Water Restrictions in CA

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Marvinlopezgti

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Hey AGO. I received a letter about washing my car in CA due to the drought and water restrictions. I am trying to move to a rinseless/waterless method but I am not sure how to go about it on dirty cars. I cannot use a hose as stated in the restrictions, even with a garden sprayer. Any tips on what to do with dirty cars?
 
Marvinlopezgti said:
Hey AGO. I received a letter about washing my car in CA due to the drought and water restrictions. I am trying to move to a rinseless/waterless method but I am not sure how to go about it on dirty cars. I cannot use a hose as stated in the restrictions, even with a garden sprayer. Any tips on what to do with dirty cars?
Click to expand...

Everyone has an opinion on what's too dirty to do a rinseless or waterless. Some cars it's obvious, but a lot of times it depends on who you ask. I live in So Cal and I do both. I'm not an uber skilled detailer so this is just my opinions, but I like both. Rinseless seems a bit safer. Here's my routine for rinseless:

2 gallon contractor sprayer from Lowes ($30) with ONR mixed to QD dilution, if I feel the cars too dirty for a straight rinseless I pre-soak it with this.

I use 1 bucket with ONR + Eagle Edgeless towels. I use as many as I feel I need.

Right now I do waterless with a 1 liter Kwazar sprayer and Chemical Guys EcoSmart. I use a good number of Buff & Shine towels to minimize the risk of doing any harm to my paint. I'm OCD with it so I probably spray too much on my car and use too many towels. I haven't done a hose wash in ages, and I have washed what I'd considered fairly dirty (not caked on mud) cars using both methods.

If you use something high quality like D114 or ONR or EcoSmart and plenty of good towels imho you'll be fine. I find the process to be much quicker and less work. I hate lugging out the hose and prepping 2 buckets. I know a lot of people also do rinseless with the Big Red Sponge (Google it) I have the sponge and it works very well with a bucket + grit guard. I just haven't gotten the technique down and use waaaaay too much solution. Usually with ONR + 2 gallons of distilled water I can wash 2-3 cars.
 
Marvinlopezgti said:
Hey AGO. I received a letter about washing my car in CA due to the drought and water restrictions. I am trying to move to a rinseless/waterless method but I am not sure how to go about it on dirty cars. I cannot use a hose as stated in the restrictions, even with a garden sprayer. Any tips on what to do with dirty cars?
Click to expand...

Are you a professional detailer or just a hobbyist?
 
I'm also in So Cal. I use D114 on my personal cars but mine don't get dirty enough for me to be concerned with what is considered to dirty.

I use a few microfibers aka the Gary Dean method.

Good video to watch.

[video=youtube_share;cICbdJocUI4"]How to use Meguiar's D114 & D115 Rinse Free Express Wash - YouTube[/video]
 
Maintaining your vehicle can be done properly without the use of a hose. If you are using your vehicle as a DD your best bet to keep up with the vehicle is weekly sessions. Depending on how far you commute, how dirty the surface gets, etc. will dictate your method on maintaining your vehicle.

Here is a video I put together combining a Waterless and Rinseless wash into one session.

[ame]www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMiARqf_u4Q[/video]

My write up as well as videos can be found here:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...89737-my-waterless-rinseless-wash-method.html

:)
 
Marvinlopezgti said:
Hey AGO. I received a letter about washing my car in CA due to the drought and water restrictions. I am trying to move to a rinseless/waterless method but I am not sure how to go about it on dirty cars. I cannot use a hose as stated in the restrictions, even with a garden sprayer. Any tips on what to do with dirty cars?
Click to expand...

I live in So Cal too. Land of the Fruits and Nuts!! I actually had the Water Patrol Observe me Rinseless washing my car. I passed their scrutiny as the guy stared at me and rode off on his scooter. He had a working vest on with Water Department in case anyone thought I might be on some crack...LOL.

So rinseless wash seems to be OK (at least in Tustin/Irvine). I know there are several rinsless wash techniques so rather than tell you what's the best way or technique I will tell you how I do mine.

I use a 2-Bucket 2-Grit guard method with a 32 ounce Sprayer and a dedicated wash mitt. I will saturate each panel 1st with a higher concentration of RW solution (sprayer) and then use the RW Bucket with my Mitt and rinse in the Rinse Bucket. I will dry each panel with a dedicated drying towel (Dry Me crazy). It works for me and I have a Black Car. I will usually follow up with a QD or Spray Wax (I am high on the new Blackfire Spray Wax awesome stuff).

To be even more environmental friendly, I will actually dump the rinse bucket on the Plants. So far, everything is OK.

So MY GUESS a rinseless wash is OK where you live. You might have a different technique on a Rinseless Wash, but that is the LEAST method I will do. I do not do a waterless wash, but my guess that be better than a rinseless wash. It's your preference.

The days of the Foam Gun 2-Bucket 2-Grit guard method is over for the time being.
 
IMO:
California's mandatory water conservation regulations
are designed to address a dire situation. But how dire
of a situation is it, if it doesn't completely address the
need to "revolutionize" the Car Wash Industry?

I keep reading about cutting out water being served
at restaurants; or stop watering your lawn, etc.
This is supplying water to living things.

Yet no one is talking about shutting all of
the Car Washes down (OK. Yes, there are a few that
have fully implemented the Waterless-Wash route).

Sure...most everyone wants to have clean vehicles;
but: Car Washes?
That's supplying water to a material thing.


Bob
 
I am also in So Cal, and I didn't see anything on any of the local water districts websites that prohibited washing cars. All I saw was that they want you to use a hose nozzle that has an auto shut-off so you are not letting the hose run continuously.

Perhaps I wasn't looking in the right area?

I also plan to use the local coin wash early in the morning and bring along some buckets...
 
jetman624 said:
I am also in So Cal, and I didn't see anything on any of the local water districts websites that prohibited washing cars. All I saw was that they want you to use a hose nozzle that has an auto shut-off so you are not letting the hose run continuously.
Click to expand...

Really? When we have water restrictions here in NJ, there is no car washing, period. I wouldn't really want to parse the hose/rinseless/waterless with the local police who enforce that. We haven't had those restrictions for some time, but when we had them it wasn't a drought-of-the-century, either, so it's hard for me to believe you can wash your car in SoCal right now.

EDIT: I mean that not-letting-the-hose-run thing sounds like it would be an all-the-time regulation in CA.
 
jetman624 said:
I am also in So Cal, and I didn't see anything on any of the local water districts websites that prohibited washing cars. All I saw was that they want you to use a hose nozzle that has an auto shut-off so you are not letting the hose run continuously.

Perhaps I wasn't looking in the right area?

I also plan to use the local coin wash early in the morning and bring along some buckets...
Click to expand...

Bob (FUNX650) has a good point. I believe the car washes use recirculated water. So maybe that's why they can still use the car wash.

jetman624 you might be correct too! The rules and regulations are mind boggling!! I have heard about a shut-off nozzle too! My guess (and probably right on this one) is that CA Government has no idea to enforce the water restriction regulation. They can barely function themselves so how can they monitor water usage. Additionally, our fearless CA Gov said they will monitor shower usage. How?

One hand doesn't know the other hand when it comes to our CA Government. Jerry "Clown" Brown is a perfect example. Rather putting our tax dollars in making water reservoirs so we will not have to worry about this in the future...he would rather spend BILLIONS of $$ for making a High Speed Rail system from Victorville to San Francisco.
 
Haven't seen anything but a warning if you use too much after based on a baseline they have for historical usage there will be a penalty included with your bill. It's all still pretty new so time will tell. The waterless and rinseless washing handles most of what you'll run into. The pool industry here has bigger concerns than the detailers do.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
From the SMWD Water Conservation Ordinance:

6) Limits on Washing Vehicles: Using water to wash or clean a vehicle, including but not limited to any automobile, truck, van, bus, motorcycle, boat or trailer, whether motorized or not is prohibited, except by use of a hand-held bucket or similar container or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive self-closing water shut-off nozzle or device. This subsection does not apply to any commercial car washing facility.
 
You know people have said (just above) that the CA gov't doesn't know what they are doing...how can you have a drought of the century and not prohibit washing cars??

As I said, when we had water restrictions here, no car washing, no lawn watering, and they threatened a 50-gal/day/person limit--which of course they had no way to enforce because they had no idea how many people lived in each dwelling.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
You know people have said (just above) that the CA gov't doesn't know what they are doing...how can you have a drought of the century and not prohibit washing cars??

As I said, when we had water restrictions here, no car washing, no lawn watering, and they threatened a 50-gal/day/person limit--which of course they had no way to enforce because they had no idea how many people lived in each dwelling.
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It varies by county. Not all are as strict as others. Some counties use reclaimed water. Some have well water. It's completely up to the county on how they enforce restrictions.

For example in my area there are only 2 days that one is allowed to water the lawn. If you are caught watering on a different day, expect a fine if caught. These are not cheap by any means. Car washing has not been outlawed and I also recall that car washes uses recirculated water with filtration in place.
 
The Guz said:
Car washing has not been outlawed and I also recall that car washes uses recirculated water with filtration in place.
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Yeah, car washes recycle the water and plus they are businesses that would be materially affected. But residential car washing? I can't believe they haven't banned that. Like I said, that was one of the first things to go here. Maybe our drought was worse.
 
Folks,

I just want you to know how badly I feel for you and your situation. When the most crucial life force is compromised, as it is in your case, a solution must be found. I hope it is soon. I am trying to also use the alternate solutions, such as waterless or rinseless methods albeit as awkward as they are to me. I live in a neighborhood where the lots are on average 5 acres or so. Water is Well derived and plentiful, but that doesn't mean I neglect our resources. Misfortune is never too far away. Good luck, I hope the best for you. Take care.

Peace,

Darrin
 
I live in the Bay Area part of NorCal and at least in my county, they ask people to use no more than 35 gallons of water per day per person. That is for indoors only, outdoor restrictions are a little more confusing, but luckily, washing cars the 2 bucket method is fine as long as the nozzle has a shut off. Lately, NorCal has done a good job cutting back so now, EBMUD is proposing a rate hike because people have saved a lot and so their profits are dwindling. It's a lose-lose situation in the Land of Fruits & Nuts. This is not the first time either because I remember about roughly five years back, we had a less severe drought, but people cut back and then the utility increased the price to cover the loss in profits.
 
I'm in Fountain Valley. I called the local water people and they said it's okay so as long as I use a hose attachment. My landlady said "NO" so I listened to her. (BTW, what did the letter you received say?)

Anyway, what I do is surely similar to these others. I use a small 2 gal bucket from home depot. A gallon of distilled water. ONR. I pour a little of the gallon of distilled water into the bucket. Pour in my ONR into the gallon of water, NOT into the bucket. Shake it up well. I use as many as MF towels as needed, starting with about four. I pour from the gallon of distilled water/ONR mix into the bucket, just enough to saturate the towels and a little more. I pour more into a spray bottle (I use a Kwazar) that I use to pre-soak the panels before hitting them with the MF towels. I save whatever is left of the gallon of distilled water/ONR for future use. Money saved ;)

I do one panel at a time. Spray. Let it sit a bit. Wipe. Wipe. Dry. Repeat. I inspect the towel after each wipe. The second wipe, usually another side of a folded-in-fours towel, is to make sure I got all the dirt off the panel.

I use separate waffle weave towels to dry.

Here is a pic of a car that is about as dirty as I would consider for rinseless. I do this one fairly regularly and the owner is always happy when I'm done.



 
JustJesus said:
I'm in Fountain Valley. I called the local water people and they said it's okay so as long as I use a hose attachment. My landlady said "NO" so I listened to her. (BTW, what did the letter you received say?)

Anyway, what I do is surely similar to these others. I use a small 2 gal bucket from home depot. A gallon of distilled water. ONR. I pour a little of the gallon of distilled water into the bucket. Pour in my ONR into the gallon of water, NOT into the bucket. Shake it up well. I use as many as MF towels as needed, starting with about four. I pour from the gallon of distilled water/ONR mix into the bucket, just enough to saturate the towels and a little more. I pour more into a spray bottle (I use a Kwazar) that I use to pre-soak the panels before hitting them with the MF towels. I save whatever is left of the gallon of distilled water/ONR for future use. Money saved ;)

I do one panel at a time. Spray. Let it sit a bit. Wipe. Wipe. Dry. Repeat. I inspect the towel after each wipe. The second wipe, usually another side of a folded-in-fours towel, is to make sure I got all the dirt off the panel.

I use separate waffle weave towels to dry.

Here is a pic of a car that is about as dirty as I would consider for rinseless. I do this one fairly regularly and the owner is always happy when I'm done.



Click to expand...

I went to Fountain Valley High School and your place looks familiar...are you off Newland Street? No need for exact address or area....I am NOT A STALKER!!!!....LOL
 
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