Can you wash with just a pressure washer and nothing else?

[jupiter]

hi, I just found this forum through another car forum and had a question. I`m thinking of buying a 1600psi electric pressure washer to wash my cars. Do you think it can get a car clean with no detergent and no mitts? Basically just spray the car with water then let dry. My cars aren`t that dirty (they don`t get driven much). It would save a lot of time if it works.. but I want to make sure it`s effective before I spend $100.

[imported_mystic04]

I would say no all you going to do is spray off the loose dirt and leave the rest behind, it dosent take that much more time to wet the car down and use a good car shampoo then spray it off.Spray it down then let it dry you will have water spots everywhere.I hope you werent planing on using any polish after what you call a wash.

[Peanuthead]

Nope. You still have a residue left behind. I still use a PW to knock off the dirt it it is really bad.

[imported_BobbyG]

Unfortunately no.



A pressure washer will remove all or mostly all the heavy contaminates. I`m not referring to just mud or large particles but the small stuff too. What it won`t remove is non water soluble films or airborne contaminates that have adhered themselves to the cars surface.



To properly remove everything will take a solution of car wash and water. This with the right mit or sponge will loosen the particles and dissolve the film allowing them to be rinsed off leaving the finish for the next step.



Don`t get me wrong, I have a 2600 psi washer and use it regularly. Some of the areas that see its use are; inside the wheel wells, undercarriage and suspension, engine compartment etc. I have a low pressure nozzle that allows me to apply various solutions prior to a high pressure rinse.

[Poordude]

You need the surfactents in the detergent to remove soils otherwise they just get redeposited on the surface.

[Dan]

Using something that sheds dirt really well like Opti-seal or UPGP and a pressure washer with detergent, you will get a car pretty darn clean, however you will need a DI system as you will leave water spots on the paint if you don`t dry it. Though you could, at that point, probably get away with drying the car using a QD.

[Accumulator]

When the Yukon was spotlessly clean (and freshly LSPed with something that sheds dirt very well), and then got wet during a brief errand, I`ve been able to hose it down with DI water with OK results.



Note that "OK results" doesn`t mean "Autopian-level clean".



BUT...I sure wouldn`t expect decent results if the dirt/etc. didn`t rinse off really well and I`d never try either letting non-DI water dry on it or drying it after doing such a cursory "wash" as residual dirt would undoubtedly mar the paint.

[eyezack87]

The only time I did a wash where I didn`t use a mitt/bucket system was when I was doing a foam cannon soap review for my car forum. 30+ shots of various soaps and their various dilution ratios later, the car was clean as she could be...but the Collinite 845 I had put on there was destroyed :LOLOL

[imported_OverTimeDetail]

I know a company that comes to my dealer and do just that, lol

[Kean]

SuperBee364 has posted results in the past of his "touchless" process and it looks like it is working well for him. However, study his procedure closely. His apparent success is heavily dependent on using the right combination of products, tools and techniques. ....although I believe his reasoning for using this process is more to help reduce the chance of marring the finish rather than for speed.



”Touchless” Washing by SuperBee364 (http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-detailing/104946-oh-brother-here-he-goes-again-lot-s-pics.html#post1099595)