OT: Car washing

[Elefantino]

Do you wash your own car or take it to a car wash?


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[djdj]

I always wash my own car. It takes me just over an hour to rinse, wash, dry with cotton towels, wipe down the door sills, spritz some tire black on the tires, etc. An automatic car wash often leaves swirl marks or scratches.

[eddief]

there is a ton calcium in the water and the water drops quickly dry on the car and are hard to wipe off. So one hose bib has a water filter on it and that one is used for car washes only. I treat the car to Maguires Quick Wax or this stuff:

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/a3332-quik-detailerreg-32oz/

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/a1616-quik-waxreg/

as I do the drying step. It seems to go faster due to less wind resistance when it's clean :).

[rePhil]

I wash both of ours. I use an electric blower to dry, followed by towels

[Lanternrouge]

On very rare occasions, I take it to a car wash or wait until my wife gets frustrated with how dirty it is and then she takes it. On the other hand, I'm pretty good about keeping my bikes clean. Of course, I might be more concerned about my car looking good if I had a nicer/newer car, but this further rationalizes spending money on bikes instead :banana:

[firemanj92]

I wash both of ours. I use an electric blower to dry, followed by towels

Ditto...cordless blower and baby diaper combo. Takes about an hour start to finish.

[Steve in SLO]

Fiat 500e: local DIY wash place. $3, 4 minutes. Drive fast to dry.
GT3: Wash at home, dry with squeegee and chamois or microfiber or cotton towels. $0.25 and 30 minutes.
Truck: Whatever

[radsmd]

Used to wash it myself, but found I spent too much time and effort due to my OCD.

Now I have the mobile Detailer take care of it when I'm at work. Cost is equivalent to at most 10 minutes of my usual work, so worth it for the convenience.

[gasman]

How do you guys wash your cars at home without the wash water going down the storm drain ? I stopped washing mine at home as I don't have anywhere that I can wash my car so that soapy water won't pollute our local streams /rivers.
I go to a car wash that supposedly recycles the water.
I detail and wax the cars afterwards.

[jlwdm]

I go to a car wash.

Jeff

[Hombre]

I don't wash my car.

[Seramount]

I've owned 17 vehicles over the years...first one was acquired in 1967.

other than a few trips thru auto-washes at gas stations BITD that you used to get free with a fill-up, I've hand washed all of them over the years.

I can wash my car in less time than it takes to drive to a car wash and wait for them to do it and drive home. I get a little satisfaction from making my ride look nice.

and based on current rates, I save about $25 each time...

I read somewhere that Rolls-Royce recommends never using soapy water to wash a car as it removes the wax. so, I just use plain water and a rag and towel dry. no micro-fiber stuff, just old t-shirts and old bath towels.

spritz on a little tire stuff on every now and then and call it good.

if we can ever get a forecast that doesn't include a drizzling of rain, I need to put a new coat of wax on...

[Ken Robb]

How do you guys wash your cars at home without the wash water going down the storm drain ? I stopped washing mine at home as I don't have anywhere that I can wash my car so that soapy water won't pollute our local streams /rivers.
I go to a car wash that supposedly recycles the water.
I detail and wax the cars afterwards.

Me too except I also pay a pro to wax and detail. Any water that runs off our pavement goes into the storm drain and ultimately into the ocean by the beach. All car washes are required to recycle their water so they are our "green" path to clean cars. Sometimes I use a treated dust mop designed for cars to remove dust before it can become dirt through contact with moisture. I often go 30 days between car washes.

[Steve in SLO]

Ken,
Is your treated dust mop a 'California Duster'? I have had mine for over 25 years, and a smaller one for interiors for 15 years and they both still work great.

[Ken Robb]

Ken,
Is your treated dust mop a 'California Duster'? I have had mine for over 25 years, and a smaller one for interiors for 15 years and they both still work great.

I think it is and mine is probably that old too. I think the "mop" is treated similarly to "Kozak Cloths" that used to advertised in MANY magazines for mail order sales.

[Steve in SLO]

Paraffin, IIRC. Sure smells like it.

[stackie]

Our drains here have a special dolphin symbol painted next to them. I'm assuming that means the drain is dolphin safe and it's ok for us to put our hazardous materials in them.

Jon

[providence]

Only wash mine at home.

Use mostly Chemical Guys products. Foam blast every couple of weeks unless cars get very dirty. Use their waterless car wash between full washes. Then Blacklight and Jetseal after every wash.

[stackie]

I was joking.

I do wash my car and bikes with a no rinse car wash. Two buckets one soapy and one rinse. Three gallons each. Then just dry car. I pour the water out in my eucalyptus grove. Those effers are impossible to kill.

Jon

[rwsaunders]

Just washed both cars this evening. Supposedly worth about 300 calories each wash plus I get to see the new marks that my wife and kids put on the cars each week.

[Peter P.]

How do you guys wash your cars at home without the wash water going down the storm drain ? I stopped washing mine at home as I don't have anywhere that I can wash my car so that soapy water won't pollute our local streams /rivers.

Where do you think your dishwashing water, bath/shower water, and washing machine water go? Car washing suds is minor.

[54ny77]

That cracked me up. Bravo! :beer:

Our drains here have a special dolphin symbol painted next to them. I'm assuming that means the drain is dolphin safe and it's ok for us to put our hazardous materials in them.

Jon

[PacNW2Ford]

Where do you think your dishwashing water, bath/shower water, and washing machine water go? Car washing suds is minor.

In most civilized cities, those go in the sewer to a treatment plant before they go in the river. Some cities, like my neighbor to the north, still have "combined sewers" and then in overflow situations they can go into the river untreated. I do let the rinse water go into the street, but I dispose of the soapy water in a vegetated area. And I don't wash the car obsessively nowadays.

[Ken Robb]

Where do you think your dishwashing water, bath/shower water, and washing machine water go? Car washing suds is minor.

All water used in our house from sinks, tubs, toilets, dishwashers goes into the sewer system and is treated before being discharged into the ocean or recycled but run-off from sidewalks, streets, driveways goes into storm drains and right into the ocean with no treatment at all. Other communities, like

yours I gather, have different procedures.

[cmbicycles]

Wash the car? Isn't that what rain is for?

[superbowlpats]

wash my own since we have a black SUV: 2 bucket method, grit guards etc. I've had good luck with http://adamspolishes.com/

lots of good how-to videos on their website

[blakcloud]

I take my car to a self serve car wash. I power wash it and use the foaming brush, then rinse. I dry it with micro fiber towels and every couple of months I re-wax it. In fact I did it yesterday and it took over an hour but that was inside and out. My car gets washed weekly as one of my many pet peeves are dirty cars, I just can't drive a dirty car but I can ride a dirty bike.

[eddief]

http://adamspolishes.com/#

Car washing as more than a hobby.

[peanutgallery]

I can't bear to pay someone to do something that I'm perfectly capable of doing myself, plus I find it relaxing. 1 beer per car and I have my little system for how I do it in place.

In the winter I will hit the touchless car wash a few times when the weather is right nut to knock the salt off and not freeze the locks. I ski quite a bit and those lots are always dirty

Slight drift, I also change my own oil so I can run Mobil 1 for around $25 per. I also find that endeavor relaxing, especially compared to the waiting room at a jiffy lube or whatever

[thwart]

Wash the car? Isn't that what rain is for?
All kidding aside... as a 'recovering' car detailer ;), lately I just pull the cars out into the driveway when we have rain. And then dry them off afterwards. Amazing what rain can do for softening up dried on bugs, dirt and such... especially over a hour or so.

Avoids water waste, hard water calcium deposits, soap effects, etc, etc.

OK, probably not apropos for those living in dry climate states. And if you want to really get the lower parts of the car and wheels clean, you do need a good rainstorm.

I do a traditional hose 'n pail wash only a few times a year nowadays.

[jlwdm]

...I can't bear to pay someone to do something that I'm perfectly capable of doing myself, plus I find it relaxing...



Finding it relaxing is fine, but if I can spend the time working and make a lot more money I am not going to waste my time to do something that does not cost that much to have someone else do.

Jeff

[johnniecakes]

I was mine behind the garage in the evening after the sun goes down. Takes about an hour, longer if I get help. Sorry to say but I don't care where a gallon or two of waters goes.

[Tony T]

I use a local "Splash (http://splashcarwashes.com/car-wash-services/handwash/)" that's a Hand Car Wash

[Ozz]

How do you guys wash your cars at home without the wash water going down the storm drain ? I stopped washing mine at home as I don't have anywhere that I can wash my car so that soapy water won't pollute our local streams /rivers.
I go to a car wash that supposedly recycles the water.
I detail and wax the cars afterwards.

park on your lawn and wash it there....

[Skenry]

How do you guys wash your cars at home without the wash water going down the storm drain ? I stopped washing mine at home as I don't have anywhere that I can wash my car so that soapy water won't pollute our local streams /rivers.
I go to a car wash that supposedly recycles the water.
I detail and wax the cars afterwards.


Dear lord jesus I hope you are joking

[alancw3]

my best car washes are when i leave my car outside when rain is predicted and then use a wash rag and then a drying rag to complete the job. seriously my last car i had for 13 years and the finish looked like new. never used soap to wash the car. oh and did i say they are free. :-)

[ripvanrando]

How do you guys wash your cars at home without the wash water going down the storm drain ? I stopped washing mine at home as I don't have anywhere that I can wash my car so that soapy water won't pollute our local streams /rivers.
I go to a car wash that supposedly recycles the water.
I detail and wax the cars afterwards.

we don't have storm drains out in the country.

Living at the tippy top of the watershed, I go bit downstream from my well head and wash my toys there. I also dump the lacquer thinning after cleaning my chain. I do recycle motor oil.

[batman1425]

Dear lord jesus I hope you are joking

Why because it is nuts to be environmentally conscious? Nobody thought the phosphates in laundry detergents were a big deal until eutrophication of water sources started causing massive ecological impacts.

I've lived in several places in close proximity to delicate ecosystems where such behaivor is completely appropriate. Being cognizant of what kind of waste we generate - yes, soaps and detergents are waste - and where they end up is good, responsible, behaivor.

[ORMojo]

Dear lord jesus I hope you are joking

Where do you think your dishwashing water, bath/shower water, and washing machine water go? Car washing suds is minor.

Absolutely no joke, and not minor.

Gasman and I live in an area where the storm drains go to the rivers, and anything dumped down them can definitely harm fish and other wildlife, not to mention the drinking water supply drawn from those rivers downstream.

All of the household drains mentioned above go to a treatment plant prior to discharge back to the rivers.

Taking care to not let any soap, chemicals, waxes, etc. make it into the storm drain is not only expected around here, it is regularly the focus of PSAs, etc.

[redir]

Wash the car? Isn't that what rain is for?

My sentiments... exactly. :beer:

[redir]

Dear lord jesus I hope you are joking

In the beginning, the dear Lord's father God, created the heavens and the earth.

A little later after that the dear Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

;)

[ORMojo]

I don't wash my car.

Then do this, and call it art!

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/16/1416154755689_wps_15_DIRTY_CAR_ART_Using_dusty.jpg
http://www.hootex.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/dirty-car-art-proboynick-nikita-golubev-005.jpg
http://realitypod.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dirty-car-art4-550x3651.jpg