Washing the car - Foaming using regular hose/adapter - Leaf blower dry questions?

Hi Guys, I�m looking into a new washing method for my car and I was thinking of adding the following to my regime: 1. Electric Pressure Washer for foaming the car - Would you guys suggest a 1800 PSI or 2000 PSI one? Also, what is a good foaming solution and what % of mix should I use? 2. Electric leaf blower for drying � What do you think of a 12A leaf blower? Does that have enough power? I still plan to use the double bucket wash system after the foaming.... If you guys have any additional tips, spit them out please!! Thanks, Alin

Brushless car wash. It's a car, not a Faberg� egg.

I'd worry that a pressure washer might get soap and water into places you might not want it... why not just hand wash it? I haven't tried a leaf blower. I typically use a California Jelly Blade first, followed by good quality microfiber towels.

I agree about the pressure washer! Not a good idea. I suggest you check the Concours forum as they have been helpful to me as a resource. Basically my wash process uses two buckets, soap and rinse. I clean tires and wheels first with their own bucket to avoid dirty overspray on paint. Then using the two buckets (Meguairs or other quality car shampoo) first rinse off grime and grit top to bottom, underside, wheel wells. Than using a micrifiber wash mitt start at top, no curcular motions, go in direction of car's travel to avoid swirls. Rinse mitt often in clear water bucket, change mitt if it becomes dirty. I use simple green for bugs and marks the shampoo will not remove. Rinse well with clear water, california water blade to get most of the rinse water off. Then wipe with Meguires wet/dry detail spray using lots of microfibers to dry. Griots makes a great detergent to wash microfiber towels. Oh, and never do this in full sun or things dry too fast. Last steps are rubber protectant, tire black. About 90 minutes. Interior is another story....

Pressure Washer - yes, with a foaming head on it. I have this one: http://www.homedepot.com/buy/cleanin...ter-82010.html Only need one bucket this way for rinsing out the wash mit. I also have this pressure washer: http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/RD80770-...r/EN/index.htm Unlike most cheaper units, I can turn the pressure way down (most are fixed) and use it for rinsing. Leaf Blower - no, you will be blowing unfiltered particles onto your freshly washed paint. Not much different than a sand blaster. Blower nozzle on an air compressor yes, at least you can filter what goes into the compressor. Great way to move water out of annoying areas like the side view mirrors and body gaps.

I have two 2nd place finishes in the PCA UCR concours with my daily driver, track *****, winter beater 996C4S. As Riad said, it's not a Faberg� egg! I use a Karcher electric power washer all the time to wash the car. I tried to use a leaf blower and it was a major PITA, so I went back to microfibre towels. The power washer does a great job of blasting the gritty stuff off which minimizes the risk of dragging grit with your microfibre mitt across the surface. Best chemicals imho: Optimum Wash and Optimum No Rinse (when it's too cold or I don't want to drag the pressure washer out). Followed by a quick application of Optimum Spray on Wax. In the spring and again in the fall, I do a full detail: clay bar, PC polish, Optiseal, P21 concours wax. After 6 years of this regimen, the paint still looks new.

Hand wash it, my car has never been through any type of car wash. I drive it daily and as part of my obsessive routine I wipe it down each morning with a damp wet microfiber towel rinsing the towel a few times. I hand polish it every other week. Crazy? I can wipe it down in about 10 minutes and the polish is done in about an hour. The car looks so amazing that people that don't know Porsche's always ask me if it brand new. Pretty nice for a 13 year old car. My wife equivalent and daughters say I'm not normal... newsflash!

I currently meticulously hand wash my car with the best hand mitt and premium car soap. I always use the two bucket practice and I always have the California blade to squeegee all the water off at the end. Then I use a chamois to get what's left... After that I open the doors, hood and trunk, and collect all the water with the chamois and top it off by cleaning with a cloth under the doors as well. I got all those steps perfectly and it's been working great, I was just thinking of changing it up with something different. I just spoke to someone which told me that I could foam the car with a regular hose and bottle adapter. So I will do this instead as I only wanted the pressure washer for that feature. I never liked the idea of pressure washing cars and I have never done it to the P-car. So the pressure washer is out of the question. Now, how to do it with a regular hose? Anyone know which adapter I need and what's a good solution for the foaming part? So the consensus is a NO to the leaf blower I guess? I saw some YouTube videos and if done properly, and if the car has a good wax on it, it looks pretty efficient. I just wanted to shorten the whole drying part, and minimize touching the car during the drying phase.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...ortby=ourPicks

My regime is almost identical to Pongobaz and have great results.

Quotes source post: 9450111

That works fine... As long as you don't care about protecting your paint. The very harsh cleaning chemicals that make a brushless system work will strip off your wax. As for the leaf blower... I use mine carefully to get bulk water off the car and out of body seams and places like the rear wing. Then I use cotton towels. But I only use the blower if I have first blown the driveway of possible gravel and other junk that might get kicked up.

Leaf blower?! http://www.thestar.com/news/article/...amaged-in-fire

No to high pressure power washer. Brother killed his paint job with one. Blower is fine.

For me nothing less then the human tongue will do. Takes a bit longer, unless you make it a family affair and it may freak the hell outta the neighbors..... but what do they know they drive a Toyota Prius

I use that Mr. Clean thing. It works great. The last rinse is water that is deionized by a filter. You rinse it like you were spray painting it, and then let it air dry. No spotting, no wiping.

Quotes source post: 9450043

I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve. 1. As for "foaming," just use the right mix of water and cleaning agent in the bucket. Hitting the car with a pressure washer won't clean your car nearly as well as using your mitt and if you're already planning on using a bucket then I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish by adding another step. You also run the risk of destroying any thin paint or helping any paint chips grow if you use too much pressure. Nothing good can come from this. 2. As for the blower, it's going to blow crap all over the car you just cleaned. When you aim it at the rockers or lower portions of the doors or bumpers, you're going to start blowing around dust and crap that's on the ground or underneath the car. This is a very small car. It just doesn't take that long to dry. Besides, now you've just dirtied up the car you just spent all that time washing. Just hand dry it with a good chamois or blade. Open the doors, trunk and engine cover and let all of the excess water drain out. Then use a separate dedicated drying towel to dry out the door jambs and all of those often forgotten areas. My $.02, -Eric

Quotes source post: 9452765

Thanks for the $0.2 cents. As I mentioned in my last post of this thread, I do not like pressure washers and never use them. I just wanted one for the foaming ease/application that it comes with. Foaming a car link: You Tube Foaming a car is used to loosen dirt particles before a wash. So my goal, which will now be done through a regular garden hose with an adapter for the foaming solution will be to foam the car properly and let it sit for a good 5 minutes in the shade of course. Then I would rinse it off with the hose/water and continue washing as usual (double bucket/wash mitt). I always do the rims and tires last, as I clean them with a cloth. Now to drying... it looks like a few people are for blow drying it, and a few people are not for it... I might try it out as the leaf blower is not that expensive, and it wouldn�t hurt having one for actual leaf blowing... If it doesn�t work out well, then I�ll continue my usual process of with the California Blade and chamois/towels for the jams and other sections as you pointed out as well. But hopefully it will work out well, as my car paint is corrected and detailed by a pro once a year, it water pretty much just glides off it with ease. Hence, just blowing it off. I want to find some rollers for the buckets as well.... I noticed some pro�s have them instead of picking them up all the time. Also they have rubber around the top edge all around so just in case if they hit the car, it should be ok... Thanks for all the input folks! And I�ll keep you guys posted on what works for me.

I currently use this car shampoo: Meguiars http://www.carcarenut.co.uk/images/LgProd/G17748.jpg And I use this wash mitt: http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h...ch&um=1&itbs=1 Regular sponges or cheap wash mitts leave streaks. Also I clean the California blade after every swipe.

I need to find one of these adapters, but for a regular garden hose:

I wash mine with gutter water and dry it sandpapaer

I guess im old school.... bucket, water, hose..etc. works pretty well!

If you want to blow-dry the car, pick up something like this made for motorcylces: Amazon Amazon

I really like this technique for final rinse and drying: After washing, I rinse with a quick light spray from the hose nozzle. Then, I remove the nozzle, and give a very quick rinse with the slow, unrestricted flow from the hose . Most of the water sheets off of the car, leaving only a few large droplets behind. Then, I complete the drying process with microfiber drying towel. There is so little water left on the car, one towel dries the entire car with no wringing.

Every time my wife says I obsess over my cars too much, I show her one of these threads. A good soft mitt, a good car wash like Maguires, and clean soft cotton or microfider towels. That's all you need and you won't damage your finish. Regular waxing and a clay bar teatment once or twice a year and it will look great forever.

Quotes source post: 9452979

Why do you need to use water? Paper towels work fine.

Quotes source post: 9453363

Don't forget the soft scrub.

Quotes source post: 9451819

Do you find the saliva strips the wax?

I have never had good luck with the leaf blower (130 mph so they say on the one I bought). Gets all the tight spots, rims, engine compartment, but not so good on the large surface areas. Seems to take me longer to dry my car with the leaf blower compaired to the micro fiber towels.

Quotes source post: 9452837

Bah, unless your car is covered with caked on dirt, I'm not sure I see the value of letting soap sit on your car for 5 minutes before washing it off. If you've ever left a dirty car outside in a heavy downpour you know that when you come back to it it's still dirty. Letting it sit for 5 minutes is going to waste 5 minutes of your day when you could just start cleaning off the dirt with your mitt...which you're planning on doing anyway. After 5 minutes, it's also possible that it's going to start drying up and leaving spots. -Eric

Quotes source post: 9452909

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...ortby=ourPicks I just ordered this the other day. I will let you all know how it works when I get to cleaning. Which at this rate with amount of work I have may never come....

Quotes source post: 9450111

+100.

Quotes source post: 9453541

If your really ****, only the tongue of virgins will do.

Straight to the gutter... from washing your B*&ch to being a B&^ch! Just read my post... that wasn't intended at anyone, but the flow of posts....

Quotes source post: 9453127

Cool find... and there is a 996 wheel in the example. I don't think this will have enough power for bigger surfaces.... I do like the idea mentioned in a few posts above about taking the nozzle off and just letting the water pour. It's true, and I�ve done this and it works very well especially if the car has been buffed/waxed well.

This blower is a little spendy but i think the air is filtered. http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...ortby=ourPicks

Quotes source post: 9453877

Thanks jdog! This is exactly what I was looking for! Did you get it off the site or at a local hardware store? Let me know if it works well, I don't see why it wouldn't. I'll be definitely picking one up as this is exactly what I was looking for after opting to go for the pressure washer!

Quotes source post: 9455010

I ordered it from the site. I also ordered a sampler kit of their products. We will see how it goes.

jdog, I found the proper one for foaming, this is it: http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...ortby=ourPicks But the one you saw, is excellent as well as then you would only need one bucket to clean off your wash mitt, and spray the soap on instead of applying it with the mitt! Good find!

Shoot.. good catch I must have missed that one and it was right on the same page... I will try the one that I ordered and if I don't like the amount of soap that is laid down I will order the one you found. Thanks

Quotes source post: 9455009

Impressive video! And They have a 996 in it.. http://www.griotsgarage.com/text/con...r_blowers.html But it's a little pricey for me!

Here is a very impressive thread with great knowledge on this subject! http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...-foam-gun.html Also, here is probably one of the best foam guns available!!!: Amazon Amazon

Quotes source post: 9450783

Dude I've been washing my 2004 C4S Cab at the car wash for the past 8 years (bought the car new in Jan. 2004) and I can tell you that the car looks brand new when she's clean. These cars, like most German cars have excellent paint jobs. My first 911, the 2001 I used to wash with a diaper, I guess I just have 2nd Porsche syndrome but honestly touchless or brushless car washes work perfectly and give me 2 hours of my life back that I don't normally have.

Quotes source post: 9453877

This works great in my opinion. It doesn't give too much soap as to wasting it but just enough to give the soap a head start on cleaning off the grime before you use the wash mitt also. I like it! BTW I also used their Speed n Shine detailer and it works great as well. Good stuff by Griots!

Quotes source post: 9450043

Is this a serious question or what? I haven't stopped laughing yet hahaha. Leaf Blower??? hehehe.. I use hose pipe all over car first. In the shade not in the sun. Then follow up with bucket of warm water with zipwax in it together with large sponge. Rinsing with cold water hose as I go. Kind of following it up. Wheels and tires last with small round brush to get inside rims and same bucket of water with zip wax in it then hit it with the cold water hose. Then I use a shammy leather dragged full open to soak up droplets all over the car and windows sqeezing dry the shammy leather and reusing as I go. I did use a power washer one time but found it a bit to severe and time consuming anyway. I find it quicker to do it all by hand. Plus it keeps me fitter. BTW mine is a cabriolet or I would be using the auto car wash as I do in the winter when I have the hard top on it.

Quotes source post: 9577017

It was a serious question, yes Laugh up more... as I bought a new ShopVac without even thinking that it had a leaf blower option... bonus... and it works very well and now I hand wash like yourself, and dry it with the leaf blower instead of using a shammy or cali blade or anything else for that matter.

I only blow dry my car with air imported from the mountains near Stuttgart.

Quotes source post: 9456079

You can find the same thing cheaper elsewhere, Griot relabels this item manufactured by Metro Force, I bought my 8 HP unit from Autoanything, this is their page for the 4 HP unit http://www.autoanything.com/car-care/69A3935A0A0.aspx .

I just take it to this car wash place, well worth the money in my opinion

Quotes source post: 9581321

OK This chap mentioned a leaf blower not a specially designed blower for intricate crevices on Cars and Motor cycles as you show in these links. Those are NOT LEAF BLOWERS. Thats why I was laughing. Then he tells me in a later post that he has something with a leaf blower attachment.. Not so funny now. He should get one like this one and he can blow the spit out of his dogs mouth after he does the car hehe . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTDrbt2Hek0&feature=related

my process (got this down to 20 minutes or so) This This with this with this hose down repeat, agitate with soft sponge from lowes dry with microfiber sometimes spray on quick detailer and wipe down with another microfiber towl

very nice stance...

Makita BBX7600N 75.6 CC 4-Stroke Backpack Blower is the latest best leaf blower brand known to me so far.. It has padded shoulder straps and ventilated back panel with lumbar support for improved operator comfort. I am having this from past 6 months .. It is easy to start, not as loud as I thought it would be and very powerful too

I will caution driving through the touchless or any other similar car wash- if you have the turbo twist wheels (like my avatar) or other wheels where the hubs stick out- you will absolutely gouge the spokes on the rails that keep the soccer moms from getting crossed up in there..

High pressure air is great as a first step in drying a car, particularly for driving water out of crevices like mirrors, door handles, body seams, air intake grilles, wheels, etc. Really doesn't matter if it is a standard garage type air compressor (though you'll need high output compressor and/or a big tank), gas or electric leaf blower, or metro-vac type blower. I've used all of them and they all work better than no air. I also bought a foam gun last year, works o.k. but it's not quite the magic tool some forums would have you think. This is the one the one I bought (great reviews), along with this soap... At the 'add quarters self car wash', you do have to be careful. They all use recycled water, and filters sometimes get torn, bypassed, or just left off, which turns the high pressure hose into a bit of a water jet sandblaster.