What car wash products do you use?

momopi

Well-known member
Recently I have switched from Adams Polish to Chemical Guys, primarily because I can just go to local detail garage retailer and buy off the shelf.  The products are a few bucks cheaper than Adams Polish too.

What I've noticed is that these companies (Adams, Chemical Guys, Griot's Garage, etc.) looked like clones of each other with near identical product line, from foam attachment to water-less wash, DA polisher and pads.  Rather than distinctive products they look more like marketing companies reselling the same stuff in the bottle.  Chemical Guys also has numerous products that do the same thing.  I did however found bacon scented spray that was...  unique.

I've been reading lot of people raving over Collinite 845.  Has anyone used this wax?
 
I've used Meguiars and have mostly Chemical Guys now, if you're a fan of Chemical Guys - Prime Day there are usually good deals for wax, wash, polish etc, almost everything they offer will come as a lightning deal those couple of days.
 
I pretty much exclusively wash my car with Optimum No-Rinse (aka ONR). I dry/finish with Optimum Opti-Seal. Achieves a super clean wash and a mirror like glossy finish. Saves water too and respects HOA rules. Although, I still use water to wash the rims.

I've found most Chemical Guys products to be mediocre. Their clay bar bundle is decent. Adams ceramic coating is really good. Thinking about doing it on my new Model Y.

I like to wash my car every 10 days or so, but don't want to spend over an hour detailing. ONR is fast and can be used for interior wipe downs too. Versatile, affordable, and easy to use.
 
I've been using CG stuff lately.  Before that i was a Zaino diehard.  It's good.  I just don't have the time to obsess over my cars anymore.  My details are really half assed, as in I'll wash the whole car but do the chrome and rubber detailing on 1 side only.  I might wax a few panels at a time. 

My big gripe with CG is I bought 1 gallon of their extra concentrated car wash concentrate on sale.  It sat on the floor of my garage unopened for less than a year before springing a freaking leak.  Lost about 3/4 of a gallon of the stuff overnight (what's that smell?).  I STILL haven't got it all up.  Just impossible to take it up without using gallons and gallons of water in a very confined space and without getting a bunch of other stuff wet/soapy.
 
daedalus said:
I've been using CG stuff lately.  Before that i was a Zaino diehard.  It's good.  I just don't have the time to obsess over my cars anymore.  My details are really half assed, as in I'll wash the whole car but do the chrome and rubber detailing on 1 side only.  I might wax a few panels at a time. 

My big gripe with CG is I bought 1 gallon of their extra concentrated car wash concentrate on sale.  It sat on the floor of my garage unopened for less than a year before springing a freaking leak.  Lost about 3/4 of a gallon of the stuff overnight (what's that smell?).  I STILL haven't got it all up.  Just impossible to take it up without using gallons and gallons of water in a very confined space and without getting a bunch of other stuff wet/soapy.

You might want to try 20 Mule Team Borax to clean the floor (for detergent spills).

 
best_potsticker_in_town said:
I pretty much exclusively wash my car with Optimum No-Rinse (aka ONR). I dry/finish with Optimum Opti-Seal. Achieves a super clean wash and a mirror like glossy finish. Saves water too and respects HOA rules. Although, I still use water to wash the rims.

I've found most Chemical Guys products to be mediocre. Their clay bar bundle is decent. Adams ceramic coating is really good. Thinking about doing it on my new Model Y.

I like to wash my car every 10 days or so, but don't want to spend over an hour detailing. ONR is fast and can be used for interior wipe downs too. Versatile, affordable, and easy to use.

I'm also a fan of ONR - works great! I?m looking for good results with low effort. Here?s what I?ve been doing:
? I put 2 gallons of distilled water (this is what keeps it streak free) into a 5 gallon bucket
? I add 1oz (2 capfuls) of Optimum No Rinse (ONR) solutionhttps://www.amazon.com/Optimum-NR2010Q-Rinse-Wash-Shine/dp/B00D8DR0AO/
? I soak a bunch of microfiber towels in the buckethttps://www.theragcompany.com/eagle-edgeless-350-16-x-16-ultra-plush-microfiber-towel/
? I take a towel out, fold in 4, and wipe down a panel on the car and then put the towel in an empty bucket (I don?t use it again)

I then dry the panel
? Spritz with this Opti-Seal drying aid:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076HYYGTT/
? Drying towels:https://www.theragcompany.com/dry-me-a-river-korean-waffle-weave-towel/
? I do this for the whole car (roof, windows, etc)

Then I throw all the towels in the wash and use this detergenthttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TJXWH4/
 
Zovall, you and I do almost the same exact thing. I don't use ONR on my wheels. I'll hose them off and get in there with an old car wash sponge and some car wash soap. After that, I basically do exactly as you listed except, I use a clean water rinse bucket with grit guard. I'll rinse out my towels frequently and re-apply.

I've been considering getting a Big Red Sponge (https://www.amazon.com/Optimum-22516-Big-Wash-Sponge/dp/B078DPCYFV) as that's supposed to be ideal for ONR.

I used to wash just one car with 2 gallons of ONR solution. But, I realized I was dumping out more than half. Even though ONR is super cheap, the thrifty side of me now washes 2 cars with the same amount of solution.
 
best_potsticker_in_town said:
I used to wash just one car with 2 gallons of ONR solution. But, I realized I was dumping out more than half. Even though ONR is super cheap, the thrifty side of me now washes 2 cars with the same amount of solution.

Haha, same here! There is enough solution in the bucket so I do both cars :)

I tried all kinds of things to get a quick, impactful wash done but I haven't found anything more efficient than this.
 
momopi said:
@_@  Am I the only guy who still use a foam cannon and sponges...?

I used to do this but I always end up completely soaked by the end of the car wash. ONR is simple and extremely effective. I used to think ONR wouldn't work as well since you're not spray rinsing. Couldn't have been more wrong.
 
I do the foam cannon and wash mitt.  It is wasteful though.  It takes maybe 6oz or more of product to coat the car, whereas with a bucket you might only use 1 oz. 

Willing to give the ONR a try.  I'll probably still pressure wash in advance just to get most of the dirt off.
 
zovall said:
? I put 2 gallons of distilled water (this is what keeps it streak free) into a 5 gallon bucket
I use one of the deionizers hooked up between the hose and my pressure washer.  It's yet one more thing to manage and maintain, but man, it is convenient.  Rinse and walk away.  Never any water spots.  If you only use it to fill a bucket it probably doesn't make sense, but being able to spray something down with good pressure has its uses.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
No one washes their own car in Irvine... no driveways. :)

Seriously, who washes their own car in Irvine?  ;D

Everyone on my street have driveways, but I've never seen anyone wash their own car on my street except teenagers.

Maybe we need to run a poll!
 
Kenkoko said:
irvinehomeowner said:
No one washes their own car in Irvine... no driveways. :)

Seriously, who washes their own car in Irvine?  ;D

Everyone on my street have driveways, but I've never seen anyone wash their own car on my street except teenagers.

Maybe we need to run a poll!

Who mows their own lawn? 
 
1/4 of the guys on my old street in Irvine washed their own cars. Guy across the street washed his car, his wife's car and his teenager kids' cars too....... on his driveway that fit four cars in front of his four car garage.

Not only that he trimmed all his own plants every week.

He didn't mow his lawn though and he had a pool service for the pool.

Some people just like washing their cars and gardening.

 
Yeah... I have a few neighbors who wash their cars.

I always joke that I'm going to drop my cars off.

I believe there are some HOAs in Irvine that don't allow you to wash your car, even in your own driveway... but no one listens.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Yeah... I have a few neighbors who wash their cars.

I always joke that I'm going to drop my cars off.

I believe there are some HOAs in Irvine that don't allow you to wash your car, even in your own driveway... but no one listens.

Only neighbors that don't like you will rat you out to the HOA.  But isn't a service that washes a car in your own driveway technically not allowed either?  I've never read the regulations, but I see a few people washing their cars on my street too. 
 
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