Is a pressure washer a necessary wash tool? (read before voting)

Neo62381 · 02-16-06, 12:28

I live in Boone, NC, where they religeously believe in road salt/sand, as a result, people that live up here have the dirtiest cars, after just one trip to the store! As I was washing my car today, I tried to hose off as much dirt as possible off the car before washing, in order to prevent heavy surface marring, but I really don't think it worked too well. As a result, I spent all day rinsing my mitt a killion times. It was really discouraging. So my question is this: In order to effectively take care of one's own personal vehicle, after a nasty trip, is a pressure washer pretty much mandatory before a regular, healthy, two bucket wash routine?

Any opinions and help on this matter is greatly appreciated!

Danase · 02-16-06, 12:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neo62381

I live in Boone, NC, where they religeously believe in road salt/sand, as a result, people that live up here have the dirtiest cars, after just one trip to the store! As I was washing my car today, I tried to hose off as much dirt as possible off the car before washing, in order to prevent heavy surface marring, but I really don't think it worked too well. As a result, I spent all day rinsing my mitt a killion times. It was really discouraging. So my question is this: In order to effectively take care of one's own personal vehicle, after a nasty trip, is a pressure washer pretty much mandatory before a regular, healthy, two bucket wash routine?
Any opinions and help on this matter is greatly appreciated!

I say a foam gun would be much safer than a pressure washing on a very dirty car.

Neo62381 · 02-16-06, 12:32

I can understand where you are coming from, and I have a gilmour foam gun, however for the step I am metioning, there is just way too much salt and dirt on the vehicle! :-)

Danase · 02-16-06, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neo62381

I can understand where you are coming from, and I have a gilmour foam gun, however for the step I am metioning, there is just way too much salt and dirt on the vehicle! :-)

I've seen power washers marr really dirty cars. The high pressure from the water can "push" the dirt into the paint. There really is nothing lifting it up and away. I try and keep a good coat of sealant on my car about every month during the winter to make cleaning easier.

SpoiledMan · 02-16-06, 01:05

How about pressure washing after soaking with foam?

Av8tordreem · 02-16-06, 01:16

Pressure washing sure makes rinsing off the car much easier, but especially with the hood or other areas up front with chips in the paint from rocks and whatnot, I've learned from experience you should have the sprayer further away from the car itself to prevent from washing away the clear coat! Something to keep in mind......

Lowejackson · 02-16-06, 01:23

If the water pressure is kept low or applied from a distance it can be a useful tool

zippymbr · 02-16-06, 01:26

Maybe try QEW as a prespray. I am having good sucess with that followed by the foam gun this winter. I keep improving my wash tech as I go with things I learn along the way. Pressure washers are reserved for the underside of my cars.

Accumulator · 02-16-06, 04:00

I never use my (Karcher) pressure washer for this, because of the possible problems already mentioned and because I'd worry about a) dislodging trim and b) forcing dirt up under trim and into other hard to access areas.

I do understand the rationale behind the idea and I'm sure not saying it won't work, just that it's not the approach I take.

When my vehicles are really dirty (and believe me, the minivan gets truly *awful* some times!) I use the foamgun with a BHB. I just *barely* touch the panels with the BHB, blasting foam through the bristles all the while. I don't press hard enough to bend the bristles over and I don't "swipe" the BHB across the panel, I sorta "jiggle it" so that if there *is* any marring, it's only gonna be maybe 1/4" long. I suggest repeating the mantra "dislodge and flush" to keep in the proper mindset

(no, no, J/K)

And I still rinse the BHB out and dunk it in the shampoo bucket even when using the foamgun. I might go over a panel many times this way, gradually and *VERY GENTLY* dislodging the dirt. Then I wash again with mitts. And if there's any chance my mitt isn't rinsing clean I get out a fresh one. Any tenacious dirt that won't come off gets clayed with Sonus green and I wash the panel again after that. I carefully inspect each panel after the final rinse before moving on to the next one.

It's not easy, and it's sure not quick, but I can usually get through (a tough Ohio) winter without significant marring.

BTW, using a slick LSP helps immensely.

ybajwa · 02-16-06, 06:40

Accumulator, its very impressive that you take that much care of your paint!

I'm not that disciplined, I only detail my car and some friends. Anyway, I follow a much shorter version, I use a BHB alone and make several passes and rinses (never using pressure washer) being very gentle to start a bit more aggressive each pass. Its not perfect, but on my paint (honda w/ fiji blue pearl) almost anything I try introduces some light marring.

Well, I don't have much to add except if you are able to rinse with warm (not hot) water this can really help loosen up some of the dirt initially.

David Fermani · 02-16-06, 09:27

Find the cheapest drive through car wash in town.

SVR · 02-16-06, 11:45

Yes for dirty cars and even moderately dirty ones
The thing to do though is to stand alongside the car and spray the water across the paint, not at it
99% of the population normally spray straight at it. You are pushing the dirt into the paint with that method

Side panels - use a horizontal pattern
Rest - vertical pattern

Really dirty cars should have the excess grime removed with the pressure gun at about 50% pressure, then full pressure

Accummulator is my inspiration. Because of him I adopted a 4 bucket, 6 mitt method and that number will only go up, maybe 6 buckets

I hate swirls and marring