Hand wash or power wash

[JG_Detailing]

Which do you prefer to use?

[gb387]

Hand wash all the way! There are times I will pull the power washer out or go to the coin-op to get the "heavy" stuff off (salt/sand and such) but it will always get followed up by a hand wash.

[del_badboy]

Hand wash is the best. Sponge in 1 hand clay in the other.

[F-150]

ehhh, use a pressure nozzel rod thing for higher psi than a normal nozzel for rinses and hand wash. Never led anyone else or anything else wash my car except when i don't have a enough time, take it to the regular car wash place (Danny's Family Car Wash) not as good as if you do it yourself, but just okay

[sneek]

Originally posted by del_badboy
Hand wash is the best. Sponge in 1 hand clay in the other.

Welcome to MOL
i have never heard of this
i think that you can use wash solution as lube but you may want to use a wash first so that the clay bar doesn't jam up so fast

[amari]

I think both for me. I will use the pressure washer first to get all the dust away then follow it with a hand wash using GC shampoo.

[TKDDAD]

HAND WASH ONLY !!!...pressure from the normal hose should be more than adequate to get loose surface contaminants off...pressure wash wheel wells, engine compartment etc, ok, but I wouldn't use it on painted surfaces....

[Accident]

In the warmer months I always handwash, it does a much better job than the powerwashes. During the winter months I take it to the car wash, but I never seem to be able to get it all off.

[kpagel]

I have a pressure washer and use it on cars, but only when necessary. Its not a cure-all. It has its place in a detailing arsenal (very dirty vehicles, wheel well, tires, etc), but it never substitutes a hand wash. A pressure washer simply does not get everything off the paint that a hand wash will.

[Mark2]

Powerwash+handwash is what I do if the car is very dirty. I try to remove as much dirt as possible before touching the paint with a mitt. I have found that to be very important to avoid swirls and scratches.

[TX Harley Guy]

I may pressure wash a few times a year to clean out the wheel wells and other dirt trap areas, otherwise its hand wash in the driveway at least once a week. If I do wash it at a coin op pressure wash place I take my own soap, bucket, and mit to hand wash it there, most places use a pretty strong detergent soap, my neighbor owns a few car washes, I dont like useing that stuff.


Big J

[WaspHunter]

I hand wash, but unless you have a high-pressure system down under, we aren't allowed to use hoses.

Besides, throwing a bucketfull onto the car seems to be more effective at clearing out the more stubborn pieces of dirt.

[del_badboy]

Originally posted by sneek
Welcome to MOL
i have never heard of this
i think that you can use wash solution as lube but you may want to use a wash first so that the clay bar doesn't jam up so fast

I do it all the time, plenty of lubricant in the soap.Your clay bar shouldnt get stuck or as you say it jam up if you car doesnt have mud on it . ok, like when i am washing a vehicle i will rub it with my hand to feel for any roughness or contaminates after ive hit it with a sponge, if i feel something, i clay it, sometimes you will run into something that wont come off, but not usually. i think it saves alot of time for me and alot of QD.Everybody i believe has there own little differant variations of washing there vehicles, but thats cool, everybody is differant thats what makes everyones routine unique.

[DetailManiac]

Originally posted by amari
I think both for me. I will use the pressure washer first to get all the dust away then follow it with a hand wash using GC shampoo.

The same here, the only difference is that i use the Nxt shampoo

[bernard78]

Re: Hand wash or power wash

Hand wash and a good car shampoo.