Hello everyone. I have some questions about the car wash buckets kits sold in the online store. The kit would be for me. It would be for the DIY guy and not the pro detailer. My current bucket is a flinsy household buck that might hold two to three gallons. I have a green Walmart fiber-ish wash mitt. My brushes are Mothers and thanks to the folks of this forum I have a very nice Griots drying towel. I am seeking value in the kit, the best bang for the buck. I am not concerned with the best but rather great value. I think I need a nicer wash mitt, quality bucket, and grit guard. If you were going to purchase a kit for a DIY guy, what would you get?
Questions About Car Wash Bucket Kits
- Thread starter lovenhim
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PaulMys
Active member
- Jan 14, 2014
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Dude, honestly I would forgo the bucket kits. A lot of them are upward of 80-90 bucks.
Grab a 5 dollar bucket from Home-Cheapo, then get some Meg's Hyper wash or Optimum Car wash and a micro fiber starter kit here on AG. One with a micro-chenille wash mitt.
:xyxthumbs:
Grab a 5 dollar bucket from Home-Cheapo, then get some Meg's Hyper wash or Optimum Car wash and a micro fiber starter kit here on AG. One with a micro-chenille wash mitt.
:xyxthumbs:
i use homedepot $5 5 gallon buckets and cant see paying anymore for the bucket.
1 orange homer which is the rinse bucket and 1 white which is shampoo bucket..both have grit guards
i have a wash mitt that came with a kit purchased elsewhere..some microfiber wash mitt...i use the long handle mothers tire brush..which reminds me i have a boars hair tire brush i bought at AG which i need to try.
i use mckees car wash which works well...but not sure about that 2 pumps per 5 gallons they market...i use about 4 pumps of their wash for a good sudding volume per 4 gallons
1 orange homer which is the rinse bucket and 1 white which is shampoo bucket..both have grit guards
i have a wash mitt that came with a kit purchased elsewhere..some microfiber wash mitt...i use the long handle mothers tire brush..which reminds me i have a boars hair tire brush i bought at AG which i need to try.
i use mckees car wash which works well...but not sure about that 2 pumps per 5 gallons they market...i use about 4 pumps of their wash for a good sudding volume per 4 gallons
- Thread starter
- #4
Mantilgh
New member
- Dec 6, 2014
- 2,724
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I agree.
Just get a grit guard and a couple wash mitts.
I think the style of mitt (chenille, microfiber, wool...) is personal preference. Just like some prefer a sponge or towel.
I’ve been using these mitts for rinseless and traditional washes and like them.
Ultra Soft Microfiber Rinseless Wash Mitt
I’ve never been a fan of the nubby chenille mitts, but that’s just me.
Just get a grit guard and a couple wash mitts.
I think the style of mitt (chenille, microfiber, wool...) is personal preference. Just like some prefer a sponge or towel.
I’ve been using these mitts for rinseless and traditional washes and like them.
Ultra Soft Microfiber Rinseless Wash Mitt
I’ve never been a fan of the nubby chenille mitts, but that’s just me.
PaulMys
Active member
- Jan 14, 2014
- 10,772
- 1
If the kits were say, 40 bucks (roughly half price), I'd say go for it. But, I believe it is possible to put together your own "kit" of your own choosing for just few bucks more.
Just something to chew on.
In the end, the choice is yours. I am certainly not trying to dissuade you from anything you might have had your eye on.
this....buy the kits if you like them..
however u buy buckets..id siggest 2 diff colors so you instantly discern your shampoo and rinse bucket...which is why i have a white and orange...and every now and them i still dunk the mitt in the wrong bucket...but they both have grit guards
- Thread starter
- #8
Well if there is nothing extremely special about the quality of the buckets or the wash mitts....then it is back to Wally's World. Last I looked the blue Walmart branded bucket was under $3 each. So, there is no major difference in the various wash mitts, just personal preference?
PaulMys
Active member
- Jan 14, 2014
- 10,772
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I have gotten into the habit of using numerous towels/mitts. One fresh towel/mitt out to wash a panel, and into the dirty bucket it goes.
Never reintroducing dirt/grime back into the wash bucket.
Not a new technique by far, but one I have become a huge fan of.
PaulMys
Active member
- Jan 14, 2014
- 10,772
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Plastic buckets are plastic buckets.
I happen to believe that there are differences in Wally to AG mitts though. I'm even more into MF wash towels now. (8 wash sides instead of 2)
The difference between Wally's soap (It may still bear the Meg's name) and something like their Hyperwash is measured in light years IMO.
its one of those..i dont buy the cheapest and dont buy the most expensive..with wash mitts......
lets talk MF towels..where i believe momey is well spent
i use the costco bulk pack of orange meg mf towels for standard mf usage....being non specialty. detailing spray wipe downs..use tons during a full 2 step polishing correction to remove polishing haze..cleaning window gaskets, interior wipe downs
MF for buffing out lsps....buy the heaviest you can find...i find my thick MF towels make it much easier to buff out lsp haze...
i bought a kit elsewhere that came with thick towels i cant find elsewhere and it makes a huge diff when buffing out haze..faster and easier than std thin MF towels.
kit also came with glass cleaning towels that have zero lint..they are some sort of polyester material with no nubs like MF towels...leaves zero lint behind...cant find these either elsewhere
lets talk MF towels..where i believe momey is well spent
i use the costco bulk pack of orange meg mf towels for standard mf usage....being non specialty. detailing spray wipe downs..use tons during a full 2 step polishing correction to remove polishing haze..cleaning window gaskets, interior wipe downs
MF for buffing out lsps....buy the heaviest you can find...i find my thick MF towels make it much easier to buff out lsp haze...
i bought a kit elsewhere that came with thick towels i cant find elsewhere and it makes a huge diff when buffing out haze..faster and easier than std thin MF towels.
kit also came with glass cleaning towels that have zero lint..they are some sort of polyester material with no nubs like MF towels...leaves zero lint behind...cant find these either elsewhere
- Thread starter
- #13
I have only used over the counter wash soaps. I keep hearing that the Meguiars Hyperwash is some really good stuff. It would seem then for my use that getting a bucket locally is much cheaper. Get a grit guard and keep using the wash soaps that I have and then maybe look into Hyperwash when I need more soap. I have a bottle of Meguiars Gold Class and mom has some Turtle Wax wash soap to be used up. It is their Max Power wash soap.
Farmallluvr
Member
- Jul 20, 2018
- 508
- 2
I buy some stuff from wally,,mainly microfiber towels or I use the Dollar General frying towels,,they are 5 bucks each.
I use the drying towels for wax removal because the thick and fluffy and soft,,even the old ones I now use on interiors,wheels,etc etc are holding up well.
I'm a little od school on wash mitts,I prefer the feel of a nice fluffy lambswool mitt opposed to a MF mitt but all the MF mitts I used were cheapies and they sucked,,,maybe I'll try one from a supplier here but maybe not,,,I like lambs wool
I use the drying towels for wax removal because the thick and fluffy and soft,,even the old ones I now use on interiors,wheels,etc etc are holding up well.
I'm a little od school on wash mitts,I prefer the feel of a nice fluffy lambswool mitt opposed to a MF mitt but all the MF mitts I used were cheapies and they sucked,,,maybe I'll try one from a supplier here but maybe not,,,I like lambs wool
Jon TDS
New member
- Jul 2, 2018
- 174
- 0
Agree with this. It's like "Gary Dean" non rinseless wash way. No grit guards. Just one wash bucket with at least 6 wash mitts.
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"Plastic buckets are plastic buckets."
Almost 100% true.
I buy 5 gallon, 20 liter, and a few 3.5 gallon plastic pails for my job (thousands at a time). There is a VERY small difference in the wall thickness from one manufacturer to the other (thinnest is 87 mils, thickest is 90 mils).
Different plastic pails are rated for hazardous materials (U.N. rated), but the same pail can be used in either case. The type of lid that goes on it determines whether it is rated for hazardous materials. If it is a tear - tab lid, only non hazardous materials can be shipped in it. If it has the lid that needs cut off, then it is likely capable of having hazardous materials.
But that's not an issue for detailing work. My point is, buy the cheapest plastic pail you can find - They're all about the same.
And just so you know - At $5.00, Wal-mart or Home Depot are still making a nice profit.
Almost 100% true.
I buy 5 gallon, 20 liter, and a few 3.5 gallon plastic pails for my job (thousands at a time). There is a VERY small difference in the wall thickness from one manufacturer to the other (thinnest is 87 mils, thickest is 90 mils).
Different plastic pails are rated for hazardous materials (U.N. rated), but the same pail can be used in either case. The type of lid that goes on it determines whether it is rated for hazardous materials. If it is a tear - tab lid, only non hazardous materials can be shipped in it. If it has the lid that needs cut off, then it is likely capable of having hazardous materials.
But that's not an issue for detailing work. My point is, buy the cheapest plastic pail you can find - They're all about the same.
And just so you know - At $5.00, Wal-mart or Home Depot are still making a nice profit.
briarpatch
Active member
- Sep 9, 2015
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this ^^^^^^
Belo
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- Jul 10, 2014
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they're really not. I did get this one on sale a while back though. there was enough value in it for me because i needed the other stuff too and while I don't believe the grit guards are required for any hobbyist, they're nice to have.
McKee?s 37 N-914 Rinseless Wash Intro Kit
UncleDavy
Active member
- Aug 22, 2017
- 1,609
- 16
Not all buckets are created equal especially when it comes to grit guards. Most grit guards measure 10-1/8" in diameter and they are perfect for buckets that have an inside bottom diameter of 10-1/4". My Rickel Home Center bucket and my Meguiars bucket are perfect. Lowes buckets and Pep Boys 5 gallon buckets have an inside bottom diameter of 9-1/2". The grit guard only goes slightly more than half way down to the bottom. It will still work, you just have to fill the bucket almost to the top to make it usable.
Go ahead and start with Gold Class, Turtle Wax or whatever you can find locally. Eventually you will up your game and try other products. Have fun!
Go ahead and start with Gold Class, Turtle Wax or whatever you can find locally. Eventually you will up your game and try other products. Have fun!