2 bucket...1 bucket too many

[Gokite]

I get the idea behind the two bucket, but as an engineer who is always looking for a better way, i have what i think is a better method...the one bucket.

1) fill a bucket 2/3 with water
2) add some soap, just a little bit
3) dunk 13 small MF towels folded up
4) use a MF towel for each panel
5) once panel is done, take new MF
6) discard used MF in a used pile for laundering

Each panel is: hood, roof, trunk, four quarterpanels, front doors, rear doors, front grill and bumper, rear bumper.

For each area a new MF is used. No dirt is being reintroduced to the car. Washing one panel per MF ensures enough MF coverage to be safe.

At the end I take the MFs and put them back in the bucket and slosh them around to get most of the dirt off them, squeeze dry, and throw in the wash.

I just did two cars this way, worked great. Yes, you need a bunch of MFs, but i think most people here have a bunch.

[JSou]

Yep. Very similar to Garry Dean's method.

[Eric@CherryOnTop]

That's basically the Garry Dead wash method adapted to a traditional wash with car wash soap.

Not sure how I personally feel about using mf towels to wash a car this way...


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[dcjredline]

Depending on the amount of dirt on said vehicle it would be ok but in that case you could just use a WW or RW instead. Ill stick to my wash mit and 2 bucket for now.

[mdgrwl]

Nothing mind blowing here... this method is often applied to ONR washes.

For traditional washes, I prefer one wash medium and two buckets.

[RawDetail]

I only use 1 bucket, however I wet the mit, then fire my foam gun all over the car and directly at the mit while making a pass.. then rinse off the mit in the fresh water. After that I go back at it for each panel.

[CarolinasFinestDetailing]

^^^ This is the only reason that I can justify getting a foam gun honestly. It does make sense.

[ShaunD]

It is kinda silly that we will use "a bunch" of MFs for waterless washes but, most still only use one to three wash mitts with a traditional two bucket method. The only problem I see with a one bucket method with MFs is if someone isn't using plush(at least 330-350gsm) MFs and folding them into two halves. Regardless of the wash media used, the media should always be inspected after each panel. And if using one media care should obviously be taken to start on the cleanest panels first, which is usually top down and or gloss panels first.
Whatever method and wash media works for you, keep using them.

[Scott@IncrediblyDetailed]

^^^ This is the only reason that I can justify getting a foam gun honestly. It does make sense.

If you're in the shade...


Foam the car down with soap and APC.
Clean Wheel wells, wheels and tires.
Rinse car off.
ONR Two Bucket Wash or Rinseless Wash


The foam helps to loosen and breakdown dirt while you're doing other parts of the car before your wash.

[HateSwirls]

I at times use a very soft MF towel, no issues, the mitt and the towel I have are both safe for my paint, using a MF towel to wipe off wax from your paint is worst than washing your car, IMO, at least you have plenty of lube when washing your car using a good car soap.

[CarolinasFinestDetailing]

If you're in the shade...


Foam the car down with soap and APC.
Clean Wheel wells, wheels and tires.
Rinse car off.
ONR Two Bucket Wash or Rinseless Wash


The foam helps to loosen and breakdown dirt while you're doing other parts of the car before your wash.

No I get it, I used one. Just seems like a waste of soap to me because Id still want to wash with 2 bucket method after. Ehh, we all do things different.

[rouxster]

The only issue I see with this method is that while you are not introducing any dirt into the bucket, I feet that a wash mitt or sponge lifts the dirt off of the car better than even a plush MF towel. Therefor, less chance of introducing swirls.

I use one bucket with a grit guard and two MF chenille wash mitts (one for the bottom of the truck and one for the top portion). After each section I scrub both sides of the wash mitt on the grit guard to get as much dirt as possible off of the wash mitt.

My truck didn't have any swirls when I got it about 6 months ago and using this method, I still don't have any swirls.

Not disagreeing with your method, but this is just my one bucket method.

[SATracker]

There are cities that are becoming more restrictive about water usage and water waste and so techniques like the two bucket method or presoaked towel method are becoming a necessity. Where I live, San Antonio, Texas, we're in a drought and water rates are predicted to triple in the next three years.
I presoak my MF towels in ONR. The towels used to wipe down panels I use to wipe out door jambs. Some detailers also pre-spray with products like Chemical Guys "Ecosmart" or Detailer's Pro Waterless before they begin the wipe down process; the idea being to start to emulsification of the "stuff" on the car.

[aim4squirrels]

There are cities that are becoming more restrictive about water usage and water waste and so techniques like the two bucket method or presoaked towel method are becoming a necessity. Where I live, San Antonio, Texas, we're in a drought and water rates are predicted to triple in the next three years.
I presoak my MF towels in ONR. The towels used to wipe down panels I use to wipe out door jambs. Some detailers also pre-spray with products like Chemical Guys "Ecosmart" or Detailer's Pro Waterless before they begin the wipe down process; the idea being to start to emulsification of the "stuff" on the car.
You my friend, like I are in a drought, but it's not 100% mother nature's fault. You can point the finger at your state representatives who have not built enough water reservoirs to serve the demand of the population growth of Texas in the last 3 decades. Add to that the water restriction waivers for any company drilling for oil and natural gas, and you can see where we have a problem.

It's not sexy to invest in infrastructure, so politicians don't vote for measures like this when those dollars can be better used to appease certain factions of their lobbying constituents with tax reduced projects to benefit their own back yard.

I'm not a huge believer in karma, but I do find it amusing that the driest part of the state is right around the Capitol. That's probably the only reason water table management and expansion is getting any lip service these days.

[Gokite]

Depending on the amount of dirt on said vehicle it would be ok but in that case you could just use a WW or RW instead. Ill stick to my wash mit and 2 bucket for now.

Agreed the car can't be totally dirty. My method above - which seems similar to a guy named Gary Dean apparently, assumes the big chunks have been blasted or hosed off.

Top down washing, and the MFs are inspected. Thirteen towels ensures one per panel so really, what's going to go wrong? The theory is you are always applying a fresh towel and solution to the vehicle, not a rinsed, yet still marginally dirty MF apparatus.

I don't think the gsm is all that important when you have one MF per panel. A new acronym? OMPP wash. I like that, as if there aren't enough