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cgj

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Other than bringing a microfiber and doing a soap, wipe and rinse, does anybody have tips on using a self service spray cash wash effectively? I hand wash my car for the other 3 seasons and in the winter I hit the self service bays a couple of times. Usually, I'm just trying to clean off the winter gunk but when we get some mild days, I do a bucket wash.

Today I didn't have my stuff when I stopped in so I just did a soap spray and rinse. On a black car, it came out looking like crap. Soap is still on the car (after rinsing for 6 minutes) and even where it isn't it still looks dirty.

I never expect a spotless shine by just spraying the car, but what tips do others have when using a self service car wash without a bucket? Does anyone ever use some of those other settings/products beyond basic soap? Does anyone ever gets a good result using the spray gun only?

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#3 ·
cgj said:
Soap is still on the car (after rinsing for 6 minutes)
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What?
That sounds like the rinse water is not clean.
You might try another car wash location.

I used to use the cheap ones (50 cents for 4 minutes) but now I always used the expensive one (3 minutes for $1.00- 45 seconds a quarter) because it has high pressure with both the clean rinse and spot free rinse water. The spot free works very well at that location, and the car dries perfectly without towel drying. Work top down with the spot free.

Bring a brush and wheel cleaner and do the wheels before you start then rinse off while spraying off the car.

If you use the foam brush- spray it off with the hose first and also check the bristles for dirt with your hand. But the foam soap is very thick, which means it takes a lot more rinsing to remove (I think the car wash owners plan that).
You might want to use the foam brush in section and rinse before it dries- if you are having trouble rinsing off the soap.

The spray on wax is water soluble, which means it is almost worthless.
 
#4 ·
I wash the car with high pressure soap. Then rinse. I dry the car with a bunch of microfiber towels gently and turn the towels frequently. This pulls off remaining dirt. Then I spray wax the whole car and wipe off. This keeps a protective barrier. No bucket needed.

The wax helps make it easy to wash the car the following week. I do this every week. I've done this throughout the winter with excellent results and minimal swirling. I'm surprised how well it works.

Never use the towels twice. Wash weekly.

BTW, my car is black as well.
 
#7 ·
-Use the pre-soak if there is one... it really helps loosen off the dirt/heavy road grime.
-Use the spot-free rinse mode. It uses reverse osmosis water, the normal water in a spray wash is recycled/cleaned from the collection system and only blended with fresh water... You'll never get a decent rinse with it.
-You will never get a perfect finish unless you dry your car, air drying (by driving or leaving the car to sit) even with spotless rinse causes dust blown up from the road to stick to the car like glue.
-Seek out pay-and-sprays that have a forced air-dryer (like at an automated wash)... they seem to be pretty rare, but if you don't have time (or it's too damn cold) to chamois the car down they do a decent job.
-Use a fully automated wash in the depths of winter IMO - the underbody wash helps the most (the paint on the body gives a lot of protection, but there are untreated bits underneath) and the air dryer gets the majority of moisture from most areas.

Last thing... don't be so anal, especially in the winter. You're fighting a completely losing battle; there is maintaining your car well (washing it ASAP after they've salted the roads, or it's gotten quite dirty) and there is just being vein... you might have an awesome car you want to show off - but leave it for the warm weather - no one can beat nature at its own game.
 
#8 ·
Speaking from experience here..... NEVER EVER EVER touch your car with anything other than water at these places!!!

Bring a bucket with your own soap and washing device then spray off the car and fill the bucket with water. Then use your bucket, soap and cleaning device and then use the water to rinse off the suds!

There is a self serve car was that is close to an area where people going 4x4'n and motorcycle riding that has a booth labeled "Really Dirty And Muddy" which has different metal grates on the ground and more powerful sprayers.
 
#10 ·
When I use them in the winter I'll take my bottle of Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner diluted 10:1 and spray the car over. Then use their pre-soak followed by high pressure rinse and spot free rinse. Normally have to towel dry and use a quick detailer but works well when hand washing isn't an option :beer:
 
#14 ·
BOOGATA said:
Spray gun only looks good while its wet, but when it dries you realize you barely did anything.
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It depends on how you do it.

if you stand back and quickly go over the car with the spray soap, you will just get the big stuff.
I go over the car once quickly, then come back with the nozzle just 6 to 12 inches from the surface (at the dirty areas- top, hood, truck, lower panels), which seems to do a fairly good job.
 
#15 ·
I was just thinking about creating this thread the other day while I was washing mine up. I won't let anyone else wash my car 3 months out of the year and this is the only option in winter.

- X2 on the pre-soak. I had never used it until this winter. I just assumed it was extremely harsh and would deteriorate the wax. Which still may be, but it definitely gets the car much cleaner.

- I've always avoided the brushes in these places. But recently a buddy told me to inspect it before putting in your money(remove any foreign objects), lay it down on the floor(bristles up), put in your $, and spray it with the high pressure rinse. This should remove anything else. Even after this I really only try to use it on my tires/unpainted surfaces and glass.

- I've always been pissed when switching from soap to rinse, wax to rinse, etc how long it takes for the new selection to be pumped out. (Especially when time is running low.) An employee at one of these places tipped me off to going to one of the closest bays to the center or which ever end the mechanical room is on. This will drastically reduce the amount of piping the product has to flow through before getting to your bay.

- Bring your piece. My experience is these places are always in **** neighborhoods. And a great place for some to jack you. Most other people are in their own bays and not paying attention to you or anything else.
 
#17 ·
nosrednug said:
- Bring your piece. My experience is these places are always in **** neighborhoods. And a great place for some to jack you. Most other people are in their own bays and not paying attention to you or anything else.
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Ha I feel the same way...doesn't help that I always seem to end up there at odd hours of the night
 
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#18 ·
nosrednug said:
- Bring your piece. My experience is these places are always in **** neighborhoods. And a great place for some to jack you. Most other people are in their own bays and not paying attention to you or anything else.
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So you will be washing with one hand and holding the gun in the other? :laugh:

Some of you guys live in ****ty places... gotta keep it realz. (real paranoid)

There is only one carwash here in a bad part of town, and even there it is very safe (during the day).
 
#19 ·
BRealistic said:
So you will be washing with one hand and holding the gun in the other? :laugh:

Some of you guys live in ****ty places... gotta keep it realz. (real paranoid)

There is only one carwash here in a bad part of town, and even there it is very safe (during the day).
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rock out with your glock out... :laugh:
 
#20 ·
The trick with the presoak soap is to start at the bottom and work up with the passes. Taught to me years ago by the guy who owned a dozen of these washes. Less dilution.

Of the 5 minutes I am willing to pay for, 2 go to this step because it's the only one that matters in the winter. (summer is high press soap only for both the the C and the van)

Next is straight to wax. Why? 2 reasons. It will bead somewhat but it is usually very hot/heated water and will blast off ice and grime. 1.5 minutes. The wax is hot water, a good rinser, and will bead, which leads to the final stage....

Spot free. Mine is reverse osmosis. I've seen the 1000 gal rig. Last 30 seconds + to the rinse.

Top Wash Top Tip of the Day:

Always choose the bay closest to the pumps. Less time wasted waiting for low pressure soap to travel to you!:cool:
 
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