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Proper Washing Methods

4K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  Clean_Image 
#1 ·
I thought i would start a thread entitled Proper Washing Methods. I’ve been reading some threads on other forums, its amazing how people wash there cars! So let’s get started: The first thing you would like to do is pick a shaded area, this will help in permitting water spotting later. Items you will need for this venture are : 2 buckets, car wash, sheepskin mitt or microfiber mitt/towels, waffle weave drying towel, wheel brush, hose nozzle, a safe wheel cleaner, maybe some tire cleaner. Some folks like to clean wheels first, so I won’t get into the particulars of that, its fairly easy, and basic. Apply a safe wheel cleaner, to one wheel at a time, clean with brush or suitable cleaning tool, rinse, and continue to the next. While your car is cool, and hopefully in the shade, start hosing the surface off with a high stream of water, start at the top so dirt and contaminants fall over non rinsed areas. Make sure to use a good stream to any side moldings and emblems, you will be amazed at the quantity of dirt hiding in there.
Continue to do this until the entire surface has been rinsed. Remember, top to bottom.....Next add a couple oz of car wash soap to bucket #1, and fill with water, add water to bucket #2. With the sheepskin in hand, or whatever you’ve selected to wash with, gently wipe the surface with suds from a front to back motion, again, your starting at the roof area, then trunk, then hood, then sides. Depending on your speed, and if it is warm and dry out, you may need to rinse each panel after washing, until you have completed the car. Keep your cars surface wet until you’re completely finished. When you find the need to redip your sheepskin in the suds, rinse it out in bucket #2, this will remove dirt and contaminants from possibly further scratching the surface. (Your going to want to make sure you have plenty of soap (lubricant) on your sheepskin all the while washing, this will help to suspend the dirt, and let it be carried off during the rinse.)Use that method throughout your washing. After the vehicle is completely finished, remove the nozzle from the hose end, and let the water exit the hose without any added pressure. Hold the hose a couple inches from the roof surface, and start at the high end of the vehicle. Chase the water across the surface with the flow exiting the hose. Run/sheet the water across the surface, and continue with the hood, and rear deck, and sides.
When all is said and done, open the hood and trunk, and let the remaining water sheet itself off while you dry the sides with a Waffle Weave drying towel. (At this point, some like to use quick detailers or Eagle One’s “Wax as u Dry”.) Start at the top, and work your way down to lower panels, refold the waffle weave as it absorbs water, a 24x30 towel is generally all that is needed. You may want to follow in your other hand with a clean and dry microfiber 16x16 towel.
You may find this technique of benefit to you, and if so, you may be able to tweak it a little to meet your specific needs. Good luck and I hope to have helped at least a few of you!
If anyone needs any additional questions answered, or some help in product selection, just PM me !
 
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#2 ·
Good Advice excel...I too have seen a lot of interesting posts on how people clean their cars and it sometimes makes me cringe.

(BTW: Your avatar freaks me out here and at Autopia)

One interesting thing to look at is this, after you are done washing your car, look at the "rinse" bucket and notice how dirty it is. The first time I looked that that I was amazed. It made me sick to think I used to use the same bucket for rinsing and washing. All that dirt on my vehicles.

Another tip, before you wash your car, if you have any pieces of tar or grime in your fenderwells, use a product called Stoners Tarminator to rid yourself of it. Some people like to do it afterwards but I do it at the same time I clean the wheels and the rinsing all works out to be done at the same time.
 
#3 ·
Originally posted by MaThGr82@Jan 12 2005, 09:02 PM
Good Advice excel...I too have seen a lot of interesting posts on how people clean their cars and it sometimes makes me cringe.

(BTW: Your avatar freaks me out here and at Autopia)

One interesting thing to look at is this, after you are done washing your car, look at the "rinse" bucket and notice how dirty it is. The first time I looked that that I was amazed. It made me sick to think I used to use the same bucket for rinsing and washing. All that dirt on my vehicles.

Another tip, before you wash your car, if you have any pieces of tar or grime in your fenderwells, use a product called Stoners Tarminator to rid yourself of it. Some people like to do it afterwards but I do it at the same time I clean the wheels and the rinsing all works out to be done at the same time.
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Your correct, and I have noticed all the crud. I now use a grit guard.......I cant get rid of the avatar, i swear i think im demonized by it ! I use the same av on every forum i belong to! lol
 
#4 ·
Well well well....this is how we do it at the dealership.....

We first apply a pink soapy substance to the wheels....and the front end (lights and winshied) and usually the dirty spots.

*We also have a special acid spray for the expensive rims (M3s/M5s)

Then we use a power spray...and spray all the pink suds off along with the hard spots and bugs....then we get a soapy sheepskin...wash the car from front to back...starting with the hood...and going down to the headlights...and to the right...so the drivers side door high and low...moving to the back and around to the front....

Then after the whole car is fully of soap...we use a garden hose to get all the soap off....it gets more area....then when all the soap is gone...we shammy it starting with the hood and moving in the same direction as washing.

After the whole care is finished and shammied....we drive it and place it in the proper place...high end cars belong inside under constant surveillance...and the rest of bimmers go outside for an air drying as well as monitoring for security until the customers arrival.

Anywho...though I'd give my 2 cents.
 
#5 ·
How a dealership washes a car and how you wash your own personal car should be two completely different ways. I have had my vehicle washed at dealerships in the past and they tend to leave more marks on there then when they got it. (Especially swirls)

I am sure not every dealership is doing this but I would just prefer to wash my own vehicle.
 
#6 ·
Hey, when your car is freakin' dirty because it is your own fault....it looks alot better than a no wash...

Plus all the crap we got...isn't anything compared to whatever you can find....most people come to the dealership to find out how to make their car better without seriously fucking up their car.
 
#7 ·
I LOVE my dealership..I swear I will always get the interior spa. I paid for it last summer right after I drove my car off the sales lot and my 1995 318i came back looking and smelling literally like new......I've used several products but have since failed to recreate the smell and look. Also I thought it was cool that I got a free car wash and I didn't think it was bad. In fact I almost passed my car on the lot and not recognize it....

Hey this is my dealership BMW of Manhattan... Also Life Quality in Brooklyn is pretty good too!
 
#8 ·
regardless of what "products" a dealership might or might not have, I would still prefer to clean my vehicle myself. When I do take the Bimmer to the dealership, I specifically ask them not to wash the vehicle for me.

To each their own.
 
#9 ·
I would always clean my own car, aint gonna let some other idiot clean MY car then charge a stupid amout for it. But if it really really needs it, i would be forced to take it to a bmw stealership.

The best clean you can get in the UK without forking out a stupid amount is when you stop at traffic lights and a whole load of illegal imigrants wanna clean your windscreen.

btw BMWLotAttendant, do the dealerships sell the cleaning stuff they use?
 
#10 ·
whole load of illegal imigrants wanna clean your windscreen.
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LMAo, you have those too ? theres no way anyone but me is cleaningor detailing any of my vehicles......It just aint gonna happen ! Ive worked on too many cars that got messed up at the dealer, and came to me to fix.......
 
#11 ·
Originally posted by PJV 528@Jan 14 2005, 01:55 PM
btw BMWLotAttendant, do the dealerships sell the cleaning stuff they use?
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Yeah, you can buy anything at a dealership...we have one BMW customer who owns both a new M3 Convertible SMG...and an M5....and he has bought at the dealership a special wheel acid....that they ONLY use when his car comes in for a wash....

And another customer we gave away a bottle of acid cleaner just to wash the black strip in between the drivers' side door..and passenger window...where shiney rainbowey purple and blue colors show up. It takes it away.

And he said he was going to buy a bottle...so I'd say so..
 
#16 ·
Originally posted by MaThGr82@Jan 14 2005, 02:09 AM
regardless of what "products" a dealership might or might not have, I would still prefer to clean my vehicle myself. When I do take the Bimmer to the dealership, I specifically ask them not to wash the vehicle for me.

To each their own.
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hell ya!! same here!
 
#17 ·
I can't really fault your procedure, but I do have a way to improve it...

Wool wash mits are great because they don't trap the dirt and scrape it accross your paintwork, but they still will do this to some extent, especially when the car is very dirty.
There is an item called a traffic brush, or transport brush, if you use one of these under a stream of water from a hosepipe it can agitate the dirt and grit without any scratching. The brissles are disigned to be stiff enough to losten dirt, but soft enough not to scratch.

And you are right, some people prefer to wash the wheels first... that is certianly hte case at our valet company. The reason is that the substances we use for cleaning wheels need to be undiluted and work best when the wheels are dry. I think this is the same with most commercially available wheel cleaners.
 
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