Washing the Prius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jmccord @ Jun 9 2006, 01:21 PM) [snapback]268666[/snapback]</div>

I just bought The Absorber when I got my Prius. It is a great tool.

 

How To Wash a Car: Things I've Learned The Hard Way

Park it in the shade, but not under a tree that will drip sap on it.

Make sure your neighbour's bird feeder is full, and yours is empty.

Be sure all the windows are all the way up *before* you spray the car.

Use two buckets, and rinse the washcloth instead of putting the dirt back on the car.

Be sure your neighbour isn't going to use his leafblower until *after* you've moved the car.

*Don't* use dish soap unless you're going to wax it again right away.

When your wife complains you spend more time with the car than with her, suggest she go for a wash and wax more often. Then you'll have time to clean the inside too, because you won't be allowed back in the house anytime soon.

 

I would suggest using some old terry cloth towels cut up so they are not to big and drag on the ground. Get some car wash soap from Pep Boys or Walmart, don't use dish soap. Mix up a bucket of soap, hose the car down, and use the rags to wash the car from the top down. When you hose off the car take the nozzle off and use just the hose with gentle full water flow. This will allow the water to sheet and pull a lot of the water off the car to make drying easier. One old large terry cloth towel should be able to dry the entire car. Should take about 20 mins.

You might consider waxing it with something, Nufinish for example. Anything is better than nothing. Also, call around to the detail shops and see what they charge to detail. A couple of hundred bucks once a year will make your car look like new.

 

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

Those are an excellent way to put swirl marks in your paint. You'll then have to pay at least $200 US to get someone competent to buff them out with a rotary or orbital polisher.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusenvy @ Jun 9 2006, 01:50 PM) [snapback]268720[/snapback]</div>

I've never noticed any marks after about 20 years of using public auto car washes. And anyway why would I want to have them removed? I don't like driving about in a shiny new-looking car any more than I would always want to be dressed in a new suit with a bright tie and with highly polished shoes!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Jun 9 2006, 12:48 PM) [snapback]268779[/snapback]</div>

This reminds me of the story of the English gentlemen who had their butlers and footmen break in their new tailored suits so that when they finally started to wear them they would not look brand new.

 

Out of curiosity, what did you end up getting?

 

Zaino has some good tips:
Dawn takes off grease and oily particulates, as well as much of the bug goo.
Use only 100% cotton made in USA to prevent scratching.
have an '06 and I only use the "touchless" car wash or wash by hand. the Zaino Z2 was super easy to apply and gave great results!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(barbaram @ Jun 9 2006, 11:44 PM) [snapback]269055[/snapback]</div>

One note about the Dawn wash - it will strip off your wax! Do not wash with anything other than car wash soap on a regular basis. Zaino only intends the Dawn wash to be used when you are waxing (or more appropriately Zainoing) and want to start with a "clean slate."

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Jun 9 2006, 12:48 PM) [snapback]268779[/snapback]</div>

I guarantee you that you have scratches in your paint, as it only takes a single pass through a car wash with rotary brushes to get them.

If you not are capable of seeing the scratches, you're really not qualified to be giving out advice on auto paint care. You could easily advise somebody to do something that would scratch their paint since you've just admitted you have no way of telling which products or washing techniques or types of car washes will scratch paint.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sunnysandiegan @ Jun 8 2006, 09:44 PM) [snapback]268452[/snapback]</div>

First, have or acquire a teenager who venerates cars;

Second, keep him short of money;

Third, Learn judicious threats, and

There you have a clean car!

(Sorry Sandiegan--you are just gonna have to wait a while for this one to work! Maybe on your next car! In the meantime, I guess the other tips here'll work! :lol: )

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Jun 9 2006, 04:38 PM) [snapback]268874[/snapback]</div>

This is probably true. I've known two men from aristocratic origins who always dressed in conspicuously shabby clothes - best quality but shabby. It's called 'dressing down' and may have been because they did not want to appear to be part of what they regarded as the lower classes.
I could go on about this but this topic is about keeping your car clean - not our clothes, so I'll shut up now.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sunnysandiegan @ Jun 10 2006, 01:31 AM) [snapback]269088[/snapback]</div>

Umm, why the squeegee and an "absorber"? The purpose of Mr. Clean is to eliminate any form of mechanical drying; it air-dries spotless.

Anyway, don't forget to put the cotton mitt through the laundry so it's clean for the next car wash.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sunnysandiegan @ Jun 10 2006, 05:41 PM) [snapback]269336[/snapback]</div>

The water where I live isn't soft enough either, but the Mr. Clean did an awesome job. I had to resist the urge to dry by hand. Really, give it a chance. The worst that could happen is that it won't do a good job, but you can't tell if you don't give it a chance to completely air dry.

I did notice that it wasn't a perfect job. There were water spots leftover, but I realized they were only from places that I had neglected to rinse the hardwater away from (such as under the hatch latch or between the individual slit in the front grille.

Regarding the "harder" water, if anything, it would just mean that the filter would't last as long. I doubt that the minerals and other "hardness" from the water would make it through.

Give it an honest try (complete air drying.)
I had really thought it worked well.

 

yes, the Mr. Clean system works great !

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Jun 9 2006, 12:48 PM) [snapback]268779[/snapback]</div>

ignorance "is" bliss!
You don't notice them because you "don't" wash your own car.......I bet if you spent 1 hr on a Saturday afternoon washing your own vehicle you'd also notice all the rock chips on the front-end and a few door dings you didn't realize you had either.
It's basically attention to detail........some peeps pay it......others don't.
Not saying one is better then the other. Just one of those "2 types of peeps" deal.

ps....Richboy.......
you look kinda "gurly"

On washing....I'm a Zaino nut (attn to detail) however, the must for the basics have already been stated.
1-bucket
2-washmit
3-soap made specifically for cars
4-drop ur washmitt or drying towell, chamios, etc... on the ground....don't use it again on the car until u wash it!
5-anything that touches the wheels/tires area cannot touch any "painted" surface part of the car. The wheels all have teeny tiny metallic brakes dust particles which will scratch ur cars painted surfaces.
6-dry ur vehicle with either 100%cotton towells or chamios or absorber. Don't go driving 80mph down ur local streets putting the general public at risk just to dry ur vehicle (plus it don't work well).