How long does it take you to wash?

DLB

DLB

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On vehicles that are flat out dirty, not previously detailed (or at least recently) - how long does it take you to wash it?

And I am talking about the wheels, tires, wells, total exterior wash.

I have had some pretty rough vehicles that hadn't seemed to have been washed in several months and the crud on the lower half was just tough to get clean. Add in the bug factor and you end up with some time involved.

I suppose my average on such vehicles (a lot that I do) is a little over an hour. I have taken significantly longer though on muddy trucks, etc.

You?

DLB
 
It depends on what I use. For very dirty cars I'll do the rims first. Then use the power washer to get the crud off(wheels, wheel wells and body), and soak it with the foam cannon. Then hand wash it. So probally 30 min for normal( 2 bucket wheel, wash and rinse) and about an hour for a dirty one.
 
An average vehicle takes me about 30 mins. A very dirty one about 45 mins. That is using two buckets. I always do the tires and wheels first that way the water is not sitting on the paint the whole time I'm doing other things.
 
I never take my cars to dirty places. I wash weekly using two bucket method.

10 Minutes to scrub tires, wheels, wells with APC+
20 Minutes to wash the entire vehicle.
10 Minutes to dry with Guzzler. I start with glass first, then no other cleaning is needed on a weekly basis.
Dressing the tires, about 5 minutes.

If I vac, add 5 Minutes with the Metro.

I have never enjoyed caring for my cars like this until I found autogeek.
 
on even a well kept finish it usually takes one hour to redo all the exteriors surfaces and dress it in a tux.
 
For the Miata a good exterior cleaning takes about one hour (if I 'clean' the soft top add another 30 minutes).

In a rush I can do it in a "U-wash" in one cycle (4 minutes), that includes soap down the car, clean with the brush and rinse.

Just don't get in my way :)
 
Jesus you guys are fast. It takes me an hour just to do the rims, tires, and wheel wells. And I'm talking about my car which is washed weekly. But then again I basically use the same process for a very dirty vehicle.

I used to dry it outside but now as soon as I'm done with the final rinse, I immediately pull the vehicle into the garage and blow dry it and apply a spray wax or QD type of topper to get any remaining water spots.

I'll tell you this: on Fridays I try to get home early, usually around 3:30 and I start prepping for the wash by 4PM. I won't be done with everything until around 9PM at night. Now that the sun is going down so early and the whether is getting cold, I usually pull the car in after doing the wheels and proceed to wash the paint via Optimum No Rinse.
 
I am going to wash my vette later today or tomorrow so I am going to time myself. I never really cared about the time involved but since you brought it up I am curious to see how long it takes.
 
Emile said:
Jesus you guys are fast. It takes me an hour just to do the rims, tires, and wheel wells. And I'm talking about my car which is washed weekly. But then again I basically use the same process for a very dirty vehicle.

I used to dry it outside but now as soon as I'm done with the final rinse, I immediately pull the vehicle into the garage and blow dry it and apply a spray wax or QD type of topper to get any remaining water spots.

I'll tell you this: on Fridays I try to get home early, usually around 3:30 and I start prepping for the wash by 4PM. I won't be done with everything until around 9PM at night. Now that the sun is going down so early and the whether is getting cold, I usually pull the car in after doing the wheels and proceed to wash the paint via Optimum No Rinse.
Click to expand...

Same here, for just cleaning the outside, I allow myself 3.5 hours, if I'm gonna dress the tyres and clean the interior, it's going to take even longer.
 
For a customer car that I've never worked on before over an hour but less than two hours.

One thing for sure, if you're going to do any machine buffing, especially with a rotary buffer, it's vitally important to get the car as clean as possible and to rinse all the loosened dirt off the car and out of all the cracks and crevices.

Rotary buffers create a small air-current and the potential exist to pull abrasive particles into the work area if they are not removed.


One other thing for sure, I would never claim to be fast at washing a car, instead I take the amount of time it takes to do the job right. If it's just a grocery getter/daily driver then by all means hurry to get it done, but for something important, quality over speed is key for avoiding problems during the buffing steps.

For special interest cars, I always try to have the owner have the car washed before I work on it because it's too messy to work on a wet car with water in all the cracks and crevices and all over the floor. If I'm going to to a rotary buff-out, or even any kind of machine buff I want the car washed and dry before I get to the car's location and if I'm going to machine buff it out then any washing scratches instilled by whoever does the washing don't really matter, more important is to have a clean, dry car to start taping off instead of start getting wet.

For classic and antique cars, most owners don't want them washed because it introduces water to places that cannot be reached to dry and rust is always a concern for antique cars.


I've seen a good quality car wash look better than some guys complete detail jobs.

:laughing:
 
Excellent post Mike.
I always try to go for making my "car wash look better than some guys complete detail jobs" that way when I start on it, I am already improving upon what the customer comes to expect.

But you also pointed out what I think is so vital - you don't want any dirt coming from anywhere once you start buffing. I don't see how guys can get all the dirt out in 30 minutes (from a previously un-detailed car). I was hoping that it wasn't just me.

:D

DLB
 
Dalton Blevins said:
But you also pointed out what I think is so vital - you don't want any dirt coming from anywhere once you start buffing.
Click to expand...


This is why there's a benefit to fibrous wash mitts or brushes that can get into body seams, cracks and crevices versus a washing tool with a flat face. I know I probably beat on the "work clean" drum a little too much on the forum but great end-results start with a clean surface and even a clean work environment, at least as much as possible.

:)
 
I think I am in the 1 hr time frame but I am not doing it for money. I am sure those that wash several cars a day have a very efficient routine.
 
on my cars, both fairly small automobiles. I am usually done with the basic wheels, tires, wash and dry in about 45 minutes. 15 for the wheel part and 30 for the car. I typically spend another 30 minutes or so after that sipping a beer and deciding if I want to dress the tires, clean the glass, hit the jambs etc...
 
As Bunky, I'm at about an hour to wash and dry my colorado.
 
I end up taking a little longer with an ONR wash then traditional... but both end up running somewhere between and hour and and hour and 1/2.

What do you guys use to clean up all teh black trim on an old neglected car... I cant seem to get the black grime to stop coming off of some of these guys



Chris
 
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