Single Bucket Wash Method

[skinnyb]

I'm definitely in the 1 bucket camp. 1 for wheels 1 for paint and 1 for Rinseless exclusively when I go that route. I do the foam rinse then foam again method. Then I have 3-4 mits in the wash bucket. A dirty wash mit never sees the bucket. Once I'm done with it, it gets rinsed and then washed in the washing machine.

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[Oakley]

I'm definitely in the 1 bucket camp. 1 for wheels 1 for paint and 1 for Rinseless exclusively when I go that route. I do the foam rinse then foam again method. Then I have 3-4 mits in the wash bucket. A dirty wash mit never sees the bucket. Once I'm done with it, it gets rinsed and then washed in the washing machine.

This seems to be the best balance of anal retentive/ease.
basically by the time i put a mitt on the paint has nothing on it except maybe a few stray bugs.

 

[MACHtobers Very Own]

I like the one bucket method as well. Rags are cheap.

-rinse car off with water
-foam car
-rags that have been soaking in bucket with same soap thats foamed for the contact
-rinse car
-dry

 

[Evolvd]

I like the one bucket method as well. Rags are cheap.

-rinse car off with water
-foam car
-rags that have been soaking in bucket with same soap thats foamed for the contact
-rinse car
-dry

No need for the first rinse. If you’re using quality wash soap you can foam the car dry. The water and soap will encapsulate the surface dirt and pull it from the surface. This creates lubrication for the dirt to slide off the paint. Spraying water on a dirty surface can cause the dirt to be dragged across the paint causing surface marring.

 

[WD Pro]

No need for the first rinse. If you’re using quality wash soap you can foam the car dry. The water and soap will encapsulate the surface dirt and pull it from the surface. This creates lubrication for the dirt to slide off the paint. Spraying water on a dirty surface can cause the dirt to be dragged across the paint causing surface marring.

I’m with you - I actually prefer to foam the car dry.

I think it sticks better / longer giving it more time to work.

I fully rinse before I start with the mitt

WD

 

[rocsteady]

I'm old school I guess, spray the car off with regular hose, Meguiars car wash with one mitt, all the top surfaces and then halfway down the doors (if "winter" dirty then a second mitt), otherwise same mitt, Meguiars hybrid ceramic wax, spray off, dry with nice thick, big microfiber towel that only requires one pass per panel. Once it's dry, another micrfiber towel for door jams, trunk, under hood, some engine. Wash out bucket, refill, another small, triangular mitt for wheels that lets me get everywhere. Spray and dry with the hybrid ceramic wax and then drive to air dry all the places water could collect.

 

[JetGray_Mach1]

I coat the wheels with chemical guys Diablo wheel cleaner then I scrub the wheels with a dedicated rag for that.

Use one bucket and microfiber wash Mitt to wash the car after with Carpro Reset.

Then I have a huge Chemical guys towel that basically dries the whole car with one. I use two makes drying easy.

 

[Evolvd]

I'm old school I guess, spray the car off with regular hose, Meguiars car wash with one mitt, all the top surfaces and then halfway down the doors (if "winter" dirty then a second mitt), otherwise same mitt, Meguiars hybrid ceramic wax, spray off, dry with nice thick, big microfiber towel that only requires one pass per panel. Once it's dry, another micrfiber towel for door jams, trunk, under hood, some engine. Wash out bucket, refill, another small, triangular mitt for wheels that lets me get everywhere. Spray and dry with the hybrid ceramic wax and then drive to air dry all the places water could collect.

I would definitely get a second bucket just for wheels. The carbon and ceramic from the brake dust will contaminate the plastic in your bucket and you can transfer that to your paint when washing the rest of the car. Rinsing out the bucket is not good enough to prevent this.

 

[rocsteady]

I would definitely get a second bucket just for wheels. The carbon and ceramic from the brake dust will contaminate the plastic in your bucket and you can transfer that to your paint when washing the rest of the car. Rinsing out the bucket is not good enough to prevent this.

Noted. I never thought of that.

 

[Stage_3]

I just use dish soap for my wheels. a little dab of dawn on the mitt, spray down, wash, rinse. no bucket at all. but my wheels aren't hard to clean or some fancy finish.

Be careful with dish soap.

Not positive on this, but I think over time they may eat away at the coating on the paint on your wheels. I know dish soap is harsh on car paint over time.

 

[Stage_3]

Since we're talking about buckets,................

How many guys here use the Rinseless wash method? I've seen a couple of posts mention it.
I use it on my daily driver with great results. What's makes it even more great is that I can use this technique and not worry about a frozen hose, especially in the colder months here in the Northeast.

 

[Evolvd]

Be careful with dish soap.

Not positive on this, but I think over time they may eat away at the coating on the paint on your wheels. I know dish soap is harsh on car paint over time.

Dish soap isn’t acidic but it will strip any gloss enhancers.

 

[Evolvd]

Since we're talking about buckets,................

How many guys here use the Rinseless wash method? I've seen a couple of posts mention it.
I use it on my daily driver with great results. What's makes it even more great is that I can use this technique and not worry about a frozen hose, especially in the colder months here in the Northeast.

I only use rinseless for spot treatments when I’ve arrived at a car show. I wouldn’t recommend it for daily drivers unless you’re doing it after every drive.

 

[Oakley]

Be careful with dish soap.

Not positive on this, but I think over time they may eat away at the coating on the paint on your wheels. I know dish soap is harsh on car paint over time.

lol can't be worse than brake dust from these brembos.
plus its not like you let it sit there.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Since we're talking about buckets,................

How many guys here use the Rinseless wash method? I've seen a couple of posts mention it.
I use it on my daily driver with great results. What's makes it even more great is that I can use this technique and not worry about a frozen hose, especially in the colder months here in the Northeast.

Works great! Just not an option if you have debris like leaves etc on the car. Use their sponge or cut your own sponge up. Makes a big difference in not dragging dirt across your paint.

Also you control how much rinseless solution you use by using the sponge and squeezing a lot of excess rinseless solution over the paint before you get the dirt off. I've tried McKees n914 and ONR, both are great, McKees smells better lol.

Very versatile product as well, i mix into clay bar solution, quick detailer, panel prep before
coating, etc.

Hell sometimes I rinse off the car with the hose and then use rinseless instead of soap and bucket since it saves so much time.. although supposedly the manufacturers prefer you DON'T do that surprisingly enough, since the water you just sprayed on the car might dilute the cleaning solution.

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