Eco-Washing?

[Bror Jace]

”I worry a cloth or sponge or mitt could trap grit and scratch the paint.”

I’ve thought about this … but conclude that it isn’t much more or any more harmful than washing your car with the same sponge or wash mitt and along with a hose. There are times, early in a rain … or during a very light rain, that I wish all the car surfaces were more wet and I fear a little extra abrasion. I suppose you could supplement the mitt with a modest pail of water. As it is, I wash the car from the top down and usually skip the wheels. The closer to the road you go, the more dirt and the greater chance for abrasion. I had a ‘95 Civic and after 7 years of my care (which included proper washings and 3-4 waxings per year) the paint looked nearly new in most places (except the front which appeared sand-blasted from all the highway travel).

” First thing, I live in an apartment complex, I'm not quite sure how they would feel about me filling the parking lot with we sudsy water. Secondly, I live in GA, and juuuust north of the city. If anyone has ever been about 10 miles north of Atlanta, you know that the weather is IMPOSSIBLE to predict, so if it starts raining, chances are it will stop just about the time I get the sponge wet for the first wipe at the car and then I'll just have a sudsy car.”

OK, I’m with you on the unpredictable weather. I have lathered up my car only to have the rain die off as I was doing so. The result is not that bad … a streaky dirty car instead of merely a dirty one. Nothing that makes the vehicle look odd or otherwise stand out.

Sudsy parking lot? Dude, it ain’t gonna happen. Seriously. You end up with just a little suds on your car …. Just enough to show you that there’s some soap there. Virtually no trace of soap by the time the water drips off and onto the pavement.

”I could not imagine me washing my Metro in the rain with a bucket of suds and a dripping wet mullet. I might get the neighbors excited.

Johnny, being the paragon of male studliness that you are, I feel you owe it to your neighbors and the even the greater community to put yourself on display and fuel those fantasies many women live for! If your car happens to get clean in the process, that’s just gravy.

[Katana]

Originally Posted by ttoyoda

I do that too. Gives the neighbors something to talk about.
I use a dustpan brush, because I worry a cloth or sponge or mitt could trap grit and scratch the paint. I figure a brush will not be able to press grit against the car paint.

If the grit doesn't the brush bristles will scratch the paint.

I don't have access to a outside tap in my block of flats, so i have to wash my car slightly differently. I went to the hardware store and bought 4 x 99p buckets, i use 2 for washing, and the other 2 with a watering can for rinsing.
I use poorboys slick and suds for the shampoo and lambswool wash mitts.
I could use the petrol station jet wash but the shampoo they use is a strong traffic film remover which strips any wax you've applied.

I'm a member of a car detailing forum as well A world for detailers...
If you want a good guide to washing your car then Good Washing Technique - Detailing World is very good.
Check out the other stickies in that section as well and the rest of forum, useful stuff on polishing and other things.

Sorry for hijacking a bit there, but you could adapt that washing technique like i have to save on water.

[i_am_socket]

My fiance and I will sometimes share a shower to "save water" ;-)

Probably shouldn't do that outside during a storm though. Might upset the neighbors.

[Bror Jace]

No apology needed, Katana. Any way of washing your car while using little or no tap water is perfectly on-topic. I too have used a watering can to supplement the rain once in a while when it petered out too soon.

" My fiance and I will sometimes share a shower to "save water." Probably shouldn't do that outside during a storm though. Might upset the neighbors."

Just the opposite ... they'd probably be entertained. Hey, between you and The Mullet, you'd have all the bases covered.

[ttoyoda]

I’ve thought about this … but conclude that it isn’t much more or any more harmful than washing your car with the same sponge or wash mitt and along with a hose.

Well my theory was that a sponge has pores or pockets in it. So if I pick up a piece of grit in a pore of the sponge, that grit will stay there, the sponge will act as a carrier and keep that grit pressed against the car. The brush on the other hand is (theoretically) unable to keep a piece of grit pressed against the paint, the grit would move up between the bristles.

If the grit doesn't the brush bristles will scratch the paint.

I did not know that. I am using a dustpan brush with those very soft flayed (flagged) ends. I don't use it for anything else. Thanks for the links.

[Bror Jace]

" ... a sponge has pores or pockets in it. So if I pick up a piece of grit in a pore of the sponge, that grit will stay there, the sponge will act as a carrier and keep that grit pressed against the car."

And the same goes for a mitt. So, you wouldn't use either ... even with a large pail of water and a hose? I see your point ... and it is correct that these can trap grit and them create swirl marks. But, most people use these to wash cars ... and as long as the car regularly sees some wax, it doesn't appear to age the paint much, if at all.

The other night I heard the rain start to fall, so I went out, and lathered up the car only to have the rain stop. I grabbed a gallon jug full of water and a clean plastic squeeze bottle that formerly contained mustard. That's about all it took to rinse the soapy water off the car. The next morning the paint showed fine streaks if you looked closely ... but at a distance it looked like I really spent some time (and dozens of gallons of water) on it.

[Tango Charlie]

I'll try anything once. Well, almost anything.
The kids thought it was fun, too.