Considering giving up traditional washes

[Finick]

Has anyone else gotten to the point where they just genuinely don't enjoy the wash process with a hose, bucket, wash mitt, and all that jazz anymore?

I've never been what i'd call an extremely environmentally conscious person, beyond recycling and making efforts to cut down on waste in general, I never gave a ton of thought to anything like that when washing my vehicles in the past.

Recently, I've been doing almost exclusively rinseless washes with ONR every 7-10 days, and a traditional wash every month or two to "flush out" anything I can't normally get with rinseless washing. Over the course of the last 8-9 months of doing rinseless washes, I just found myself enjoying using the hose and bucket less and less and less.

Maybe it's because in the past I lived on the edge of Baltimore, so I wasn't on well water like I am now. No matter how fast I knock out the wash and blow the water off and dry the vehicle, I end up with water spots. I've thought about getting a water filtration set up so that's a non issue, but at that point, why not just stick with rinseless washing?

Just a little rant, I guess. Wondering how many of you find the traditional wash method cumbersome and less enjoyable once you were exposed to things like rinseless and waterless washes.

[Mad Wax]

I love it, but the water here in AZ is so hard. I do something of a hybrid wash...hose for the wheels and wheel wells, and rinseless wash for the rest of the car. I'f I really want it fast and easy, I'll dilute the rinseless with distilled water. For me, this is the easiest way....but every now and then I miss the foam gun and 2 buckets as it gets more into the cracks and crevices.

[Finick]

I love it, but the water here in AZ is so hard. I do something of a hybrid wash...hose for the wheels and wheel wells, and rinseless wash for the rest of the car. I'f I really want it fast and easy, I'll dilute the rinseless with distilled water. For me, this is the easiest way....but every now and then I miss the foam gun and 2 buckets as it gets more into the cracks and crevices.

I suppose I do a hybrid as well. I never really feel comfortable leaving a chemical in the barrels of my wheels, even if it is just ONR, so I'll generally scrub my tires/wheels with megs D143 and flush it out, then pull back into the garage and hit it with the rinseless wash. I only really do that every couple washes though, since I'm not quite as picky with the wheels/tires as I am the rest of the car for whatever reason.

I do wish my water wasn't so hard though, I love the smell of meguiars gold class, and I had wanted to swap to hyper wash after I'd used up what I have left of it. Who knows, I still may get some, I'm a stubborn guy so I'll probably keep trying and getting water spots and eventually it'll get through my thick skull to just give it up.

[DogRescuer]

Like others I still use the hose on wheels tires, also when I need to scrub bugs off the nose of a vehicle. Also when I need to remove heavy road grime off rockers I'll use hose, and then ONR the remainder, even interior glass.

[TTQ B4U]

I do mainly rinseless washing in cooler weather and 100% Rinseless in Winter here in Ohio. Otherwise, I still enjoy a hose-wash as it gives me an opportunity to really 'flush' the entire vehicle of dirt and what not.

The key to drying without spots on a traditional wash is to keep a good coating or LSP with hydrophobic properties on the vehicle. Once done, rinse with a hose that has no nozzle on it. It will sheet off insane amounts of water. From there, I use a blower to remove 99% of what remains. Very effective at removing water from seems and joints, etc. Lastly, I'll wipe the entire vehicle down with my drying towel, a lint free 16x16 soaked in rinseless solution and wrung out completely. Never dry with anything but a damp towel if you use one. Zero spots, 100% safe and no lint.

[Bruno Soares]

I never really enjoyed washing my car or my wife's car. Both 2BM and RW are not a pleasure for me. What I like is the result and that's why I keep doing it. It's like a dreaded chore that you have to do in order to enjoy something very nice. I wish I was a billionaire and I'd hire a good detailer to work for me and keep my fleet (I'd own a lot of cars with billions in the bank) always sparkling clean.

[GSKR]

I choose traditional washes over rinseless.My opinion to many rags and to much time.Purchase a metrosidekick for drying.

[goldendodo19]

This whole summer the "fleet" of cars I wash I only did rinseless. Did one traditional wash at the beginning of summer and also clayed waxed that day. After that rinseless all the way. Usually every 2 weeks I would wash them then. It really was such a time saver and made it so much more enjoyable. I would personally switch to rinseless long term with a traditional wash either during or right after winter is over.

One winter it never got too cold here in NY so I rinseless washed my car every 2 weeks then too. If I'm that lucky this winter then I'll stick to that method. Otherwise I don't get too upset about a dirty car in winter.


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[Mike@ShineStruck]

I choose traditional washes over rinseless.My opinion to many rags and to much time.Purchase a metrosidekick for drying.

Big red sponge my man

[silverfox]

Gave up traditional several years ago. Rinseless is so much cleaner and faster for me. I wash only in the garage now in the shade or warmth whichever condition existed outside I don't care. If your LSP is one that sheets well like a coating or a super sealants like sonax PNS, or fk1000p,or ultimate fast finish for example,a rinseless is even overkill sometimes if you wash weekly or bi weekly. Suds are only to drink for me.

[RippyD]

90% rinseless or waterless, maybe 95%. My swirls and light scratches from washing are virtually non-existent. Two bucket can't compare to Garry Dean method for keeping dirt off your wash media. BRS is good too, but I only use it on lower sections as needed. I'll bust out the hose if the car is very dirty and to do wheel wells and wheels occasionally. Coated wheels easily wipe off with rinseless product. I can do a car in 15-20 mins if I'm hurrying, more like 30 if I'm not. This doesn't count the time to wash towels.

Big bonus that I can do rinseless/waterless it in the garage.

[Finick]

Once done, rinse with a hose that has no nozzle on it. It will sheet off insane amounts of water. From there, I use a blower to remove 99% of what remains. Very effective at removing water from seems and joints, etc. Lastly, I'll wipe the entire vehicle down with my drying towel, a lint free 16x16 soaked in rinseless solution and wrung out completely. Never dry with anything but a damp towel if you use one. Zero spots, 100% safe and no lint.

I've tried the sheeting method, and I honestly just end up feeling like I waste a lot of water when I do it. I also don't have a pressure washer or quick connects, so it's kind of a pain to get the nozzle off and get set up. I might try it again though next time I inevitably bucket wash (which I may do before the hose is off.)

I'll also give my waffle weave towels another try, soaked in the rinseless and wrung out, I've never done it that way before. Whenever I've used my (admittedly very old) waffle weave towels they really just don't seem any more absorbent than a regular MF towel. Maybe I just need to grab a water magnet or something and see if a new one works better.


I choose traditional washes over rinseless.My opinion to many rags and to much time.Purchase a metrosidekick for drying.


It's interesting you think that; i can knock out my vehicle in about 15-20 minutes if I'm rushing when I do my rinseless wash, a traditional wash easily takes me at minimum twice that. I also only use about 5-7 towels depending on how dirty the car is. I figure I have them, so I may as well use them!


90% rinseless or waterless, maybe 95%. My swirls and light scratches from washing are virtually non-existent. Two bucket can't compare to Garry Dean method for keeping dirt off your wash media. BRS is good too, but I only use it on lower sections as needed. I'll bust out the hose if the car is very dirty and to do wheel wells and wheels occasionally. Coated wheels easily wipe off with rinseless product. I can do a car in 15-20 mins if I'm hurrying, more like 30 if I'm not. This doesn't count the time to wash towels.


How do you dry out the inside barrel of your wheel if you do the whole thing rinseless?

[GSKR]

My car is always garaged.If its kinda dirty traditional wash.Semi dirty I use a product called speed shine made from tops all in NYC.Best spray wax period.

[Britsdaddy]

Like most who have done posted, I'm 95%+ rinse less. It's just faster and less messy. I have a metro sidekick that I still use when drying since water still gets behind cracks, emblems, etc. I have dedicated towels for the wheels after I'm done washing the body. Every 6-8 weeks I might get the pressure washer out to knock out the underbody and the wheel wells. I think the only time I actually do a traditional wash is after the winter to really deep clean and flush out the vehicles. I can't remember the last time I bought traditional soap, but I got another gallon of ONR in the mail today

[PaulMys]

I'm hooked on RW, but every so often I do a 2 bucket. The frequency depends on the weather and how much I have to drive in the rain, etc.

But RW saves me at LEAST 40 minutes on a full-sized truck.

And like mentioned above, I always bucket wash my wheels, tires and wheel wells.