Best car wash equipment?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by macmaster05, Jan 15, 2011.

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  1. laplante236

    laplante236 Junior Member

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    I use windex and a towel to keep it clean between heavy washings. and the Duster too. Ocassionally I use car wash soap & hose with rag or sponge when it really needs spiffing up. Works good & did the same on my previous car (Avalon-what a difference) for 8 years & no paint problems.
     
    #81 laplante236, Feb 3, 2011
  2. twittel

    twittel Senior Member

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    I do similar, but I don't use windex. I use a damp cotton cloth to wipe down the car every day; rinsing out my cloth a couople times. Actually, I feel like I'm saving a ton of water by cleaning this way. Seems to do an excellent job of keeping it clean and shining. I will use hose and sponge every couple months especially if I've been on muddy roads.

    As a quirky aside, if I've used hose and sponge, I will use my electric yard blower to dry the car. This really works well.
     
    #82 twittel, Feb 4, 2011
  3. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    You CAN NOT use Windex on the paint of the vehicle. Windex is actually a pretty harsh chemical, in the very best scenario it will strip the wax, worst case scenario is it will cause paint etching over time.

    As for using a damp rag, the issue there is marring. By doing that you are without a doubt causing marring of the paint, because there is nothing that is lubricating the friction between the towel, dirt & paint...

    Bad idea.
     
    #83 SW03ES, Feb 4, 2011
  4. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    I think I'll stick to conventional car washing and waxing. The only other 'rinse' I know is legit is Optimum No Rinse. But there's something I love about getting up at 6:30am once a month on a saturday to wash my car.

    By the way my car is clean and waxed as of this weekend. I'd post pictures but I'm trying to keep a lower porofile these days. Google already has a ton of pictures of my car, it's scary. F*** Google!
     
    #84 macmaster05, Feb 4, 2011
  5. twittel

    twittel Senior Member

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    Geez Mac, you get up at 6:30am; doesn't your back hurt laying in bed that long? lol
     
    #85 twittel, Feb 5, 2011
  6. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

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    What's a good wash mitt that I can buy from Pep Boys, Kragen/O'Reilly, Walmart, (local establishment).?
     
    #86 sipnfuel, Apr 12, 2011
  7. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    #87 stream, Apr 12, 2011
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  8. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    This is the mitt I use - it's really great.
    http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X3002-Microfiber-Wash-Mitt/dp/B000RXKR6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1302646899&sr=8-1

    I like it more than the sheepskin mitts. I don't trust sheepskin. Microfiber is the only material to ever touch my car.
     
    #88 macmaster05, Apr 12, 2011
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  9. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

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    ^^ I'll check it out

    I'm tempted to use the remainder of this car soap I have. Is Krystal Kleer a good brand?

    There's a pack of microfiber towels at Costco that I want to pick up. I'm hoping it's better then these cheap ones that still leave a lot of lint. I use them to dry the car.

    Windex isn't working too well on windows. Am I doing something wrong?
     
    #89 sipnfuel, Apr 12, 2011
  10. Econ

    Econ Member

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    Well, with a good waxed finish, I use my leaf blower. Start at the top and work around.
    What color is your Prius?
     
    #90 Econ, Apr 12, 2011
  11. Econ

    Econ Member

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    Right!
     
    #91 Econ, Apr 12, 2011
  12. briank

    briank Solar Powered

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    Anyone use the Mr Clean carwash system? That thing is great. No drying required and no water spots.
     
    #92 briank, Apr 12, 2011
  13. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    I'd quit the Windex and switch to soap and warm water, again gently applied with a Microfiber cloth. Costco mf towels work well, but most all mf cloths will work fine. microfiber is microfiber. I have a pack of mf towels from walmart (really cheap) and I use them for spot waxing or detailing, or interiors/windows.

    I've never heard of Krystal Kleer, but if you're not sure if you want to use it then don't bother. Soap is cheap. You can get a 64 oz jug of Meguiar's Gold Class or Mother's Car Wash for $10 anywhere. The real $$$ is spent on the waxes.

    It's magnetic gray, but I've learned a really great way to dry it without a leaf blower: take off the nozzle of the hose and have the hose drip a steady stream of water over the car. This lets the water bead up and have less surface area. It makes a huge difference when drying with my large waffle weave towel (can be found at most auto parts stores).

    http://www.amazon.com/Viking-Microfiber-Waffle-Weave-Drying/dp/B001Q8DMA0


    I've heard about this system a couple of years ago but have never tried it.
     
    #93 macmaster05, Apr 12, 2011
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  14. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

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    What do you think of applying the soap with the microfiber towels? If I replace them every so often it won't scratch the paint, I think. Or bad idea?

    I have like 30 of them so I won't run out.
     
    #94 sipnfuel, Apr 12, 2011
  15. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    Soap is definitely ok on mf towels as long as you wash them in the washer/dryer after each use, as you always should anyways. Just put it on a gentle cycle, small load, no bleach or fabric softener, and with no other fabrics (mf only). You can also soak the towel in a bucket of warm water for a few hours before you throw them in the wash, to let the dirt and particles loose.

    Oh yeah, personally, I wouldn't throw them out, even if you have like 30 of them. Mf towels are too expensive for me to be doing that.
     
    #95 macmaster05, Apr 12, 2011
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  16. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

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    Thanks. I won't be throwing them out. I got these cheap like 30 for $8.00. I am still probably going to buy the Costco ones which are much softer & higher quality.

    I will buy a proper wash mitt. Actually I prefer a sponge, but as long as it's the proper tool I won't care.

    Ordering online will take a few days for the stuff to get here, especially from Amazon likes to take its sweet time sometimes.

    It's just the birds got to my car and I want to wash it, but I don't have all the right stuff so I have to improvise.
     
    #96 sipnfuel, Apr 12, 2011
  17. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

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    #97 sipnfuel, Apr 12, 2011
  18. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    Cool! As I've learned, having the right tools is everything. As an example, when I used to wash my car (which was rarely), I would dry it with a regular cotton towel, which unbeknown to me, left my car with a few micro-scratches. I knew I couldn't keep up these bad practices, so I started this thread. Now I'm never looking back. With the right equipment I feel empowered to wash/wax any time, any day. (Actually I restrain myself to once a month :) )
     
    #98 macmaster05, Apr 12, 2011
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  19. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    Yeah that'll work. The truth is all shammys and waffle weave towels have about the same effectiveness. The key, and I can't stress this enough, is to use the technique of letting a steady stream of water drip from the hose over your car (top, hood, hatch, windows) after rinse/before the final wipedown. That allows less water to be picked up by whichever drying towel you're using, thus much less wringing.

    I *did not* try this technique once with my waffle weave towel just to see how good the towel was, and the result was awful. It was as soaked as any other regular towel would be.
     
    #99 macmaster05, Apr 12, 2011
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  20. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    I understand that microfiber mitts with the bunches of fingers work quite well. I like my genuine sheepskin from Griot's Garage.

    I'm going to tell you something that will save from marring your clear coat, so listen up... you can do the most damage marring the finish during wash process. Many think it is during drying, but typically not.

    If is important how you wash the car. Lower door panels can get very dirty. A few swipes across the door and your mitt can be filled with dirt. You don't want to continue wiping this dirt around the paint. Look at your mitt very often to see dirt. If dirty, flip it over.

    And .... you must keep another large bucket (5 gallon, I put in 3 or 4) of clean rinse water nearby. Rinse that mitt often. May need to change water once or twice while washing.

    I never expect to get car completely dry even with fancy drying towels. I finish a section with a polishing cloth dampened with a bit of Quik Wax and maybe a bit of it sprayed onto paint, but not much.
     
    #100 cycledrum, Apr 12, 2011
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