Anyone here save soap/wash water?

briarpatch

briarpatch

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Let me preface this by saying I use a multiple mitt method to was as opposed to the two bucket method. When I start, my wash/soap bucket gets cleaned before anything goes in. Dirty wash mitts never get back into this bucket once they are used on the vehicle, they are put in a separate bucket for the laundry. Yes, I do a lot of laundry. I'm always left with a large quantity of essentially clean, soapy wash water, which I typically discard. My question is....does anyone try and save this water to use for a later wash? If so, how long do you keep it for? I'm not advocating this approach....just wondering if anyone does.
 
Yes, usually it’s within a week [ideally 4-5 days time] I’ll go ahead and reuse that soapy water. Not just the water, I’ll go ahead and re use the mitts too, since they get a thorough rinse after every wash and get put back into the soapy bucket. I just hit the water with a jet from the hose and the suds revive strong and good.

IMO there’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing that.
 
I have never even thought of this. I guess it’s not a bad idea if you want to be extra thrifty. The cost of an ounce of soap is so minimal. Even if you wash your vehicle say 3 times a week how much are you really saving? Maybe if you’re using super expensive soap it would be worth it, but even at 50 bucks a gallon it’s only around 40 cents an ounce.
 
I would never consider doing this, but in places like Arizona, Colorado, Nevada or southern California where water is precious, it is a great idea.
 
I can be “cheap” when it comes to certain things, but as far as this it’s not a matter of being cheap or saving water... To me it’s just a matter of it’s already there and still good to use, especially if it hasn’t been very long since the last time. [If it’s the same day or the next day I see it as a no brainer]

I don’t care about how much car shampoo costs... But when it comes to toothpaste, I only buy Aqua Fresh. Why? Because it’s good and they sell it at the 99 Cent Store.lol.

It’ll be a cold day in hell if you ever see me pay full price for toothpaste at the grocery store.lol.
 
I very rarely buy anything non grocery at the grocery store. The prices are just too inflated if there’s no sale.
 
The only ’soap’/wash-water solutions that
I save are ones made with Meguiar’s D114
and Distilled Water.


Bob
 
I read about people doing this (in an old thread) with their ONR solution. It doesn't suffer from losing suds like conventional car soap. Since then, I often save my ONR solution for washing pads.
 
DirtyCanuck said:
I have never even thought of this. I guess it’s not a bad idea if you want to be extra thrifty. The cost of an ounce of soap is so minimal. Even if you wash your vehicle say 3 times a week how much are you really saving? Maybe if you’re using super expensive soap it would be worth it, but even at 50 bucks a gallon it’s only around 40 cents an ounce.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly.

I will look for deals when buying anything, but saving half a buck on some used soap isn't on my list. :)
 
I save my RW for the next wash when I use the GD method but NOT when I use the Aqua sponge because of the dunking and wringing out, just can't do that, for that it goes in my wheel bucket to be used on the rims as a rinse/soak. As far as 2BM carwash, same thing, the wash gets used in my wash bucket for rims for next time, its usually not that dirty anyways and is perfect for rims and tires.
 
I dump that leftover soapy water in a separate bucket and that becomes my wheel bucket for next wash. Just hit it with the pressure washer or hose for a second to reactive the suds and throw the wheel brushes in there. I still use wheel cleaner but I figure any kind of extra lubrication or cleaning power won't hurt.
 
I have used the rinseless Wash water on both my vehicles before, changing the Rinse water in between. Otherwise I dump it on the grass.
 
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