0 bucket wash

[JustJesus]

Four Steps:

1) Pressure Washer rinse
2) BHB/foamgun, repeat until vehicle appears clean
3) mitt/foamgun, repeat until confident that vehicle truly *is* clean
4) approximation of GDWM with IUDJ as the "dry" step

Of course, that`s leaving out the wheels/wells/undercarriage/engine compartment/jambs which also get done in multiple steps (at every wash). Heh heh, and people wonder why it takes me so long to do a maintenance wash

Listing it like this, it doesn`t appear *too* complicated!

Gearhead: Some day, I intend to get a BHB, maybe tomorrow if they have some at the local car wash/detailing store. But honestly, I wouldn`t mind trying this "zero bucket wash" - even went onto their website to buy some (doesn`t appear they ship to USA). I`m all for trying different methods and products to see what works best *for me* - Heck, I used to do a weekly wash at the self-serve high pressure car wash place down the street from work. It suited my needs just fine, until they changed their soap to a different kind, and it just didn`t work for me since then.

I`m also planning on doing one like you and Accumulator. I`ll use his post above as a guideline

[Oldfordisbetter]

Would love to see a video of Accumulator`s wash process. He needs to teach us how to wash!

[JustJesus]

Would love to see a video of Accumulator`s wash process. He needs to teach us how to wash!

this is too funny. Don`t hold your breath waiting to see such a video! (I don`t think he does photo/video posts)

[mjlinane]

Four Steps:

1) Pressure Washer rinse
2) BHB/foamgun, repeat until vehicle appears clean
3) mitt/foamgun, repeat until confident that vehicle truly *is* clean
4) approximation of GDWM with IUDJ as the "dry" step

Of course, that`s leaving out the wheels/wells/undercarriage/engine compartment/jambs which also get done in multiple steps (at every wash). Heh heh, and people wonder why it takes me so long to do a maintenance wash

I feel better about my process

1. Tires and wheels.
2. HP rinse
3. Foam with the CG CW Red + OPC mixture to further loosen the loosely bonded stuff more and to strip any existing LSP - while it is dwelling, I go around all of the seams with a boars hair brush.
4. HP rinse
5. Foam with Carpro IronX Snow Soap for the embedded (also does a nice job of further stripping anything left) - while dwelling, I generally do the exhaust tips with P21S Polishing Soap.
6. My take on the Garry Dean Perfect Wash Method with the CG CWC. Note - I did not rinse off IronX Snow Soap prior.
7. HP rinse.
8. Pull in garage and, while still wet, "clay" and dry.

[JustJesus]

OK. I`ve been listening to the podcast (via video, actually) in the background while I`m working. Yes, I can listen and work at the same time. It`s a process in itself.

So, I think I finally get this zero bucket wash. FROM WHAT I GATHER, he is doing very much what Acculumator does. Quoting him,

"One of my primary intentions is to *NOT* get dirt stuck to my wash media lest it then get dragged across the paint under some degree of pressure. I "dislodge and flush" the dirt away instead."

and, "Rinse Buckets- The foamgun flushes my BHBs *so* clean that I don`t really think there`s much "rinsing" going on in the functional sense when I toss BHBs into a Rinse Bucket."

Essentially, instead of dunking a dirty mitt into a RINSE bucket, he (Final Inspection guy) takes the HP water to hose off the dirty mitt. He then reapplies the soap solution as needed. Doing this eliminates the grit guard, dunking, and the rinse bucket.

Can it be said, then, that it`s a variation of the 2BW that really just eliminates buckets? Why not!

My variation of the 2BW removes the grit guard and rinse bucket as well. I use one bucket with the soap, and use *multiple* wash mitts. Once a mitt is used for a panel, I stick it in the "dirty pile" bag, or whatever. Get a clean mitt out from a sealed bag, and do another panel. And repeat.

[mjlinane]

The GDPWM takes that one step further by using multiple wash media and, once dirty, replaced with a clean one. No rinse bucket and the dirty media is not allowed to contaminate the clean.

FWIW - I use 660 GSM towels as wash media.

[JustJesus]

The GDPWM takes that one step further by using multiple wash media and, once dirty, replaced with a clean one. No rinse bucket and the dirty media is not allowed to contaminate the clean.

FWIW - I use 660 GSM towels as wash media.

Yeah, that`s like what I said

660?!?!? Yikes. I haven`t tried any MFs that thick

[DetailZeus]

I feel better about my process

1. Tires and wheels.
2. HP rinse
3. Foam with the CG CW Red + OPC mixture to further loosen the loosely bonded stuff more and to strip any existing LSP - while it is dwelling, I go around all of the seams with a boars hair brush.
4. HP rinse
5. Foam with Carpro IronX Snow Soap for the embedded (also does a nice job of further stripping anything left) - while dwelling, I generally do the exhaust tips with P21S Polishing Soap.
6. My take on the Garry Dean Perfect Wash Method with the CG CWC. Note - I did not rinse off IronX Snow Soap prior.
7. HP rinse.
8. Pull in garage and, while still wet, "clay" and dry.

Mike, if you don`t mind, what do you change when you`re just doing a maintenance wash and don`t want to strip the LSP?

[mjlinane]

Mike, if you don`t mind, what do you change when you`re just doing a maintenance wash and don`t want to strip the LSP?

Depending on what the client is paying for, the Capro IronX Snow Foam is the first to drop. Generally replaced with a second round of the first foam. Hey, I like snow foam. (Only half joking with that - I have yet to have a client who was there at that point NOT take pictures of the snow foamed car. Hell, my neighbors have run across the street to find out how I do that.) Don`t need it but it doesn`t add much time and it certainly feels safer on the paint.

Obviously "claying" is another step that is optional.

Let`s say I was just maintenance washing one of MY cars after a week of rain like we are having now. My process would/will be:

1. Tires and wheels.
2. HP rinse
3. Foam with some good shampoo mixed with a little rinseless or waterless. I find that really boosts to the cleaning ability.
4. HP rinse
5. Foam again
6. My take on the Garry Dean Perfect Wash Method with the CG CWC. Note - no rinse prior.
7. HP rinse.
8. Pull in garage and dry using Dodo Juice Future Armor as drying aid. (Really good stuff.) Optional would be using my MetroVac to dry it.

Same number of steps but much faster (no second dwell - maybe 35 min). If it was just lightly dirty, then steps 4 & 5 get dropped. If it is just dusty, then I rinseless them and am done in 20 min.

Was thinking of making a video on this when I wash my DD. (I can already hear the collective groan.) Or not.

[DetailZeus]

Depending on what the client is paying for, the Capro IronX Snow Foam is the first to drop. Generally replaced with a second round of the first foam. Hey, I like snow foam. (Only half joking with that - I have yet to have a client who was there at that point NOT take pictures of the snow foamed car. Hell, my neighbors have run across the street to find out how I do that.) Don`t need it but it doesn`t add much time and it certainly feels safer on the paint.

Obviously "claying" is another step that is optional.

Let`s say I was just maintenance washing one of MY cars after a week of rain like we are having now. My process would/will be:

1. Tires and wheels.
2. HP rinse
3. Foam with some good shampoo mixed with a little rinseless or waterless. I find that really boosts to the cleaning ability.
4. HP rinse
5. Foam again
6. My take on the Garry Dean Perfect Wash Method with the CG CWC. Note - no rinse prior.
7. HP rinse.
8. Pull in garage and dry using Dodo Juice Future Armor as drying aid. (Really good stuff.) Optional would be using my MetroVac to dry it.

Same number of steps but much faster (no second dwell - maybe 35 min). If it was just lightly dirty, then steps 4 & 5 get dropped. If it is just dusty, then I rinseless them and am done in 20 min.

Was thinking of making a video on this when I wash my DD. (I can already hear the collective groan.) Or not.

Thanks. Your rinseless video from 3 years ago was solid so I`m sure watching you foam a million times would be just as good .

Don`t mean to derail the thread. IMO I don`t see much difference between this zero bucket technique vs just blasting off your mitt with a hose and dunking it back into a soap bucket.

[Accumulator]

I think I finally get this zero bucket wash. FROM WHAT I GATHER, he is doing very much what Acculumator does...

Note that the key to *my* version of Dislodge and Flush ("D&F") is completely dependent upon the foamgun providing constant flushing and lubrication at the point of wash medium-to-paint contact. Gotta flush away the dislodged dirt rather than allowing it to get stuck to the BHB/mitt. Easy with the BHB, far less so with the mitt.

Essentially, instead of dunking a dirty mitt into a RINSE bucket, he (Final Inspection guy) takes the HP water to hose off the dirty mitt. He then reapplies the soap solution as needed. Doing this eliminates the grit guard, dunking, and the rinse bucket.

I try to not ever let the mitts get dirty as that dirt will get dragged across the paint to some extent before the mitt gets rinsed. For *me*, seeing a dirty mitt/BHB/whatever after I`ve done a panel indicates that I messed up.

[Detailology Oz]

Hi guys

I`ve known Damian from final inspection for over ten years
he is extremely knowledgable, skilled and knows what he is doing big time

Im using his zero bucket method with one mitt and it`s fairly quick and works fantastic
yes I love rinseless too but I can`t use my rinseless as a nano skin towel lube so I soap the cars
Snow foam i really dislike, I do have a foam gun but that`s mainly for wheel arches and bottom of door

He will ship to USA for sure, he already has customers there I`m pretty sure
I don`t use many of his products but those I do are superb quality. , I do use some of his pads

[JustJesus]

Note that the key to *my* version of Dislodge and Flush ("D&F") is completely dependent .... Easy with the BHB, far less so with the mitt.

I try to not ever let the mitts get dirty as that dirt will get dragged across the paint to some extent before the mitt gets rinsed. For *me*, seeing a dirty mitt/BHB/whatever after I`ve done a panel indicates that I messed up.

I`m headed over to supply store to get some DI water, and BHB.

He will ship to USA for sure, he already has customers there I`m pretty sure
I don`t use many of his products but those I do are superb quality. , I do use some of his pads

The site didn`t have a drop down for USA, only Aus. Either way, I have been in contact with a guy here in So Cal, and should be getting some of the shampoo today.

[skibik]

My car is way to dirty after a week of daily driving to even try something like that in the video, maybe if it was a garage queen and only needed to get the dust off from sitting that may work.

I have tried what Accumulator has done with the foam gun. When I found this site I never understood the idea behind the 2 bucket method and ended up trying it, still not really seeing the benefits so I am a one bucket wash person. I then spent some money on a foam gun and found that it really loosened up the dust and dirt and flushed it away on a pre-soak and rinse. So I tried a no bucket wash with the foam gun in one hand and a wash mitt in the other, this is after a pre-soak and a rinse but my car gets kind of dusty throughout the week and I just didn`t like the idea of not being able to thoroughly rinse the mitt so gave up on that after one wash. I don`t use a grit guard and don`t see the need for it. Any dirt that comes off the mitt, which is very little if any, in the wash bucket sink to the bottom, when I am rinsing between sections my mitt rests on the side of the bucket and not on the bottom so I don`t see a need.

[Accumulator]

JustJesus- If you do buy a BHB, *BE CAREFUL* that you get a good one. The only ones I currently recommend are the ones made by Universal Brush. There are a lot of BHBs on the market that are *NOT*, uhm....Accumulator-approved.

skibik- Tjhat whole "wish to rinse the mitt but by then it`s already moved dirt across the paint" dilemma is why I do the BHB/foamgun pass(es) first. Being able to rinse the mitt clean while it`s in-use is possible, but it`s a big hassle. If you`re happy with what you`re doing now, far be it from me to suggest that you tweak it! But if you want any encouragement to buy one of those spendy BHBs, well...... Easy for me to spend your money, huh?!?

I do think I could benefit from a Grit Guard in my wheels/etc. bucket...might put in one of the ones that came with my Griot`s buckets some time. Not to "hold the dirt down" but rather as a surface on which I could agitate the brushes/mitts. As it is, if my wash media for those areas get dirty I just rinse them with the hose.