buckets for washing

[amg/md]

Where can you get good car washing buckets? It would be cool to have ones like the Meguiar's buckets shown in some of the detailing class photos. But they are probably just their promotional ones.

I bought two grit guards, but they do not fit into the smaller pails I have been using so far. Five gallon buckets seem too large. Wanted to try 3 1/2 gallon ones. U. S. Plastic Corp. sells some.

Any suggestions? It would seem 3 buckets would be best; one for wheels only, one for washing the car and one for rinsing the dirty wash mitt before getting the clean soapy water again.

The buckets need to be at least 10.33" diameter in the inside bottom of bucket.

By the way, US Plastic sells grit guards for $7.10, but small orders have an extra $10 small order fee.

Ric
2006 Mercedes C-55 AMG

[Ranger72]

I use 5 gallon buckets. Actually they are cleaned out SheetRock brand Joint Compound buckets.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: buckets for washing

Originally posted by amg/md

By the way, US Plastic sells grit guards for $7.10, but small orders have an extra $10 small order fee.

Ric
2006 Mercedes C-55 AMG

Where's their discussion forum to help you learn about cool tools like the Grit Guard?


Oh yeah... it's with the Lowe's discussion forum....

[RyanB]

Ultimate Organizer has a 3.5 gallon bucket.

http://www.meguiars.com/?garage-organizing/Ultimate-Organizer

Kinda pricey at $35 for just a bucket, but nice if you use everything else with it!

[the other pc]

I think it's pretty cool that USP sells Grit Guards in different colors, gives the seriously AR and obsessively systematic another option for color coding and organizing (not that I would know anybody like that ).

Grit Guards appear to be made of a soft plastic like polyethylene or something similar. It shouldn't be too tough to cut one down to match your bucket of choice. Bet a pair of aircraft snips would do the job.


PC.

[rusty bumper]

One excellent source for 5 Gallon buckets is at the local sub sandwich places.

One mom & pop place near me was selling them for .50 cents a-piece at one time.....Now I think they're just giving them away.

Edit: You can also find 5 gallon buckets of laundry detergent at the warehouse clubs.......Just save the bucket after the contents are used up, or transfer the detergent into another container.

[gb387]

I get mine at Walmart - I get the red bucket 9 gallon I think) with the rope handle, the Grit Guard (from Meguiars) fits the bucket just about perfect. Its a cheap quality bucket.

[amg/md]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

It is nice to know you can ask anything here and get quick answers from knowledgeable detailers and other Car Crazies.

Ric

[Djmigs]

Meguiars sells a bucket its black with there name across it and i think it has a mesh pocket around the bucket for some items to be held for example you tech wax,QD, and so forth if i remember it might have wheels and it might have a cover so you can sit on it but im not sure if they still sell it and if it will accomadate your grit guards but im sure they have regular buckets....

[Paramedic]

I use the tidy cat plastic litter buckets.. Work great, just wash them out real well, only problem is the grit gard will not work with them, but you can always make up something to go into the bottom.

Nick

[grover]

Target has this cool looking Rubbermaid 5 gallon bucket. It has a grit-guard included, wheels and place to put the sponge when you're done. I bought it but then found out all those features don't work in reality. Their grit-guard doesn't sit high enough from the bottom and doesn't let the dirt sift through enough. The wheels are useless and the sponge holder doesn't allow the sponge to dry thoroughly.

In conclusion, I'll be getting a 5 gallon bucket and grit-guard from Meguiars.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by grover
Target has this cool looking Rubbermaid 5 gallon bucket. It has a grit-guard included, wheels and place to put the sponge when you're done. I bought it but then found out all those features don't work in reality. Their grit-guard doesn't sit high enough from the bottom and doesn't let the dirt sift through enough. The wheels are useless and the sponge holder doesn't allow the sponge to dry thoroughly.

In conclusion, I'll be getting a 5 gallon bucket and grit-guard from Meguiars.

Sponge? You use a sponge to wash your car?!

NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!



Better order some wash mitts while you're at it.

[Murr1525]

Is there any reason to use a washmit over a sponge? Chenille sponge and mit of course, not foam.

[grover]

The meguiar's chenille sponge


I also have the mit and it didn't dry that well in the holder either.

[the other pc]

I haven't tried a sponge in many years but my guess is that (my and) most people's fear of them comes from bad experiences with sponges that didn't come from a supplier of high-end automotive care products and weren't specifically intended for fine finishes. (You know, most of the public just grabs an old grout sponge sitting on the garage floor and....) I'm sure I'd be wary of mitts too if all I'd ever seen anybody use were tired old oven mitts.

After all, what's a foam polishing pad but a disk shaped sponge? We have no problem rubbing them on paint. Obviously a wash sponge also has to deal with dirt and has bigger pores but do we have objective evidence that sheepskin or chenille are really better at keeping grit away from the surface?

Maybe it's time we consider giving sponges another chance?



The product blurb says "Meguiar’s Professional Grade Wash Sponge makes it easy to achieve professional wash results. The super durable foam is clear coat safe and resists tearing and shredding. Its tight cell construction holds an amazing amount of wash solution to lubricate and condition the surface for great cleaning, even in tight or hard to reach areas."


PC.