G70 Winter Washing

[SirFrederick]

I had a little fun washing the car a few nights ago. My wife came out with me to film my winter wash process. I decided to make a fun little video afterwards. I did the editing on my phone so it's nothing special. Aside from a little fun I had with this I'm a detailing hobbyist and I'm always looking for ways to improve the washing process. The goal is to get the paint as clean as possible before touching it and to touch the paint as little as possible to prevent minor scratches, swirl marks, etc. That's why I go to certain lengths to wash my car in the winter. The best wax, sealant, ceramic coating, etc. will never give you better gloss and shine then an unmarked clear coat.

I bring my IK9 foamer with me, a 5 gallon bucket half full of soapy water with 7 wash mitts soaking in it, some drying towels, microfibres and detailing spray.

1. I start by pressure rinsing the wheel wells and tires/rims.
2. I snow foam the entire car with my IK9 foamer and my current foam of choice, Griot's Garage Foaming Surface Wash.
3. Then pressure rinse the car.
4. Hand wash my car with the bucket of wash mitts. One to two panels at a time roughly then flip the wash mitt and do another panel or two. Then discard the mitt and on to the next mitt. This way you have a perfectly clean mitt when washing each panel and you are never introducing a dirty mitt or dirty water back onto the car. It's also a very fast way to wash your car.
5. Rinse again.
6. Dry the car using twisted loop microfibre drying towels. I also have separate towels that I will only use on the very bottom 5 inches of the car. It's easy to get dirt from the underneath portion of the car when drying the very lower sections, so I use separate drying towels to prevent my best one's from getting any dirt on them. I have a leaf blower at home that speeds up the drying process but it's corded and I can't use it at the car wash. Soon I'll be getting a cordless leaf blower to take with me, so next winter my process will be faster with less contact on the paint.
7. Dry the door jamb sections with microfibres and quick detailer.
8. A quick wipe down the engine bay with microfibres.

The only thing I don't do in the winter is wash my tires and rims which I do every 2 weeks and sometimes weekly in summer. In summer I will use a dedicated cleaner for both to get all the brake dust off the rims and dirt of the tires, then follow up with tire dressing. It's not worth the trouble in our winters. Cars just get too dirty too fast. I will give them a good clean right before I get my summers put back on though.

 

[Toddasaurus]

Now that is some damn good detailing. Nice work. I don't know the first thing about detailing cars, evidently. I bought a fat sponge, and now I need car soap. Oh, I also have a spray nozzle for my hose at home. That's all I got so far. Haha.

 

[SeekingGen]

I tried but am unable to see the video. Very impressive write up! I aspire to get to portions of your standard.

 

[SirFrederick]

I tried but am unable to see the video. Very impressive write up! I aspire to get to portions of your standard.

I think it's fixed.

 

[EdP]

I think it's fixed.

It is. Nicely done. I wish I had a place to do that. The self wash places closed up where I lived in CT.
Nice shine when done too!

 

[SeekingGen]

Video is awesome! Well done and thanks for sharing!!

 

[SirFrederick]

It is. Nicely done. I wish I had a place to do that. The self wash places closed up where I lived in CT.
Nice shine when done too!

We have one place that stays open all the time now. The coldest it was when I went there was -40*C. I was surprised they stayed open. I usually draw the line at -30ish but stepped over the threshold a bit this winter.

 

[NLJ]

Thanks for posting.
I have a question if you don't mind. What's a low cost option for a foam bottle/gun?
I may buy a pressure washer this summer but I want a portable pump action foam cannon!

 

[SirFrederick]

Thanks for posting.
I have a question if you don't mind. What's a low cost option for a foam bottle/gun?
I may buy a pressure washer this summer but I want a portable pump action foam cannon!

If I’m understanding correctly you mean the handheld pump sprayers. Unfortunately there really isn’t much. You can get cheap pump sprayers from lowes, home depot, etc. but they are not foamers. They will just spray liquid rather than foam. Ebay is probably your best bet for something cheap. You might find an Epoca 2L foamer on there.

If you do find one I wouldn’t get anything less than 2L. Smaller one’s just don’t hold enough while still allowing for enough pressurized air in them to last long enough before having to pump it up again. It’s a pain.

I have one of these foamers.

I used it before i had the IK9. I hated having to pump it though. It took to long to do a whole car. What I did in the end is I drilled a hole near the top of it, put in a valve stem and attached a small electric bicycle pump. Just turn on the pump and hold the trigger down on the sprayer. The pump kept the canister pressurized. The only thing is I would have to stop to refill it as i couldn’t quite get the full car done with it being half full when starting.

A pressure washer with a foam cannon is what I use in the summer and it takes me one minute to foam my entire car. It’s also fun.

 

[NLJ]

If I’m understanding correctly you mean the handheld pump sprayers. Unfortunately there really isn’t much. You can get cheap pump sprayers from lowes, home depot, etc. but they are not foamers. They will just spray liquid rather than foam. Ebay is probably your best bet for something cheap. You might find an Epoca 2L foamer on there.

If you do find one I wouldn’t get anything less than 2L. Smaller one’s just don’t hold enough while still allowing for enough pressurized air in them to last long enough before having to pump it up again. It’s a pain.

I have one of these foamers.

I used it before i had the IK9. I hated having to pump it though. It took to long to do a whole car. What I did in the end is I drilled a hole near the top of it, put in a valve stem and attached a small electric bicycle pump. Just turn on the pump and hold the trigger down on the sprayer. The pump kept the canister pressurized. The only thing is I would have to stop to refill it as i couldn’t quite get the full car done with it being half full when starting.

A pressure washer with a foam cannon is what I use in the summer and it takes me one minute to foam my entire car. It’s also fun.

Thanks. I've been looking at pressure washers especially on Amazon and there are heaps.
What's the minimum requirements for cars?

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[SirFrederick]

Thanks. I've been looking at pressure washers especially on Amazon and there are heaps.
What's the minimum requirements for cars?

Ahhhh, pressure washers. The bane of a detailers existence. Most of them are junk, but to get something good you have to pay for it unfortunately.

For washing a car you only need 1000 to 1200 PSI. It's the GPM that’s most important and makes the most difference. The higher the GPM the better. Most pressure washers do not get anywhere near their rated GSM though and they cheat to get to their rated PSI. Companies will use nozzles with way to small of an orfice in order to force more pressure through the nozzle so they can state it has a higher PSI. That also puts more pressure on the motor as well.

Ryobi, Greenworks, Sunjoe, Karcher, and AR Blue Clean are the choices for electric. Ryobi and Greenworks are probably my choices out of those because they at least use a standard fitting for the pressure washer hose connection. I have a SunJoe SPX3000 and it doesn’t use a standard hose connection. I needed an adapter once I upgraded to a better hose. Still a decent machine though.

You’ll find that the hoses and guns that come with these pressure washers are total junk. I’ve replaced everything except my pressure washer. Better gun and lance with quick disconnects and swivel adapter, longer hose that’s more flexible and quick disconnects on everything.

If I didn’t have anything right now I would buy this package. Obviously not cheap but compared to what was available over the last few years this is actually priced quite well for what you get. The average joe is not going to get this though due to price. The comet static 1700 is what I will be replacing my SunJoe with eventually.

A better gun with a swivel adapter made such big difference. Without a swivel adapter you are constantly stopping in the middle of using your pressure washer and spinning the gun and hose around so it unwinds. A short hose is also a pain because you have to haul the pressure washer itself around so you can reach around the entire car. My pressure washer doesn’t leave my garage now. With a 50 foot hose I can get around the entire car without have to move the pressure washer.

Also don’t buy one with it’s own hose reel. They don’t work very good and break really easily. There will be the same exact pressure washer without the reel for less but the motor will be exactly the same.

 

[NLJ]

Ahhhh, pressure washers. The bane of a detailers existence. Most of them are junk, but to get something good you have to pay for it unfortunately.

For washing a car you only need 1000 to 1200 PSI. It's the GPM that’s most important and makes the most difference. The higher the GPM the better. Most pressure washers do not get anywhere near their rated GSM though and they cheat to get to their rated PSI. Companies will use nozzles with way to small of an orfice in order to force more pressure through the nozzle so they can state it has a higher PSI. That also puts more pressure on the motor as well.

Ryobi, Greenworks, Sunjoe, Karcher, and AR Blue Clean are the choices for electric. Ryobi and Greenworks are probably my choices out of those because they at least use a standard fitting for the pressure washer hose connection. I have a SunJoe SPX3000 and it doesn’t use a standard hose connection. I needed an adapter once I upgraded to a better hose. Still a decent machine though.

You’ll find that the hoses and guns that come with these pressure washers are total junk. I’ve replaced everything except my pressure washer. Better gun and lance with quick disconnects and swivel adapter, longer hose that’s more flexible and quick disconnects on everything.

If I didn’t have anything right now I would buy this package. Obviously not cheap but compared to what was available over the last few years this is actually priced quite well for what you get. The average joe is not going to get this though due to price. The comet static 1700 is what I will be replacing my SunJoe with eventually.

A better gun with a swivel adapter made such big difference. Without a swivel adapter you are constantly stopping in the middle of using your pressure washer and spinning the gun and hose around so it unwinds. A short hose is also a pain because you have to haul the pressure washer itself around so you can reach around the entire car. My pressure washer doesn’t leave my garage now. With a 50 foot hose I can get around the entire car without have to move the pressure washer.

Also don’t buy one with it’s own hose reel. They don’t work very good and break really easily. There will be the same exact pressure washer without the reel for less but the motor will be exactly the same.

Thanks for the information. Very helpful!
Any advice on a decent inexpensive polisher?

 

[SirFrederick]

Thanks for the information. Very helpful!
Any advice on a decent inexpensive polisher?

You want a dual action polisher with a 5" backing plate. A 6" backing plate is too big. I would get one of the following.

Maxshine (Shinemaster is their new name) or Griot's Garage.

I would get this Shinemaster Polisher.

Or

I would get this Griot's Polisher, but also order the Lake Country 5" backing plate. The Shinemaster would be my choice though.

 

[NLJ]

You want a dual action polisher with a 5" backing plate. A 6" backing plate is too big. I would get one of the following.

Maxshine (Shinemaster is their new name) or Griot's Garage.

I would get this Shinemaster Polisher.

Or

I would get this Griot's Polisher, but also order the Lake Country 5" backing plate. The Shinemaster would be my choice though.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have to polish out some scuff marks from the rocker panel on the passenger side cause a co-worker who carpooled with me tapped his boots against it both times he drove with me. No damage to the paint but the clear coat needs some buffing.
Also need to touch up a couple of spots on the hood and smoothen out before I apply some paint sealant on it when the weather gets warmer!

 

[Toddasaurus]

Okay, @SirFrederick inspired me to do a better job of washing my car to get ready for ceramic coating. I don't see any swirls or scratches on the paint, so I figure as long as it's clean we should be good to coat it. Even so, I know my method will still be VERY basic and beginner-esque compared to the OP's.

I bought a very thick, fluffy, ultra-soft microfiber wash pad for the top 2/3 of the car, and a microfiber wash mitt for the bottom 1/3 of the car. I also bought some car wash soap that is supposed to reduce hardwater spots, and tested it out by washing my wife's car - it turned out really good. Anyway, I also bought a high quality microfiber towel that is designed specifically for drying the car after the wash. I have a soft bristled brush for the wheels.

I have a regular garden hose with a spray nozzle. No pressure washer. My car is very clean as it is, as we haven't seen any snow or dust in Portland since I've bought it. That said, I figure I already have a low risk for making any swirls or scratches while washing, but even so I will rinse the washing pad and mitt after each panel to remove particulates.

I'll be applying McKee's37 SiO2 coating using their applicator pad, and wiping down with an edgeless microfiber cloth.

Wish me luck (I'm sure I'll need it! Haha). I'll post my results. I am gonna try to do it today before the weather gets bad (ie rain, slightly cooler temps).

 

[joschneider]

@SirFrederick whats your view on using a leather chamois vs microfiber for drying?

 

[SirFrederick]

@SirFrederick whats your view on using a leather chamois vs microfiber for drying?

Honestly I probably haven't used one of those in 15 years. I'm sure they work to some degree but there is just significantly better options nowadays. Out of all the top dogs in the detailing world I haven't seen anyone use one either.

 

[Toddasaurus]

Okay, just finished. Washed as I detailed above, then finished applying the ceramic. It was a lot of work, similar to applying wax, but a bit more tedious, yet also relatively forgiving. I'm not as detail oriented as @SirFrederick, but it turned out well enough I think! I'm sure if the OP did it, it would easily be even better.



I think if I had a darker color it would be easier to apply the ceramic coating, as you could actually see the application as you spread it out. You could see it on mine, but just barely. Anyway, it is a tiny bit shinier, but not a huge difference, as it was really shiny to begin with since it's so new!

Anyway, thank you @SirFrederick for your washing tips!!

 

[danygenesis]

Okay, @SirFrederick inspired me to do a better job of washing my car to get ready for ceramic coating. I don't see any swirls or scratches on the paint, so I figure as long as it's clean we should be good to coat it. Even so, I know my method will still be VERY basic and beginner-esque compared to the OP's.

I bought a very thick, fluffy, ultra-soft microfiber wash pad for the top 2/3 of the car, and a microfiber wash mitt for the bottom 1/3 of the car. I also bought some car wash soap that is supposed to reduce hardwater spots, and tested it out by washing my wife's car - it turned out really good. Anyway, I also bought a high quality microfiber towel that is designed specifically for drying the car after the wash. I have a soft bristled brush for the wheels.

I have a regular garden hose with a spray nozzle. No pressure washer. My car is very clean as it is, as we haven't seen any snow or dust in Portland since I've bought it. That said, I figure I already have a low risk for making any swirls or scratches while washing, but even so I will rinse the washing pad and mitt after each panel to remove particulates.

I'll be applying McKee's37 SiO2 coating using their applicator pad, and wiping down with an edgeless microfiber cloth.

Wish me luck (I'm sure I'll need it! Haha). I'll post my results. I am gonna try to do it today before the weather gets bad (ie rain, slightly cooler temps).

At least give it a pass with clay bar before applying the McKee's37 SiO2. Paint Preparation is the key of any detailing work. Always follow this steps
- Wash
- Clay bar
- Polishing
- LSP (wax, sealant or coating)

Edit: I posted too late,

 

[Toddasaurus]

At least give it a pass with clay bar before applying the McKee's37 SiO2. Paint Preparation is the key of any detailing work. Always follow this steps
- Wash
- Clay bar
- Polishing
- LSP (wax, sealant or coating)

Edit: I posted too late,

Yeah, I was thinking about claying it, but evidently I was too lazy. After the wash and dry I did a thorough wipedown with a microfiber cloth on each panel prior to application to get the surface extra smooth. This was certainly a half-ass replacement of the clay bar step on my part. Still, turned out pretty.

Edit: Next time I'll follow all the steps! Thank you for the advice.

Edit 2: Now that I think about it, even though it's very shiny now, I bet it would be noticably glossier if I had done all the prep steps. Some of the pictures I saw for this product literally looked like the paint was still wet it was so dang smooth! But man, detail work like this takes a lot of patience! Something I'm lacking in! Haha