using my butt to clean my car

stratos · 22-11-2009 4:33am #1

I have been trying for a while to find a quick way to wash my car at home without drying or chamois. The problem is my water is so hard it leaves streaks all over the paint and if you dry it towel or leaf blower it takes time and roughes up the paint.

I got a water butt (woodies) and hooked it up to the house roof gutters with a drain back. using a cheap water pressure system from mquillans I now have an air dry car wash system using rain water there is no streaks i can let the car air dry. The total cost of the system was 80 Euros no more streaks or abrasive drying.

an unforseen side effect is polished finishes seem to last longer by weeks (there must be something in tap water that removes wax)so definitly a time saver for the serious er car detailer.

polyfusion · 22-11-2009 10:48am

Good idea. The rainwater won't have the hardness of the minerals so the streaking should be minimised; the reactions of the minerals with your shampoo could be precipitating the streaks. The minerals may also bind some components of the wax with normal tap water, so if this isn't happening with the rainwater, you're getting more functional use from the wax (same analogy of being able to use less detergent in soft water areas).