Where to get a good wash bucket?

BTW, Gritguard is on sale for $9.99 at their website right now. Shipping costs $6.95. So, maybe a solution is to order two of those, and then get a couple of buckets at Costco.
 
Yep especially if you're planning on doing the two-in one bucket ( one with drilled holes) method and coupling each pair with the Grit Guard, might be overkill, but that's understood when it comes to Autopian washing strategies :D
 
Not very fancy, but if you have cats, or know someone who does, a couple of well rinsed kitty litter buckets will do the trick. You could put one inside the other and drill holes in it as Bill suggested.
 
CincyDave said:
Not very fancy, but if you have cats, or know someone who does, a couple of well rinsed kitty litter buckets will do the trick. You could put one inside the other and drill holes in it as Bill suggested.
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LOL. I have about 5 former kitty litter buckets in the garage. That is what I use for most of my washing needs (although I could't resist the big cool looking bucket that I got at Target for $4.99)!



I think this idea of $50.00 - $70.00 for a wash bucket is outrageous. I'm sure that Griots et al probably make about 95% profilt on those items.
 
I bought the 5 gal buckets from home depot. At under $5 each they are a bargain and big enough to store some of my products in when Im all done.
 
$60 for a bucket ... freaking hell. :eek:



2 - 5G bucket - $10 (or free - go to a donut shop in your area and ask the manager for them as they have tonnes as a lot of the icings etc materials come in 5G buckets!) :up



2 - Grit Guards - $10 (chicken wire or egg crate) :up



I personally find those grit guards slates way too open.

When dunking your mitt in and swoshing a bit, surely some of the dirt must come back up? I might pick one up and see what it's like.



Doesn't have to be extremely elaborate it, I've seen egg crate wrapped in mesh (window screening) that worked well.

The other option is use 3+ layers of egg crate zig zagging the layers and using zip ties to hold it all together.



Otherwise, using a grid guard is fine as well as they are not too expensive.



Casters ... is that really an issue? I personally just have the rinse bucket at the front of the car and rinse the mitt. I have a 2.5 gallon bucket (my perference) with soap that I move around the vehicle as I wash. On a really dirty day, I have 2 - 5G rinse buckets setup (one for the lower half and one for the upper half). From a time perspective, okay, it may cost me an extra 5 mins walking back forth to the bucket ... but I'd rather have that then a bucket roll down the driveway! For mobile detailers, having the screw on lid is nice I have to admit. My snap on lid is a pain - granted, I only use the snap lids for my planting soil buckets. :xyxthumbs



Paco
 
If you can get a bunch of buckets for -free-, just drilling many small holes in one and putting it inside another just might be the the best way to go of all :up
 
raven said:
I've been thinking about getting the grit guard for a couple of days now and have one guestion. If you use the two bucket method (which I do) won't the grit guard better serve it's purpose if it was in the rinse bucket? It seems to me that the entire idea of using two buckets is to keep the wash mitt clean for use in the soap mixture.
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Raven, that makes great sense to me. Like paco, I don't really trust the grit guard for my wash bucket. I think it might do better as an add on for the rinse bucket.
 
raven said:
I've been thinking about getting the grit guard for a couple of days now and have one guestion. If you use the two bucket method (which I do) won't the grit guard better serve it's purpose if it was in the rinse bucket? It seems to me that the entire idea of using two buckets is to keep the wash mitt clean for use in the soap mixture.
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Raven, that makes great sense to me. Like paco, I don't really trust the grit guard for my wash bucket. I think it might do better as an add on for the rinse bucket.
 
I use buckets only for rinse water these days because I use a foam gun to wash so if I were to get Grit Guards, they would be additions to the drilled bucket in another set ups
 
Bill D said:
If you can get a bunch of buckets for -free-, just drilling many small holes in one and putting it inside another just might be the the best way to go of all :up
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.... :eek:





I am stunned by the genius in this solution. I would've NEVER thought of this. Did you come up with this yourself??
 
No no, I must stress again, this is Rod Kraft of Meguiars idea.



One of the best tips I came across this year
 
quote:

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Originally posted by paco:

(or free - go to a donut shop in your area and ask the manager for them as they have tonnes as a lot of the icings etc materials come in 5G buckets!)



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Fast food joints are another good place to find free plastic buckets. I worked at the golden arches many, many years ago and the pickles came in big green plastic buckets. I didn't think of using them for car washing back then, but they made pretty good beer coolers!
 
Wal-Mart has an Eagle-One bucket with grit-guard for less than $8.



My daughter says it looks ghetto, but I use a couple cat litter buckets ... they're at least 5 - 6 gallons with sturdy handles, can be used for quick & easy storage, and can be used as a detailing seat in a pinch.
 
LOL, gotta love that expression "ghetto". The drilled bucket in another bucket method is even more so :D
 
Bill D, I'm going to have take out the drill, thats a great Idea!, I also use 5 gallon buckets from home depot they are solid white with no writing on them. They also sell lids for the buckets, for storage purposes.



I currently use two bucket method, and use my hand for a grit guard in rinse bucket. If it looks to bad I switch to a clean mitt and fresh rinse. I notice very little dirt in my soap bucket, so it must be working.



I may now use the 2 bucket method with 4 buckets. Drilling holes in two of them, making it a 4 Bucket method.
 
Bill D said:
LOL, gotta love that expression "ghetto". The drilled bucket in another bucket method is even more so :D
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When I chose to do use cat litter buckets, I was thinking "practical" and save the $$$ for a PC. My teenage daughter sees it as "ghetto".



One little word ..... and I felt older after I washed the car than I did when I started.
 
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