I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

[roushstage2]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

Either you work in a coal mine or you underestimate Spray & Wipe.
I have used it after driving on sand and salt covered roads here in Indiana and it works great but like Charles said it is a wipe NOT a scrub product.

I don't underestimate it. I have QD and WW and use them both. When you have a 1/4" layer of dust/dirt sitting on your paint, it is hard to say you can use the above without worry. I don't try to scrub anything except my tires.

[Black Bart]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

Spray and wipes still have their limitations though, unlike a rinse-less wash, just to point out. For example, my black car simply gets too dusty just parked for a day to use any spray and wipe product.

Either you work in a coal mine or you underestimate Spray & Wipe.
I have used it after driving on sand and salt covered roads here in Indiana and it works great but like Charles said it is a wipe NOT a scrub product.

[roushstage2]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

Spray and wipes still have their limitations though, unlike a rinse-less wash, just to point out. For example, my black car simply gets too dusty just parked for a day to use any spray and wipe product.

[CharlesW]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

I have used both the Home Depot grout sponge and the Lowe's Proline grout sponge with my ONR. I very much prefer the latter. It is softer, less dense, more porous. It releases the dirt into the bucket more easily and completely than the HD sponge. And at $2 each, the Proline sponge is a bargain.

They both seem to work OK and I'm not sure I can tell any difference in performance.

Grout sponge? That won't scratch my paint?

Thanks for the responses, I am going to look into the ONR product.

Hasn't scratched mine.

Are you supposed to only use a grout sponge with the ONR, etc?

Not at all. Any good wash media will work.
Some people use a MF Towel for their wash tool although I have never tried it. I have used a sea sponge, grout sponge, cotton chenille covered sponge, cotton chenille wash mitt and a Cobra "Bone" MF covered sponge. One respected detailer uses MF covered sponges from Big Lots.

If you don't want the hassle of buckets grit guard and carrying a bucket of water to your car you could use Poorboy Spray & Wipe you just spray it on and wipe.
Works great I use it on my Black car and if it works without instilling swirls in Black it will work on anything.

This also is a viable option. I use it a lot with the same results as Bart. Just remember it is Spray & Wipe not rub.

[akimel]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

Are you supposed to only use a grout songe with the ONR, etc?

I don't think there is a "supposed to" about this. Different folks are trying different wash media. The two most popular, from what I can tell, are microfiber wash mitts and grout sponges (the Lowe's Proline grout sponge being the most popular).

[Black Bart]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

If you don't want the hassle of buckets grit guard and carrying a bucket of water to your car you could use Poorboy Spray & Wipe you just spray it on and wipe.
Works great I use it on my Black car and if it works without instilling swirls in Black it will work on anything.

[Murr1525]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

Are you supposed to only use a grout songe with the ONR, etc?

[FlaresideLariat]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

Grout sponge? That won't scratch my paint?

Thanks for the responses, I am going to look into the ONR product.

[akimel]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

2 buckets, a Proline Grout sponge from Lowes and some ONR

I have used both the Home Depot grout sponge and the Lowe's Proline grout sponge with my ONR. I very much prefer the latter. It is softer, less dense, more porous. It releases the dirt into the bucket more easily and completely than the HD sponge. And at $2 each, the Proline sponge is a bargain.

[Sal329]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

2 buckets, a Proline Grout sponge from Lowes and some ONR

[roushstage2]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

hmm, this seems very doable. Thanks roushstage2.

So the grit guard is just used to scrape your mitt? (Normally I hose off my mitt before I dip it in the bucket every time). So the grit guard is a fairly new concept for me.

NP. The grit guard is actually made to keep grit on the bottom of the bucket underneath it so you can't pick it up with the mitt again and scratch the paint with it. You can kinda scrub the mitt against it though too to help clean it a bit better.

Oh, the mitt will probably start to turn black. It's ok, just keep going. It will wash out.

[akimel]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

Hate to be lazy but what kind of ONR wash does Megs offer?

Megs does not offer anything comparable to Optimum No-Rinse. It can be ordered through any number of onine re-sellers.

I have been using it since early November. It really does work well, though it still feels strange to me. It just doesn't feel like it should work--but it does.

For further information about ONR, check out this thread: The Definitive ONR Thread. Also see this video by ScottWax:

[akimel]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

A tip if you go with ONR. Get a 3.5 gallon bucket that is round the entire height and does not taper so you can fit a grit guard in there and get a snap-on lid for it. I got my clear 3.5 bucket and the lid from Lowes. Get the Grit Guard from ADS. As for wash mitts, get a Meguiar's Microfiber (these really seem to be the best IMO for use with ONR) and a misc. one to use on the wheels and tires.

Fill the bucket up with 2 gallons of water and 2oz. of ONR. The Grit Guard will sit in the bottom half of the water. Snap on the lid and head to the car wash. Rinse. Use your MF mitt on a panel and scrub it pretty good on the GG just to be safe. Dry the panel. When you get to the wheels, use that lid to set your wet MF mitt on to keep it from getting dirty. After you're done, just dump the ONR out and toss your mitts in the bucket and be on your way.

[FlaresideLariat]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

hmm, this seems very doable. Thanks roushstage2.

So the grit guard is just used to scrape your mitt? (Normally I hose off my mitt before I dip it in the bucket every time). So the grit guard is a fairly new concept for me.

Hate to be lazy but what kind of ONR wash does Megs offer?

[tguil]

Re: I live in an apartment-- how to handwash without going to carwash?

Do a search on

http://www.autopia.org/forum/index.php

For more information on QEW and ONR.

Tom