Drought = no wash

[RunCelica]

We have been in drought conditions in MD for awhile now and we cant wash our cars anywhere but a carwash. I take a soapy terry cloth and wipe my car down with it and then take another wet terry cloth without soap and wipe it down then I dry it with a chamois. Can anyone give me any other tips?

[RunCelica]

Also thought I might add that my plastic side skirts have been stained and it seems impossible to get off the black marks and I regularly wax my car with Meguiars Gold Class... Liquid Silver.

[4CyLSiLvACeLi]

ya ive got a mark or 2 of brown stuff on my right sideskirt... dog poopy? :(

[bme107]

I live in an apt. and there is no hose to access. Usually what I do is take a bucket, all my washing/drying supplies, and fill 3-4 clean gallon jugs with water to take with me. The do it yourself places usually allow bucket washing if there isn't a line. Fill the bucket with your soap and water that you brought, it takes forever to fill a bucket with their water and if you try to use the high pressure to get more out faster it will just spray back up in your face. I put in money to start the water, rinse the car (low pressure) and start washing. Usually the time runs out if I don't have some one there to help, so i just finish the last 2-3 sections without the water. Then I start it up again and give everything a good rinsing with the low pressure stream. Always turns out to be cheaper to let the time run out and start over than to keep feeding the machine money.

[theotherredline]

Lucky for me, there is a 24-7 self serve car wash place less than 5 min from my residence. I bought Mothers Trigger Wash which makes convienent use of time...Anyway, if you have any marks or stains on your paint I would buy Castrol Superclean (its stronger than simple green, and you have to dillute it with water) but it takes out tar and stains instantly. I swear by that product. It will actually lighten your paint color if you spray it on directly, so its not something you want to mess with.

[SC3]

Originally posted by bme107
Always turns out to be cheaper to let the time run out and start over than to keep feeding the machine money. [/B]

I assume you take it to FlagShip near Criswell's.

If you let the time run out, don't you have to fill in 10 quarters to get the thing started again? I just plug in 3 or 4 more quarters when the machine starts beeping.

Just Curious

-SC3

[bme107]

Yeah, by Criswell or the one on Middle Brook at the top of the hill. Gotta go early in the morning when they're not too busy.

If I'm by myself I rinse the whole thing down ($2.50). Wash the whole car, then rinse it down again ($2.50).

If I try to keep it running the whole time I'm always fighting with the hose. It usually gets caught on the lights or the arm doesn't want to swing in the direction I need it. This is all happening with one hand, while the other is holding a soapy wash mit getting it all over me. Then once I get it on the opposite side of the car in perfect position, the alarm goes off and I have to run around and add more quarters. :bang: Usually comes out to $7-8 if I take my time to do a good job.

If I have a friend to help, then yes, I leave it running. They rinse and keep track of the quarters while I wash. At best we usually use $4.50, so I don't feel cheated when I spend $5 by myself.