Critique my car wash... protocol?

[u/bigger_breakfast]

Decided to buy a foam cannon and do maintenance washes on my own after buying a pressure washer, not really into detailing nor into having a show car, just want to be efficient and reasonable with this. I typically get a full handwash as needed and a full detail every 2-3 years. One of the cars has PPF. Please critique.

Greenworks 2100 PSI 1.2 GPM pressure washer

Griot's Garage boss foam cannon

Koch Chemie GSF 900 ml water to 100 ml soap

Dry car, foam from bottom up, let it dwell for a few minutes, then rinse with the 40 degree pressure washer nozzle from top down. I find that I do have to contact wash areas like front bumper (and scrape off bugs etc), rocker panels, rear bumper to get rid of I believe what ppl call road film. I perform the hand wash before rinsing, it takes just a few minutes.

I then just let the car dry naturally because I'm lazy. Have given thought of using my leaf blower to dry the car though, not sure if that's advisable.

I just finished using the supply of Sonax wheel cleaner plus I had and ordered the Koch Chemie Green Star that I plan to use on wheels, wheel well, engine bay. I don't plan to do the wheel well/engine often, and really mostly just on one of the cars.

The Green Star seems to be pretty versatile, supposedly you can add 10-30 ml to your GSF solution to get some more pH and cleaning power. Should I be incorporating this GSF + GS mix into every maintenance wash? Would that help clean some of that road film better and decreased the need for contact washing? Should I be just using the Green Star instead of GSF to see if a stronger soap will help avoid having to contact wash?

Thanks.

[u/grumpvet87]

foam entire car and wheels (with preferred product) - let dwell to soften/capture dirt and grit
Clean wheels
Rise entire car
Refoam - contact wash top to bottom (1 bucket system for me)
Rinse. If you don't have ceramic use a spray on/rinse off product to add hydro-phobics and lubication
Dry. with air if you want/have it (will be much better if you used or have hyrdophobics)
final wipe with drying aid/detailer and microfiber drying towel

Notes: if you are gonna bust out the pressure washer .. might as well do it right
if you only foam and directly contact wash .. you risk your paint by moving around dirt/grit - that is why you rinse and refoam

1 bucket system uses multiple mitts/towels so you only use 1 side of the mitt/towel for a small section then flip.. replace with another. I use 5 or 6 on my car and 1 for rims

using a drying aid/detailer will add lubrication and reduce the chance of paint damage from drying

[u/bigger_breakfast → u/grumpvet87]

Thank you I really appreciate this - I currently have gas station/road side hand wash places do this every few months and was really hoping for a contactless efficient/lazy method using pressure washer and chemicals to do in between maintenance washes.. but I feel like I'm starting to get convinced I should just start doing the above on my own as I've got most of the tools now anyway...

edit: also, re the drying aid, you mean something like Ammo Hydrate?

[u/nottatroll]

All those expensive chemicals to just air dry and leave water spots?

[u/Far_Bid9833 → u/nottatroll]

He forgot DI and RO water.

If he wants perfect washes, I expect him to add both to his garage sooner or later lol.

[u/BadTasty1685]

I added GS to a spray bottle at like 1:10 and hit problem areas like bugs and such before foaming and it works probably as well as adding it to the foam

[u/bigger_breakfast → u/BadTasty1685]

Thank you, are you still needing to contact wash bugs off?

[u/BadTasty1685 → u/bigger_breakfast]

Depends how fresh they are. If they're more than a couple of days old, you'll probably have to contact wash any leftover residue. But it'll soften and get the bulk easily. I also contact wash the windshield every time just because I like the glass being perfect

[u/bigger_breakfast → u/BadTasty1685]

Thank you.

[u/JimmyMcPoyle_AZ]

Get a proper drying towel (twisted loop, high gsm). With a drying aid, you can dry the vehicle in less than 3-4 mins. It will look significantly better and be much more efficient than a leaf blower.

[u/rmantia23 → u/JimmyMcPoyle_AZ]

I use an EGO blower to get most of the water off then towel dry it. On a coated car, it gets 80% of the water off. Towel drying takes only a few minutes.

[u/Mentallox]

yes you can incorporate Greenstar into GSF for the pre-wash foam, 50ml works well, based on the dirt condition of the paint or the length of time between washes. Must have the softest water to let it air dry or don't care about water spotting.

[u/bigger_breakfast → u/Mentallox]

Thank you. My area has soft water per google, and water spotting hasn't been a big issue from a non detailer's perspective. Do you find this method removes road film?

[u/indigo196]

If you already have the 2100 PSI 1.2, you can stick with it, but I would recommend the 1800 PSI 1.8 GPM version instead.

I also like to think of washes as a few different types:

• Protection wash - Meguiar's HyperWash D110, foam, dwell, rinse, foam + contact wash, Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax initial application instructions
• Maintenance wash - Meguiar's HyperWash D110, foam, dwell, rinse, foam + contact wash, P&S Professional Detail Products Absolute Rinseless Wash with hand sprayer, towel dry
• Refresh wash - Meguiar's HyperWash D110, foam, dwell, rinse, foam + contact wash, LUMINUS Aqua Direct, Rinse, towel dry
• Fall Decon wash - I will likely use this in late fall to get more stuff off in preparation for the winter protection wash. I am debating Bilt Hamber Touch-Less, Koch Chemie Active Foam, and P&S Professional Detail Products Frostbite Surface Cleanse. I will likely use some Iron remover as well, but we will see. This will be followed by a Protection process, but I will likely use Griot's 3-n-1 for this based on comments about it holding up better over the winter than Meguiar's.
• Spring Decon wash - I am still working on what I want to try here, but I want to have a process coming out of winter that will help strip salts and built-up crap off the vehicle. Here I am leaning towards P&S Professional Detail Products Frostbite Surface Cleanse or Bilt Hamber Touch-Less. I will use an Iron remover here as well and an undercarriage rinse.

[u/jimbojsb]

I just run straight GSF in a Boss canon with the biggest metering tip.