How to use the coin-op car wash efficiently?

[mizzou]

I just realized recently that the wax setting at (not all) coin op washes actually gives a nice protective layer to the paint on my car. Its not exactly a hand-applicated wax shine, but it seems better then the alternative of never waxing your car ever.

I used to just use soap and then rinse, then wax by hand at home 2 times a year. Otherwise just soap and rinse.

Is it preferred to go through the whole cycle of pre-wash, soap, rinse, wax, spotfree rinse? I usually don't bring enough quarters for that!

How much time do you spend on each cycle?

 

[skyking]

Most efficient:
Load it up for the minimum amount, select soap.
wash out the scrub brush first. It may have grit in it that will scratch.
Use the soap blast to remove all the low dirt, big loose stuff etc.
At ~50% of time remaining, select scrub brush.
Start scrubbing. When the timer runs out the brush will still be full of foam. Do not add money!
Keep scrubbing till it will do no more good.
load up again and wash off all that and do your wax job.

 

[mizzou]

Most efficient:
Load it up for the minimum amount, select soap.
wash out the scrub brush first. It may have grit in it that will scratch.
Use the soap blast to remove all the low dirt, big loose stuff etc.
At ~50% of time remaining, select scrub brush.
Start scrubbing. When the timer runs out the brush will still be full of foam. Do not add money!
Keep scrubbing till it will do no more good.
load up again and wash off all that and do your wax job.

very smart! thanks

 

[iamwiz82]

Congrats on attempting to save a few quarters every month.

 

[HeXen]

I bought my own power washer and just buy cheap liquid carnauba wax, pour it in the tank and wash whenever I feel like it. $300 for a power washer, it pays for itself eventually. Plus all the other uses around the home.

 

[nerp]

Using the scrub brush there = Hey, let's grind sand and crap into my paint.

I'd go through a touchless car wash mainly for the underbody spray. Then when at home, use a quick spray detailer and microfiber cloth to touch up. You'll be just as clean if not cleaner and your paint won't get swirls on it. The car wash scrub brush is perfect for hurting the paint and clearcoat.

 

[HeXen]

Using the scrub brush there = Hey, let's grind sand and crap into my paint.

I'd go through a touchless car wash mainly for the underbody spray. Then when at home, use a quick spray detailer and microfiber cloth to touch up. You'll be just as clean if not cleaner and your paint won't get swirls on it. The car wash scrub brush is perfect for hurting the paint and clearcoat.

And then someone leaves a ding in your shiny body panel at a parking lot somewhere.
That's why I don't spend much time making my car pretty, there is always some jerkwad that will inevitably screw it up for you or a stray cat that thinks your car is an excellent place to wipe his feet and clean his claws.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Only thing I use that scrub brush for is getting grime and gunk off my wheels/tires on my truck. I know I'm not the only one who does this so there is no way I'm using it on the actual paint of the car, or on wheels that I'm trying to keep nice.

 

[BUTCH1]

It's OK to use the brush at the car wash but you MUST be very vigilant about a through rinsing before you use it, for all you know the person before you was scrubbing his truck bed full of sand and crud. All the car-washes have a "wax" selection but let's get real here, does anyone really thing you can properly "wax" a car with just a liquid spray?. The answer is NO, go and get some wax and do a proper wax job by hand, wax on, wax off!. a little bit of work but so worth the investment.

 

[jjsbasmt]

skyking, my procedure exactly. I have always found that this gives the best bang for the buck so to speak. John J

 

[Dr. Detroit]

1) Bring bucket from home - add a nice car wash mitt to bucket.
2) Soak car with water + soap until time runs out and fill up bucket with water/soap
3) grab car wash mitt & bucket and hand wash car
4) Rinse cycle
5) Use a car squeegee and a terry cloth towel to dry car


If you have two people you can have one person hand wash while the other sprays soap

 

[sgrinavi]

IMO the best way to use the car wash is to first douse the wheels with a high quality wheel cleaner, next start the timer and blast the car off with the high pressure soap, spending some extra time on the wheels - after rinsing the brush off wash the wheels, windows, grill and lower front/rear panels only.

Starting at the top rinse soap off with the high pressure wax setting then use a rinse-less or waterless car cleaner as you hand dry the car.

It's not perfect, but does get you by in a pinch and you wont scratch your car.

1) Bring bucket from home - add a nice car wash mitt to bucket.
2) Soak car with water + soap until time runs out and fill up bucket with water/soap
3) grab car wash mitt & bucket and hand wash car
4) Rinse cycle
5) Use a car squeegee and a terry cloth towel to dry car


If you have two people you can have one person hand wash while the other sprays soap

The car washes around here don't let you do a hand wash in the bay with your own stuff, some don't even let you dry your car if there are people waiting.

 

[x26]

1) Bring bucket from home - add a nice car wash mitt to bucket.
2) Soak car with water + soap until time runs out and fill up bucket with water/soap
3) grab car wash mitt & bucket and hand wash car
4) Rinse cycle
5) Use a car squeegee and a terry cloth towel to dry car


If you have two people you can have one person hand wash while the other sprays soap

^^ This ^^

 

[Railgun]

If you care about your car, never use a car wash with a brush, or any automatic car wash with a bruch. Wash it at home or use a touchless.

 

[HeXen]

That's what scratch polish is for.

 

[BUTCH1]

1) Bring bucket from home - add a nice car wash mitt to bucket.
2) Soak car with water + soap until time runs out and fill up bucket with water/soap
3) grab car wash mitt & bucket and hand wash car
4) Rinse cycle
5) Use a car squeegee and a terry cloth towel to dry car


If you have two people you can have one person hand wash while the other sprays soap

Two problems, first is car washes DO NOT allow ANY type of buckets to be brought in, now if the owner isn't around who's gonna care? 2nd, while your hand-washing your car the timer is running, there is no "pause" button so you will wind up inserting enough $$ to get it going again.

 

[soccerballtux]

I just realized recently that the wax setting at (not all) coin op washes actually gives a nice protective layer to the paint on my car. Its not exactly a hand-applicated wax shine, but it seems better then the alternative of never waxing your car ever.

I used to just use soap and then rinse, then wax by hand at home 2 times a year. Otherwise just soap and rinse.

Is it preferred to go through the whole cycle of pre-wash, soap, rinse, wax, spotfree rinse? I usually don't bring enough quarters for that!

How much time do you spend on each cycle?

my only temptation is to use them for the wheels, but I've gotten good enough at the routine of polishing the spokes that it doesn't bother me too much.

Just use ZipWax when you wash and be done with it. I can't be bothered to wash and wax way too much work, it does both at once and decently too. Get two mits for both hands at once, rinse car at start and you can go over the whole car in about 2 dunks of the bucket

 

[soccerballtux]

Congrats on attempting to save a few quarters every month.

lol

 

[ballmode]

I'm a cheapskate but I also don't want to damage my car.

I fill a bucket of soapy water and my sponge and put it in my car (drive normally so it doesn't go everywhere).

Get to the wash and use the hose to rinse the car, then lather up the car with the sponge/bucket water.

Rinse car off, I usually gotta put another 50 cents to a dollar by this time. Drive out and dry the car off with the absorber towel and drive away (with my bucket/sponge) of course. This was I don't have to use some brush that is full of dirt, probably been dropped on the ground and has fine rocks/sand in it and touch the car with that.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Two problems, first is car washes DO NOT allow ANY type of buckets to be brought in, now if the owner isn't around who's gonna care? 2nd, while your hand-washing your car the timer is running, there is no "pause" button so you will wind up inserting enough $$ to get it going again.

Out here on the west coast all of these types of car-washes are unmanned. No one works at them, there are usually 4-bays for washing and a 2-4 vacuums.

 

[inachu]

I always use mothers and a clay bar before waxing

 

[inachu]

1) Bring bucket from home - add a nice car wash mitt to bucket.
2) Soak car with water + soap until time runs out and fill up bucket with water/soap
3) grab car wash mitt & bucket and hand wash car
4) Rinse cycle
5) Use a car squeegee and a terry cloth towel to dry car


If you have two people you can have one person hand wash while the other sprays soap

If you use a 5 gallon bucket then they have the 5 gallon bucket tray which is made so particulates fall to the bottom so your wash rag stays as clean as possible.

 

[BUTCH1]

Out here on the west coast all of these types of car-washes are unmanned. No one works at them, there are usually 4-bays for washing and a 2-4 vacuums.

Yea, same here in FL unless it's a weekend day and it's really busy, then sometimes the owners will hang out in case there's a problem with the machines or to chase off douchbags who want to occupy a bay for an extra hour and wax their car which deny's the owner revenue.

 

[Zorba]

Two problems, first is car washes DO NOT allow ANY type of buckets to be brought in, now if the owner isn't around who's gonna care? 2nd, while your hand-washing your car the timer is running, there is no "pause" button so you will wind up inserting enough $$ to get it going again.

In the city I went to college in the nicest car wash had a pause setting. So as you can imagine on a nice weekend day, the whole place would be fully of douche-bags using a bucket, so they'd occupy the stall for 45 minutes and only spend $1. It was so annoying I started going to a car wash on the highway out of town.

 

[basslover1]

Congrats on attempting to save a few quarters every month.

Meh, I do something similar with my laundry every week. My work clothes only take 20 mins to dry and the machine runs for 45. Why would I spend the extra buck using another dryer when I still have 35 mins of drying time left?