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How do you wash your car? (with water restriction)

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Hi,

I live in a city where the water restriction prohibits car washing at home. Besides the fact that I'd like to wash the car myself, I already spent quite a bit of money buying the car to turn around and pay extra every week or every other week for car washing (and I am talking about of a detailer, not a car wash machine, so it can add up $$).

When I wash my car, I'd like to use the 2 bucket system. I could take it to a DIY commercial place where they have the water pressure sprayers and it would almost work. The issue is that I wouldn't be able to use a foamaster foam cannon as the fitting doesn't work, and I feel that's a very crucial key to keeping the car swirl free (or at least limit the amount of swirl).
As time goes by, I am afraid I'll have water spots already because it has been a number of days without the car being washed.

I do have a friend that lives in-between cities that I could do it, but I'd rather not inconvenience him.

Any thoughts/ideas? Is there a way to plug in the foam cannon to the commercial water pressure sprayer or something?
Do you end up paying a detailer?

Thanks
 
With water?

:)

NoRinse formula in warm bucket with riser. Two bucket system with many... many dirt free/ long nap fiber towels. Discarding them (not thrown away) each panel or side to make sure no dirt or hard particles are in the fiber towel. Working in sections with the no rinse water.

I use less than 3 gallons of two 5 gallon buckets.

Left over shower warmup water works well, as long at there are no particles or debris in the water to scratch the car.

NoRinse Soap
Amazon.com: Optimum (NR2010Q) No Rinse Wash Shine - 32 oz.: Automotive

MicroFiber Mit
Amazon.com: Griots Garage 10281 Micro Fiber Wash and Scrub Mitt: Automotive

Microfiber Towels
Amazon.com: Griots Garage 11269 Micro Fiber Spray-On Car Wash Cloth - Set of 3: Automotive

Bucket Grit Gaurd
Amazon.com: Grit Guard Bucket Insert (White) - Separate Dirt From Your Sponge While Washing Your Car - Fits 12 Inch Diameter Buckets: Automotive

Hardly any water is left under the car.

Griots Spray on wax from time to time... but havn't done it on the Model S yet.
Amazon.com: Griots Garage 11098SP Spray-On Wax - 35 oz.: Automotive
 
that ONR system seems AWESOME!!!! reviews seem great too!! i have been using the old school, soap, bucket, water system....i would like a simpler system as well that uses less water. esp in condo living where water isnt very prevalent!
 
The one thing that kind of worries me when I use the ONR system is when I'm wiping the ONR off the car. Right now I use a waffle weave and blot most of it dry, and then a microfiber to wipe up any residual and clean up the streaks. So far, it's worked ok, but it's a bit unnerving every time I do it.
 
The one thing that kind of worries me when I use the ONR system is when I'm wiping the ONR off the car. Right now I use a waffle weave and blot most of it dry, and then a microfiber to wipe up any residual and clean up the streaks. So far, it's worked ok, but it's a bit unnerving every time I do it.

Worries me too. I still use the old fashioned "junkman" two bucket method with a foam gun and slow rinse to sheet off the water which saves water and drying time.
 
When we have had no rain, which seems to be always these days, I use a CA Duster to lightly remove the dust and then simply mist the car with Ultima Waterless Wash or Griot's Speed Shine (which I really do love). Then I use ultra plush MF BOA towels from CarPro-US to wipe and buff. Recommended by my detailer, who I trust completely-did my CQuartz Finest Finish. Works like a charm. No holograms or fine scratches whatsoever. And I am truly obsessed. When it rains or the car is just plain too dirty from a trip, I go to a spray-it-yourself center to remove the big schmutz, then go home and do above. I have been doing it for years. Takes about 20 min. The trick is keeping up on it before she gets too dirty. I find it easier than that the bucket method because I hate drying the car and getting all the water out of all the seams. I have had great luck with this method. I bucket wash my car no more than two times a year. Usually to prep for the annual (sometimes semi-annual) beautification process! But I can garage my girl, which makes a huge difference.
 
When we have had no rain, which seems to be always these days, I use a CA Duster to lightly remove the dust and then simply mist the car with Ultima Waterless Wash or Griot's Speed Shine (which I really do love). Then I use ultra plush MF BOA towels from CarPro-US to wipe and buff. Recommended by my detailer, who I trust completely-did my CQuartz Finest Finish. Works like a charm. No holograms or fine scratches whatsoever. And I am truly obsessed. When it rains or the car is just plain too dirty from a trip, I go to a spray-it-yourself center to remove the big schmutz, then go home and do above. I have been doing it for years. Takes about 20 min. The trick is keeping up on it before she gets too dirty. I find it easier than that the bucket method because I hate drying the car and getting all the water out of all the seams. I have had great luck with this method. I bucket wash my car no more than two times a year. Usually to prep for the annual (sometimes semi-annual) beautification process! But I can garage my girl, which makes a huge difference.


Wow 20 minutes, that's pretty good. It takes me 15 just get my stuff ready, 20 minutes for vacuuming, 30 more for interior/exterior windows. I'd say I spend 90 minutes to 2 hours every 2 weeks but I don't mind it...yet. [emoji1]
 
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The detailer who did my opticoat has a waterless system he suggests (with his own product, of course). I have not tried the waterless approach, but I do use his products and they work great. I'm a former Zaino products user.

here is his website: Detail Juice | Detailing Simplicity, Re-Imagined

You also might just want to give hm a call. He will talk your ear off (he is REALLY into car detailing), but always gives good advice and has worked on several Teslas.
 
The detailer who did my opticoat has a waterless system he suggests (with his own product, of course). I have not tried the waterless approach, but I do use his products and they work great. I'm a former Zaino products user.

here is his website: Detail Juice | Detailing Simplicity, Re-Imagined

You also might just want to give hm a call. He will talk your ear off (he is REALLY into car detailing), but always gives good advice and has worked on several Teslas.

I also have been using a couple of Garry Dean's products Detail Juice and Perfect Soap. So far so good.
 
which pluff microfiber do you guys use to dry the vehicle? any links to products on amazon? are any microfiber cloths ok?

For touching the paint I use Zaino Blonde Borderfree towels. For anything else I use Chemical Guys Professional Grade Premium towels. Zaino is the best but very expensive (about $25 for 3) and sometimes hard to get. For absorbing water get a high quality waffle weave towel.
 
I have been worried about this. So far have just been washing quickly and hoping I don't get caught. Have been wondering about how little water I could use and get a good rinse. Thinking about just getting 15 or so gallons of distilled water to do the wash. Would make the drying very easy. Have to see if there is a source at work. We are allowed to wash with non-potable water in Sacramento.
 
Washed my car yesterday. I've got cquartz finest on my car, and typically use a 2-bucket ONR system. But this time I decided to hit one of those coin-op power self wash places first - it made a huge difference! When I ran my wash mitt with ONR over the car after the power spray, the mitt barely picked up any dirt at all.

I think if I can find an outlet for my leaf blower to plug in to at the self wash place, I might not even need to ONR at all!
 
OK, on the fear that this will get old fast, I will reiterate my cheap method of keeping my car looking show off clean.

First: Don't let the car get filthy. Don't wait two weeks to wash it. Mine is ready to show all the time. I mainly clean it on Friday for the weekend, and Tuesday if it needs it.

Second: Why are we removing the wax?? You want to remove the dirt, or rather, the dust. Road dirt. So why use Soap at all?

I spray my car with a hand fertilizer sprayer with less than one gallon of distilled water. One quick spray, let the bugs soak, then another spray to let stuff run off.

I then Gently wipe it off with an absorbent microfiber towel.

If I notice any part of the car causing "dragging" on the towel, it needs wax. I use a cheap carnauba wax in water spray wax. There is no magic here. There is no need for amazing soaps with amazing prices, or amazing waxes. You spray wax on the wax microfibers (different towels for water or wax), and on the car where it needs it and softly wipe it dry. Always shiny.

Total cost? Distilled water is about 75 cents a gallon. NO other water use. Wax is as cheap as you can get it, and I don't wipe off a bunch of white haze.

Time? My wife and I do this together. Takes ten or fifteen minutes once a week, maybe twice. She vacuums while I clean rims.

The wheels are usually filthy, and another separate cloth cleans them. It, of course, turns black.

Drought friendly, wallet friendly, time friendly. At least for us.
 
So, roblab, do you use any kind of waterless wash (dilute ONR, Ultimate Waterless Wash+, etc.) in your sprayer or is it just DW? If no, I imagine your car is pretty clean. Your paint, on the other hand, is probably swirled up and not what anyone would really consider "show off" clean.