Washing Car

ilovemarmite

Hi

I only have my first car about a month so haven't had to do wash car myself before really.
I heard garage car washes are not very good. I live in an apartment so its not very practical to wash myself as in underground car park. What would be your suggestions and opinions.


Thanks

colm_mcm

Go to somewhere with a powerwasher, bucket and sponge!


avoid the brush washes.

Gumbo

can you use your parents house?

mle1324

where do you live?

ilovemarmite

I live in Stillorgan area. Can't use parents house. What places have powerwashes do they charge much for this?

Thanks a mill

Eric Cartman

most garages have a jet wash system, normally 6 euro for 10 minutes, spray on foam, brush on foam (dont use the brush on metal paintwork, use it for your alloys and maybee bumbers only) then spray off the foam with a power hose , some of them even have a very bad wax

biko

http://www.videojug.com/webvideo/how-to-wash-your-car-properly

mle1324

ilovemarmite wrote: »

I live in Stillorgan area. Can't use parents house. What places have powerwashes do they charge much for this?

Thanks a mill

thats too bad,there is a powerwasher place on the ballyboggin road in finglas where they they wash your car for about 7 euro and they do and good job:)

-Chris-

I don't know about the pricing, but there's a place in Clonskeagh that'll do a good job cleaning your car.

Johnny Utah

Try Marmite, I heard that's good.

TomMc

While power washes are the lesser of two evils compared with automatic brush washes, they will still damage paint. Or at least the person does if they wipe over the car with sponges, especially the ones on poles, where operators scrub (the paint when the suds are on it), like they are using a floor mop. They put them on the ground, then pick them up and go straight onto your paintwork. Dirt, grit and everything else wiped across the surface. They never get rinsed out properly even when dipped in those water barrels. You could buy some lambswool wash mitts and bring them with you and only use them instead of the sponges used at the car wash. Two buckets would also be useful to rinse out mitts after washing a panel or two.

The alternative is to buy some no rinse wash shampoo, only available online (but not the waterless wash products). You only need two buckets of water, one warm but not too hot (boil the kettle and mix with cold tap water), one cold or cool, a wash mitt or two and a drying towel to go with same. They produce little or no suds so do not require a major rinsing down afterwards like normal. Great if you have no access to a water mains and want to wash your car when and where it suits you.

fletch

This is one of the main reasons I can't see myself ever buying an apartment. It would wreck my head having to go back to the parents house every time I wanted to wash the car

bookerboy

I've often seen people washing their cars along the canal near Baggot street bridge.Just bring your own bucket and sponge.No charge.

Johnny Utah

bookerboy wrote: »

I've often seen people washing their cars along the canal near Baggot street bridge.Just bring your own bucket and sponge.No charge.

Bad idea.... the canal water is filthy (and may even have a human head floating in it! :eek:)

colm_mcm

TomMc wrote: »

While power washes are the lesser of two evils compared with automatic brush washes, they will still damage paint. Or at least the person does if they wipe over the car with sponges, especially the ones on poles, where operators scrub (the paint when the suds are on it), like they are using a floor mop. They put them on the ground, then pick them up and go straight onto your paintwork. Dirt, grit and everything else wiped across the surface. They never get rinsed out properly even when dipped in those water barrels. You could buy some lambswool wash mitts and bring them with you and only use them instead of the sponges used at the car wash. Two buckets would also be useful to rinse out mitts after washing a panel or two.

That's not entirely accurate. I've very rarely seen floor mops being used at carwashes. also, I"ve never seen anyone leave a brush wuth the bristles on the ground, and frequently see the operators power washing the brush between washes.
Now I'm not saying this never happens, but I think your perception of carwashes is miles off.

ilovemarmite

I might be able to bring car to my cousins house to wash. What stuff like sponges and type of car shampoo etc are best. Thanks

TomMc

colm_mcm wrote: »

That's not entirely accurate. I've very rarely seen floor mops being used at carwashes. also, I"ve never seen anyone leave a brush wuth the bristles on the ground, and frequently see the operators power washing the brush between washes.
Now I'm not saying this never happens, but I think your perception of carwashes is miles off.

I said they use those sponges with long handles "like they are using a floor mop". And it is quite normal to see people wiping the same area over and over again, when only once is quite enough. My car likes a drop or two of juice so I see it day in, day out, when I'm filling up all across the country. Bottom line sponges do not absorb the dirt on a vehicle, therefore wipe it across the paint, regardless of whether they are clean beforehand or not. Just the dirtier they are the worse the marring will potentially be. And lets face outside of peak hours, a large proportion of manual car washes are operated by a single person. One pair of hands can only do so much. Try holding onto a high powered pressure washer at full flow and clean a sponge at the same time, (without sending it into orbit).:D

OP, Sonax Gloss Shampoo is a very good one to buy if you can get it in a local motor factors. pH balanced, non-detergent and phosphate-free shampoos are the way to go. Filling station car washes use alkaline chemicals and so are overkill.

bookerboy

A "human head" might be usefull.He might help blow dry the car!!!

gryca

refresh
Is it legally allowed (environmental concern) to wash your car on the street/driveway (house estate)?
I live in Greystones and not very happy with local wash car services so I want to do the job myself.

paulgalway

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/car-care-advice.html

Big Nasty

-Chris- wrote: »

I don't know about the pricing, but there's a place in Clonskeagh that'll do a good job cleaning your car.

+1 on these guys.

€10 a pop: http://www.prestige24-7.ie/

There's also a good one on Churchtown Road that do a hand wash, chamois dry and blackened tyres for €12.

Midnight_EG

MCMLXXV wrote: »

+1 on these guys.

€10 a pop: http://www.prestige24-7.ie/

There's also a good one on Churchtown Road that do a hand wash, chamois dry and blackened tyres for €12.

Apart from myself, they're the only people I allow to clean my car!

Jjohnrockk

Hiya any self car wash facility with pressure hose in South Dublin? Please point me to it.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120646541#Comment_120646541

14 year old post.. but there are a few around Tallaght in Circle K garages, Belgard Road, Greenhills Road, Square shopping centre etc.

Just check the local petrol stations in your area and you’ll find one