How Mike washes a car

[ShakingHorizons]

Excellent video - thank you!

[TroyScherer]

I like watching stuff like this. I almost always find that there is something I can add or learn from them.

[DetailZeus]

I am a firm believer in that there is no "one size fits all" that is perfect for every situation - and anyone who says different is trying to sell you something. The best tool a detailer has is his/her brain. Evaluate each situation and adapt as necessary.


As a weekend detailer no truer words. I always read, listen to advice but when it some to detailing my toys each one is done differently.....

I think this is what separates the veterans and professionals from the amateurs. I`m guilty of it myself. When I bought my first rinseless soaps and watched the Garry Dean videos I was all into it, "this stuff is the best!". When I finally caught myself trying to "rinse" the car and wheel wheels with a garden sprayer, and making multiple batches of rinseless for the wheels I thought, "Maybe it`s time for a hose". I will say though, if I ever land up without a source of free flowing water, I`m still going to be very good at washing a car.

Obviously time vs $$$ also factors in for the pros.

At some point you just have to build your own system. I built a system for a friend who`s not an Autopian, cares about his car more than the average person, and wants it clean most of the time. It`s based around rinseless soaps. When it`s a day or two dusty, he does a waterless wash with plush towels. When it`s weeklong dirty, he does a rinseless wash with plush towels. When it`s winter filthy, I send him through the touchless laser wash, then have him follow up with the rinseless wash. The next step will be to separate paint towels from wheel and jamb towels, a couple of waffle weaves for drying, a fine clay towel for bugs and residue, and a WOWA sealant to top up protection. Once I confirm his technique, I will hire a professional to do a full spring detail, and continue to do so every year.

That`s it. Waterless -> Rinseless -> Touchless Tunnel in order of one, two, or all three depending on dirtyness. No foam guns, brushes, lots of buckets etc. If I made it any more complicated, he wouldn`t do it. Sometime I think about how complicated I`ve made things for myself and think dang, that`s a good system.

[Pats300zx]

Great video Mike !!!!!! I picked up a few ideas

[Merlin]

Excellent video Mike...good job!

Here`s a little something to make you smile...

[Ronkh]

Excellent video Mike...good job!

Here`s a little something to make you smile...

Washercize - Jazzercize for detailers

This guy is my hero

Wonder if there`s any paint in the door jambs. There sure isn`t any dirt.

[tropicsteve]

I think the guy just downed 6 energy drinks in rapid succession just prior to the video. "soap? we don`t need no stinking soap! "

[Merlin]

The funniest part is the little moon walk dance...

[pgp]

nice video, I am jealous. I wish I had access to a hose and foam gun to use here.

[grungy]

OMG!! Send him packing before we get there

[mjlinane]

Thanks everybody for the kind words and otherwise.

[heisenberg]

Good stuff. I actually tried a version of this yesterday before watching. I had been thinking about alternative wash methods and I remember seeing Mike P`s post on using a foam gun on AGO - he just foams the car down and has the mitt on the windshield cowl then uses it to wash.

I laid a few micros across the windshield after my intial HP rinse then I foamed the whole car, and used those already wet micros to wash pretty much just like you did. It worked really well and went faster than the constant dunking of a 2bm.

[GearHead_1]

It isn`t wand man`s first rodeo.

[JustJesus]

MJLILANE, on your next video, can you do a little dancing like that other guy? That would be so cool.

And that World`s Best Car Washer video really needs a music soundtrack, and maybe a little mix-edit

[mjlinane]

Umm... Mike dancing in a video. The thought alone kind of makes me throw up in my mouth a little.