[AndroidRobot]

I know there are some other guides floating around the forums on proper car washing methods. The below guide is based on how I like to do things and is by no means definitive.

Supplies
These are some of what I use depending on how I feel, and what’s worked for me in the past.

Griots
Speed Shine detail spray
Wheel cleaner
Leather Conditioner (spray or bottle)
Grit guard
Adams Polishes
Detail spray
Interior detailer
VRT (for the wheels)
Tire shire (also for the wheels)
Eco cleaner
Wheel cleaner
Leather condition
Optimum
No Rinse Wash and Shine rinse less car wash
Power clean
Autogeek
Edgeless microfiber towels in grey and white for different areas
Microfiber wash mitt
Two 5 gallon buckets from Home Depot or wherever

Method 1

Step 1a: Depending on how dirty your car is you can rinse it off with a pressure washer (25 deg or wider) to get the heavy grit off.

Step 1b (optional): Use a foam gun/cannon to cover the entire car with foam before continuing

Step 2:

Using the two bucket method

Bucket 1 will be the clean one preferably filled with distilled or otherwise not tap water. Add your rinse less wash to this using the proper ratio as an outline on the bottle. Only put the wash mitt or towel in here once it has been through the rinse bucket and grit guard!

Bucket 2 will be your ‘dirty’ rinse bucket. After washing a panel with your microfiber cloth or mitt place it in the dirty bucket and scrub the cloth/mitt against the grit guard. This will help remove any particulates before you go back into your clean bucket.

Step 3:

Clean 1 panel at a time and don’t use the cloth/mitt for more than 1 swipe over a dirty area without rinsing it. You can flip the mitt/cloth over and use that side too for a second swipe, then rinse. Once you clean a panel with your mitt/cloth dry it with the microfiber edgeless towels. I use white ones so I can verify things are clean as I dry each panel.

I’ll add more detail to this rather simple write up as time goes on. I wanted to do a basic guide for now.

[wanderlustX5]

We have a water hose in basement of my condo for pet washing. Can i just use that for pressure wash? It won’t be distilled water though.

I will have to figure out how to mix the feynlabs wash with water. I got microfiber cloths from the feynlabs shop too. The guy at the shop recommended to get the foam Gun.

[******]

Hand washing guide? Wtf...

I didn’t read any of it, but reminds me of Lauren Bacall’s tutorial on how to whistle.

[AndroidRobot]

Originally Posted by wanderlustX5

We have a water hose in basement of my condo for pet washing. Can i just use that for pressure wash? It won’t be distilled water though.

I will have to figure out how to mix the feynlabs wash with water. I got microfiber cloths from the feynlabs shop too. The guy at the shop recommended to get the foam Gun.

Basically you want water thanks not hard, I use water from inside my house because I have an RO and softener. I do have distilled water specifically for cleaning my windows though.

Originally Posted by ******

Hand washing guide? Wtf...

I didn't read any of it, but reminds me of Lauren Bacall's tutorial on how to whistle.

It can be anything you want

[jimv03]

I want to purchase a pressure washer to wash my cars and clean the patio etc... What type should I buy? How strong does it need to be to get the job done? Electric or Gas powered?

[AndroidRobot]

Originally Posted by jimv03

I want to purchase a pressure washer to wash my cars and clean the patio etc... What type should I buy? How strong does it need to be to get the job done? Electric or Gas powered?

Mines electric, 2500psi I believe. My water is very hard so I only use it for the initial rinse + soap, I do the final rinse with clean water from another source.

[gofast182]

Originally Posted by jimv03

I want to purchase a pressure washer to wash my cars and clean the patio etc... What type should I buy? How strong does it need to be to get the job done? Electric or Gas powered?

Pressure washers aren't known for their longevity so after agonizing over the decision for months I found a thread that enlightened me.
https://www.autopia.org/forums/every...ded-setup.html
This made great sense to me so I went out and got a $109 Ryobi and MTM Hydro accessories.
https://www.mtmhydroparts.com/collec...-kit-3-43-5010
I'll be trying the foam cannon for the first time tomorrow but by itself the little Ryobi had enough power to clean the siding and flashing on my screened-in porch as well as a bluestone walkway with relative ease. If the washer ever goes it's not going to give me too much heartburn to spend another $100 to replace it and the MTM Hydro accessories should last a lifetime.

[puraj83]

Originally Posted by gofast182

Pressure washers aren't known for their longevity so after agonizing over the decision for months I found a thread that enlightened me.
https://www.autopia.org/forums/everything-else/187785-rid-overpriced-karcher-pw-bought-cheap-ryobi-upgraded-setup.html
This made great sense to me so I went out and got a $109 Ryobi and MTM Hydro accessories.
https://www.mtmhydroparts.com/collections/foam-cannons/products/premium-mtm-kit-3-43-5010
I'll be trying the foam cannon for the first time tomorrow but by itself the little Ryobi had enough power to clean the siding and flashing on my screened-in porch as well as a bluestone walkway with relative ease. If the washer ever goes it's not going to give me too much heartburn to spend another $100 to replace it and the MTM Hydro accessories should last a lifetime.

Exactly what I did. Wash every weekend.

[RowanBuds]

Just a helpful tip to extend the life of your MF towels, do not wash them with any other materials. Do a MF only load, cold water, using a MF Wash solution - then dry on LOW until completely dry.

good MF's will stay lint-free this way and will continue to absorb residual moisture without streaking.

I have a slight modification to your routine when doing the F80, but probably will not be nearly as anal with the G05. I have the dirty bucket as cold water only. The clean bucket has the same wash formula I use in the foam-cannon in it. Panel at a time, just like you. Once done, I re-foam the entire car and pressure wash it off. Then I use something by Nanolex called "Wash Coat" (this is ceramic coat friendly) in a sprayer mixed with filtered water. Spray the car down, then a quick hose rinse (no attachment, just the hose flow). *The wash coat makes the car smell really good also, but w/e*

Once rinsed again, blow it dry with the Master Blaster. MF touchup at door drip areas/license plates, etc.

I cannot recomment blowing the car dry enough. When I finally started to no-touch dry the car my microscratch and swirling headaches largely disappeared.

Only took a year of me being uber-frustrated and talking with my PPF guy who kept recommending a blower. FWIW, you don't need to spend a lot, a standard leaf blower would work, but I'd advise you cut out a finer filter material and affix it over the leaf blower air intake to avoid any larger particulates being accelerated towards your paint.

[CruiseControl]

Originally Posted by gofast182

Pressure washers aren't known for their longevity so after agonizing over the decision for months I found a thread that enlightened me.
https://www.autopia.org/forums/every...ded-setup.html
This made great sense to me so I went out and got a $109 Ryobi and MTM Hydro accessories.
https://www.mtmhydroparts.com/collec...-kit-3-43-5010
I'll be trying the foam cannon for the first time tomorrow but by itself the little Ryobi had enough power to clean the siding and flashing on my screened-in porch as well as a bluestone walkway with relative ease. If the washer ever goes it's not going to give me too much heartburn to spend another $100 to replace it and the MTM Hydro accessories should last a lifetime.

I know this is an older thread and recommendation however, I'm new to this and would like to know if this is still a good route to take? Also, how is delivery from MTM Hydro Parts to the US? Thanks

[floridaman100]

I use Optimum car wash, 2 bucket system, simply chuck deionized water system and an electric blower. The deionized water is used for initial rinse and final rinse. I do this in sections. I use a microfiber mit and work my way from the top to bottom of car. When wash is completed I use an electric blower for drying. Sometimes I have to use detail spray and a microfiber towel for touchup but for the most part towels are rarely used on painted surfaces. I also wash my car in the garage and never in the sun. The deionized water is a God send especially in Florida. I do keep detail spray in the X5 for when the car is parked at work and those irritating yellow dots land on the paint or bird droppings. I also have the GTechniq Crystal Serum coating on mine along with PPF on hood, bumper, headlights, mirrors and A-pillars. Deionized water is the only way to go. No risk of water spotting.

[CruiseControl]

floridaman100, nice process.

I've been doing a lot of research on the different methods. I have found this site offers a great deal of information on the topic, https://www.obsessedgarage.com/. There are a great many videos on the tube as well. Great Stuff!

[pavloPL]

I don't have access to electricity or hose, I keep car in underground residential parking. Do you guys use or recommend IK 9 Foam Pressure Sprayer for foam and rinse or have any other idea?

[floridaman100]

Originally Posted by CruiseControl

floridaman100, nice process.

I've been doing a lot of research on the different methods. I have found this site offers a great deal of information on the topic, https://www.obsessedgarage.com/. There are a great many videos on the tube as well. Great Stuff!

Thanks for providing this link.

[wanderlustX5]

Originally Posted by pavloPL

I don't have access to electricity or hose, I keep car in underground residential parking. Do you guys use or recommend IK 9 Foam Pressure Sprayer for foam and rinse or have any other idea?

I would appreciate if somebody provides a feedback here. I live in a condo and don't have a hose/pressure washer. I have been doing bucket method or touchless car washes.

[155ND]

great first post ... found myself nodding away to this, it's how i like to do things.

i took the photos below, hope someone finds them of interest! first batch is using an Autoglym foam cannon and Karcher pressure washer to apply the Autoglym Polar Blast foam...

[155ND]

dry off firstly with a leafblower to get the excess water off, then with a CarPro towel (2 actually, as i find 1 isn't enough to do such a big vehicle)

[155ND]

final result is very satisfactory considering the basic work involved ... i thought i had car OCD until i came across this site:

https://www.obsessedgarage.com/

[hiki08]

The OG guys are pretty obsessed indeed haha. They have a facebook group too with lots of sharing if anyone’s interested. Don’t have the luxury of my own garage here, so it’s more just for looks for me. Another popular detailing resource is ‘pan the organiser’ on YouTube. There’s plenty others but I think OG and Pan are two of the more prominent ones.

That’s a beautiful car you have there 155ND ! Saw a video by Archie Hamilton Racing driving one around Silverstone on YouTube.. that was breathtaking.

I’ve never seen it used on the popular YouTube videos, but I go about panel to panel with the wash mitt but only ever above the waist (around 1/3 of the panel height) for the first round around the car, before dropping to the second 1/3, and finally the lowest 1/3 on my final pass. That way, hopefully my mitt will be the cleanest whenever I clean the most visible (and usually cleaner) parts of the panels and not take the grub from the bottom of one panel to the top of another panel... if that makes sense.

Other than the two bucket system is a multiple mitt method (where you get as many mitts as you’ll need for a wash, and never dip them back in the bucket during any single wash).

@PavloPL and @wanderlustX5 would you consider the Karcher Follow Me? It’s a rechargeable pressure washer that can carry a tank of water or plug in a hose to suck water from a larger water bucket/source. Battery isn’t great (20min perhaps, and battery is not interchangeable) and water flow isn’t high either but I played that that method for a while, before finally getting a proper pressure washer. It’s passable and I’d definitely consider if you don’t have access to a hose. Or do you have coin washers outside?

[jg05]

Originally Posted by hiki08

The OG guys are pretty obsessed indeed haha. They have a facebook group too with lots of sharing if anyone’s interested. Don’t have the luxury of my own garage here, so it’s more just for looks for me. Another popular detailing resource is ‘pan the organiser’ on YouTube. There’s plenty others but I think OG and Pan are two of the more prominent ones.

That’s a beautiful car you have there 155ND ! Saw a video by Archie Hamilton Racing driving one around Silverstone on YouTube.. that was breathtaking.

I’ve never seen it used on the popular YouTube videos, but I go about panel to panel with the wash mitt but only ever above the waist (around 1/3 of the panel height) for the first round around the car, before dropping to the second 1/3, and finally the lowest 1/3 on my final pass. That way, hopefully my mitt will be the cleanest whenever I clean the most visible (and usually cleaner) parts of the panels and not take the grub from the bottom of one panel to the top of another panel... if that makes sense.

Other than the two bucket system is a multiple mitt method (where you get as many mitts as you’ll need for a wash, and never dip them back in the bucket during any single wash).

@PavloPL and @wanderlustX5 would you consider the Karcher Follow Me? It’s a rechargeable pressure washer that can carry a tank of water or plug in a hose to suck water from a larger water bucket/source. Battery isn’t great (20min perhaps, and battery is not interchangeable) and water flow isn’t high either but I played that that method for a while, before finally getting a proper pressure washer. It’s passable and I’d definitely consider if you don’t have access to a hose. Or do you have coin washers outside?

Watch both of those guys (Pan the Organizer and Obsessed Garage), learned a LOT from them! One thing I agree with is the multi mitt method vs two bucket. If you are that OCD about your paint, I found this the best way. Cheap enough and also easier to clean. Just buy enough mitts to cover the size of the car.

2 sides per mitt, 1 side per section - easy math. Way less chance of scratching and contaminants and still use the two bucket method so you are rinsing the mitts immediately - easier to clean, and if you do need to go back to an area and have run out of mitts, you always have them soaking in the second bucket with the grit card as your backup.

Curious how people are cleaning the roof on your X5s? I’ve been cleaning an Audi sport back so it’s been easy to reach since it’s so low but won’t have that luxury.

I’m also super torn about whether to ceramic coat or not since I’m only leasing for 3 years. Maybe skip ceramic and go ppf on the black shadowline components to keep them from scratching??

Anyway, consider the multi mitt method as an alternative to standard two bucket. Has worked well for me in my limited experience.