Grit guard routine

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prr

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In my last thread here, you guys talked me into using two buckets, and a chenille mitt, which I got and used this morning. Two washed cars later, I have another question.

I used my grit guard in the rinse bucket. I placed it in, and rubbed the sponge against the grit guard, and then rinsed it out, before I put the sponge into the soap bucket.

As I was doing this, I was wondering if I wasn't picking up some flecks of dirt that I was hoping to release, because when I was rubbing my sponge against the grit guard, the water was being agitated. I doubt that too many of those flecks actually made it down below the grit guard.

I looked in the AGO store, and saw one suggestion---to use two grit guards, one stacked on top of the other. Now that would increase the distance between the sponge and the dirt that has already settled on the bottom, but I don't see that has helping me with this issue of making sure the sponge doesn't pick up the flecks of dirt that have just been released. Or would it? Or should I get that perpendicular piece they sell, that goes vertical to the grit guard?
 
You are probably correct about a small amount of very light dirt being agitated back onto your mitt or sponge when you rub against the Grit Guard of your rinse bucket. If you agitate your mitt against the Grit Guard in your soap bucket you will likely release that small amount of light residual dirt into the soap bucket.

The proof is in the bottom of your buckets when you empty them. Look at how much dirt and debris is in your rinse bucket as compared to how little is in your soap bucket. I have literally emptied my wash bucket and not seen any noticeable debris under the Grit Guard.
 
LEDetailing said:
You are probably correct about a small amount of very light dirt being agitated back onto your mitt or sponge when you rub against the Grit Guard of your rinse bucket. If you agitate your mitt against the Grit Guard in your soap bucket you will likely release that small amount of light residual dirt into the soap bucket.

The proof is in the bottom of your buckets when you empty them. Look at how much dirt and debris is in your rinse bucket as compared to how little is in your soap bucket. I have literally emptied my wash bucket and not seen any noticeable debris under the Grit Guard.
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Good point, I did see only a very little amount of dirt in the soap bucket the two times that I drained it into the sink.

In fact, when I was pouring out the soap bucket just now, I was thinking that I could easily have washed another car with that same water. So I think I'll just put in a bit more water in both buckets, and then save on water when I wash my cars one right after the other.

But to recap, yeah the proof is in the pudding. Hardly any dirt in the soap bucket means the vast majority is in fact getting caught in the rinse bucket.
 
prr said:
Good point, I did see only a very little amount of dirt in the soap bucket the two times that I drained it into the sink.

In fact, when I was pouring out the soap bucket just now, I was thinking that I could easily have washed another car with that same water. So I think I'll just put in a bit more water in both buckets, and then save on water when I wash my cars one right after the other.

But to recap, yeah the proof is in the pudding. Hardly any dirt in the soap bucket means the vast majority is in fact getting caught in the rinse bucket.
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Good idea on keeping your soap water. If you keep your soap bucket water, you should invest in a Gamma Seal for your bucket.
 
LEDetailing said:
Good idea on keeping your soap water. If you keep your soap bucket water, you should invest in a Gamma Seal for your bucket.
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I usually keep my mitts inside of my sealed wash bucket for days even a week in between uses. The clean soapy water keeps them fresh and all I do the next time I use everything is dump out the soapy water and give give the mitts a quik rinse with the hose.
 
Eldorado2k said:
I usually keep my mitts inside of my sealed wash bucket for days even a week in between uses. The clean soapy water keeps them fresh and all I do the next time I use everything is dump out the soapy water and give give the mitts a quik rinse with the hose.
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Now that is an interesting idea. I'd never have to dry out my wash mitt and hang it up in my bathroom. Something worth thinking about.

I wonder if putting a chenille sponge in water 24/7/365 would be bad for it or not. Probably the soapy water would be good---its hard to imagine mold or slime accumulating in that stuff.

I take it, eldorado, that you haven't noticed anything stinky in the mitt? I wash ever weekend (lately I've had to restrain myself from a mid-week car wash, as well), so it would get "rinsed out" every week.
 
prr said:
Now that is an interesting idea. I'd never have to dry out my wash mitt and hang it up in my bathroom. Something worth thinking about.

I wonder if putting a chenille sponge in water 24/7/365 would be bad for it or not. Probably the soapy water would be good---its hard to imagine mold or slime accumulating in that stuff.

I take it, eldorado, that you haven't noticed anything stinky in the mitt? I wash ever weekend (lately I've had to restrain myself from a mid-week car wash, as well), so it would get "rinsed out" every week.
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Nope. When I open the lid it smells fresh and amazing [if I used Shampoo Plus on the last wash. 3D Pink simply smells like 3D Pink. Lol] I think I had read somewhere that soaking microfiber [I use microfiber mitts] isn't necessarily a good thing? But I'd have to disagree in the case with these mitts, because they're far better off ever since I've been leaving them in the soapy water instead of letting them dry and hang out somewhere collecting dust and even worse, you know how they can wind up on the floor and other dirty places by accident.

I've actually had 100% success rate with car wash suds staying fresh in a bucket for periods of time.
But surprisingly, it's the rinseless bucket that I always have to watch out for getting funky after a while. Even with Gary Dean Method and nothing but clean towels + Gamma Seal Lid it will begin to smell funky after about a month or so.
 
You were just about to talk me into buying a gamma seal lid, when I looked in the store and saw that they didn't sell any individually. Interesting idea, but I don't want to pay $35 for a new bucket that I don't need, along with the lid. I'll probably improvise with something from my garage.

I just sent the AGO store an email to see if they could get one to me w/o the bucket. Maybe they don't like to do that, b/c they don't know what type of lip is on our own buckets?
 
prr said:
You were just about to talk me into buying a gamma seal lid, when I looked in the store and saw that they didn't sell any individually. Interesting idea, but I don't want to pay $35 for a new bucket that I don't need, along with the lid. I'll probably improvise with something from my garage.

I just sent the AGO store an email to see if they could get one to me w/o the bucket. Maybe they don't like to do that, b/c they don't know what type of lip is on our own buckets?
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Dude, you don't even need a Gamma Seal Lid. I only have 1 Gamma Seal and it's on my rinseless bucket which has been empty for months... My 2 wash buckets are the 3 gallon ones that Meguiars gives out occasionally and they have simple lids on them. I don't even lock it air tight unless I'm taking it with me for a mobile detail and I've never had them leak. You can just go to Home Depot, they've got lids for like less than $5.
 
paul_g said:
opposite of Eldo,after I'm done, I rinse my mitts and throw them in the washer machine with Mircro-Restore.
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What kind of mitts do you use? And if don't mind me asking, how many mitts do you have in total? Or that you normally throw in the washing machine after the wash?
 
Eldorado2k said:
What kind of mitts do you use? And if don't mind me asking, how many mitts do you have in total? Or that you normally throw in the washing machine after the wash?
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About a dozen Chenille and half dozen of the rinsless AG wash mitts. I usually use two wash mitts per wash, top part of panel gets wiped, thrown in the rinse bucket, grab other mitt, finish the panel, throw that in the rinse bucket, grind one into the grit guard, pull it out, go for soap bucket, grind that into the wash guard, grab some suds and continue the process. This is in addition to the entire car getting foam cannoned.

I pretty much follow the process that Mike Phillips outlines in a really old video of him washing a Mini Cooper in Arizona.

After the wash, they'll sit in the bucket until I'm done with everything, which could be the next day when they get rinsed and then go in the wash with all the MF's. I use 2 rinse cycle on fast, then the wash mitts go in the dryer, with the MF's, extra-low heat, for 30 minutes.

I use Micro Restore Micro-Restore doesn’t just clean microfiber, it restores microfiber!

Which reminds me... I have a load in the dryer that needs to come out, get folded and go into the bins! better go!
 
the grit guard is a one time buy (you can add the wash board as well), just drop them in the bucket(s) and forget about it, it's cheap insurance...
 
Just got an email from customer service. They do not sell gamma seal lids separately.

OK, no biggie. I still have a couple of items I'll get from AGO store. I do believe in supporting this place; this is an excellent source of information and experience. Just not to the tune of $35 for the lid and a bucket I don't need. :)
 
prr said:
Just got an email from customer service. They do not sell gamma seal lids separately.

OK, no biggie. I still have a couple of items I'll get from AGO store. I do believe in supporting this place; this is an excellent source of information and experience. Just not to the tune of $35 for the lid and a bucket I don't need. :)
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They also sell gamma seal lids at that hardware store.. They're like $8 or something. I'm not sure if you're in the US or not, but I would've been a had a lid by now. Lol. Just trying to help.
 
Eldorado2k said:
They also sell gamma seal lids at that hardware store.. They're like $8 or something. I'm not sure if you're in the US or not, but I would've been a had a lid by now. Lol. Just trying to help.
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And you are helping, believe me. Like I said, I just am trying to support AGO, and I will, with other purchases.
 
For anyone who wants to buy ANYTHING on AGO and support this great site, they are having a 20% off sale. You can see it at the top banner when you go to the store. Plus, i was only charged $5 for shipping.
 
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