My car washing stuff

[Graction]

My kit:

Pressure Washer: Portland 1750 PSI 1.3 GPM Corded Electric Pressure Washer
Hose: Black Max 3800 Psi 35-Foot Hose
Gun: Sooprinse High Pressure Washer Gun 4000psi
Quick Connects: M MINGLE Ultimate Pressure Washer Adapter Set
Foam Canon: Griot's Garage Brilliant Finish Foam Cannon
Soap: Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Foaming Car Wash Soap
Bucket Grit Traps: VIKING Automotive Bucket Insert Grit Traps
Buckets: 5 gal. Homer Bucket
Wash Mitt: Meguiar's X210200 Hybrid Wash Mitt
Drying Towel: Chemical Guys Waffle Weave Gray Matter 70/30 Blend Microfiber Drying Towel
Leaf Blower: EGO POWER+ 56-volt 650-CFM
Window Cloths: Zap Cloth Zezo-Fiber, Streak Free and Spot Free

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[DMG_Eleanor]

Glad I'm not the only one with a cart and a new detailing obsession!

I'm mostly Adam's, P&S, Rag Company, and ONR for brands. I started with some Chemical Guys stuff but found that P&S & Rag Company make far superior things for similar prices.

Cart is a Harbor Freight special, has a drawer that I keep applicator pads and other small things in - clay bar, gloves, etc. Seat is a Craftsman from when I was a teenager working on cars.

I keep it all organized in this Husky locker/cabinet from Home Depot. The towel/mitt shelf is a bit barren because everything is getting washed at the moment. The little Bissel extractor vacuum is my favorite little new toy - not for the Mach-E, but for the other two cars as they are much older and far more abused!

I have all of the pressure washer/foam cannon business, but have settled into simple little ONR washes in the garage. Keeps the sun off the car and less set up. Same results.

I don't use the ProBlow on the cart - I've dropped using that in favor of the EGO leaf blower.

 

[BlackOnGray]

Some good info on this thread! Glad I’m not the only one with a bit of a detailer obsession…personally here are my tips and recommended products to share.

Tips:
-Wash microfiber towels and mit separate on warm setting and no softener! Dry them on low setting and no dryer sheet! This will make them last longer, keep them soft, and keep them absorbent.
-if using foam cannon, any cheap Amazon/harbor freight will do, just upgrade to a 1.1 mm orifice and spray water for 15-30 seconds after each use to keep foam maker mesh insert from corroding/clogging (learned the hard way…).

Products:
-flat microfiber wheel brush, especially for gloss black premium wheels. The flat ones like below can narrowly fit around the front breaks and also won’t leave scratches like the cheap bristle brushes.
-ryobi inflator/deflator tool for blowing out headlight, taillight, and hatch crevices instead of large leaf blower.

 

[PA Bob]

Here are a couple pics of my detailing set up. If any one has a question about any of the products in my stash, feel free to ask.

BTW, I highly recommend the Griots Garage Detailing Cart. It has all softs of shelves, bins, and trays to organize all of your detailing products and tools. It even has a place to keep and prop up your iPhone. I also like how it has brakes on two of the wheels. If your driveway has a slope, just set the brakes and the cart won't unexpectedly roll away as you are applying your ceramic coating .

What foam cannon do you recommend? I've gone through 2 bargain cannons.

 

[Graction]

Any recommendations on how to clean the inside of the windshield without creating tiny micro-scratches that in direct sun make it awful to see through? I'm hesitant to touch my MME windshield after previous experiences on other cars. I've used Turtlewax microfibers with some Windex in the past.

Zap cloth with just water works really well on windows. Previously I used what I thought was a good quality lint free microfiber but it left tiny fibers which were invisible until the sun hit the windshield and it was covered in sparkles. Seems like that's what you are referring to with the micro-scratches. I think more likely tiny fibers that scratches. Also don't use Windex as it's bad for any non glass around the window. Use something like invisible glass - or just water.

 

[Graction]

What foam cannon do you recommend? I've gone through 2 bargain cannons.

I saw a review that rated this Griot's Garage Brilliant Finish cannon at the top so I splurged and got it. It has a lot of nice features:

• It comes set up with a 1.1 orifice which is required when using an electric power washer
• It has a flexible internal hose with weighted ball so it works at any angle
• Has a wide mouth for easy filling and wider base for stability
• It has adjustable spray width and the amount of foam output.
• It also produces nice foam

However it is also has negatives:

• The weighted ball on the soap hose rusts! So if you wash it but leave the hose in the bottle and there is a little moisture it will rust and has stained my bottle
• The rubber seal inside the lid falls out all the time. Seems minor but it's a PITA.
• Although it has the controls for spread and volume it's best with just the standard setting so I never use them.
• It is expensive

All in all I don't think this cannon is worth the price. I believe there are others half the price that would produce as good foam.

 

[MachE Mickey]

Here's what I use when I wash my Mach-E:

• Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine As pre-wash
• Chemical Guys Diable Gel for Wheel and Rim
• Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam Car Wash Soap I use a foam cannon to apply this soap.
• M Mingle Short pressure washer gun.
• Rag Company Cyclone Ultra Wash Mitts
• Viking Bucket Insert Grit Traps
• Ryobi P2108A One+ You can find better deals at home improvement stores.
• Microfiber Car-Drying Towel
• CarPro Reload Spray Sealant is recommended to use every 6 washes.
• Greenworks Electric Pressure Washer 2300 PSI 1.2GPM. You can find better deals at home improvement stores. Good to have not just for a carwash but also to clean the exterior of your house.
• Utility Cart
• Water-Based Tire Dressing
• Tire Dressing Brush/Applicator

I am looking for a recommendation for a pressure washer hose. I see many people using this one https://amzn.to/3MbnWyF but it’s hard to trust the reviews on Amazon.

 

[joebruin77]

What foam cannon do you recommend? I've gone through 2 bargain cannons.

I mainly do rinseless washes, due in part to living in a drought-prone area. So I personally do not use foam cannons.

That said, if I had to choose a foam cannon, I would check out these options:

1) MTM Hydro PF22 - This was recommended by the Obsessed Garage guy.

2) I am a big fan of Griot's Garage products, so I would check out the foam cannons made by Griot's Garage.

3) Same thing with Adam's Polishes products. I would check out the models offered by Adams.

4) Chemical Guys Torq Professional Snow Foam Cannon - this is their higher end model, which looks more robust than their cheaper model.

Hope that helps,
Joe

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