Car washing fanatic in distress

[fishnugget]

I am having a problem washing my car outside my condo. It seems every time I step outside to wash, all the kids in the neighborhood decide to play football, ride their bikes, neighbors decide to clean their garage, or bbq. My condo does not have a driveway and I wash right outside my garage. So there are kids everywhere.

I don't mean to offend anyone with kids ( I don't have kids myself) but its getting irritating. I love kids and understand its better they play outside to get physical activity opposed to getting fat playing Playstation or Xbox but I am really thinking of an alternative.

I was thinking of washing my car inside the garage?

I know ONR people are going to suggest rinseless but I don't want that. I want to use my foam cannon and blast it with my pressure washer.

I have about 3-4" of concrete on the bottom of the drywalls. I was thinking of adding some curtains to avoid wetting the walls and equipment I have.

My garage has no drain so that sucks. I have seen people posting pics blasting there car inside the garage with pressure washers and they seem to be enjoying themselves with no worries.

I just want peace of mind when I wash my car, it's therapy for me

Anyone with washing cars inside their garage care to chime in.

PS My garage is a 2 car garage and has plenty of space to comfortably walk around.

[ROMEO]

I live in a building, and was having similar problems, at least with kids... I do not have a garage, and a couple of kids wanted to play with balls right by my car, or ride their bike, I just made it very clear to their parent I did not wanted them by my car doing that, that if they were to scratch my truck then the parents would have to deal with me...

The way I see it, the parents can get off their fat a$$ and they can take their kids to a park where they can run and play what ever they want... My parking area is my property and if I don't want anyone there, well, they can't be there...

I can care less about what my neibors think about me, heck, I even added some security cameras to keep an eye on my parking area... And make sure no one is getting close to my cars.

Now, is your problem while you are working on the car? Simple, spray them with the hose when they get too close (yes, I'm for real).

[fishnugget]

Your post makes me laugh...spray them with water

I don't think I could do that to them...maybe fake it like I dropped my hose and blast them.. I better stop..lol

Yes my problem is when I work on the car...It seems these kids figure its play time and begin to gravitate towards me or something. Whats worse is that there are about a dozen of them, I'm not kidding either.

I guess the kids don't bother me but the parents do. The other day I was washing my car and I politely asked the parent "I am going to be washing my car" hint..hint..get your kids out of here.. and I think I pissed him off. He did not like that but I figured I was entitled to my space and the worst part was the kid kept banging her ball on my garage door before I went outside.

I just want to wash with peace of mind but I never have and probably wont until I buy a house.

[JSMet]

I live in a house with no garage so I have to do all my work outside, and as my luck would have it I live next door to 14 year old twin boys who have dirt bikes, play ball, and have friends who visit them doing the same. I had a serious talk with them and their parents about my concerns about my car and that if anything happens to it they are on the top of the suspect list, as there is no one else around me who would put scratches, dings, etc., on my car but them or their buddies. For my part, I try to remember that long ago I was like them with different priorities, and I have worked out an agreement where I will move my car around to quieter parts of the block or neighborhood when they're doing their thing, and for their part when they see me doing my thing with my car they give me my space. It's not easy, it's co-existence. Hope you can have a happy ending to your situation, I know how you feel.

[BorisC]

My garage has no drain so that sucks.

Garage floors are usually pitched towards the door so that any water drains that way. Probably not quick enough for rinsing a car but maybe get a floor squeegee to use after rinsing. Rinse, pull the car out, squeegee, pull back in & continue.

I live in a building, and was having similar problems, at least with kids... I do not have a garage, and a couple of kids wanted to play with balls right by my car, or ride their bike, I just made it very clear to their parent I did not wanted them by my car doing that, that if they were to scratch my truck then the parents would have to deal with me...

The way I see it, the parents can get off their fat a$$ and they can take their kids to a park where they can run and play what ever they want... My parking area is my property and if I don't want anyone there, well, they can't be there...

I can care less about what my neibors think about me, heck, I even added some security cameras to keep an eye on my parking area... And make sure no one is getting close to my cars.

Now, is your problem while you are working on the car? Simple, spray them with the hose when they get too close (yes, I'm for real).

Yes reason with the parents. Any reasonable person will speak with their kids. If it's a public street/area I doubt there's much that can be done legally unless they actually come onto your private property. Then maybe there's a trespassing issue.

Spray them with the hose? I don't think so. If my kids came home & told me someone sprayed them with a hose they would have to deal with me & possible assault charges, and yes I'm for real.

[fredcandetail]

Fishnugget please tell me you drive a Lamborghini or Ferrari man because i seriously think your over reacting. "kids bother me with there balls" come on man.
I've got FOUR boys and three more to the right, mine are 3,5,8,10 yup all in the worst ages possible! They play organized sports (tackle football and baseball) so there are a ton of balls flying around... It's inevitable to have kids and parents lurking, every single time one of the four always wants to help so guess what, they get tire and rim duty.. What's the worst they can do. Since you are having foam parties I can see why they would want to see and be curious IT LOOKS COOL!
I say do your thing and don't let them bother or have one pitch in and help you and explain to the one you choose tk help you that this is your prized possession and you want tk take care of it and that you would like him to tell the other kids to be considerate
You'd be surprised how many more flies you can catch with honey than salt

[Ted S.]

I wash washing my older brother's car the other day when he came by. Then my younger brother proceeded to weedeat....close by...

[LegacyGT]

You'd be surprised how many more flies you can catch with honey than salt

Had to post this here ...

[ryanbabz71]

Buy a floor squeege. I occasionally wash my truck in the garage (no drain). I will wash a side, squeege the garage out and go to the other side. Works well. Especially in winter.

[jbgrant]

It sounds like youre more upset about the kids disrupting your personal quiet time than causing any actual issue washing your car. I really don't see that there's much you can do that wont make you the neighborhood scrooge. It's a little surprising they don't lose interest quickly and move on.

Perhaps you can create an offensive mysterious odor that will function as a kid repellent, or redirect their interest to something more interesting than you washing your car (like a dog that likes kids on a line 50 feet away). I don't know.

How about investing in a 12x16 folding shelter? That would allow you to wash in the sun and form something of a kid perimeter (or perhaps attract more attention as if you were suddenly going to start offering hotdogs). They are not cheap, but they do have lots of uses.


My biggest peeve is when it's mowing time for my neighbors when I'm just started to apply a wax or sealant. ARGHHH.