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If you live in California, you probably already know that you're not allowed to wash your car without a shut-off nozzle...I've been using a hose with shut-off nozzle and conserving water in the house, but restrictions are getting tougher.
Has anyone tried washing a car as big as the S class using a waterless or rinse-less wash before? I am addicted to traditional washing and Beverly Hills just passed very strict conservation regulations, which limits ALL forms of washing outside (including using a bucket w/ water such as an ONR wash). If I can't use ONR outside, any tips?
Any ideas on how to keep my '14 S looking great without having to resort to the commercial car wash?
Post pics of your W222 if you cleaned it without a bucket and/or hose!
If you live in California, you probably already know that you're not allowed to wash your car without a shut-off nozzle...I've been using a hose with shut-off nozzle and conserving water in the house, but restrictions are getting tougher.
Has anyone tried washing a car as big as the S class using a waterless or rinse-less wash before? I am addicted to traditional washing and Beverly Hills just passed very strict conservation regulations, which limits ALL forms of washing outside (including using a bucket w/ water such as an ONR wash). If I can't use ONR outside, any tips?
Any ideas on how to keep my '14 S looking great without having to resort to the commercial car wash?
Post pics of your W222 if you cleaned it without a bucket and/or hose!
Wash it inside the garage................(or move out of state )
there have been times I'd just wet several towels, ring them out, and do a panel at a time, the hood, truck etc......without using the hose and running water, the bottoms of the doors on the sport body are hell to keep clean from brake dust combined with water running down from all area's.......another problem; uh, challenge is white paint
There is an old method known as "the 3 bucket method".
One bucket contains clean water with car wash detergent.
Two Buckets contain clean water to begin with.
Take clean washing cloth (sponge,...) and dip in the detergent bucket.
Rub over cars surface 3sq-ft to 1sq-yard.
Dunk cloth in second bucket to remove dirt from rag.
Then dunk it in the third bucket to remove the semi-dirty detergent.
Then dunk it in bucket one.
Repeat until bucket 2 becomes dirty.
Dump bucket two, fill with fresh water, place bucket 3 where bucket 2 was and bucket 2 becomes the new bucket 3.
Repeat until the whole car is clear.
The trick is to avoid transferring dirt into the detergent bucket so the clothe on the car always starts as clean as it was at the beginning.
I can wash my Ferrari in about 6 gallons of water, and the S600 in about 8 gallons of water.
I've tried the rinse less wash on a g55 in the middle of winter here in NY to try to get off salt residue and just general winter nastiness. I didn't like it at all. I thought it left residue on the paint and certain spots looked streaky (like if you didn't wash off the soap fast enough on a regular wash). Feeling the paint afterwards, it felt dirty still.
It could certainly be the user but it wasn't for me.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
For the first six years of this SL's life, she was washed with one gallon of water, about once every week or two. I would take a bucket and a sponge and gently wet one panel at a time, allow the dirt to loosen, then swipe the area again with the wet sponge and dry the panel, etc. Admittedly, I never allowed the car to get really dirty, but the car looks today, almost exactly as it did on March 31, 2004 when I took delivery of her.
For the past several years, I have been taking the SL to The Car Spa in Newport Beach. The car is pulled along a mechanized line, where humans soap her up and then she is power rinsed and blown mostly dry. The finish work takes about 15 to 20 minutes. 99% of the water used at The Car Spa is filtered and reused. This costs $17.95 and I always tip the finisher.
Washing your car in your driveway with a hose is a frigging mess and if you are in a drought area, it should be a misdemeanor. With modern car wash facilities, WHY would anyone want to wash their own car, unless it was truly something special, like a high dollar collector car? And then, I would suggest using my one gallon method. Forget the frigging hose, especially in California!
Oh, and for my S550, I'm a Car Spa Member: for $59.95 a month, I can bring that car in and have it washed as many times as I like, weekdays. AND, this is on Pacific Coast Highway, in Newport Beach. While my car is being washed, I watch all the crazies in their Ferraris, McLarens and other ***** substitutes roar by, as I sip a cup of the complimentary Peet's Coffee. Wash my car myself? Yeah, right.
Last edited by Streamliner; Jun 13, 2015 at 12:00 AM.
Thanks for all the feedback guys! Water restrictions are terrible - I barely eat beef, take short showers, and the plants around the house are all dead, but the problem goes beyond just me. For those in LA, I read that they only have 4 water cops for millions of residential consumers, so chances are they won't brave the canyon roads and hills.
Hopefully, the neighbors won't be an issue - most of them have incredibly green lawns and have private gates/gardens so no one can see where they are using water and how much! I'm pretty sure they still don't know there's a drought to begin with
I'll continue to use my shutoff nozzle for now and do it at odd hours - I guess it's then ONR with 2-3 buckets with Grit Guards from now on in the driveway and take the risk.
I think the last time I used a rinseless wash in the garage, it leaked to the lower level of the house (office is right under my garage!). I am not a fan of the "100% Hand Wash" car washes at all - the chemicals they use have so much acid they damage clearcoat and brakes like crazy. Plus, the towels look like cotton rags and not premium microfiber - I would like to avoid swirls at all costs. In fact, I just spent 15+ hours detailing my '08 with 120K miles a week ago and it looks showroom new.
Wash it inside the garage................(or move out of state )
Reading through this thread, I have to say your solution is probably the most sane for anyone who is fed up with the ever-increasing nanny state. I mean you know the Governor is only going to impose even more onerous water restrictions down the road, while at the same time continuing to flush tens of millions of gallons into the Pacific to attempt to save a river smelt and refusing to build additional reservoirs or desalination plants. I'm all for water conservation, but at some point you have to try a more balanced approach and also try to increase the amount of water supply for a growing population. I just can't imagine there are too many people in California thrilled with this restrictions only approach.
The problem is that if you wipe a dirty car panel with a wet rag, sponge or towel, you are essentially sanding your car. Well, not essentially - you are sanding your car. You will have swirl scratches like crazy on a dark car if you do that.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by Yidney
The problem is that if you wipe a dirty car panel with a wet rag, sponge or towel, you are essentially sanding your car. Well, not essentially - you are sanding your car. You will have swirl scratches like crazy on a dark car if you do that.
There are ZERO swirl marks on my SL. That said, after reading these posts, one can only say "to each his own."
2008 S550, 2006 911, 2006 M5, 2005 F-150 King Ranch
I tried a dry product and was amazed...
called Chadwicks and is local to me
The detailer always comes on Saturday to do a neighbors car as I do mine also. I started to chat with him and he showed me his product that uses no water. He wanted to try a section on mine and I was hesitant as I have a black car and is spotless.
Needless to say I was very impressed as he did my whole car. I did not buy it as I love to detail my own car with water on Saturday. Stress relief!
But here is website and would use it if I had restrictions
The detailer always comes on Saturday to do a neighbors car as I do mine also. I started to chat with him and he showed me his product that uses no water. He wanted to try a section on mine and I was hesitant as I have a black car and is spotless.
Needless to say I was very impressed as he did my whole car. I did not buy it as I love to detail my own car with water on Saturday. Stress relief!
But here is website and would use it if I had restrictions
Thanks for the tip
I already bought a gallon of a waterless wash, but once I go through it, I will make sure to give this a closer look.
I'm scared to use a waterless wash on my Anthracite Blue W222 because the levels of smog and industrial fallout in LA and construction dust accumulates so fast...
Cleaning the body of the car I usually do with a rinseless product. I use the Adam's Polishes products and have had good success with their stuff for a few years.
Doing a rinseless wash will leave less water on the garage floor than driving a wet car in the garage from a rain storm.
The video on this page may be helpful. http://adamspolishes.com/shop/exteri...-car-wash.html
I spray this stuff on, let it saturate a bit and use a microfiber to wipe it off gently taking care not to use the same microfiber area again. A few micro fiber towels and this spray is all I need for a clean car in about 15 minutes.
I've heard good things about Optimum No Rinse but I have not used it yet...
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