[SwingLo]

I'm a big fan of Optima No Rinse for quick bucket/no rinse washes in the garage.

They have a new flavor out - same stuff but has a bit of carnauba in it.

Literally one oz per gallon bucket. Lasts forever!

My new S4 was beyond filthy from salt and snow crap. It's like 14 degrees out so can't wash it.

Did the Optima and bucket thing. WOW - stuff is fantastic. The salt/dirt literally just washed. I slapped it one with wet microfiber fuzzy wash might and the dirt slid right off.

I'm pyschotic about clean cars and this was a great way to keep my new baby clean in dogsh*t weather.

$20 on Amazon and it will last you for a year or more.

 

[komiko]

now that is change i can believe in! Thanks.

 

[KenRK]

Great suggestion, thanks. Passed it onto my wife as a would-be-nice-to-find-under-the-tree item. Anxious to check out the S4, I'm a huge Audi fan (I'm guessing it's an Audi as you already have a Lotus...)

 

[me73]

I used it to wash off my cars before covering them for their winter nap.

I used the 2 bucket method, the fluffy microfiber towel and presprayed the panels with a mix of the soap and water before wiping with the mix from the clean bucket.

I'm not 100% sold. I can't see how you can prevent surface scratching. My cars were really just dusty and the towel gets very dirty when cleaning a panel. Even with the thick nappy towel, it's just no possible to keep debris from wiping against the car's surface. There's no way a film from the tiny concentration of soap that they specify (or any concentration for that matter) will hold little rocks and things away from the finish.

I'll keep using it on the cars when they're just dusty, but when they are really dirty, I'll keep using the hose.

 

[MotoGeek]

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax 32 oz:Amazon:Automotive

I don't think I quite get it, for $20 I'll give it a shot.

You just scrub down the car with a wet towel, and walk away?

 

[me73]

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax 32 oz:Amazon:Automotive

I don't think I quite get it, for $20 I'll give it a shot.

You just scrub down the car with a wet towel, and walk away?

You still need to dry it off after you wash.

 

[komiko]

and my leafblower would be loud in the shop...but maybe that's what ear protection is for. 4 degrees F here this AM...

 

[SwingLo]

Great suggestion, thanks. Passed it onto my wife as a would-be-nice-to-find-under-the-tree item. Anxious to check out the S4, I'm a huge Audi fan (I'm guessing it's an Audi as you already have a Lotus...)

Yep, S4 as in Audi. Have had it for two weeks and love it. Actually let the tires warm up last weekend and took it on some of those roads we did on our last drive west of St Charles.

Oh, and you could have seen it yesterday - I was parked right by your office. Met a friend at Q for lunch!

 

[SwingLo]

Oh, and as for how to do it. Simple:

- Get a bucket. Fill it with hot water - add an ounce or a bit more of ONR ( I wound up going through two buckets since car was so dirty)

- Use one of these to wipe down the car. Since my car was so filthy, I really slopped on the water. Worked top down. Then I used a boarshair wheel brush to wash away the brake dust and filth.

- Your car is effectively clean, but just wet. Basically as if it just came out of the car wash. Then just take a nice microfiber towel (I like the waffle weave ones) and dry it.

Done.

Oh, and the leaf blower is a good suggestion. Of note, NO gas as there are gobs of stories of gas/oil winding up on the car. For me, this is my go to tool around the house - everything from cleaning the garage to drying the car (especially around Elise taillights) and even drying off my dog. Not cheap, but trust me, you'll be looking for crap to blow around with this thing.

Blow dry the car after you 'wash' it and then just use the microfiber towel to get the rest. Done in 7 minutes.

 

[bri3d]

I use the two-bucket method with Chemical Guys Hose Free Wash (basically an ONR clone at least in function if not formula). A grit guard in the wash bucket is essential to scrape dirt out of the mitt without picking more up in the process.

What I've found is that the CG hose-free wash is great at letting dirt and grit fall right out of the wash mitt when it's scraped along the grit guard leaving my wash mitt nice and clean.

I use this method both winter and summer, although in the summertime if the car somehow gets real dirt stuck on it rather than just dust I'll usually go for a hose.

I do really small areas at a time before going back to clean my mitt. Sometimes I'll even use two buckets of Hose Free Wash and switch to the second one halfway through if the car is really dirty (i.e. post-snow garbage).

I towel dry, but while I'm doing it I spray quick detailer as it prevents soap spotting and I feel that it helps lubricate the surface in case there's a bit of dirt left to get trapped under my towel.

So far none of my cars seem to have accumulated a lot of swirls this way so I feel the method works.

 

[jet37ski]

I always assumed that it was a popular product all over the country, but hey, based on the name maybe it's only a local thing, but I always use a California Duster to take all the dirt, dust or any other loose stuff off before hitting it with a detail spray and microfiber towel. Had the car for 1 year exactly as of today and have "washed" it only once. Otherwise a 3 minute walkaround with the CA duster and a weekly or so detail spray wipe down.

Never had a scratch with the duster and I got it as a gift for my 16th birthday, so I've got a few miles on it.

 

[ravencliff]

I always assumed that it was a popular product all over the country, but hey, based on the name maybe it's only a local thing, but I always use a California Duster to take all the dirt, dust or any other loose stuff off before hitting it with a detail spray and microfiber towel. Had the car for 1 year exactly as of today and have "washed" it only once. Otherwise a 3 minute walkaround with the CA duster and a weekly or so detail spray wipe down.

Never had a scratch with the duster and I got it as a gift for my 16th birthday, so I've got a few miles on it.

I use one of these also, unless there's some actual dirt, in which case I'll wash the car and hose it off. Never gotten swirls. The people who live where they have to drive their cars in the wet and snow have my sympathy.

 

[JWA]

I always assumed that it was a popular product all over the country, but hey, based on the name maybe it's only a local thing...

Clearly you aren't familiar with the crust of road grime and salt that cakes cars this time of the year in the midwest. I do believe that if I drug a california duster over my Grand Cherokee right now it would come away with quite a few missing strings, pulled off by the grime. (I must admit that I'm envious if you've never dealt with this crap )

If you've had yours for very ling, it might be good to replace it. They need the wax on the strings to work properly, and over time it's worn away and simply a long red string mop.

 

[metrocube]

If your car is really dirty, you shouldn't use Optimum No Rinse if you can help it. I mean, you can--and I have--but the wash mitt is going to get very dirty very quickly and so you have to wash and dry *really* small sections at a time.

For really dirty cars, one should use the foaming car wash formula.

I'm glad they started adding wax to the ONR formula, btw. I won't have to spray as much Opti-Clean on the drying towels.

 

[Nessal]

I'm always wary of using anything but car soap and water. Can't you wash inside of your garage?

 

[philethier]

I wash my car infrequently, but when I get the chance, I wash it by hand. No mitt, no bucket. Foam gun. When I feel something, I blast off both the car and my hand.

Now, if I could get something to rinse it with that would not leave water spots, I could just let it dry. Distilled water could get expensive...

 

[rcollum]

I wash my car infrequently, but when I get the chance, I wash it by hand. No mitt, no bucket. Foam gun. When I feel something, I blast off both the car and my hand.

Now, if I could get something to rinse it with that would not leave water spots, I could just let it dry. Distilled water could get expensive...

Phil:

Not quite as pricey as buying distilled water. I'm sure your local water quality will determine how long the chemicals last.


CR Spotless Rolling De-ionized Water Filtration System,100 Gallon Output

 

[Kimgt]

the thing about optimum No Rinse is that it adds a serious amount of lubricity to your wash, so if you were to add it two your standard wash routine with a hose. it makes it much safer to wash the car and help further prevent swirling.

good on its own, but better with a hose, two buckets, wool mitt and air blaster.

 

[Bane]

I wash my car infrequently, but when I get the chance, I wash it by hand. No mitt, no bucket. Foam gun. When I feel something, I blast off both the car and my hand.

Now, if I could get something to rinse it with that would not leave water spots, I could just let it dry. Distilled water could get expensive...

I added an extra outlet from my water softener for my car washing hose and shop sink. It could be the best "mod" I've done in my garage :up:

 

[jet37ski]

Clearly you aren't familiar with the crust of road grime and salt that cakes cars this time of the year in the midwest. I do believe that if I drug a california duster over my Grand Cherokee right now it would come away with quite a few missing strings, pulled off by the grime. (I must admit that I'm envious if you've never dealt with this crap )

If you've had yours for very ling, it might be good to replace it. They need the wax on the strings to work properly, and over time it's worn away and simply a long red string mop.

Ya, I guess my car washing style is not going to work for you if you actually have a dirty car.

But the dirtier the CA duster gets, the better it works!