What car wash products do you use?

daedalus said:
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.
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Though not designed for, the Rain X spot free car wash will work in foam blasters.  It's $7-$8 for 48 oz and you only need ~2 oz for a wash.  I attach an in-line water filter (used for RV's) to the hose to reduce mineral spotting.

What concerns me with water-less wash is that Japanese cars have soft paint/coating that is easily scratched.


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BTW -- for those looking for "Superior Products" Formula 4 Spray Wax, don't pay their outrageous shipping ($14.50) or Amazon reseller markup (+$20).  Order from O'Reilly Auto web site, free shipping if you order $35 or more.
https://superiorproducts.com/product/formula-4-spray-wax/https://www.oreillyauto.com/search?q=superior+products
 
My shipment of ONR and Opti-Seal arrived.  Over a span of 2 days I tested the product on 3 cars.

I used 1.5 caps of ONR to 1 gallon of Costco bottled water in the bucket.  This is actually 1.5x the recommended dilution ratio.  I used the solution to soak microfiber towels to wipe down the car, with dirty towels going into a plastic bag and not back into the bucket.  The 1 gallon solution was sufficient for 3 cars.

The first car I washed was the old silver Toyota Camry.  The car was the least dirty out of the 3.  I used ONR soaked towels to wipe down the car twice, then applied opti-seal.  The round foam applicator was too slow so I switched to the brick style microfiber applicator (normally used for waxing).  Being a novice I used too much product -- about 4 sprays per panel, 2 to the applicator and 2 to the panel.  In retrospect 1-2 sprays per panel would have been sufficient.  Opt-seal worked great on the silver car and made it shine really well under the sun.

The following day I used the ONR solution to wash a dark metallic blue Acura and dark grey metallic Lexus.  Both cars had not been washed in a month and the ONR soaked towel was so dirty (turend black!), I ended up hosing down the cars before wiping with ONR soaked towels again.  I think ONR works great if the car is not too dirty, otherwise it's better to take out the foam cannon.  I might pick up a pump sprayer and try spraying the car down with ONR solution first, home depot hand held pump sprayer is only $7:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RL-Flo-Master-4-pt-Hand-Sprayer-56HD/100164531?g_store=537&mtc=Shopping-B-F_D28O-G-D28O-28_1_CHEMICALS-MULTI-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-BASE_SHP&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_D28O-G-D28O-28_1_CHEMICALS-MULTI-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-BASE_SHP-71700000041086586-58700005116788847-92700044875627027&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu7OC5bP46gIVk8DACh35rwZlEAQYASABEgLve_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-56-oz-HDX-Handheld-Sprayer-4375-gal-56HDX/312367618?mtc=Shopping-VF-F_D28O-G-D28O-28_1_CHEMICALS-HDX-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-Sprayers_Garden&cm_mmc=Shopping-VF-F_D28O-G-D28O-28_1_CHEMICALS-HDX-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-Sprayers_Garden-71700000069764111-58700006170284422-92700055758073451&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9Oai2on46gIVh4rICh3U_wIlEAYYASABEgL-zPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

On the Acura, I tried spraying opti-seal while the car is still wet then wipe with microfiber towel.  1 spray per panel.  Afterwards I saw some spotting and ended up re-applying opti-seal with microfiber applicator and buff with microfiber towel.  Afterwards the car looks great.  I also used the product on the windows.

On the Lexus, I tried applying opti-seal after drying the car by spraying directly on the panel and wipe with microfiber towel (not the brick applicator).  Afterwards I saw some high spots and had to go back and buff the panels.  But it looked OK.  I think on the silver Camry you can't easily see the spots, but on darker colored cars buffing is required.  I did some research and the Dallas Paint Correction & Auto detailing guy on youtube recommends Ultima ULT-1012-100 Paint Guard Plus+ Sealant instead of Opti-seal because it doesn't require buffing.  The Ultima Paint Guard is $40 for 12 oz, I think I'll stick with opti-seal for now.  My 8 oz bottle of Opti-Seal will probably last 2 years.

Looking at other Optimum products, I'm interested to try Optimum Car wash solution for my foam cannon (I still have lots of car was solution left so this wont' happen for a while).  On Amazon this product is $20, but at detaling.com it's $11:https://www.amazon.com/Optimum-CW2006Q-Car-Wash-oz/dp/B00BFUG3EG/https://www.detailing.com/store/optimum-car-wash-32-oz.html

I'm also interested in the Optimum no rinse wash and wax, which is ONR with some wax in it:https://www.detailing.com/store/optimum-no-rinse-wash-and-wax-32-oz-concentrate.html

As mentioned earlier detailing.com has a retail shop in Irvine, but due to COVID-19 they are doing online orders only right now.  Their prices are lower than Amazon and you can do next day curb side pickup for free.

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On side note, Meguiar's (also based in Irvine) has discontinued its Wash+ wash and polish product due to lack of interest.  This product is actually highly rated and great for cars with light scratches from automated car washes.  Pep Boys still has some in stock for $1.90, if you order online you get a 25% discount.  $1.90 - $0.48 discount + $0.13 tax = $1.55/bottle.  It's a great price, Walmart used to sell 2 pack for $33.  This item cannot be shipped so you'll have to order online for local store pick up.  There's a Pep Boys in Lake Forest not too far away from Irvine:
https://www.pepboys.com/meguiar-s-wash-plus-/product/1800872
 
I used to go for the ONR route.. my new route?

-Greenworks pressure washer around 1600 PSI (around $80 ish) came with a foam canon attachment
-Meguiars gold class car soap .. find one without wax, lots of good brands

around 6-7 pm when the sun is setting, pressure wash the car down with water first... foam it up, let it sit...wash it down, then use a electric leaf blower .. gets rid of like 80% of the water, then just tap dry with a nice waffle towel.. probably 20 mins to complete

ONR was convenient but i found it tough to get rid of like debris/dust/bugs... pressure washer is the way to go.. leaves a perfect swirl free finish when done right

 
daedalus said:
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.
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What deionizer do you use? What kind of maintenance is required?
What pressure washer would you recommend?
 
zovall said:
What deionizer do you use? What kind of maintenance is required?
What pressure washer would you recommend?
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I have the CR Spotless DIC-20 https://crspotless.com/product/dic-20-high-output-rolling-system/.  It's kind of like a water softener that actually removes ions rather than convert them, except it's not rechargeable, so you have to fill it with little charged resin beads which eventually get used up.  It's cool.  It has a TDS meter included and the first few uses the meter reads absolutely 0 TDS. Then the numbers trickle up...eventually when it hits around 50 or so it's time to replace the beads as the spots start to become visible.  I've had mine probably 15 years.  Costco used to sell it, along with the beads, but they carry a different brand now.  I haven't used it, but I have to believe it's the same principle.  You can buy generic beads in large volumes to save money, though don't buy too much, as they have a limited shelf life because the charge degrades over time.

If I was going to buy a pressure washer today I would just try to suss out the most favorable and legitimate online reviews.  Mine has been perfect, but quality can change a lot over time for any manufacturer, and even across different parts within the same product line.  I have a Karcher 3050OH with a Honda engine.  https://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/Karcher-G3050OH-Pressure-Washer/p7095.html  Again, probably about 15 years old (and another Costco purchase too!).  Starts on the 1st or 2nd pull.  It used to be if you buy a good brand you're golden (e.g., Briggs, Honda).  But I've heard even Honda small engines can be hit or miss nowadays.  Stay away from the ones with plastic carburetor bowls is what one guy at a small engine repair shop told me a couple years ago.  I would go with a name brand though, so you're more likely to have parts available in the future.  I had to replace 1 part so far, about a month ago (due to my own carelessness), and had no issues finding it online.

The more pressure the better of course.  You find a balance between the spray pattern angle, distance, and the pressure, so the higher the starting pressure, the wider/farther you can make the spray pattern and still get the results you want.  Dirt doesn't need very much pressure to get most of it off, but bug and bird droppings do.  I actually get more consistent results just by going over the car with a plastic scraper to get the bug turds off after letting it sit wet for a few minutes.

It's a lot to manage.  You need a place to store the stuff.  You need to wheel it all out, uncoil the hi pressure hose, attach both ends, attach the garden hose to the pressure washer, make sure all the valves are on, etc.  When you're done you have to put it all away, drain the hose and gun, and crank the engine a few times to get the water out for longevity.  Change the beads when they need changing.  Keep the pressure washer gas tank full.  Change the oil every now and then. 

It's worth it to me, but it's a headache for sure.  I wash my cars with tap water and only use the DI water for rinsing.  It's counter-intuitive, but with the pressure washer I use less of the DI water than with a garden sprayer, since the spray is more effective.

 
I use an in-line RV water filter attached to the hose:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1skmsYTdgjA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNaLU56X2Kg

There are many brands avail.  If you like the Camco brand, Ace Hardware has 2 pack for $26, and Walmart sells the regular size and the large size with hose protector:
https://www.acehardware.com/departm...accessories/rv-water-system-equipment/8291551
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-40...rine-and-Sediment-in-Drinking-Water/249436248
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-40...Taste-Odors-Chlorine-Sediment-Drink/794531501


How well they work depends on your water, YMMV.  The cheap units use 20 micron filters.  If you want the better 5 micron filter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0jEfASj-rw

Walmart and Amazon sells these for $60, but your local Ace Hardware has them for $50:

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/automotive-rv-and-marine/recreational-vehicle-parts-and-accessories/rv-water-system-equipment/8764227?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhsrp7amE6wIVUfDACh0YIwQnEAQYASABEgIohfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

These use replaceable water filters inside and they're $12-$16 and up.
 
I just bought a Griot's Garage Random Orbital: https://www.griotsgarage.com/product/6+inch+random+orbital+gen3.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&page=2&from=fn

On sale for $119 and if you use the coupon code JACOBS you drop another 10%. I'm going to use this to clay and polish our cars. We only park 1 car in our garage, and the car relegated to curbside outdoor parking is only 3 years old. I think it's important to clay and one-step polish cars from the outset, especially those parked outside. It makes future paint correction and detailing much easier.

As it relates to power washers...I have a WORX cordless:https://www.worx.com/20v-hydroshot-...MIgLSX_LeE6wIVURh9Ch0p6QtwEAQYASABEgI1VvD_BwE

I bought it back when I was living in a condo and didn't have easy access to a hose bib. Battery powered and fill out a 5 gallon bucket with water and use that. The psi is lower, but it does the job. On the occasions I don't do ONR, I'll use this.
 
SoclosetoIrvine said:
I used to go for the ONR route.. my new route?

-Greenworks pressure washer around 1600 PSI (around $80 ish) came with a foam canon attachment
-Meguiars gold class car soap .. find one without wax, lots of good brands

around 6-7 pm when the sun is setting, pressure wash the car down with water first... foam it up, let it sit...wash it down, then use a electric leaf blower .. gets rid of like 80% of the water, then just tap dry with a nice waffle towel.. probably 20 mins to complete

ONR was convenient but i found it tough to get rid of like debris/dust/bugs... pressure washer is the way to go.. leaves a perfect swirl free finish when done right
Click to expand...

I have a small spray bottle with ONR in it and pre-spray any spots on the panels I'm working. Pre-spraying helps the ONR soak into the grime and lift it up. When you wipe it down with the ONR soaked microfiber or big red sponge, it'll all wipe away easily.
 
Don't you guys have water softeners?  Wouldn't that be easier...and it'd help our with hard water in the house.
 
Cares said:
Make sure you use 2 bucket method to wash!
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For sure! 2 bucket is the way to go.

akkord said:
Don't you guys have water softeners?  Wouldn't that be easier...and it'd help our with hard water in the house.
Click to expand...

I have one but oddly enough, my hose bibs aren't soft water. I fill my 2 buckets with soft water from inside the house to minimize spotting.
 
akkord said:
Don't you guys have water softeners?  Wouldn't that be easier...and it'd help our with hard water in the house.
Click to expand...
I do have a water softener.  A water softener just transfers the minerals.  It takes the calcium/magnesium out and replaces with sodium (or potassium depending on your softener). 

Hose bibs are often tied to irrigation lines, which you want as tap water.  Plants don't really like the sodium in softened water.
 
No one asked for a soft water hose tap in the garage?  Come on!  Pretty sure you can get someone to add one, may not look as pretty as if it was installed when the softener was put in at the main waterline, but hey it's in the garage corner and its convenient if you wash your car a lot.
 
SoclosetoIrvine said:
daedalus said:
I saw that my local Costco is selling a Husqvarna gas pressure washer with a $50 off coupon, bringing it down to $300 + tax.  Don't know anything about the quality, but I did notice it had a plastic carburetor bowl.  But hey, it's Costco!

Edit:  This one: https://www.costco.com/husqvarna-3100-psi--2.5-gpm-gas-pressure-washer.product.100540389.html
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That 3100 psi might be too high for a car wash. Mine for reference is only 1600-1700
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Nonsense.  I've been using 3000+ PSI on my cars for 15 years.  I probably wouldn't shoot a narrow jet at the paint from point blank, but a 25 degree fan from a foot away or more works great.  That's why they come with different nozzles.
 
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