Help - Looking for a product for my specefic needs

**TheMidnightNarwhal** · 12-10-2018, 07:34 PM

HellO

I am really not sure what I need. Here is the situation. It is winter and I started doing weekly/bi-weekly rinses at a manual car wash (my water is frozen at home outside in winter) to remove the dirty grime and salt but water itself doesn't seem to do much. So I kind of would like to do a kind of DIY touchless wash at the manual car wash.

I bought a generic hand pump sprayer (something like this for example) and tried to put in like 2-3 oz of soap in the bottle to kind of do like a foam canon but what comes out is just slippery water so I am not sure.

I bought some ONR wash and wax but I've just been told it won't do anything on it's own.

So I'm looking at recommendation. What should I use that will keep my Sonax polymer netshield (sealant) intact. Manny thanks, I am totally clueless on this one

**spazzz** · 12-10-2018, 08:07 PM

The soap in the pump might be your best bet followed by just the rinse setting.
That way you aren't using the rip your face off car wash soap.

This time of year a drive through touchless with undercarriage might be the way to go.
Your paint will survive until you can do it right, that's what the PNS is for.
Are you on Bimmerfest?or was it E90post

**TheMidnightNarwhal** · 12-10-2018, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by spazzz

The soap in the pump might be your best bet followed by just the rinse setting.
That way you aren't using the rip your face off car wash soap.

This time of year a drive through touchless with undercarriage might be the way to go.
Your paint will survive until you can do it right, that's what the PNS is for.
Are you on Bimmerfest?or was it E90post

I think I have time to cancel my ONR wash wax order. Should I?

I've asked on other threads and everyone tells me to really avoid the touch less ones just because no idea what is or in the soap. Which I do tend to agree.

Yeah I'm on e90 psot and bimmerfest but I'm more regularly on e90post!

**Mike lambert** · 12-10-2018, 09:06 PM

I’d try the Griot’s pump up foamer and the foaming surface wash.

**spazzz** · 12-10-2018, 09:13 PM

I never really liked the ONRW&W it is to smeary. It looks alright after some buffing and rubbing.
I would rather just use the regular ONR which I do now.

Well true on the touchless washes. I think the last time I did one was over 8 years ago, maybe more.

When I hit the ublast it places I use all the time on rinse and spray everything including underneath.

Have you tried your idea at a wash bay yet? I use a 1 gallon pump sprayer with D114 & ONR for a rinseless wash pretreatment
I am surprised how much it rinses down.

Your way would get some actual soap suds once the high pressure hits it.
I would think a bleach/garden sprayer would pump up more pressure than one of those small sprayers and might serve the soap purpose better.

e90post makes for some interesting reading.

I think Mike has the best idea.

**TheMidnightNarwhal** · 12-11-2018, 06:18 PM

Ok thanks for the replies.

I didn't have time to cancel my ONR and W I guess I'll still give both a go soap and ONW W.

**spazzz** · 12-11-2018, 06:51 PM

A magic blend.
If I had my choice of touchless car wash soap on the car for a minute or 2 or salt,sand and brine for longer, I am pretty sure I would pick touchless wash.
Oh yeah, and the air dry.

**LSNAutoDetailing** · 12-11-2018, 06:54 PM

I had to think for a minute that somewhere I had some photo's to go along with a write-up I once did for winter cleaning. I can't find the write-up, but did find the photo's.

My Avetar states I live in AZ, but prior to that I lived in New Hampshire.

Like you, my hose lines were all disconnected to prevent splitting and breaking. The water was completely frozen. I'd wait for a day that was just a tick over freezing because trying to work in freezing conditions is nearly impossible. You'll see the solutions just freeze on the vehicle. Second word of caution is to make sure you wear layers. It's quite easy to get hypothermia.

First thing I did was find a touchless wash. A coin op will work too, but I preferred sitting in the warm car with my heated seats while the laser wash did the work. The ones in my former area were really good... Of course they don't get everything but got a bulk of the gunk and muck off. As you can see here this is about how the car looked after the touchless:

Back at the house, I fill two buckets (both with grit guards) from the bath tub. (Hey, you rung with what you brung..) One bucket with just luke-warm water and the second with the same but add three oz's or so of Megs D114 waterless wash. Megs D114 is now defunct, but the new replacement is McKee's 37 M914.

I also used these AG waterless wash mitts. They're great!

This is one case where I didn't do wheels first... I would wash the car from the top down, using the two bucket method. Wash method not too much different than a typical two bucket method. Rinse the wash mitt in the clear bucket before returning it to the bucket with your soap. Then when done, using a black Chenille mitt in the soapy water to clean the wheels, dressing the tires lastly. If it was a good deal above freezing, I'd hit the vehicle with a QD.

The proof is in the pudding!

Hope this helps!

**TheMidnightNarwhal** · 12-11-2018, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by LSNAutoDetailing

I had to think for a minute that somewhere I had some photo's to go along with a write-up I once did for winter cleaning. I can't find the write-up, but did find the photo's.

My Avetar states I live in AZ, but prior to that I lived in New Hampshire.

Like you, my hose lines were all disconnected to prevent splitting and breaking. The water was completely frozen. I'd wait for a day that was just a tick over freezing because trying to work in freezing conditions is nearly impossible. You'll see the solutions just freeze on the vehicle. Second word of caution is to make sure you wear layers. It's quite easy to get hypothermia.

First thing I did was find a touchless wash. A coin op will work too, but I preferred sitting in the warm car with my heated seats while the laser wash did the work. The ones in my former area were really good... Of course they don't get everything but got a bulk of the gunk and muck off. As you can see here this is about how the car looked after the touchless:

Back at the house, I fill two buckets (both with grit guards) from the bath tub. (Hey, you rung with what you brung..) One bucket with just luke-warm water and the second with the same but add three oz's or so of Megs D114 waterless wash. Megs D114 is now defunct, but the new replacement is McKee's 37 M914.

I also used these AG waterless wash mitts. They're great!

This is one case where I didn't do wheels first... I would wash the car from the top down, using the two bucket method. Wash method not too much different than a typical two bucket method. Rinse the wash mitt in the clear bucket before returning it to the bucket with your soap. Then when done, using a black Chenille mitt in the soapy water to clean the wheels, dressing the tires lastly. If it was a good deal above freezing, I'd hit the vehicle with a QD.

The proof is in the pudding!

Hope this helps!

Nice!

But here in winter it's always -15c. Never goes above -5c . So bucket washing is impossible (simply due to hands freezing + more issues )

**UncleDavy** · 12-11-2018, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Nice!

But here in winter it's always -15c. Never goes above -5c . So bucket washing is impossible (simply due to hands freezing + more issues )

I wash outside all winter as long as the temperature is over 25 degrees. Waterless and rinseless washes will still work below freezing as long as you keep the car surface facing the sun. For your hands, I would recommend ice fishing gloves from Glacier Glove. You can find them at Bass Pro Shops or Dick's Sporting Goods. They will keep your hands warm and dry.