles. Straight scratches are harder to see. Rinse off the mitt with the hose before placing it back in the bucket . . . you don't want to save the dirt and rocks.

I was also going to mention the Mr. Clean AutoDry Car Wash System. I have heard several people say they like it very much . . . Manksgloob is one more to add to that list.
http://www.homemadesimple.com/sites/en_US/.../products.shtml

Pep Boys is a good place to get the supplies you need.
Of course there are other sources on the internet . . . but then, you could also do the "If you use A, then you get B (disastrous results)" and "If you use C, then you have to also do D (long drawn out process)".

Good Luck.
[/b]

Thanks! I mentioned the whole stripping effect and he said he has always washed his cars with dishwashing liquid (often was Dawn) and never waxed. So, I asked how great the paint job looked after a couple years. Didn't really get an answer. I have only seen the car he had when we met and he took better care of that one than any others, according to him. He never washed that one himself, though (due to time and location). I've always owned used vehicles and the paint finish was not something to worry about. I washed my own cars or took them through automatic car washes or had it detailed or whatever. I was never picky before. This is my first brand new car and, for the first time, I have an impact on how the finish looks down the line. We keep cars for long periods of time, so it is important to me.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Jun 9 2006, 01:41 AM) [snapback]268498[/snapback]</div>

Doesn't anybody use those big automatic car-wash things with big revolving furry wheels above and on both sides? Here I pay about £5 ($8?) about twice a year. But most of the time ordinary rainfall keeps the car clean enough.
[/b]

Before I sold my previous car, I noticed the car wash places around here did a lousy job of actually cleaning the car (choice of touchless or soft brushes...neither worked very effectively). I found one great place (handwash), but it is rather pricey for every time the car needs a bath. I paid $60 one time and $100 the last time (more detailing increased the price). San Diego does not get anywhere close to enough rainfall to keep a vehicle clean or even remotely clean. LOL

[aaf709]

I also use the Mr. Clean system, but on my old car I simply used a bucket, sponge and drying cloth. No soap. Since the bucket was full of water and dirt at the end I used it to water the plants.

[sunnysandiegan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mcbrunnhilde @ Jun 9 2006, 08:52 AM) [snapback]268615[/snapback]</div>

A few things:

I have Mr. Clean, but because San Diego water is SO hard, I find that I have to chamois the car afterwards to avoid deposits (or maybe my Mr. Clean thing is defective???). I use it anyway, because the de-ionized water probably means fewer spots in the first place.

NEVER use dishwashing soap unless you want to strip wax like OPs have said.

Buy enough car wash mitts so you can use a new one each time you wash the car (while the others pile up in your laundry hamper). A dirty mitt means scratches on the car.

Never wash the car in direct sunlight, and go in sections. Always wash from top to bottom--you don't want the top of the car to get washed with a mitt that has grime from the bottom of the car. You could always have a second mitt (maybe the somewhat-dirty one from your previous wash) to do the very bottom of the car where the grime/dirt/mud is the worst.

The Consumer Reports July '06 issue rates car waxes--it's on page 47.
[/b]

Thank you very much! I know our water is exceptionally hard and was wondering about the effectiveness of deionized water. If nothing else, it would buy some time in the heat (even in the shade, it can get hot enough to air-dry quickly) and with the distractions of a young child.

[darelldd]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Jun 9 2006, 01:41 AM) [snapback]268498[/snapback]</div>

But most of the time ordinary rainfall keeps the car clean enough.
[/b]

This is one thing that separates the "detail" guys from the "reasonably clean" guys.

For some, rain means the car is cleaned for free. For others (folks like me) rain means disaster - and a full detail is shortly in order.

I don't take my cars in for service unless I absolutely have to, and I sure as hell don't let anybody else wash them. Have you seen what some of these guys will do? Pressure washers and such? Eeek.

[sunnysandiegan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David H. Hawkins @ Jun 9 2006, 08:56 AM) [snapback]268617[/snapback]</div>

I am still waiting for my Prius, but I have kept my current car looking like new using the 'touchless' car washes in this area, every week or two. They are basicly computer controlled pressure washes where only water (and liquid wax) touch the car. Locally they are refered to a 'Laserwash' units. Prices range from $6.00 to $9.00 dollars depending on option chosen, and they are open (i.e. unattended) 24/7.

On top of that, once a year I take it to have it hand waxed at the local 'fancy' carwash.

Dave H.
[/b]

I have yet to find any automatic car wash place that actually cleans a vehicle nowadays in our area. They used to do a better job. I do have a good hand wash place and your once-a-year tip is a good idea. Thanks!

[sunnysandiegan]

I have a few specific questions:

Does the Mr. Clean soap strip off wax?

Does the Mr. Clean 5x power option provide enough force to remove paint from the car? Where exactly is it intended to be used on the vehicle (specific areas, like wheels, or anywhere)? How is it any different than adjusting the nozzle on our hose?

I plan to do the basic washing and drying myself, as needed. I will leave the detailing and waxing to the professionals. How often do you ("reasonably clean" is okay folks) have your car professionally waxed (or you do it yourself)?

Thanks!

[mcbrunnhilde]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sunnysandiegan @ Jun 9 2006, 09:50 AM) [snapback]268649[/snapback]</div>

even in the shade, it can get hot enough to air-dry quickly
[/b]

The Mr. Clean system tells you not to let the car dry until you use the de-ionized water as the last step. Every time I rinse a section, I re-wet wherever I have previously cleaned, and that seems to be fine. BTW I use a natural chamois, not a fake one. Some people swear instead by a silicone squeegee to get excess water off.

[jmccord]

I'm another owner that prefers to hand wash myself.
In addition to the fuzzy hand mitt, bucket and auto shampoo, I also find the following two items indespensible:

1) California Water Blade - better than a squeegee.
http://www.superiorcarcare.net/calwatblad.html
and
2) The Absorber - a synthetic drying towel.
http://www.theabsorber.com/product.html

These two items are inexpensive, work as advertised, last for years, and IMHO make do it yourself car washes a lot easier and more effective.

Washing in the shade also helps! :P