TWO BUCKETS vs ONE BUCKET: What’s the best car wash method?

[deleriumtremor]

I'm a two bucket guy, but the truck still seems to have swirl marks. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I do love blasting it with foam cannon though, plus it makes one of my neighbors jealous which is even better?

I have had really good luck with 3M polishing compounds to remove swirl marks. They make a 3M Swirl Mark Remover (both light and dark paint options) which works great with a cheap Porter-Cable random Orbital polisher and 3M foam pad.

If you want to get really into it, the 3M Finesse-it line works great to get a car show finish.

Good luck.

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[alan0614]

That's pretty much my set up with a Trinova foam cannon. Using this method I've never had any swirl marks or scratches.

@AzScorpion great minds………

 

[GTGallop]

2 girls 1 bucket..

Thank you! For a moment I thought I was going to have to be the one to make that joke.

 

[Rhino]

Here’s a detailed video from Pan showing the best way to wash your vehicle. I know many don’t care and only wash theirs when it rains but with many here now getting their new Rangers and have bought a foam cannons @subquark (@puckdodger & @SteveH) I thought this would be helpful for them. You can skip the first 35 seconds of his drama trying to be funny.

i always hand wash my vehicles gotta keep my paint nice looking even if its scratched and dented to shit! ive done it for years on the tacoma so ill continue it on the ranger! ive never done the two bucket method but might give it a go

 

[yamahaSHO]

I use one bucket and a power washer. No need for a grit guard as I never push the wash mit to the bottom.

I ceramic coat everything, so mostly, it just need a quick power wash with water and that's all.

 

[TheBadger]

Coin op to blast the chunks off, scrub rubber, then soap up until time runs out. Slip n slide two blocks down to Ducky's for the $15 machine wash and wax then wipe down in one of their detailing bays. I do that once a month and it really makes the scratches and dings POP!

 

[Sharky]

the best method by far.... have someone else wash the truck for me

 

[JohnnyO]

I use two five gallon buckets.
One for soapy water and the other to flip upside down and stand on to wash the roof.
Microfiber mitt, Meguiar's, Black Magic, Armor All car wash, whatever is on sale.
Two rain barrels on the back of the house with a balance hose, connected to a cheap Harbor Freight electric pump. Cut my water bill $20 a month.

 

[puckdodger]

I might know, but let me ask a couple of questions. A lot of my knowledge I've picked up from working with a professional detailer friend of mine (same guy who helped me ceramic my Ranger after I first got it)

1. Are you using grit guards in your buckets? At the very least, do you have one in your clean water bucket?
2. How old is your wash mitt/wash pad? Over time, even with washing, they can still build stuff up, and they lose their softness in the process
3. Any microfiber rags you are using for detail spray/APC/Etc, do they have tags attached still?

No to the grit guards, but I will be getting some before the next wash. The microfiber wash mitt was new last spring, and I use edgeless microfiber towels, no tags. But they are not top of the line, they are Simoniz brand, and have about 16% of the magic microfiber ingredient.

 

[AzScorpion]

No to the grit guards, but I will be getting some before the next wash. The microfiber wash mitt was new last spring, and I use edgeless microfiber towels, no tags. But they are not top of the line, they are Simoniz brand, and have about 16% of the magic microfiber ingredient.

Jim I like to use the angled grit guards in my buckets. You can rub the wash mat against them and it will lose up any dirt that might have been trapped in them. It's a 2 piece grit guard and they snap onto the base guard and you can just leave them in the bucket when done. I'll just rest my wash mat on this while I'm rinsing the truck so it's not laying on the base guard.

This is just the angled one you still need the flat one that sits on the bottom.


https://www.amazon.com/Grit-Guard-Washboard-Bucket-Insert/dp/B01E06O12M?th=1

 

[puckdodger]

Jim I like to use the angled grit guards in my buckets. You can rub the wash mat against them and it will lose up any dirt that might have been trapped in them. It's a 2 piece grit guard and they snap onto the base guard and you can just leave them in the bucket when done. I'll just rest my wash mat on this while I'm rinsing the truck so it's not laying on the base guard.

This is just the angled one you still need the flat one that sits on the bottom.


https://www.amazon.com/Grit-Guard-Washboard-Bucket-Insert/dp/B01E06O12M?th=1

Uh, Dave? Are you a trust fund baby or something? As in, you ever hear of a "budget"? Jeez???

 

[AzScorpion]

Uh, Dave? Are you a trust fund baby or something? As in, you ever hear of a "budget"? Jeez???

You thought Ranger mods were bad? Detailing is just another deep dark rabbit hole you're never climbing out of.

 

[mr.wonderful]

Uh, Dave? Are you a trust fund baby or something? As in, you ever hear of a "budget"? Jeez???

I concur, though Dave may be having to budget a bit now that the DeeZee dampers are on sale on the 'Zon for $25 the last I checked.

Anywho, the gritguards will save you a lot of pain and suffering. The wash mitt without any agitation will still hold on to stuff that will cause the swirling, so the grit guards pull them out.

I imagine the wash mitt is fine. If it starts building up what looks like little dreadlocks, where if you touch them and they feel solid and rough, then its time to ditch and replace. No amount of Towel and Pad Revitalizer will fix that

As for the microfiber towels, they should be fine. Your washing procedure may do them in, so its recommended to wash them on cool/cold water, a minimal amount of free and clear detergent, some vinegar to cut built up wax, and if you have it, Towel and Pad Revitalizer (Adam's Polishes is my favorite). It will prolong the life of your towels and mitts

 

[Dereku]

How long do you guys spend washing your truck? I'm clearly doing something wrong. One bucket and spray wax.... Every two weeks or so.

Also use a cheap toilet brush for my wheels and tires. It felt the same as the right tool but was 1$. Complete savage.

 

[CF6-mech]

Two buckets. One for wheels and one for the vehicle.

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