Anyone switch to the ONE-bucket method?

I tried to utilize the two bucket method but found it cumbersome and frankly pointless for my particular needs. In reality, I do actually use two buckets, just in a different way.

Bucket 1 (in red) is for wheels. I fill this bucket with water and a usually a slightly alkaline soap to help with wheel cleaning (I rarely need or use a wheel cleaner on my personal cars.) I then add my brushes and tools. Despite rinsing the tools with my pressure washer as I go, the bucket does help with releasing contamination from them into the water.



Bucket 2 is for washing. I fill with water and then add a small amount of my chosen soap to the wash pad. The same soap is then added to my foam cannon.



I then pre-rinse with water, apply the foam and complete the contact wash. Between panels, I rinse the wash pad in the bucket, and because the soap is mostly on the car, I don't need to that second (or third) bucket with a soap solution.



The contact wash in abbreviated terms -

- One bucket filled with water and one wash pad with soap directly applied
- Rinse the vehicle
- Apply the foam
- Contact wash, the wash pad rinsed in the bucket between sections
- Rinse

This method then differs if I'm dealing with a dirtier vehicle -

- One bucket filled with water and one wash pad with soap directly applied
- Foam the vehicle from dry and allow to soak. Sometimes I will use a higher pH soap to aid this process
- Rinse
- Re-foam the vehicle
- Contact wash, the wash pad rinsed in the bucket between sections
- Rinse
 
I'm (kind of) considering it. I tried something new with my last wash. Rinse/Foam Gun/Rinse/Foam Again, then 2 bucket. From the look of what was in my buckets when I got done it looked liked that rinsing off the first foam really got rid of a lot of dirt.
 
I have. One big gold sponge, Bucket and grit guard using a rinseless.

For a bucket wash i was using 3 mitts in one bucket and pressure washing the mitts between a few passes.
 
Yes, been so for a long time thanks to ONR.

I do have a separate wheel bucket though.
 
I use three buckets for my soap washes, I still like to have a rinse bucket personally with a single or an extra wash mitt if some places are really dirty. And third bucket is usually filled with water and soap for the wheels.

But for rinseless, I definitely do 1 bucket (or 2 if I need a more in depth cleaning for wheels in a more traditional way). I started with multiple towels but converted to the sponge for speed and efficiency. I must say I like the UBS much more. Still use towels in areas I can't reach with the UBS and lower panels if they are really dirty (I can only rinseless in winter so it's pretty dirty)
 
I actually 2 bucket my wheels as wash media gets real dirty.

For paint 1 bucket 2-3 MF “hairy” mitts per side a and 2-3 for front, top, and rear.

Foam car 1st and rinse.

When feeling lazy will wash with foam gun (not cannon) that connects to hose. I will foam and rinse and then use 6-9 mitts. I will spray foam about 2” from where front of pad is as I’m making passes.


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I use one bucket on the GLI as it is never more than dusty really. The Bilt Hamber Touch-less easily removes the vast majority of debris with the pressure washer. I use two Rag Company microfiber wash mitts and just hit them with a hose ever few passes, even though there is nothing to remove. The car didn't have grit on it in the first place.

Other cars that I wash that aren't as loved, back to two-bucket and an additional mitt or two with more rinsing of the mitts. The IK Foamer keeps the panels covered with product as I go.
 
I use the one bucket and keep a bunch of my wash mitts and microfibers in the solution. I use one per panel and move on, it makes for more laundry. But I launder all my wash so doesn't matter. If the car isn't too dirty then I'll just use a bunch of microfibers and spray each panel with solution and wipe off.


I'm doing rinseless washes BTW since I have no hose.
 
392hemi said:
I use the one bucket and keep a bunch of my wash mitts and microfibers in the solution. I use one per panel and move on, it makes for more laundry. But I launder all my wash so doesn't matter. If the car isn't too dirty then I'll just use a bunch of microfibers and spray each panel with solution and wipe off.


I'm doing rinseless washes BTW since I have no hose.
Click to expand...

How do you clean your wheels, especially after a rain?
 
Rsurfer said:
How do you clean your wheels, especially after a rain?
Click to expand...

I spray wheels with my rinseless solution in spray bottle and use one of my dedicated wheel mf towels soaked in solution plus wheel woolies. Even the tough brake dust from my Brembos comes right off. Along with these brushes if needed
Speed Master Wheel Brush

I'll agitate tires with a tire brush but usually a mf towel has been fine.

I haven't used any dedicated wheel cleaner in years now.
 
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