How Can Washing A Car Be So Hard?!

[MartynS]

I must have my method all wrong! Just spent the past 2 hours cleaning my car, finished result looks good from a distance but I'm not that satisfied with my efforts lol. Only took about 40 mins to wash the bodywork using the 2 bucket method but in that time it kept drying and needing re-hosing down (though apparently I'm doing it too late as the dirt dries back on there and needs another wipe to get it off as the hose alone isn't enough). It then took another 40 mins to do the wheels and due to using brushes my entire right arm, front of shirt and paving in front garden are now filty from all the muck sprayed off the bristles. I can't even seem to use a brush properly as it leaves loads of mess on the inside of the wheels and brake calipers which I ended up wiping off with my fingers lol. I then spent the next 20 mins rinsing it all again (because after doing the wheels it was mostly dry) and drying it off with a towel. It ended up all hazy though as the towel leaves a film of wet on the surface, so the finished result up close is a right mess in places. Worst bit seems to be the roof where the dirt I washed off dried back on there and didn't get rinsed off at all . Still, I only got tangled up in the hose a few times today so it isn't all bad.

Rant over, just wanted to express my severe inability to wash a car! Might just go back to the one bucket and sponge method, my dad manages with that on his old car in about half an hour!

[karlos1987]

When I do mine I do the following.

Hose down. Wash using the 2 bucket method. Hose down. clay bar if needed. Wash again only if I've used clay bar. Dry with chamois leather or microfibre towel. Polish and wax.

Maybe you should try a proper chamois leather. Or get a microfibre towel.

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[Turvey]

Don't wash your car on warm, sunny days. The water dries before you get a chance to chamois/microfibre it off right ;)

[mixmasterlooney]

You need to hose it down with water before washing, make your bucket very soapy and do a quick once over, this will help to break down the hard stuff then you can wash it again taking more time

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[khevolution]

sounds like a lot of your problems is with the sun drying out the water as soon as it is applied on the car. If possible try doing it in a shaded area or maybe later on in the day when the sun so strong


But this advise is coming from somebody who maybe washes his car maybe 4-5 times a year! so im no expert

[bry0586]

id say cheat and get somebody to wash it, then when you get home go over with drying towel then apply polish,wax ;)

[jeebowhite]

I have the same issue, there isnt really anywhere shaded around my house. What I tend to to is go round and wash the car the first time to get rid of all the main crud, it will dry streaky. Second time (whilst my son is still washing the same part of the same door :p) I go around a second time and just wash one pannel at a time, immediately chamois it off and it dries without streaks. If your doing a sun facing panel, then your best bet is to tackle the panel in portions. so when I was last polishing the bonnet, I woud split the pannel into 6 parts, wash each in turn, then dry each in turn, then when it was tidy polish.

[theduke]

Depending on which way the sun rises and falls i turn the car around so im not cleaning the parts that are in direct sunlight and do it in sections then rinse another section, rince etc sometimes i cheat and use spray on shine when its wet too

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[mixmasterlooney]

Jet washer

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[MartynS]

More replies than I was expecting, cheers! I always rinse it off with a hose first to remove a lot of the mess then go round each panel in turn with the wash mitt. I used to hose each panel off after washing it but to save time I've recently just washed the whole thing then hosed it off as and when I see it drying. The fact the dirt redries on there though shows I need to rinse it off quicker! I never do it in direct sunlight (yesterday I started around 7pm) as that just makes it impossible.

Regarding the drying I'm using a microfibre towel but as said before this leaves the surface damp and it then dries all hazy (particularly the roof - condensation or whatever it is over night exposes all these marks big time!). Would a chamois be better, do they remove all the water? If they work better then I'll get one but if it's just my technique then it's pointless lol. I also like the idea of drying each panel as I go, hadn't thought of doing that. You must end up rewetting bits numerous times though when rinsing adjacent ones?

Sorry for all the potentially stupid questions but it seems I need all the help I can get!

[b1g_dav3]

It's easy, pay a fiver for someone to jetwash it for you :P

[jeebowhite]

haha, yeah thats true Dave.

[RKT]

Have a look at this reddit post.

http://www.reddit.com/r/AutoDetailing/comments/n77q2/beginners_guide_to_detailing_products_the_bare/

Based on this guys information I have the COBRA Supreme Guzzler waffle weave towel and find it can dry the entire car perfectly.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cobra-Supreme-Guzzler-Drying-Towel-Green-Large-/151155757099?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item233195d02b