How to wash your Mach-E at home in just 20 minutes using 3-4 gallons of water

[acosmichippo]

Though in OP’s defense, I do like his methods for his environment. If I was conserving water I’d look into his product recommendations.

ONR is also great if you're in an apartment with no hose of your own. but probably not an issue for most people here.

Sponsored

 

[RickJ21]

So much to learn. But I appreciate the forum/threads. Will look into everything everyone has mentioned. Thanks everyone.

 

[npgeorgeuw]

Will definitely try JoeBruin's method for washing thanks for the info. Any recommendations for dust? I know it's inevitable but there has to be a way to slow the process.

pressure washi

I always worry about scratches... without rising the car off first... thankfully, my shops have ionized pressure washers... so, you literally wash it outside and it won't water spot... and they use less water than a convention hose. I'm open to feedback.

Jeff

Pressure washing really is the gold standard for removing large contaminants that are likely to mar the finish. I typically blast it for a few minutes with normal water, foam it, then blast again then foam it and clean it with 2 microfiber sponges with two buckets and grit guards. Blast it again, spray it with deionized water, blow it dry and hybrid paste wax/ceramic once a year. This is over a base coat of Adams Ceramic which lasts me about 2-3 years at least. Always start at the top and only do the lowest panels when you are basically done. If you drop it, throw it aside. Scrub the sponges on themselves to remove the grime and use the second bucket as your “clean” bucket. Take it as often as you can to a spray it yourself to just knock the dirt off, no soap needed, that car wash soap can be crap on finishes.

obviously this is harder in Western states with water issues. I’m lucky to live in a rain forest but that does also mean my cars Get crapped on far more than drier places. Sap, leaves, rain, snow, literal crap, more crap.

 

[Xadion]

Cheapo amazon pressure washer w foam blaster. And all Adams products.

Fastest, spray down, foam blast and spray off

Fast, spray down, foam blast, spray off and hand dry.

More steps merely include added hand washing w the two bucket system and quick detail spray to end it.

Full quarterly involves adding a stripper wash to replace the foam wash and the Adams graphite ceramic 'spray' level product.


Edit: I have used the top brand sealers and Adams lasts the longest on my car I drive every day in Florida weather and parked outside. F11, chemicalguys, the last coat, all lasted a few weeks while the Adams stuff lasted me 4 months so I put it on a quarterly rotation as I am too cheap to buy a cereal ceramic and don't trust myself w the Adams ceramic coat, so I use the 'spray'

 

[joebruin77]

A lot of the chemical brands mentioned in this thread are not formulated/made by their respective trademarked name. These companies choose smell and color. A lot of products only vary by these parameters.

All these “boutique” products do is drain your wallet. Stick with the big distributors and save some $$$ . 90% results is the polishing step. Even the cheapest wax can look good if the polishing is done correctly.

It certainly is true that some car care products are made by a third-party manufacturer and sold under the company's name and packaging. I am pretty sure Optimum and P and S make their own products in house. The Topper drying aid is made by a third-party, but I don't mind as the product is awesome no matter whose chemist formulated it.

Personally, I would not consider these products "boutique". Just because you can't buy them at Walmart or Target doesn't make them boutique. I actually hate overpriced car care products that are mostly hype and don't perform. For example, there are several car sealants that are heavily marketed on social media, such as F11 Topcoat, NextGen, and Torque Mirror Shine, that I personally think are snake oil or just a step above. A $10 bottle of Turtle Wax Seal and Shine will outperform all three of these.

The products I use and recommended in my original post do what they say they do and do it really well. And they are very reasonably priced. For example, Optimum No Rinse, when bought by the gallon, only costs 35 cents an ounce and Topper is even cheaper at 31 cents an ounce.

 

[BluePony]

-Two buckets, each with a grit guard, 1.5-2 gallons of water, and 1-2 ounces of ONR.

I use ONR as well for the most part, but with only 1 bucket.

Fill the bucket with ONR mixture, and have multiple towels available. Dip towel in bucket and wipe clean (can fold the towel and use on another panel). Once the towel is dirty, put in laundry pile. Grab a new towel and repeat. You never have to rinse, since you are never reusing/dipping the dirty towel back in the ONR solution.

 

[tesla2mme]

I struggle with car care because I’m in a townhome with no hose that can reach the car, and besides our HOA strictly forbids washing with a hose (blah blah California drought).

I’ll try some of the methods listed here!

 

[joebruin77]

I struggle with car care because I’m in a townhome with no hose that can reach the car, and besides our HOA strictly forbids washing with a hose (blah blah California drought).

I’ll try some of the methods listed here!

If you live in a townhome or condo with no running water, the rinseless wash system here is a great option.

In addition to a rinseless wash, there is another type of wash that uses even less water than a rinseless. It is called a waterless wash. You can think of a waterless wash like a detail spray on steroids. You spray the waterless wash solution on a dirty panel, let it dwell for 30 seconds or so, and then wipe it clean using a plush, clean microfiber towel.

The advantage of a waterless wash is that it uses a lot less water than even a rinseless wash. The disadvantage is that there is a slightly higher risk of scratching your paint.

If you want to check out a waterless wash, here is a good one that my friends like:

https://washwax.com/pages/auto-waterless-wash-wash-wax-all

I personally prefer a waterless wash that comes in a concentrate form. This is my personal favorite from Meguiars:

https://www.meguiarsdirect.com/meguiars-d115-detailer-rinse-free-express-wash-wax-1gallon.html

You add one part Meguiars D115 to 4 or 5 parts water. It cleans really well, smells great, leaves a nice gloss, and does leave some wax protection behind.

 

[Phil Martin]

This looks like an ad

That's what I think too.

 

[joebruin77]

That's what I think too.

As I mentioned earlier, I don’t blame you for questioning things you read on the internet. But if you look at my profile, I have been on this forum for quite a long time and have contributed over 200 posts so far about a variety of topics.

Some of my posts are about car detailing because it is my hobby.Do you have any friends who have this hobby? People into car detailing talk about their favorite car care products.

Plus, given the drought and climate change, I think it is important to educate people about rinseless and waterless washes which use a lot less water.

if there is anything else you or anyone else would like to ask me that can reassure you I am not paid to post anything and I am a real forum member, feel free to ask.
Joe

 

[Phil Martin]

As I mentioned earlier, I don’t blame you for questioning things you read on the internet. But if you look at my profile, I have been on this forum for quite a long time and have contributed over 200 posts so far about a variety of topics.

Some of my posts are about car detailing because it is my hobby.Do you have any friends who have this hobby? People into car detailing talk about their favorite car care products.

Plus, given the drought and climate change, I think it is important to educate people about rinseless and waterless washes which use a lot less water.

if there is anything else you or anyone else would like to ask me that can reassure you I am not paid to post anything and I am a real forum member, feel free to ask.
Joe

Yeah, I didn't see your reply until later. Sounds good though as far as the car washing goes.

 

[joebruin77]

Yeah, I didn't see your reply until later. Sounds good though as far as the car washing goes.

No worries. If you or anyone else reading this post has any questions about car detailing or needs recommendations for any car care product, feel free to ask me or PM me.

 

[CurtW]

Though in OP’s defense, I do like his methods for his environment. If I was conserving water I’d look into his product recommendations.

I'm also enviromental minded with the water. I ensure it is all recycled back into the ecosystem by using gravity to direct all wash and rinse water into my yard. (No droughts in AR at the moment.)

Sponsored