Rinse, shampoo, wax, polish

plastic-man

Lately I've heard a of a few handwash deals going. Usually ranging from around €4 to €8 for the above. Now, while I do always wash my car myself, I just want someone to do it for me for a change.

Anyone know of any good handwash deals going around Dublin Northside?

Marty McFly

I dont know if this is any use to yeh but theres a place in clondalkin that hand washs your car and hoovers and cleans the dash etc for a ten euro.

rebel.ranter

Just check out the kind of cleaning utensils & the method they use before committing your car to be cleaned by them.
Dirty sponges or a bad technique could scratch your paintwork. A cheap job more than likely means they have to cut costs elsewhere, like sponges.

plastic-man

cheers for suggestion, but id prob spend a tenner just getting there! good deal tho, and yeah id definitely be asking to see what they are cleaning with.

Hal1

Get 2 buckets and a wash mit with some quality car shampoo / wax. Google 2 bucket method, that will be the best wash your car ever had.

projectgtr

Hal1 wrote: »

Get 2 buckets and a wash mit with some quality car shampoo / wax. Google 2 bucket method, that will be the best wash your car ever had.

what he said i would murder someone if i seen them coming near my car with a sponge, black paint and sponges dont mix :P

GTE

Tis interesting. He doesnt say anything about using pressure washers, if anything he says not to use them

Twill save me a lot of bother getting the thing out of the shed

JCL

bbk wrote: »

Tis interesting. He doesnt say anything about using pressure washers, if anything he says not to use them

If you can presoak the car then all the better. After that you need to hose down or pressure wash the car down. Then its on to the two bucket wash.
Check out this site. Its Irish and could be of some help to OP.
http://www.carcare.ie/forum/

vectra

projectgtr wrote: »

what he said i would murder someone if i seen them coming near my car with a sponge, black paint and sponges dont mix :P

I would beg to differ with you.
My Black car is over two years old.
Next dry day I will take a pic of it.. You show me swirls and scratches.

It is all a matter of being careful.
One sponge and a bucket of war wash.
Bath towel to dry it off.
No problem

voxpop

vectra wrote: »

I would beg to differ with you.
My Black car is over two years old.
Next dry day I will take a pic of it.. You show me swirls and scratches.

It is all a matter of being careful.
One sponge and a bucket of war wash.
Bath towel to dry it off.
No problem

The problem with using a sponge as opposed to a lambswool/microfibre mitt is that any grit will stay on the surface of the sponge and so slightly scratch the paint, whereas the grit will move away from the surface of the mitt.

vectra

voxpop wrote: »

The problem with using a sponge as opposed to a lambswool/microfibre mitt is that any grit will stay on the surface of the sponge and so slightly scratch the paint, whereas the grit will move away from the surface of the mitt.

True
BUT
Careful as you go and you wouldnt have a problem
Never in my life did I use anything other than a sponge and one bucket / hose and No scratches on my cars due to washing.

rebel.ranter

I have to agree with the no sponge on black (any colour) cars rule. I use a microfibre wash mitt like this guy:



to do mine. Dirt just seems to stick in the holes in a sponge more than in one of these guys.

projectgtr

vectra wrote: »

I would beg to differ with you.
My Black car is over two years old.
Next dry day I will take a pic of it.. You show me swirls and scratches.

It is all a matter of being careful.
One sponge and a bucket of war wash.
Bath towel to dry it off.
No problem

You could show me paint as perfect as day one and i will still not be convinced, as said any bit of dirt or grit will sit on the top and act like sandpaper, no method is 100% perfect but i prefer 2bucket method using a good mitt.

vectra

projectgtr wrote: »

You could show me paint as perfect as day one and i will still not be convinced, as said any bit of dirt or grit will sit on the top and act like sandpaper, no method is 100% perfect but i prefer 2bucket method using a good mitt.

True
and all it would take is for some muppet to sit on your car and drag his Ar$e across it and scratch it.

DUBLINHITMAN

If your over near swords buddy drop in for a freebee no hassle on showing people how to
wash there car properly

Info on my link

Ush1

Is this just wax? I'm guessing it's car shampoo?

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_12530.htm

Neilw

vectra wrote: »

True
BUT
Careful as you go and you wouldnt have a problem
Never in my life did I use anything other than a sponge and one bucket / hose and No scratches on my cars due to washing.

Does it have swirls? Can't see how it couldn't by your method of washing.

vectra

Neilw wrote: »

Does it have swirls? Can't see how it couldn't by your method of washing.

Well.
One bucket and sponge.. two buckets with a Mitt.
Both methods are going to give you some light marks.. BUt
I bet your bottom dollar that mine is as good as any
Not a swirl mark can be seen to the naked eye.. Now when the sun is shining strong... you can see very VERY faint swirl or two.. Nothing worth removing to be honest.
I am going to wash my car there in a while and will take a couple of pics of the bonnet etc.

-Corkie-

What about this:D:D:D:D

vectra

SARASON wrote: »

What about this:D:D:D:D

WOW..!!
How long is the Q'

-Corkie-

Some where the other side of mitchelstown;):D

vectra

SARASON wrote: »

Some where the other side of mitchelstown;):D

LOL
you are right.. I was wondering why the traffic was at a standstill outside my house :P

BlackWizard

Ush1 wrote: »

Is this just wax? I'm guessing it's car shampoo?

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_12530.htm

I used that It's pretty good and if you use warm water is does leave a wax layer on your car. I just use it for general cleaning.

Neilw

vectra wrote: »

Well.
One bucket and sponge.. two buckets with a Mitt.
Both methods are going to give you some light marks.. BUt
I bet your bottom dollar that mine is as good as any
Not a swirl mark can be seen to the naked eye.. Now when the sun is shining strong... you can see very VERY faint swirl or two.. Nothing worth removing to be honest.
I am going to wash my car there in a while and will take a couple of pics of the bonnet etc.

Looking forward to the close up pics Can't see how you avoid scratches/swirls by washing your car that way.

I wash my car with a mitt and two buckets, but over time swirls will appear.

vectra

Neilw wrote: »

Looking forward to the close up pics Can't see how you avoid scratches/swirls by washing your car that way.

I wash my car with a mitt and two buckets, but over time swirls will appear.

Thats exactly what I said earlier.
This 2 bucket method is totally overrated when one and a sponge wokrs fine once you are careful

Two of my bonnet after a wash just now.
Hasnt been waxed properly since before Christmas as the weather is just too bad.
Not bad beading if I say so myself




Now after drying the car with a Bath Towel

A Couple of my Back quarter panel



Used Flash here to try to light up any visible swirl marks.
Can you see any??


No Flash


Reflection on Bonnet


Bonnet & Wing area


Side Pic



Two pics of the car the Day I bought it






Well guys
Whats the verdict??
Somebody point out to me where my car loked a lot better when new than it is now.

Bucket and Sponge while being careful and with regular Polishing / waxing?


Or go to all the trouble of two buckets and more time and effort.
I still say 2 bucket and Mitt is overrated for the run of the mill owner that wants to keep his car looking well.

Neilw

vectra wrote: »

Well guys
Whats the verdict??
Somebody point out to me where my car loked a lot better when new than it is now.

Bucket and Sponge while being careful and with regular Polishing / waxing?


Or go to all the trouble of two buckets and more time and effort.
I still say 2 bucket and Mitt is overrated for the run of the mill owner that wants to keep his car looking well.

Does look good, fair play I'd say it's better kept then 90% of the cars on our roads.
If you are happy with the results, plough on....I'll stick to two buckets

Seperate

vectra wrote: »

Used Flash here to try to light up any visible swirl marks.
Can you see any??



Well guys
Whats the verdict??
Somebody point out to me where my car loked a lot better when new than it is now.

Bucket and Sponge while being careful and with regular Polishing / waxing?


Or go to all the trouble of two buckets and more time and effort.
I still say 2 bucket and Mitt is overrated for the run of the mill owner that wants to keep his car looking well.

You won't see swirls with a light source that close.

How is two buckets more effort anyhow?

Here's a car before I washed it last week;



Doesn't really look that dirty...

Here are the buckets afterwards....



Now if I had just used one bucket, all the dirty water in the bucket on the right hand side, would have been in with the clean water and shampoo. So i would have constantly been rubbing dirty water on the car after the first panel.

vectra

Seperate wrote: »

You won't see swirls with a light source that close.

How is two buckets more effort anyhow?

Here's a car before I washed it last week;



Doesn't really look that dirty...
.

Looks manky actually.

Lot of dirt came off it alright though.

Back to my own car
I only used the flash to show any difference to the "Naked eye"
I am not talking about swirl marks only noticable by using Halogen lamps on a stand
after all
Who walks around with halogen lamps to see how good cars are.
I am only stating that to the normal person on the street that likes to keep their car in good nick. My method is more than sufficiant,

Seperate

vectra wrote: »

Looks manky actually.

Lot of dirt came off it alright though.

Back to my own car
I only used the flash to show any difference to the "Naked eye"
I am not talking about swirl marks only noticable by using Halogen lamps on a stand
after all
Who walks around with halogen lamps to see how good cars are.
I am only stating that to the normal person on the street that likes to keep their car in good nick. My method is more than sufficiant,

Looks manky? This is manky....



If you washed that with one bucket you'd be in trouble.

Halogen lamps are only used to replicate the light from the sun. They obviously don't replicate light exactly as it is; but its a good indication. It's all about when the sun shines on the car....

vectra

Seperate wrote: »

Looks manky? This is manky....



If you washed that with one bucket you'd be in trouble.

Halogen lamps are only used to replicate the light from the sun. They obviously don't replicate light exactly as it is; but its a good indication. It's all about when the sun shines on the car....

Actually.. Where I live my car is regularly like that.
Limestone entrance into a club ,
Drizle of rain
Gust of wind and my car looks like that.
Even if i had just washed it :mad:
My system is as follows:

Garden hose and rgive the car a good wetting.

Plug on a little dispenser ( Foamer ? ) I bought in LIDL with car shampoo inside it. and Spray the car with it.
Leave it soak for a few mins while I get my B&Q orange bucket and car shampoo mixed. ( Oh. And grab my sponge. ):D

Hose the suds off the car.

Start by washing the roof and windows
Hose
repeat
hose off
Bonnet/ Boot /Doors down to Body moulding.
Hose off
Repeat
Hose off
Bumpers / bottom of doors etc.
Hose off
Repeat
Hose off

Wheels ./ Under Arches
Hose off
Repeat
Hose off.
Out with the Bath towel and dry from top to bottom
Wheels last.


Works fine for me
if anyone should use this method and scratch the daylights out of their cars I will not be held responsible.:pac:

EPM

Jaysus Vectra that car looks tidy

vectra

EPM wrote: »

Jaysus Vectra that car looks tidy

Thanks
All down to being careful
No seriously though.
You know when people say " You could shave yourself with thse shine on it"
Look at my baldy head :pac:

DUBLINHITMAN

Run of the mill washing is fair enough but when your in the businness
you need to prevent any type of swirls and using the two bucket method is the way forward
I have weekly customers that come back because I put the effort in
using top quality products and methods

Btw snow foam shocks the average joe that could be another reason they come back lol

anyway if a bucket a sponge is your thing fair ba!!s

vectra

DUBLINHITMAN wrote: »

If your over near swords buddy drop in for a freebee no hassle on showing people how to
wash there car properly

Info on my link

I will drop my car to you for a freebie if you can improve it
JK

Actually thinking of buying a polisher to do the Civic for my son.
It came to me VERY dull and Laden with swirl marks.. Some pretty deep.
Gave it a couple of runs of T-Cut and AG SRP then a couple of coats of Harly wax... Looks ok during the day but under the street lights you can still see the buggers.
They were just too deep to remove by hand I think

DUBLINHITMAN

it would cost you on petrol buddy comin from cork but if you up this way the offers there
stay away from t cut agsrp is fine a good all rounder .
harleys wax never tried it but heard some good feed back

anyway take it easy boi lol

vectra

DUBLINHITMAN wrote: »

it would cost you on petrol buddy comin from cork but if you up this way the offers there
stay away from t cut agsrp is fine a good all rounder .
harleys wax never tried it but heard some good feed back

anyway take it easy boi lol

Ah,
Only kidding you on the freebie LOL
Yeah the Harly Wax is quite good. But I am open to try all other types as well, Must have a look at your stock someday and pick up a few bits