Your self serve car wash process?

What are you guys doing at the self serve car wash? If anyone uses these places. Please give some tips or procedures you do.

 

I assume you are talking about the coin wash places?
Not using any brushes or anything to actually touch the vehicle.
Spray the soap and pressure wash off.

 

I hand wash at home with garden hose. Not sure if you can do that.

A place by me called Motor City Auto Spa suggested a wash called ONR car wash (no rinse). I historically use an Adams microfiber sponge, two buckets with Meguiars gold class wash, and then have some Griots supreme weave drying towels which are sweet and hold a ton of water.

I tried on the ONR wash once on my old accord and it worked great. Not sure I notice much difference though other than no suds to rinse off.

 

Yes I mean the coin operated places. That’s only place I would be able to wash the truck myself. Unless I do the no rinse stuff. Never heard of it before till just now.

 

I rarely go to the self serve. Usually when I go there it is because the car is particularly dirty and I need the pressure washer. The salient feature of the self car wash is that time is money, so the key is to get all your ducks in a row before you start dumping the quarters in (or tokens.) it’s also important to pick a time of day when the place isn’t too busy, so you can be assured of getting into a vacuum/drying bay right after you wash, so that your wet vehicle doesn’t sit in the sun.

In a 5 gallon bucket I bring a chamois, a wash mitt, window cleaner and blue shop towels, a Lilly Brush for dog hair, a spray bottle of soapy water, a detail brush, and a handful of microfiber towels. And a step ladder.

When I get into the bay I take the rubber mats out and lay them on the ground. Then I double check that the windows and sunroof are fully closed, get the mitt ready, and set up the step ladder. Time to put the money in and start the clock ticking.

I set the machine to high pressure with straight water and then pressure wash the whole car from the top down, including the wheel wells and undercarriage. At this point I’ll also pressure wash the rubber mats. Then I switch over to low pressure with suds and soap up the car. I’ll use my own wash mitt to wash the car, again from the top down - I would never use the “foaming brush” which is usually quite contaminated. The hardest part about this stage is knowing that the clock is running out and my precious quarters are being wasted. Major psychological damage. Once I’m satisfied the vehicle is clean it’s more quarters and back to high pressure water for a thorough rinse.

That concludes the work in the wash bay. I transfer the truck to the vacuum bay and hang the rubber mats to dry on hooks on the wall that are there for that purpose. Now I pull out the chamois and dry the vehicle. More quarters and then I vacuum the carpets and also any leaves from the vents in front of the windshield. Then I’ll remove as much dog hair as I can. Now for a little detail work.

Using the spray bottle of dilute soapy water I’ll spray the badging, agitate any remaining dirt, and then wipe dry with a microfiber towel. Repeat for any other crevices, and for the door jambs and wheels. Use the moistened towels to dust the interior. Finally clean the widows with the glass cleaner, put the rubber mats back in, toss all the supplies back in the bucket, and Bob’s your uncle.

I rarely use other products, but when I do, I do it at home.

Hope that helps.

 

Before I put any coins in I inspect my vehicle (in wheel wells, under frame, etc) so I don't have to spend my limited time looking for places where mud got.

Then I start spraying with the soap, then the rinse.

Some of those places have special nozzles just for reaching the underside, but mine doesn't (I would use it). I NEVER EVER use that brush that dispenses the soap, and nor should you, its no better than a scotchbrite pad to your paint.

If you want your car to look nice, take some microfiber cloths and dry the vehicle immediately after to avoid water spots. If I am going to wax the paint then I do it after drying. If you have pristine paint, then you should clay bar your paint after drying it so you dont make micro scratches when you buff the wax.

 

Back in the day when I went to the quarter wash I took two 5 gallon buckets with soapy water and drove slow. I used my soap after the pre rinse with my wash glove.

I am getting too old (or wise) to do that in the winter now. I am fortunate to keep the 4R inside garage for winter and have an older car for the winter.

Going during a non busy time as mentioned was critical. It was my Friday night in dec through Feb . Crazy as I think back to this shizz I did.

I am better but still need my car clean Xanax

 

For 40ish years I’ve only used the spray wand. Soap, then rinse, then air dry while driving home. Then wax if that’s on the schedule. Not using physical contact with rags, sponges, etc. has helped keep spiderwebs to a minimum.

Guys on here mentioning that they 'scrub' with a sponge or whatever just makes me wince. I could never scrub my vehicles. Nautical Blue is just too pretty. Whatever the water pressure doesn't get off, the wax does (I use Turtle Ice). And at least at that point, I'm using a wax with a lubricant when I do contact the paint.

 

Same if you can wash at home do home. If you are an apt dweller like me, simply go during the off-peak so you can use a bucket and mitt.

The brush at these car wash joints is constantly used on wheels and never rinsed. All the brake dust goes straight into your clear coat. and if you have pinstripes like many of us, then all of that goes straight into the paint past the clear.

 

Go to Napa or autozone and get a nice sponge or mitt or something if you need to scrub it. Don’t use any brushes from those coin-op places, they will scratch your vehicle. Spray the soap, use the sponge to hand wash if needed, pressure wash off.

you can get some spray on wax or ceramic or do whatever after.

 

The self-serve places by me all specify that you are not allowed to use a bucket.

I actually only use them to blast mud off the underbody and out of the wheel wells. If anyone else is doing the same, I recommend taking a set of ramps to get the vehicle higher off the ground so you can get underneath better. I also sometimes remove the front skid and the spare tire in order to be able to clean more thoroughly in those areas.

 

This was my process before i was able to set up shop at my house. Never touch that brush, it has never been cleaned and will scratch your truck.

I would bring a 3, 5 gal buckets with a microfiber mitt, 2 detail boar brushes, wheel/brake cleaner and brushes, drying agent and towel, spray wax, tire shine, window cleaner, and an interior cleaner.
1st bucket is for soap and water, 2nd is to rinse the mitt, and 3rd is for the wheels.

-First i would spray down the entire truck, make sure everything or at least as much as you can is hosed off.
-Start with the wheels and brush them with the wheel cleaner then hose down. Rinsing the brush with the 3rd bucket so debris doesn't travel.
-My car wash has a soap spray gun that i would cover the car with. With the boar brush, scrub every little nook and cranny from door jams to the gaps between the windows. Then this is where the 1st & 2nd bucket come in. 1 panel at a time, left to right with the microfiber mitt. Dip in soapy water, clean panel then rinse and scrub the mitt in the dirty bucket. Then hose down the truck again making sure all the soap is off.
-To me this is the most important step. You do not want water spots or dirt residue. While the car is wet, 1 panel at a time, spray a drying agent, then wipe with a towel. Do not go back and forth. One direction, lift and repeat until dry. A drying agent is important because a towel wont pick up everything and a drying agent will "dry" the water residue without leaving any spots.After this you can clay bar if you are really dedicated.
-Then you can use a spray wax to seal it or use a thicker wax such as carbuna. But with that, you want to make sure your truck is free of contaminates since that is a multi-month seal compared to the spray wax.
-Tire shine last. I would spray into a microfiber brick so i dont get an overspray. Then i would clean the windows.

Interior wise, just an APC or cleaner the inside. Using another boar brush to scrub and then wipe down. VRP by Chemical Guys or 303 is a good sealant to make and rubber, plastic, or vinyl pop and shine.

 

I use the high pressure wash, then rinse it off using the Wax selection (usually minimal wax LOL), then I dry it with a moistened micro-fiber cloth. Usually spend about $3-$4 each time.