10 Wash Methods - Water/Time Usage Measured

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imported_Quenga

New member
As a professional detailer in California, water usage is very important. Reclaiming water is not only time consuming, it can be VERY costly (equipment wise). Over the last year I have tested at least 10 wash methods at least 3 different times, then averaged the measurements. For traditional wash methods (1-5) I placed vehicles on my wash mat to contain as much water as possible. The times included setup and breakdown of the wash mat (2 minutes each way...no big deal).



For eco-friendly wash methods (6-10) I measured the difference between my starting and ending water/product level. These are MY results, yours will vary.



1. Garden Hose - 80 gallons / 45 minutes

2. Garden Hose w/ Fire Hose Attachment - 50 gallons / 45 minutes

3. Garden Hose w/ Normal Sprayer Attachment - 40 gallons / 45 minutes

4. Power Washer (Karcher 1800 psi, 1.4 gal/min) - 15 gallons /45 minutes

5. MTM Foam Lance + Power Washer Rinse - 12 gallons / 30 minutes

6. Power Washer Rinse + ONR wash - 8 gallons (includes the 3 gallons of ONR) - 30 minutes

7. Nomad Pressure Washer Rinse + Wheels + GDWM - 6 gallons - 30 minutes

8. ONR Wash - 3 gallons - 25 minutes

9. Garry Dean Wash Method (ONR used) - 1 gallon - 20 minutes

10. Waterless Wash - 1 quart - 15 minutes



For the garden hose only, I used no attachment, but shut off the water between rinses. The fire hose attachment is my favorite, but can waste water. The "normal" sprayer attachment is the trigger kind typically seen. Uses much less water and rinsed on the "shower" setting. For #5 I did NOT use any buckets! The foam was the only soap applied, I simply used 4 wash mitts, flipping them each panel (1 for the roof/windows, 1 for the hood/trunk, 1 for each side of the car).



My favorite method is #7, minus the fact that I was using the Nomad pressure washer which broke after minimal usage. It's a cheap POS, don't buy it. For bi-weekly wash clients, I use #8 or 9, depending on how they drive their car. For my personal vehicle, I wash using #10 twice a week and #9 once a month.



#5 is the best marketing tool you'll ever use. People LOVE the foam, although I HAVE tested it and don't believe in it at all when used as a pre-soak cleaner. For dispensing soap and attracting customers, it's #1 in my book. I do not do the typical foam, rinse, wash, rinse. Applying diluted citrus degreaser works far better, is faster, doesn't create noise or a mess (the foam can spray pretty far sometimes) and is more cost efficient. Whenever I am in a new neighborhood, I foam. The wash mat attracts eco-conscious people and the foam attracts EVERYONE.



As far as wash swirls, I could care less. However, I will say that PRE-RINSING is the #1 contributor to reducing wash swirls. Combined with quality wash mitts, proper technique and washing/maintaining your mitts properly, you'll have done your best. Some customers treat their cars like crap, so being picky is a waste of time and money. Other customers are willing to pay for a polish 2-4 times per year. I interview each client and THEN recommend several wash methods. 9 times out of 10 they choose the cheapest one, which is the easiest for me, #7. I should also note that I only use distilled water in the Nomad, which saves me drying time on the wheels. I blow them out with the MetroVac and give them a quick wipe over if needed.



Any questions, please ask. I'm not online as much as I used to be, but I'll try to answer them.
 
Hmmm. My perfect garden hose wash method uses no where near 80 gallons. I would have water everywhere. 80 gallons means about 1.5 gallons per min so the hose on most of the time.



My faucet puts out about 3 gallons per minute and in 45 min to 1 hr of total time the water is on that often: pre-rinse, rinse wheels, rinse 3x during wash, and then sheeting rinse. Something does not sound right. This sounds more like car wash industry propaganda against home washing.



I wonder what other mobile detailers who take their water around say they use.
 
1. I'm not promoting anything if that's what your getting at. I would have to sell something for that to be beneficial.

2. You must have weak pressure, my garden hose pumps out 15-20 gallons a minute easily. At full blast, using 80 gallons would take less than 5 minutes. This is also no attachment and having to walk back and forth to the water to shut it off. The only thing that slows down the flow is that I also kink the hose or use my thumb to create pressure.



Like I said, it all depends on your specific technique. I didn't think I actually used this much water, but I have actually measured it. I haven't seen one person actually take the time to suck up the water and measure how much they've used. Even then, the difference of pressure washers, rinse methods, etc, all make a difference. This also includes the buckets of water used as wash soap. I don't believe in the 2-bucket method, so if you do that add another 4-5 gallons.
 
Bunky said:
Hmmm. My perfect garden hose wash method uses no where near 80 gallons. I would have water everywhere. 80 gallons means about 1.5 gallons per min so the hose on most of the time.



My faucet puts out about 3 gallons per minute and in 45 min to 1 hr of total time the water is on that often: pre-rinse, rinse wheels, rinse 3x during wash, and then sheeting rinse. Something does not sound right. This sounds more like car wash industry propaganda against home washing.



I wonder what other mobile detailers who take their water around say they use.
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It does sound high to me, but I think it is reasonable if you have high volume and pressure. I have noticed here in NC there is a wide variance in pressure and volume. Sometimes I can fill my bucket in a matter of seconds while sometimes I can walk away for a minute or two and do something else while I wait. Being from San Diego I can attest that the pressures are considerably higher on average.



Al, 3 gallons per minute sounds like the low end of the average I find here. But then, I'm never looking at my watch while I wait for my bucket to fill. Now I'm gonna be paying closer attention.
 
Nth Degree said:
Al, 3 gallons per minute sounds like the low end of the average I find here. But then, I'm never looking at my watch while I wait for my bucket to fill. Now I'm gonna be paying closer attention.
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I know mine is on the lower side since I have lived in more than one house. I have a whole house water softener that knocks down the pressure. I will also pay more attention. If someone is using 80 gallons they can use flow restrictors like a water shut off rather than just put the hose on the ground or try kinking it.



There is one difference in the above wash methods. When I do a bucket wash, I spend a lot more time and water on the wheel area when using wheel and tire cleaners that needs to be rinsed. It is about choosing the best wash method depending on vehicle condition.
 
We carry only a 65 gallon water tank, pressure washer and use a foam cannon with a modified two-bucket method. Which means we pre-rinse/degrease, foam shampoo, and use the rinse bucket to rinse our mitts and the soap/foam already on the vehicle to wash, then a final rinse. We have been able to wash about 8 vehicles in day. Now these are just basic details on fairly clean vehicles. So that's an average of just over 8 gallons per vehicle, some more or less because we have both small cars and suvs. I think that's pretty efficient for a mobile unit. But thats us.
 
Bunky said:
I know mine is on the lower side since I have lived in more than one house. I have a whole house water softener that knocks down the pressure. I will also pay more attention. If someone is using 80 gallons they can use flow restrictors like a water shut off rather than just put the hose on the ground or try kinking it.



There is one difference in the above wash methods. When I do a bucket wash, I spend a lot more time and water on the wheel area when using wheel and tire cleaners that needs to be rinsed. It is about choosing the best wash method depending on vehicle condition.
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Sorry to thread jack this... but will someone please explain how a shut off valve on the

hose works? Always think the garden hose should burst because of the pressure.

Feedback pease!! Thanks!
 
Nth Degree said:
Al, 3 gallons per minute sounds like the low end of the average I find here. But then, I'm never looking at my watch while I wait for my bucket to fill. Now I'm gonna be paying closer attention.
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I never timed it either and thought the average the EPA puts out was way too high. But, with the pressure we have here along with no attachment, I can see how they got their numbers of 80-100 gallons per wash. I just timed 4 different hose methods to fill a 5-gallon bucket. Everything is slightly lower than it really is because this includes turning on the faucet at the starting point.



1. Garden hose only: 22 seconds = 13.6 gallons/minute

2. Fire Hose on "strong shower": 30 seconds = 10 gallons/minute

3. Fire Hose on "soaker": 38 seconds = 7.8 gallons/minute

4. Target Trigger Attachment on "shower": 1:44 = 3.2 gallons/minute. (*note: not the same attachment I used previously, that one broke and this is the replacement).



The fire hose attachment doesn't actually have settings, but based on the flow/strength, that's what I called them. As you can see, by just using a cheap attachment I got from Target, it dramatically reduces the time. By just using the cheaper attachment you can reduce your usage by up to 4.25 times! However, the slower flow also increases the amount of time you usually have to use to rinse.



Wheels are by far the worst part. I do a lot of German/BMW cars and cars that have never been detailed before. Getting the barrels and wheel wells take up time, as well as scrubbing old petroleum-based tire dressings. Also, I think if I had a better pressure washer that flowed more water, I would actually decrease the amount I use. The Karcher has enough pressure, but it takes longer to rinse everything out of the cracks.
 
Lexi65 said:
Sorry to thread jack this... but will someone please explain how a shut off valve on the

hose works? Always think the garden hose should burst because of the pressure.

Feedback pease!! Thanks!
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Dual+Shut-Off+Hose+Y.jpg
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You can pick them up in any hardware store, home center or discount store. They're commonly available with plastic, zinc and brass bodies.



I always use brass bodied pieces, they're sturdy and tend to be more precisely built. I also add quick-connects on the ends and have mating quick-connects on all my nozzles and such. (On metal valves I do Loctite the screw that holds the lever on, otherwise they eventually work their way out.)





As for bursting the hose, not a problem. Garden hoses are built to withstand more pressure than you're ever likely to see on a household spigot.







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Quenga said:
1. Garden hose only: 22 seconds = 13.6 gallons/minute

2. Fire Hose on "strong shower": 30 seconds = 10 gallons/minute

3. Fire Hose on "soaker": 38 seconds = 7.8 gallons/minute

4. Target Trigger Attachment on "shower": 1:44 = 3.2 gallons/minute. (*note: not the same attachment I used previously, that one broke and this is the replacement).
Click to expand...



Wow. I have lived in quite a places around the US and even around the world but that seems like a heavy water flow. I would hate to think what a simple water pipe break would do quickly.
 
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