2 Bucket washing method

While trolling a few detailing web sites, I noticed a method of washing vehicles that made enough sense for me to try. It seemed to work for me. Your results may vary. It is simple and inexpensive and might actually save some scratches or swirl marks on you El Camino.

It involves using two five gallon buckets. One bucket is strictly used for your car wash soap solution. The second bucket is strictly used as a wash mitt rinse bucket.

I put about a gallon of water along with my favorite “car wash soap” in the soap bucket. Fill (at least 4 gallons) the second bucket with clean fresh water. I installed an inexpensive dirt trap in the bottom of the “rinse bucket” called “Grit Guard”.

While washing the vehicle, you soap up the mitt from the “car wash soap” bucket, and then wash a section of the vehicle. Now before you put the dirty mitt back in the “car wash soap” bucket, put it in the “rinse bucket” and swirl it around to dislodge any dirt. Now take your “rinsed” wash mitt and put it back in the “car wash soap” bucket to continue. Keep using this procedure for the remainder of the vehicle.

The idea is that you will not be depositing any dirt (that you just washed off) back onto the vehicle.

When I read the procedure, it kinda made sense, but wanted to see if it was based on fact. So, check out the pictures below and form your own opinion. The pictures were taken after washing a fairly clean vehicle. You can clearly see that the rinse bucket on the right is a dark murky grey. Even though it is a little tough to see, the “car wash bucket” is still fairly clean. I then removed the Grit Guard and poured out the water to see what was left behind. You can see the dirt that fell through the Grit Guard and was not deposited back onto the vehicle. Again, this was a fairly clean vehicle to begin with.

Items used:
2 five gallon buckets (I got mine at Home Depot for $2.00 a piece)
1 Grit Guard (cost $9.95 from Grit Guard (https://www.gritguard.com/catalog/) )
1 Micro Fiber wash mitt ($6.00 from Df Towel (http://www.dftowel.com/))
Actual car wash solution designed for car washing. NOT dishwashing detergent. I use Zaino car wash (http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=Z-7&Category_Code=Zaino)

http://elcaminocentral.com/albums/album358/2washbucket1.sized.jpg

http://elcaminocentral.com/albums/album358/2washbucket2.sized.jpg

http://elcaminocentral.com/albums/album358/gritguard.sized.jpg

Good one!

John 8)

My dad always used 3 wash mitts one for the top front, one for the top and back, and another for the lower parts.

He never put one he used back in the soap water.

His reasoning was wash mitts are CHEAP and a paint job is expensive.

A sure fire way not to put the dirt back on you just removed.

So Bruce, like father like son washing that beautiful red Elco??? That is one sweet ride you got there. Great restoration. Nice job.

DOH, forgot to sign in.

So Bruce, like father like son washing that beautiful red Elco??? That is one sweet ride you got there. Great restoration. Nice job.

The overall technique sounds good to me, so I think I'll do that from now on.

I installed an inexpensive dirt trap in the bottom of the “rinse bucket” called “Grit Guard”.

Curious.... how much of a difference do you think the grit guard made?

I'm not really sure how much the Grit Guard helped or not. It "seemed" to work as designed (letting the dirt drop through to the bottom). But while looking at the rinse bucket, the dirt was coming off the the mitt. So I would think that if you at least did the two bucket method, even without the Grit Guard, you would be a head of the game. I would also think for a dark color vehicle, it would help quite a bit.

Gotcha.

I have a cheap source for 5 gallon buckets. (restaurant pickles came in them). I get them for 25 cents a piece, so instead of buying the grit guard, I'll try stacking one bucket (with a bunch of large holes in the bottom) inside another, and use that combo for the rinse bucket.

I'll post my results.

The two bucket method and/or the grid guard are very popular on the detailing forums such as autopia.org and detailcity.com Many people swear by one or the other.

I use the guard myself, if nothing else it keeps the wash towel or mitt from picking up sediment off the bottom. For less than $10 it's s small price to pay in the constant war against scratches.

Paint jobs are expensive! Modern paints are far more robust than the older single stage finishes and harder, harder to damage. Factory Clear Coats are so thin that too much cleaner wax can remove enough of the clear coat over time that it ends up ruining the paint job. The two bucket methods would make that last longer and for the older paints it's pretty close to a must if you want that paint job to last and have as few scratches as possible.

If you've had the paint job put on yourself and the shop used the BC/CC paints then that clear coat is pretty think and very, very hard. Scratches are less likely to show up and cleaner wax will generally remove some of them and for sure a fine cut rubbing compound would. You could probably re-color sand some of them because of the thickness in the clear coats. I like to have at minimum 3 coats of clear over the base coat just in case I do get a moderately deep scratch so I can re-sand or better use a coarse cut rubbing compound or if I get something on the finish that damaged the top surface I first try to rub it out then if that doesn't work I'll sand it out with something like 2000 2500.

But you can do the same thing or pretty close with your garden hose. Instead of rinsing the mitt in the wash water spray it off with the garden hose. Wouldn't that be about the same as another bucket with clean water in it?

So Bruce, like father like son washing that beautiful red Elco??? That is one sweet ride you got there. Great restoration. Nice job.

Well it seems to work for me. And thanks for the kind comment about my elky.

I use the guard myself, if nothing else it keeps the wash towel or mitt from picking up sediment off the bottom. For less than $10 it's s small price to pay in the constant war against scratches.

Agreed. I fabricated my home-made, 25 cent grit guard last night. I'll try to post pics tomorrow.

But you can do the same thing or pretty close with your garden hose. Instead of rinsing the mitt in the wash water spray it off with the garden hose. Wouldn't that be about the same as another bucket with clean water in it?

I would bet you would get the same result (if not better), but I would think it would be more combersome than just an extra bucket of water. :?:

I never use a washing mitt because they are almost sure to cause scratching from trapped dirt. I use a very fine hogs hair brush, very dilute car wash mixture in a spray bottle and lots of clean running water. Works for me.

Well, I didn't get a chance to try it yet, as it is raining right now, but here is a shot of what I fabricated:

http://elcaminocentral.com/users/77ss/forumpics/washbuckets.jpg

I took an extra bucket, and drilled a series of holes in the bottom. I also cut off the top section, not because I needed to, but because I could, and it makes for a lower profile. The green "grit guard" nests perfectly into the other bucket.

http://elcaminocentral.com/users/77ss/forumpics/washbuckets2.jpg

The color coded buckets are great for us dumb guys.... white for clean soapy water, black for rinsing the dirty mit!

That's a great setup Steve, very well done. I do think you need more holes as grit could still settle between them on the bottom of the green bucket. Maybe connect some with straight cuts so thhere is less surface area on the bottom?

But never mind all that... I want to know how you made all the holes so neat and concentric! :D

But never mind all that... I want to know how you made all the holes so neat and concentric!

Ancient Chinese Secret

:D I couldn't help but laugh Steve.

I trust you don't need the green color to let you know there are holes drilled in the bottom.

I know some West Virginia folks that would.

Take care.

77SS wrote: The color coded buckets are great for us dumb guys.... white for clean soapy water, black for rinsing the dirty mit!



Way to funny. The green bucket had the pickles?? LOL. Now I know I why I was having so much trouble concentrating while washing..... I had two orange buckets. My bad.

Now tell us the truth Steve. What were your kids and wife thinking when dad was measuring and drilling the bucket? :)

Oh, one more thing... Steve, does it make a difference if you drill the holes from the inside out or the outside in? I would think the dirt flows differently depending on how you drilled the holes?

Enquiring minds want to know! :cool:

I just tried it, and as a true test, I washed inside the wheel wells, after the body. The technique worked great! I strained the rinse water through a coffee filter when I was done.

http://elcaminocentral.com/users/77ss/forumpics/grit.jpg

I do think you need more holes as grit could still settle between them on the bottom of the green bucket.

No, the holes worked fine, but I did notice a little bit of accumulation around the edges, so I just blasted more holes around the perimeter.

But never mind all that... I want to know how you made all the holes so neat and concentric!

All jokes aside, I just eyeballed it with a drill.

Now tell us the truth Steve. What were your kids and wife thinking when dad was measuring and drilling the bucket? :)

You know, I've putzed around with making goofy stuff my whole life. (Maybe that's why I do it for a living). My family doesn't even think twice about it.

Now the neighbors are another story!

Oh, one more thing... Steve, does it make a difference if you drill the holes from the inside out or the outside in? I would think the dirt flows differently depending on how you drilled the holes?

No, the holes are large enough, that it doesn't make a difference. Besides, you can't fit a drill down inside, so you have to go from the outside!

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After I was done, it struck me that the two bucket method is better than one, and the grit guard is probably better than none, so it probably doesn't hurt to do use one or both techniques.

Heck, my homemade grit guard was so simple to make and use, I'm going to make another for the soap bucket too! Couldn't hurt.

By the way, I like to use one of those bath puff/scrubber things for the wheel wells. They don't fall apart like sponges, and I don't have to use my wash mit.

http://www.timetoindulge.co.uk/pictures/bathscrunchie.jpg

This is just to bump the post after I edited the last one.