At the carwash

[VR6child]

With water restrictions in place, I use the carwash not far from my joint. Like most this includes a pre soak, high pressure wash, brush, then high pressure rinse. I've just used this by default since I can remember, but now I think about it I wonder if it's not the best thing for the paintwork. Are these sorts of places usually okay to use? Can washing like this cause damage to paint? Anything to watch out for?

[Jarred]

High pressure shouldn't damage the paint, the brush will leave brush marks though (of course) which will probably scratch you're clear coat a bit.

If you go in off peak times, most places will let you bucket wash. Hec, I even polished mine in the booth a few weeks ago, when the car wash was quiet..

[Mrk_Mickey]

Yeah mate, Jarred's right on this. I wouldn't use the brush because the brush isn't a brush - it's the world's most advanced paint-scratching machine. It gets swept over dirty dusty cars and all those grains stay in the brush itself....not good at all. I've learnt the hard way

What I did when I was legally allowed to drive was wash it frequently enough with like $4 worth of stuff (no brush) so that I would only have to use the pressure sprayer. Then just chamois off and it's clean.

[Jarred]

Yeah mate, Jarred's right on this. I wouldn't use the brush because the brush isn't a brush - it's the world's most advanced paint-scratching machine. It gets swept over dirty dusty cars and all those grains stay in the brush itself....not good at all. I've learnt the hard way

What I did when I was legally allowed to drive was wash it frequently enough with like $4 worth of stuff (no brush) so that I would only have to use the pressure sprayer. Then just chamois off and it's clean.

Yep I do that too. Wash it once, really well. polish wax it etc. then every week or fortnight (depending if it's rainy etc etc etc) get $3 or $4 and just go over the car with the liquid soap and high pressure rinse.

Keeps it clean for longer.

[DMS_Dan]

Yeah DONT use the brush.

If you can take a micro fiber mitt and a sealed bucket of quality wash solution (you can buy buckets with lids from the hardware shop)

The soap at these wash's usually has a high PH so will strip all your wax off.

You can use their high pressure spray to rinse then wash with your mitt (2 bucket method!!) then use it again to rinse your soap off.

I would advise against using the high pressure soap spray then rinse then chamois as you will be dragging dirt over your car and causing marring and swirls

[99gti]

For the less initiated, the 2 bucket method is having one with your soap and water and the second bucket is rinsing water. Dip in bucket one and wash section of car, and then dip in bucket to and rinse your washing mit off.

[Mrk_Mickey]

The soap at these wash's usually has a high PH so will strip all your wax off.

I don't want to get you into trouble Neil but remember how blue your soap suds were when you cleaned your car that friday night? Hehehe...

Quick question Dan:
If you wash your car nicely once and then spend 3 or 4 bucks at the carwash each week just spraying off the excess instead of giving it a proper wash, would it be best to wash it, rinse it then rinse purified water over the car and leave it to dry without chamois-ing it? Or should you chamois the car dry (hence using a 2-bucket washing method anyway)?

[DMS_Dan]

If your using purified water then you wont get water spots so should be ok. I still think its best to wash properly and apply a quality wax every 2 to 6 weeks (depending on the wax) or if your not into waxing/dont have time seal the paint with something like Z2 Pro which should las a year then you can just Quick detail the car with Z8 to give it some extra gloss and protection when you wash it

[VWEAPN]

there are no water restrictions in regards to washing your car.
id never go to any sort of car wash

[Silver dub]

Where i live i have heard of little ****s putting rocks in the brushes. i have never and never will. i have tank water so i'm lucky

[runamuk]

Yeah same in WA... we only have sprinkler restrictions.

there are no water restrictions in regards to washing your car.
id never go to any sort of car wash

[Mrk_Mickey]

If your using purified water then you wont get water spots so should be ok

Thanks man

Where i live i have heard of little ****s putting rocks in the brushes. i have never and never will. i have tank water so i'm lucky

Yeah mate that sounds about right...I learnt the hard way with the brush. You'd have never seen a white car with such noticeable swirls

And on that note, I don't have much paint left on my car! I'm seeing blue on my bonnet creases from where there's hardly any paint. Respray soon...

[VR6child]

Yeah DONT use the brush.

If you can take a micro fiber mitt and a sealed bucket of quality wash solution (you can buy buckets with lids from the hardware shop)

can I ask what brand mitt or cloths you think is best for each surface (interior, exterior etc? i use different sorts of microfibre cloths at work for windows/interior/polish but i'm actually not sure what brand they are as they as supplied by my employer.

[Mrk_Mickey]

Any brand should be fine mate, as long as it's the right material for the surface you're working on.