Single-bucket no-rinse wash technique

[brec]

In a five-gallon bucket, mix 1 oz. -- two caps full of the 32-oz. product bottle -- of Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine into two gallons of distilled water. Put 6-12 -- depending on how dirty the car is -- microfiber wash cloths/pads such as these into the water. Have 4-6 microfiber drying towels on hand. Starting at the top, wash a a section of the car, discard the wash cloth/pad into a laundry basket/bucket (I'm not counting this as a second bucket!), and dry. Repeat on the next section.

As compared with the two-bucket no-rinse technique, this saves the time and effort of rinsing the wash mitt/cloth in a second bucket between washing sections of the car, but with the expense of buying a bunch of wash cloths/pads.

 

[5thumbs]

Yup, I agree with you. I use 8 wash mitts instead of microfibers. I also have cheap hand pump pressure sprayer that i use to soak the car down with ONR to loosen the dirt. Still soak the mitts/microfibers.

Do you find that using distilled water helps? Do you do this because the water in your area has excess minerals? I live in Northern CA and the water dries with little residue so I dont use distilled.

 

[brec]

I haven't done an A-B test on distilled vs. not distilled, but I know that my house has very hard water.

 

[brec]

Update: two gallons lasts for two or three washes.

 

[brec]

I'm away from home and yesterday I had my car de-insected and washed by an experienced detailer. He said a single bucket was OK with just one wash cloth/pad that is repeatedly rinsed, as long as the bucket contains a grit guard at the bottom. From my reading and youtube viewing this seems heretical, but the guy I talked with has great reviews, has been in business a long time, and is Opti-Coat Pro authorized.

 

[roblab]

I like my no bucket no wash method. I have a high powered battery sprayer. Fill 2 gallons of distilled water. Spray takes off dirt and bugs, no soap leaves wax. Gently dry with microfiber, use spray touchup wax to shine it up every now and then. Takes about 15 minutes a week. Detailers don't make much off me, though.

Often when on a trip I will use a spray bottle of distilled at the supercharger. 15 minutes makes the car look great (well, gray really) again, bugs are gone, and I don't wait for a charge.

Once in a while I will hit the hard water commercial spray place for the tires and wheels. Their soft water dries to white salt deposits, so you gotta wipe fast, and the distilled spray bottle keeps it wet for a bit.

My wife and I do the car together. Makes for good teamwork.

 

[Joseph Torbati]

I have been pretty much exclusively washing in the fashion at the shop for a couple years now! Here is a link to video I put up for for it. Hope it helps!

 

[brec]

I have been pretty much exclusively washing in the fashion at the shop for a couple years now! Here is a link to video I put up for for it. Hope it helps!

What is the purpose of the initial spray?

 

[Joseph Torbati]

What is the purpose of the initial spray?

When the cars have a lot of dirt on them this goes a long way to prevent wash marring. ONR is great at at encapsulating dirt, so just added safety measure for swirl free washing.

 

[brec]

When the cars have a lot of dirt on them this goes a long way to prevent wash marring. ONR is great at at encapsulating dirt, so just added safety measure for swirl free washing.

Any experience with Ultima Waterless Wash+? It's a spray-on, wipe off; zero buckets.

 

[TaoJones]

Hehe. I carry a commercial 2-gallon foamer, distilled water, and all the lotions and potions in a canvas bucket with a supply of microfiber towels and a waffle towel for chrome/glasswork afterward. A 2nd canvas bucket has a grit guard.

Best 50-55 minutes every 2 weeks I spend. Sometimes a self-serve car wash high-pressure rinse is helpful, but it's mostly used in a decidedly oblique manner except for the rims, glass, and nose cone. Foam the entire car (1 gallon of distilled and a half-ounce of Prima Hydrowash is sufficient), wait, spray, and/or then, 1 panel at a time, wipe (bucket holds maybe 3 gallons to which I add an ounce of ONR blue), and dry. There are no swirls because no swirling motions are used. During alternate weeks, the interior and black surfaces get attention.

For this to work while traveling, the old school frunk is most appreciated, and it sucks that it's gone with the new incarnations. There's room for all the car wash stuff, the space-specific microwave luggage, a backpack, and there's still room left over. That won't be the case with the new microfrunks due to AWD and the HEPA filter. Fortunately, the foamer and canvas buckets and microfiber towels also fit very nicely on the floor behind a front seat, so unless the car has more than 3 passengers, all will still be well.

 

[Joseph Torbati]

Any experience with Ultima Waterless Wash+? It's a spray-on, wipe off; zero buckets.

I use this a lot as well. And you can do that if the car doesn't have a lot a of dirt on it that can be safe. I'm probably more particular than most about inflicting wash swirls. One thing that helps when washing no which and especially important when doing this method, first wipe use no pressure what so ever just to pick up the bulk of the dirt, then flip to your clean side of the towel, spray more solution and wipe it very little pressure. On a side note when doing this you probably need 10 towels per wash to make sure your rubbing dirt into your paint.

 

[cmorgan]

I like my no bucket no wash method. I have a high powered battery sprayer. Fill 2 gallons of distilled water. Spray takes off dirt and bugs, no soap leaves wax. Gently dry with microfiber, use spray touchup wax to shine it up every now and then. Takes about 15 minutes a week. Detailers don't make much off me, though.

Would you mind posting a link to the sprayer you have? Was looking for suggestions.

 

[roblab]

Would you mind posting a link to the sprayer you have? Was looking for suggestions.

I see they've sold out, but here's another at Northern Tool for a few bucks more. Shop around.

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