Anyone else been hand cleaning in this weather?

[Joe]

I have one with a grit catcher in the bottom and it works really well. What I could really do with though is one that catches all the derisory comments my family make. Now that would be worth using 2 buckets for

[Charles]

What I could really do with though is one that catches all the derisory comments my family make. Now that would be worth using 2 buckets for

As I said - anything to do with family planning?

[Tinker]

Downside to this though - a guy i know who is a panel beater/ spray painter reckons that when cars are left outside, they dry with the wind, but garaged cars are usually worse for corrossion underneath

Onzie

I need your garage

Not sure I'd agree with the whole garage arguement, as obviously when it's raining and your car doesn't come out.. it's bone dry, unlike the car outside which has water evapourating underneath it. Still, it's gotta be better than parking the car on mud/grass!

Hmm, wonder if I can fit a car wash inside my garage!

Rich

He is right, you should never put a wet car in a closed garage ... the best thing for a car, is a car port (or a barn if you don't have a carport). where there is a constant airflow it does not get wet or frozen up, and when it has been raining dries naturally.

Problem with a garage is condensation, which is worse than being left in a lake ...

If you wash your car below freezing, you should take it for a run after so ice does not form (mind you washing a car when it is freezing is bonkers )

[chad5k1]

He is right, you should never put a wet car in a closed garage ... the best thing for a car, is a car port (or a barn if you don't have a carport). where there is a constant airflow it does not get wet or frozen up, and when it has been raining dries naturally.

Problem with a garage is condensation, which is worse than being left in a lake ...

If you wash your car below freezing, you should take it for a run after so ice does not form (mind you washing a car when it is freezing is bonkers )

I agree, unless you have a heated garage
But car ports are great.

[Geoff]

The two bucket method is simply have a dirty water and clean water bucket. You use the soapy water to wet your cloth/sponge, wipe the car and then dip it in the clean water to rinse.
You then dip it back in the soapy water and start again.

It's very anal, but it's all about reducing the potential for a contaminent from scratching the paintwork.

Another option is to get a proper bucket which has a grid in the bottom to trap the dirt at the bottom away from the soapy water and more importantly, your sponge!

I favour the latter, personally.

My routine has now settled on a true British Gentlemans wash..

- Jet wash car, allow to soak
- Spray wheels with cleaner
- Have a cup of tea
- Scrub wheels down with warm water and then jetwash off
- Bring out bucket of warm water (wash/wax name has left me for now) and a micro-firbe cloth (I find these far better than sponge/mitt) and start at the top and work down.
- Use a second cloth for under the car (i.e. bottom of bosywork/kit)
- Jet wash car off until bubble free
- Allow to air dry for 15 minutes, have a cup of tea
- Spray wheels with back to black, or simular tyre stuff
- Put car in garage so the local birds don't use it for target practise and dry with microfibe cloth
- Apply polish with little meguirs sponge thing and wipe off with microfibre
- Have a cup of tea

Rich

That's too much tea no wonder it takes so long, you need a foam lance of your own

[Richy_Boy]

Too true, although a foam lance won't dry and polish your car for you, unfortunatley!

I just remembered, I use Turtle Wax 'Extreme nano-tech' stuff was the wash and wax and their 'wet n black' tyre stuff.

I use autoglym 'super resin' polish occasionally too.

Rich