Help - Looking for a product for my specefic needs

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

HellO

I am really not sure what I need. Here is the situation. It is winter and I started doing weekly/bi-weekly rinses at a manual car wash (my water is frozen at home outside in winter) to remove the dirty grime and salt but water itself doesn't seem to do much. So I kind of would like to do a kind of DIY touchless wash at the manual car wash.

I bought a generic hand pump sprayer (something like this for example) and tried to put in like 2-3 oz of soap in the bottle to kind of do like a foam canon but what comes out is just slippery water so I am not sure.

I bought some ONR wash and wax but I've just been told it won't do anything on it's own.

So I'm looking at recommendation. What should I use that will keep my Sonax polymer netshield (sealant) intact. Manny thanks, I am totally clueless on this one

 

[spazzz]

The soap in the pump might be your best bet followed by just the rinse setting.
That way you aren't using the rip your face off car wash soap.

This time of year a drive through touchless with undercarriage might be the way to go.
Your paint will survive until you can do it right, that's what the PNS is for.
Are you on Bimmerfest?or was it E90post

 

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

The soap in the pump might be your best bet followed by just the rinse setting.
That way you aren't using the rip your face off car wash soap.

This time of year a drive through touchless with undercarriage might be the way to go.
Your paint will survive until you can do it right, that's what the PNS is for.
Are you on Bimmerfest?or was it E90post

I think I have time to cancel my ONR wash wax order. Should I?

I've asked on other threads and everyone tells me to really avoid the touch less ones just because no idea what is or in the soap. Which I do tend to agree.

Yeah I'm on e90 psot and bimmerfest but I'm more regularly on e90post!

 

[Mike lambert]

I’d try the Griot’s pump up foamer and the foaming surface wash.

 

[spazzz]

I never really liked the ONRW&W it is to smeary. It looks alright after some buffing and rubbing.
I would rather just use the regular ONR which I do now.

Well true on the touchless washes. I think the last time I did one was over 8 years ago, maybe more.

When I hit the ublast it places I use all the time on rinse and spray everything including underneath.

Have you tried your idea at a wash bay yet? I use a 1 gallon pump sprayer with D114 & ONR for a rinseless wash pretreatment
I am surprised how much it rinses down.

Your way would get some actual soap suds once the high pressure hits it.
I would think a bleach/garden sprayer would pump up more pressure than one of those small sprayers and might serve the soap purpose better.

e90post makes for some interesting reading.

I think Mike has the best idea.

 

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Ok thanks for the replies.

I didn't have time to cancel my ONR and W I guess I'll still give both a go soap and ONW W.

 

[spazzz]

A magic blend.
If I had my choice of touchless car wash soap on the car for a minute or 2 or salt,sand and brine for longer, I am pretty sure I would pick touchless wash.
Oh yeah, and the air dry.

 

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

I had to think for a minute that somewhere I had some photo's to go along with a write-up I once did for winter cleaning. I can't find the write-up, but did find the photo's.

My Avetar states I live in AZ, but prior to that I lived in New Hampshire.

Like you, my hose lines were all disconnected to prevent splitting and breaking. The water was completely frozen. I'd wait for a day that was just a tick over freezing because trying to work in freezing conditions is nearly impossible. You'll see the solutions just freeze on the vehicle. Second word of caution is to make sure you wear layers. It's quite easy to get hypothermia.

First thing I did was find a touchless wash. A coin op will work too, but I preferred sitting in the warm car with my heated seats while the laser wash did the work. The ones in my former area were really good... Of course they don't get everything but got a bulk of the gunk and muck off. As you can see here this is about how the car looked after the touchless:

Back at the house, I fill two buckets (both with grit guards) from the bath tub. (Hey, you rung with what you brung..) One bucket with just luke-warm water and the second with the same but add three oz's or so of Megs D114 waterless wash. Megs D114 is now defunct, but the new replacement is McKee's 37 M914.

I also used these AG waterless wash mitts. They're great!

This is one case where I didn't do wheels first... I would wash the car from the top down, using the two bucket method. Wash method not too much different than a typical two bucket method. Rinse the wash mitt in the clear bucket before returning it to the bucket with your soap. Then when done, using a black Chenille mitt in the soapy water to clean the wheels, dressing the tires lastly. If it was a good deal above freezing, I'd hit the vehicle with a QD.

The proof is in the pudding!

Hope this helps!

 

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

I had to think for a minute that somewhere I had some photo's to go along with a write-up I once did for winter cleaning. I can't find the write-up, but did find the photo's.

My Avetar states I live in AZ, but prior to that I lived in New Hampshire.

Like you, my hose lines were all disconnected to prevent splitting and breaking. The water was completely frozen. I'd wait for a day that was just a tick over freezing because trying to work in freezing conditions is nearly impossible. You'll see the solutions just freeze on the vehicle. Second word of caution is to make sure you wear layers. It's quite easy to get hypothermia.

First thing I did was find a touchless wash. A coin op will work too, but I preferred sitting in the warm car with my heated seats while the laser wash did the work. The ones in my former area were really good... Of course they don't get everything but got a bulk of the gunk and muck off. As you can see here this is about how the car looked after the touchless:

Back at the house, I fill two buckets (both with grit guards) from the bath tub. (Hey, you rung with what you brung..) One bucket with just luke-warm water and the second with the same but add three oz's or so of Megs D114 waterless wash. Megs D114 is now defunct, but the new replacement is McKee's 37 M914.

I also used these AG waterless wash mitts. They're great!

This is one case where I didn't do wheels first... I would wash the car from the top down, using the two bucket method. Wash method not too much different than a typical two bucket method. Rinse the wash mitt in the clear bucket before returning it to the bucket with your soap. Then when done, using a black Chenille mitt in the soapy water to clean the wheels, dressing the tires lastly. If it was a good deal above freezing, I'd hit the vehicle with a QD.

The proof is in the pudding!

Hope this helps!

Nice!

But here in winter it's always -15c. Never goes above -5c . So bucket washing is impossible (simply due to hands freezing + more issues )

 

[UncleDavy]

Nice!

But here in winter it's always -15c. Never goes above -5c . So bucket washing is impossible (simply due to hands freezing + more issues )

I wash outside all winter as long as the temperature is over 25 degrees. Waterless and rinseless washes will still work below freezing as long as you keep the car surface facing the sun. For your hands, I would recommend ice fishing gloves from Glacier Glove. You can find them at Bass Pro Shops or Dick's Sporting Goods. They will keep your hands warm and dry.

 

[Jon TDS]

To add for the hands, Larry from AmmoNYC puts on running gloves then your nitrile gloves on top so your hands stay dry.

Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk

 

[PaulMys]

I wash outside all winter as long as the temperature is over 25 degrees. Waterless and rinseless washes will still work below freezing as long as you keep the car surface facing the sun. For your hands, I would recommend ice fishing gloves from Glacier Glove. You can find them at Bass Pro Shops or Dick's Sporting Goods. They will keep your hands warm and dry.

You are definitely hardcore, UD........... rops:

 

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

Nice!

But here in winter it's always -15c. Never goes above -5c . So bucket washing is impossible (simply due to hands freezing + more issues )

To add for the hands, Larry from AmmoNYC puts on running gloves then your nitrile gloves on top so your hands stay dry.

Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk

I took the easy way out.... I moved to Arizona... Where we had a very chilly 65 degrees today... brrrrrrrr!!!!!

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

I live in NW and gets cold. I would buy foaming sprayer (griots from A/G or Autopia, if bigger needed look for Ik 9 elsewhere. At carwash power wash, then foam car with foaming soap of choice (recently got some BF foam booster to try get foamier (new word).Let dwell few minutes rinse off. Use current sprayer with RW of choice at WW delution. I let dwell then rinse of again. This works ok but I would still recommend going over with RW while their. If you have touch less drive through and are OK with using. Pre soak with foaming sprayer before you run through use only basic wash. As for WW/RW recommendation (used Ech20, McKee’s 914 and Ammo Frothe recently and Onr Wolfgang before) I would use Uber as I feel it’s slickest and would add to your sealant. From what I’ve read and not experienced yet is Ech20 for Sio2, 914 for just cleaning nothing left behind (good for sio2 coats), frothe cuz you love foam (suppose to work good with heavy grime but can’t get myself to try and wipe it off). The polymers in Wolfgang Uber suppose to play nice with sealants.

Happy cleanings


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[Justin at Final Inspection]

Check out the Ammo Frothe setup with the pump foamer. Imo it's the safest and easiest waterless setup and I have tried a bunch. I use it for maintenance washes frequently.

Also for removing that winter road salt etc grab some whips Wax salt remover. Safe on all exterior surfaces and won't strip waxes or harm coatings. Plus it works awesome to remove salt stains from carpet etc.

For keeping my hands warm I put a pair of the little black stretchy cotton gloves on followed by a pair of nitrile gloves. Works decently.

 

[hmardown]

this time of year it's touch free car wash for me. it's got to be better then letting all that salt & slush sit on the car. then when I get home if I'm feeling energetic I'll pull in the garage and do a rinse less wash. once my truck is clean it seems to stay pretty clean in the cold temps. that is until it snows again & then you just repeat the same process. good luck.
also keep in mind a lot of those touch free car washes will close on the real cold days. around here any temp below 25 % & they'll shut down for the day.
hmardown

 

[Desertnate]

Another vote for a good touchless wash. This time of year when it gets above freezing I'll run our vehicles through a touchless wash with an underbody spray to get all the salt off the undercarriage. The vehicles won't be totally clean, but they will be clean enough to get me through to spring when I can do a proper bucket wash. I've never had much luck doing a waterless wash in these temps as the products get really streaky.

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

Check out the Ammo Frothe setup with the pump foamer. Imo it's the safest and easiest waterless setup and I have tried a bunch. I use it for maintenance washes frequently.

Also for removing that winter road salt etc grab some whips Wax salt remover. Safe on all exterior surfaces and won't strip waxes or harm coatings. Plus it works awesome to remove salt stains from carpet etc.

For keeping my hands warm I put a pair of the little black stretchy cotton gloves on followed by a pair of nitrile gloves. Works decently.

Yeah like this if not going to spray down at car wash and going to do in garage. Cleans well feels like leaves nothing behind. If spraying down first I’d still recommend Uber as feel it’s less work than Frothe. It’s awesome stuff though. Also if you choose ammo route look at griots sprayer on AG. It is made by same manufacturer and on a 25% sale will cost you half ($30 vs $60).


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[Coatingsarecrack]

Check out the Ammo Frothe setup with the pump foamer. Imo it's the safest and easiest waterless setup and I have tried a bunch. I use it for maintenance washes frequently.

Also for removing that winter road salt etc grab some whips Wax salt remover. Safe on all exterior surfaces and won't strip waxes or harm coatings. Plus it works awesome to remove salt stains from carpet etc.

For keeping my hands warm I put a pair of the little black stretchy cotton gloves on followed by a pair of nitrile gloves. Works decently.

Also the glove hack....friggin genius!


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[SWETM]

3D Super Citrus APC

3D Orange 88 Citrus Degreaser 128 oz.

I would test to use a citrus based degreaser. Dilute it in a pump sprayer bottle and spray it on the dirtiest parts. Let it dwell and rinse it off with a PW if the manual wash bay has that. Start rinsing from the bottom and work your way up. So you clean with the water pressure from the PW. Every part of the vehical are going to be cleaned with the water pressure from the PW. Then move on to useing the wash method of choice. Ech2o and Wolfgang über and McKees 37 N-914 I have heard has great cleaning ability. If you do a 2bm wash or Garry Dean method with multible wash mitts and or mf wash towels. Get you a bottle of Carpro Reset car soap. And also get Sonax Brilliant Shine Detailer QD to fresh up the PNS after the wash. Either as a drying aid or which I prefer apply it dry. Switch to another spray bottle that can spray out the BSD in a finer mist. A Flairosol spray bottle is awesome or a one you can adjust the sprayer head. If you don't switch bottles and apply it dry. Spray a couple of sprays in the mf towel and spread it out and a second mf towel to wipe it off. 1-2 sprays per panel is enough and 1 more at the bigger panels. PNS and BSD uses the same chemical that protects. So no difference in the water behavior or alter the look of it.

/Tony