pressure washer versus the bucket and mit

gto19

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do you guys always use a pressure washer on cars that you detail .is it ok .ive read good and bad things.im just thinking how else do you do it when your mobile and there is no spicket around to use.

i know stupid questions but just wanna know how the pros do it
 
Even with a pressure washer I think you should still use an actual wash mitt and bucket. Plenty of cars have embedded dirt which only gentle scrubbing with a wash mitt will remove.

Optimum No-Rinse is a great way to wash a car. No pre-rinsing or post-rinsing. Just fill a bucket with 4 gallons of water and 2oz of ONR. Wipe one panel down with the wash mitt and then dry it with a towel, then move onto the next panel. Only need four gallons of water to wash an entire vehicle; no hose connection or pressure washer needed.
 
optimum no rinse= awesome. plus with onr you can make a clay lube, quick detailer, wash, and even add it to your typical soap and bucket routine to help soften the water and improve your standard wash. a super value to boot as i still have not gone through a gallon in a year (almost) using it once a week.
 
Even with a pressure washer I think you should still use an actual wash mitt and bucket. Plenty of cars have embedded dirt which only gentle scrubbing with a wash mitt will remove.

Optimum No-Rinse is a great way to wash a car. No pre-rinsing or post-rinsing. Just fill a bucket with 4 gallons of water and 2oz of ONR. Wipe one panel down with the wash mitt and then dry it with a towel, then move onto the next panel. Only need four gallons of water to wash an entire vehicle; no hose connection or pressure washer needed.

Unless your detailing a bus or something you don't even need 4 gallons. 2 gallons is more than enough for me. Anything more is a waste imo. I fill a bucket up with two gallons. Wash the car, than the rims and wheel wells. At the end of this I still have about a gallon or so. I save this water and do my wheel wells and rims first at the next wash.
 
I've used the DP no rinse product for my '07 Hyundai Sonata (about same size as a Nissan Altima) and I only use 3 quarts of distilled water plus an additional 2 or 3 quarts for the MF rinse bucket = 1.5 gallons.

Regards,
GEWB
 
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Even with a pressure washer or foam gun for that matter, I prefer a rinse bucket with clean water to use after each panel.
 
Even with a pressure washer I think you should still use an actual wash mitt and bucket. Plenty of cars have embedded dirt which only gentle scrubbing with a wash mitt will remove.

Optimum No-Rinse is a great way to wash a car. No pre-rinsing or post-rinsing. Just fill a bucket with 4 gallons of water and 2oz of ONR. Wipe one panel down with the wash mitt and then dry it with a towel, then move onto the next panel. Only need four gallons of water to wash an entire vehicle; no hose connection or pressure washer needed.
I'm a rookie and this is the first I've heard of ONR. I'm confused b/c I thought the benefit of the bucket/suds method was to carry dirt and particles away from the paint w/o scratching. Is the ONR effective for less frequent washes or is it only good for the removal of weekly dust and grime?
 
Is the ONR effective for less frequent washes or is it only good for the removal of weekly dust and grime?

I have the same question, I look at my truck after a rain storm and fear that those dirt particles (stuff that kicked up from the road) are going to reek havoc on the paint.
 
I use ONR after first rinsing the car with a pressure washer. I know alot of you just use the ONR,but when it comes to filthy wheel wells,Rims or wheels. The pressure washer saves me alot of time, and time is money if your in business!
 
Even with a pressure washer or foam gun for that matter, I prefer a rinse bucket with clean water to use after each panel.
:iagree::whs: pressure washer/foam cannon combo reduces the amont of dirt/grime, but it doesn't take it all away...2 bucket method should still be there...
I love pressure washer and my foam lance...love that shaving cream!
 
We use a pressure washer and also the two bucket method. Using the pressure washer alone will not get the vehicle clean enough. We have water tanks on our units(soft water) and we usually use about 20 to 30 gallons a vehicle (more if it is really dirty or bigger).

But i must say, the pressure washer is nice to take off bugs, clean under wheel wells, tar, etc.

One of the nice things about it is that because it is high pressure it uses less water than a regular hose, resulting in a more efficient method.

All in all i love using the pressure washer! Just be careful what you point at! ha ha:buffing:
 
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