Model Y Basic Car Wash Advice Needed

[steph746]

Hi,

I am in need of some basic car wash advice. I think I have always been doing things a bit wrong and would like to properly wash our Model Y. On previous cars I've just basically been putting some Turtle Wax in a bucket and mixing that with water and using older undershirts (rags) to apply it around the car. Then I rinse it off. I'm left with even dirtier shirts/rags and might throw those through the was and repeat the process.

To do things properly (and fairly simply), what type of towels, sponges, etc should I purchase? I think I understand that I should use microfiber towels, but I'm worried that they will get dirty and basically turn into a rag soon anyway. Should I first hose the car down and scrub off really dirty areas (like bird poop, sap, etc) with rags and then rinse and wash with microfiber towels? Or would the microfiber towel really just be for drying?

Also, any advice on a basic soap?

Thanks very much in advance for any advice.

 

[stbedi]

Lots of videos on you tube on the do And don’t aspect.

 

[SalisburySam]

Search is your friend. This issue has been discussed to death in this and other forums, and as @stbedi suggests, on YouTube as well. But to answer your question directly depends on the person. For me, I used a two- then a one-bucket method, microfiber clothes, ONR, a glass cleaner, then a spray wax. But before any of that I foam-cannoned the vehicle and rinsed it well. If you don’t know what any of that is, again Search is your friend. That was for about a year. Then I realized the effort was just not worth it to me and for about $25 have taken the vehicle to a local spinning brushes conveyor style car wash and haven’t looked back. Been doing that for four years now.

 

[stbedi]

Search is your friend. This issue has been discussed to death in this and other forums, and as @stbedi suggests, on YouTube as well. But to answer your question directly depends on the person. For me, I used a two- then a one-bucket method, microfiber clothes, ONR, a glass cleaner, then a spray wax. But before any of that I foam-cannoned the vehicle and rinsed it well. If you don’t know what any of that is, again Search is your friend. That was for about a year. Then I realized the effort was just not worth it to me and for about $25 have taken the vehicle to a local spinning brushes conveyor style car wash and haven’t looked back. Been doing that for four years now.

I agree, for the cost of a touch less system wash..it’s not worth the hassle to wash it myself.

 

[Mike_TV]

One tip I've found here on the forums was to use stainless steel home appliance cleaner on the black anodized window trim. This may become discolored over time and develop a rainbow sheen from water spots or soap residue. Wiping this down makes it slightly shiny but removes any reside and makes it look new. You can buff it down to a dull. finish by wiping with a microfiber cloth too.

As others have said, lots of YouTube videos on car detailing and tips here via search from owners.

 

[jcanoe]

Hi,

I am in need of some basic car wash advice. I think I have always been doing things a bit wrong and would like to properly wash our Model Y. On previous cars I've just basically been putting some Turtle Wax in a bucket and mixing that with water and using older undershirts (rags) to apply it around the car. Then I rinse it off. I'm left with even dirtier shirts/rags and might throw those through the was and repeat the process.

To do things properly (and fairly simply), what type of towels, sponges, etc should I purchase? I think I understand that I should use microfiber towels, but I'm worried that they will get dirty and basically turn into a rag soon anyway. Should I first hose the car down and scrub off really dirty areas (like bird poop, sap, etc) with rags and then rinse and wash with microfiber towels? Or would the microfiber towel really just be for drying?

Also, any advice on a basic soap?

Thanks very much in advance for any advice.

I have owned my Model Y for 3 years. I have yet to take my Model Y to a car wash, prefer to wash my Model Y at home. (I do have a driveway and a garage with a hose bib nearby.)

There are three methods I recommend. Method number one would be to go to a car wash and not worry about it too much. It is a car, will get dirty scratched over time. (The true touchless car washes are few here in my area. One, named Touch Less does touch the vehicle when cleaning but minimally, only on the lower side panels. The true touchless car washes use cleaning agents with very high pH values that will damage the anodized black finish of the trim around the windows and doors. That is why Tesla does not recommend using a car wash that uses caustic cleaning chemicals. (See Tesla Model Y Owner's Manual, search for "cleaning" or "washing" Also, practice putting the Tesla Model Y into Car Wash mode (found under Service settings) before you go to the car wash (if you decide to use one.)

Model Y Owner's Manual | Tesla

The second method is to use a small power washer, at home. This method assumes you have a driveway or carport with access to water and power. A low power pressure washer, i.e. under 2000 PSI is all you need. (I use a Ryobi pressure washer rated for 1600 PSI, and a 40 degree spray or 25 degree spray nothing finer (tighter) as the pressure washer can damage the paint.) To use this method you need to use two buckets (one for clean water, one for rinsing out the wash mitt or sponge when dirty) You would place a good quality grit guard in the bottom of the bucket that you use to rinse out the wash mitt or sponge. (The grit guard helps keep the dirt particles at the bottom of the bucket, otherwise you are just stirring up the dirt every time you rinse out the mitt or sponge.) The pressure washer is used to A) pre-soak the exterior of the vehicle with water, B) followed by foaming soap solution. (The best way to apply the soap solution is with a soap cannon attachment for the pressure washer. (There are many choices in soap cannons, foaming car wash liquid (Chemical Guys, Meguiars, Mother's, Griots etc.) After applying the soap foam I clean from top to bottom, front to rear of the Model Y using a microfiber wash mitt but some prefer to use a sponge or micro fiber wash cloths (a lot of them, keep folding and using a new cloth for each section (you would need to wash a few dozen microfiber wash cloths in the washing machine after you are done washing the vehicle.) I prefer the microfiber wash mitt and use it more like a sponge than a mitt. RInse out well in the bucket with the grit guard before picking up clean soap solution and proceeding to the next section. C) Use the pressure washer with a wide 40 degree spray to rinse off the vehicle. (Always wash the vehicle in the shade or on a cloudy day, never in full sun or you will have to deal with water spots.) I use several large microfiber towels (I use Chemical Guys) to dry off my Model Y after washing. (Always wash microfiber cloths in cold water and then air dry only or hang dry (no heat if using the clothes dryer.)

The third method is to use a rinseless car wash product such as Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine. There are plenty of videos on how to use a rinseless car wash product. The best way to use this type of product is to not let the vehicle become too dirty between washes. When I wash my Model Y with Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine I use one 5 gallon bucket filled with 3 gallons of water (there is a grit guard in the bottom of the bucket) I fill a small spray bottle with some of the No Rinse solution that I mix for the bucket (1 cap full of Optimum No Rinse per gallon of water.) Some prefer to use a whole lot of microfiber wash cloths when using the rinseless wash. I prefer to use a cross cut sponge. You can use Optimum No Rinse to clean the glass roof and windows. You spray the dirtiest sections with the No Rinse solution and wait 30 seconds before wiping the panel, i.e. door panel. You clean one panel, dry using a microfiber towel (Chemical guys medium size towels, I use 3 of these for Model Y when using Optimum No Rinse) before proceeding to the next panel. When it gets too cold to be outside in the wind or use the pressure washer I can tolerate using the rinseless method inside my garage until the temperature drops to close to 40 degrees (not fun.)

 

[BMWM3Man]

 

[Unclepaul]

Old school here. Hose down car first. Gets off the loose dirt and soaks the bug guts and bird poop.

Use bucket with grit guard in the bottom to separate abrasives from soapy water. Put in some car soap and use a microfiber pad on a pole to wash from the top down. Spray off washed area to keep soap from drying on finish.

Use microfiber or soft cotton bath towels to dry.

Use window cleaner for glass.

Take it for a short drive to blow out water from creases and give it a last wipe to eliminate water spots.

Takes me less time to do this than to go to a car wash. Nice sense of pride and gives me a change to inspect the car as I go.

Every 6 months use Wash Wax all to add UV protection and add gloss.

 

[holmesm1]

I like a clean car, but I also want to wash it with the least amount of effort. I use Girot's Garage Ceramic Speed Shine. Just wipe it on all the metal and plastic surfaces, interior and exterior, and then off. I use a few microfiber cloths which can be washed for reuse and it cleans, shines and protects all in one process. No bucket or hose needed. You can also use it on the glass, but I find I like a glass cleaner better as the other seems to cloud over time. I then wash the hubcaps with a typical wheel cleaner, bucke with water, and tire shine for the blackwall tires. I can get the whole exterior done in about ten minutes, less than the round trip time to the nearest carwash and spraying and wiping is not that much effort.

 

[Sizzlr]

Griot 3 in 1 Ceramic is great. For in between washes Maguires Waterless Wash and Wax is the product. This is my wash of my black Model Y Performance...



Watch this video
15 minute wash

 

[Pianewman]

holmesm1: I use Girot's Garage Ceramic Speed Shine. Just wipe it on all the metal and plastic surfaces, interior and exterior, and then off.

Do you use this method on a dirty car? Do you water rinse the car, loosening the dirt/grit, prior to wiping on the Griot product?

I would be concerned about the very first wipe, when the dirt is transferred to the surface of the cloth, turning it into sandpaper.

???

 

[Midpack]

Depends on how anal you are with the finish on your cars. I know people who spend loads of time and money carefully washing the car, after having PPF and ceramic put on. And I know others who say "in the end, it's just a car," and they run through a tunnel wash once in a while. Most of us are probably somewhere in between. I hand wash with micro fiber and the one or two bucket method, but I'm not buying a foam cannon or paying thousands for PPF. There is no right answer, but you can see hundreds of "methods" for washing a Tesla or other car on YouTube - you have to decide what you're willing to accept...

 

[Sizzlr]

Do you use this method on a dirty car? Do you water rinse the car, loosening the dirt/grit, prior to wiping on the Griot product?

I would be concerned about the very first wipe, when the dirt is transferred to the surface of the cloth, turning it into sandpaper.

???

Yes, my guy. First I rinse off the dirt and debris, then I hit it with a coating of the soapy solution from the foam canon> I let the thick suds act as a surfactant, separating the dirt from the paint, Then I rinse and dry.

 

[Pianewman]

...and for the Maguires Waterless Wash? Or do you use the Maguires on an already clean car?
...just curious...

 

[holmesm1]

Do you use this method on a dirty car? Do you water rinse the car, loosening the dirt/grit, prior to wiping on the Griot product?

I would be concerned about the very first wipe, when the dirt is transferred to the surface of the cloth, turning it into sandpaper.

???

I have used this method for years without any issues. The last dealership that I traded my Prius Prime in at before the Tesla thought it was immaculate. I usually use two or three microfiber towels but no other preparation. The ceramic finish is very smooth.

 

[untouchable360]

I use ONR rinse-less wash only for basic washes. If it's too dirty, I will take it to a hand car wash. Takes me less than 10 minutes to wash my car. 1. Pre-spray with ONR with a pump spray and wait a few minutes. 2. Use two gallons of distilled water with ONR and wipe the car down with a sponge/mitt. 3. Dry car with microfiber towels. That's it.

 

[Goobers]

Search is your friend. This issue has been discussed to death in this and other forums, and as @stbedi suggests, on YouTube as well. But to answer your question directly depends on the person. For me, I used a two- then a one-bucket method, microfiber clothes, ONR, a glass cleaner, then a spray wax. But before any of that I foam-cannoned the vehicle and rinsed it well. If you don’t know what any of that is, again Search is your friend. That was for about a year. Then I realized the effort was just not worth it to me and for about $25 have taken the vehicle to a local spinning brushes conveyor style car wash and haven’t looked back. Been doing that for four years now.

Since buying my 2010 Fit, I've found out that... I have no decent spinning brush car washes around me. At least, with my cars.

For my 2010 Honda Fit Sport (still have), 2019 Honda HR-V (traded) and 2023 MYP (current daily), they all suffer similar issues. They will not clean the area immediately below the spoiler and down the middle of the hatch. The top roller can't get under the spoiler so the rear windshield is still nasty there on the Fit and HR-V. This isn't as bad on the MYP, at least the spoiler is way lower on the hatch and doesn't stick out much. Then other issue is the two side rollers always meet in the middle, but leave visible dirt down the middle of the hatch (rollers "fighting" each other?!?). Even the wash place I use recently has them move to one side after they meet, but still does leaves some down the middle. Happens on all three vehicles. On the Fit, you can see it down the rear glass in addition to the metal portion (too vertical for the top roller, so needs the side rollers to clean it). While the HR-V and MYP is just down the metal portion.

My only choice is to use the touchless option (I can choose between touchless or soft-touch at that wash) and hope that gets rid of all the dirt. It does seem like a better clean. My only issue with touchless is that I want something to scrub the wheels to get rid of the brake dust, but only does that as part of the soft-touch option. Either option is $12 (or maybe $13? I forget) for their so-called "Ultimate" option.

Maybe its because I don't wash my cars often enough or something? But I've noticed that, any time I use the manual/coin car washes, I have to do the foam brush part twice and I have to rinse in between. Even if I take a bit more time to scrub, I always find it having massive streaks of "un-scrubbed" dirt on it. I have to rinse and do another pass to get the rest. I would admit to just not being strong enough, but the stupid brush head is on a spring that just deflects it if you put more pressure on the handle. Either way, I always spend too much time and it costs $20+ by the time I'm done. Makes me question why I even bothered, since the $12 automatic wash does a better job than I do.

As for hand washing it personally... well, I would say I'm lazy, but I've already mentioned using the manual car washes... so maybe it's more apt to say, too lazy to wake up to do it. If/when I do go to car washes, its after my job in the evening. So, probably around 10 pm, which actually limits my options since most are closed by then.

 

[chump408]

The second method is to use a small power washer, at home. This method assumes you have a driveway or carport with access to water and power. A low power pressure washer, i.e. under 2000 PSI is all you need. (I use a Ryobi pressure washer rated for 1600 PSI, and a 40 degree spray or 25 degree spray nothing finer (tighter) as the pressure washer can damage the paint.) To use this method you need to use two buckets (one for clean water, one for rinsing out the wash mitt or sponge when dirty) You would place a good quality grit guard in the bottom of the bucket that you use to rinse out the wash mitt or sponge. (The grit guard helps keep the dirt particles at the bottom of the bucket, otherwise you are just stirring up the dirt every time you rinse out the mitt or sponge.) The pressure washer is used to A) pre-soak the exterior of the vehicle with water, B) followed by foaming soap solution. (The best way to apply the soap solution is with a soap cannon attachment for the pressure washer. (There are many choices in soap cannons, foaming car wash liquid (Chemical Guys, Meguiars, Mother's, Griots etc.) After applying the soap foam I clean from top to bottom, front to rear of the Model Y using a microfiber wash mitt but some prefer to use a sponge or micro fiber wash cloths (a lot of them, keep folding and using a new cloth for each section (you would need to wash a few dozen microfiber wash cloths in the washing machine after you are done washing the vehicle.) I prefer the microfiber wash mitt and use it more like a sponge than a mitt. RInse out well in the bucket with the grit guard before picking up clean soap solution and proceeding to the next section. C) Use the pressure washer with a wide 40 degree spray to rinse off the vehicle. (Always wash the vehicle in the shade or on a cloudy day, never in full sun or you will have to deal with water spots.) I use several large microfiber towels (I use Chemical Guys) to dry off my Model Y after washing. (Always wash microfiber cloths in cold water and then air dry only or hang dry (no heat if using the clothes dryer.)

This is the method I have been doing for years. There is one thing I have noticed after washing my car. After I have finished washing my car and I am in the process of drying my car, I notice there's sometimes water spots/streaks and some soap sud residue left on the car. Because of that, I have to do a quick spray detail after my wash which takes even more time. I am curious why this happens to my car but when my detail guy who washes my car every 4 months, he doesn't run into the same issue. He does use a different PH water to wash my car and I am thinking this is probably the reason why. But he is done with my car within an hour where it takes me 1.5 hours to do it myself because of the extra work I have to do. For my soap, I am using Chemical guys. Would like some feedback if anyone can help.

 

[jcanoe]

I recommend washing the Tesla Model Y in the late afternoon or on a cloudy day. This helps prevent premature drying of the just washed vehicle which can lead to water spots. It helps if you have soft water. Hard water will leave more mineral deposits as the water spots dry. I will spray additional water from the pressure washer on the already washed sections of the Model Y to prevent water spots. I then use two of the Chemical Guys large size microfiber towels to dry off the exterior of my Model Y before water spots can form.