Hand Washing Car, How Long?
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Hand Washing Car, How Long?
So it finally warmed up earlier this week and I had a chance to wash the car. I’ve bought into the whole “foam cannon” routine along with the 2 bucket meathod to help reduce any chance of scratching the paint. I actually like the foam cannon and once set up, makes the actual hand washing part easier.
Start to finish, setting up the pressure washer, hoses, etc. and putting everything away took me just under 2 hours. This includes a good cleaning of the wheels, blow drying the car with an electric leaf blower followed by hand drying and a quick detailing spray.
This got me wondering how much time other people take when washing their cars. Please share. Thanks,
David
Start to finish, setting up the pressure washer, hoses, etc. and putting everything away took me just under 2 hours. This includes a good cleaning of the wheels, blow drying the car with an electric leaf blower followed by hand drying and a quick detailing spray.
This got me wondering how much time other people take when washing their cars. Please share. Thanks,
David
#2
Club AutoUnion
2 hours sounds about right — I do not have a foam cannon, I just use the “2 bucket method” and a regular garden hose. Washing the S5 versus my last car (RSX) takes about half the time and I think it’s the ceramic coating on the S5. I don’t find that I have to wash any particular area more than another, where the RSX required a lot of attention on the whole lower body to get the “road dirt” off.
I feel the Ceramic was a great investment for my car.
As always YMMV.
— John
I feel the Ceramic was a great investment for my car.
As always YMMV.
— John
#3
AudiWorld Super User
The mobile detailer I use highly recommends ONR (Optimum No Rinse). I am going to give that a try in a few weeks once my surgically repaired arm has recovered sufficiently, but from what I have read, it will take significantly less time than the foam cannon/two-bucket process. During the hot Texas summer, it's extremely difficult to prevent the car from drying prematurely and leaving water spots, so a no-rinse solution may mitigate that problem.
#4
Club AutoUnion
I do use ONR, but still rinse my car if the weather permits. The Detailer who applied my Ceramic strongly recommends ONR (after initially hating it as it doesn’t foam like “normal” car wash solutions) to wash the Ceramic.
— John
— John
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Which coating do you have? I'm planning to get Opti Gloss Coat (supposed to be good for two years) applied next week. Instead of rinsing when using ONR, I am going to try to dry with a quick detailer. It would be nice to save time not having to drag the hose around the house.
#6
AudiWorld Super User
I did a quick hand wash yesterday at lunch, spray down, clean rims, wash, rinse, squeege and towel dry all in about 15 minutes. It use to take me about 45 minutes to do a quick wash with my SUV. These small cars are great, easy to wash and easy to clean off snow.
#7
AudiWorld Senior Member
I spent 4.5 hours yesterday doing a full detail and wax on my car. I have ceramic as well, but it hasn’t really wow’d me like it has others. I started by finishing off the car, one pass with a foam cannon, rinse, repeat foam cannon and use the two bucket method to get any dirt off the car. I then dried off the car with a waffle towel, where needed.
Next, I used a butter wax and waxed/buffed the whole car, including windows and then turned to detailing my wheels and chrome tips. Finally, I cleaned the inside glass, treated all the leather and vinyl interior parts and exterior vinyl.
I don’t do this level of detail very often, but I had time and it was nice outside yesterday. Plus I wanted to see what a butter wax would look like on top of ceramic. It looks good! The car has a very deep and sick looking shine to it. I’m a fan and it didn’t take too much extra time.
A normal hand wash and exterior detailing takes me about 2-2.5 hours.
Next, I used a butter wax and waxed/buffed the whole car, including windows and then turned to detailing my wheels and chrome tips. Finally, I cleaned the inside glass, treated all the leather and vinyl interior parts and exterior vinyl.
I don’t do this level of detail very often, but I had time and it was nice outside yesterday. Plus I wanted to see what a butter wax would look like on top of ceramic. It looks good! The car has a very deep and sick looking shine to it. I’m a fan and it didn’t take too much extra time.
A normal hand wash and exterior detailing takes me about 2-2.5 hours.
Last edited by arrtewwx; 03-17-2019 at 06:52 AM.
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#9
Club AutoUnion
Which coating do you have? I'm planning to get Opti Gloss Coat (supposed to be good for two years) applied next week. Instead of rinsing when using ONR, I am going to try to dry with a quick detailer. It would be nice to save time not having to drag the hose around the house.
As this is my first German Car in 36 years I was not expecting all the brake dust the Audi generates, which is why I had the Detailer take the wheels off to coat them — front & back — and it makes a tremendous difference when washing the car. When my 18” wheels came in back in January, I had him treat those wheels with the same product. For me it is so worth the price he charged me.
— John
#10
AudiWorld Member
No coatings here aside from Maguiar's Hybrid Ceramic after each wash. The entire process , Sonax and wash wheels, foam cannon wash, rinse, clay mit, rinse, polish, interior detail, vacuum, usually takes about 3.5 hours. And since every time I do this I am also compelled to do the GF's TT-S, we are looking at a full day.