# Hand washing vs Touchless



## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

Touchless what?

Towels?
Faucets?
Trash cans?

Take what home? You got me all confused and it's not even 9:00 yet!
I'm usually not this confused until at least noon!

DM


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

DangerMouse said:


> Touchless what?
> 
> Towels?
> Faucets?
> ...


Touchless car wash


----------



## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

Since this is a DIY site, I guess I'd have to vote for hand wash! :laughing:

Better price too.....

DM


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

DangerMouse said:


> Since this is a DIY site, I guess I'd have to vote for hand wash! :laughing:
> 
> Better price too.....
> 
> DM


what about wasting water?


----------



## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

Hand washing with a bucket of soapy water and rinsing with a hose would likely use much less water than a car washing service.
If it's a rare or 'loved' car, most owners will prefer to wash it themselves too.

DM


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

DangerMouse said:


> Hand washing with a bucket of soapy water and rinsing with a hose would likely use much less water than a car washing service.
> If it's a rare or 'loved' car, most owners will prefer to wash it themselves too.
> 
> DM



nope just 2 Toyota's.


----------



## jarheadoo7 (Jun 7, 2011)

touchless is good for a quickie.. but it will never remove the grime and oxidation that develops on paint like a good quality car soap and clean mit does.. 

sure you can develop scratches from washing your car by hand...but most people have the sense not to use a mit with stones embedded in it...


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

jarheadoo7 said:


> touchless is good for a quickie.. but it will never remove the grime and oxidation that develops on paint like a good quality car soap and clean mit does..
> 
> sure you can develop scratches from washing your car by hand...but most people have the sense not to use a mit with stones embedded in it...


I understand that part. But oxidation can't happen if you wax consistently. Touchless or not.


----------



## mustangmike3789 (Apr 10, 2011)

dinosaur1 said:


> I understand that part. But oxidation can't happen if you wax consistently. Touchless or not.


 why not? ever heard of intercoat faiures do to rust(iron oxide).


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

mustangmike3789 said:


> why not? ever heard of intercoat faiures do to rust(iron oxide).


Hasn'thappened with the 5 cars I have owned so far.....


----------



## Marty1Mc (Mar 19, 2011)

You have a higher chance scratching your paint with a touchless car wash than by using a bucket. Why? Because on the trip home from the carwash, lots of dust will hit the paint. You will then proceed to grind it into the paint as you wax. Some colors it isn't as visible. But with a high shine black paint, it will become very noticeable. 

I bucket wash my cars that I want to protect the paint. Like my red 300zx that I spent a couple hundred hours painting, color sanding and buffing. My son will only bucket wash his high gloss black Supra as well. For my wife's camry and my daily driver, my truck, and the van, I will use a car wash if I want to.


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

Marty1Mc said:


> You have a higher chance scratching your paint with a touchless car wash than by using a bucket. Why? Because on the trip home from the carwash, lots of dust will hit the paint. You will then proceed to grind it into the paint as you wax. Some colors it isn't as visible. But with a high shine black paint, it will become very noticeable.
> 
> I bucket wash my cars that I want to protect the paint. Like my red 300zx that I spent a couple hundred hours painting, color sanding and buffing. My son will only bucket wash his high gloss black Supra as well. For my wife's camry and my daily driver, my truck, and the van, I will use a car wash if I want to.


Since my Higlander is my daily driver it looks brand new mainly because I baby the thing. My issue is that when I have time to wash my suv its too sunny and hot so the last thing I want to do is wash it in the sun.....


----------



## Bill7 (Dec 18, 2009)

Car wash guy here...

But then again, I wash my '91 4Runner only once a year. Even if it doesn't need it!


----------



## mustangmike3789 (Apr 10, 2011)

dinosaur1 said:


> Hasn'thappened with the 5 cars I have owned so far.....


What color paint is on your rags when you are done waxing


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

mustangmike3789 said:


> What color paint is on your rags when you are done waxing


Microfiber rags used. A bit of dirt, nothing major.


----------



## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

dinosaur1 said:


> I understand that part. But oxidation can't happen if you wax consistently. Touchless or not.


There is oxidation on the paint the day you bring it home from the dealer. Claybar a brand-new car and you'll be able to tell how bad "brand new" paint is already.

Applying wax over a touchless-car-wash job is only going to seal grime into the paint. You want a nice deep cleaning before you put on wax. The spray-on, wipe-off stuff does little for protection. It may give you some shine and make water bead up, but it's not going to do much for paint longevity.

A touchless wash is fine for between washes, or in the winter to blast some of the salt off the car, but the car is not going to be "clean." Waxing without having a good deep clean is only going to smear around particles with your rag that can/will scratch the paint.


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

hyunelan2 said:


> There is oxidation on the paint the day you bring it home from the dealer. Claybar a brand-new car and you'll be able to tell how bad "brand new" paint is already.
> 
> Applying wax over a touchless-car-wash job is only going to seal grime into the paint. You want a nice deep cleaning before you put on wax. The spray-on, wipe-off stuff does little for protection. It may give you some shine and make water bead up, but it's not going to do much for paint longevity.
> 
> A touchless wash is fine for between washes, or in the winter to blast some of the salt off the car, but the car is not going to be "clean." Waxing without having a good deep clean is only going to smear around particles with your rag that can/will scratch the paint.


I hear you. But not washing it at all is even worse.


----------



## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

dinosaur1 said:


> I hear you. But not washing it at all is even worse.


I never wash my car in the winter. It is black, but with a wonderful white coating of road salt all winter long. I was told many years ago by a GM rep that washing a car in the winter (where salt is used) is one of the worst things one can do. Dry salt is not corrosive, and when you wash it, you send salt water deep into the seams. Salt water is very corrosive.

All that said, I have a four year old black GM. It is in showroom condition. It is clayed spring and fall a year, polished and waxed regularly in the summer.
I would never take it to a touchless. Use the two bucket method when you wash, with a good car soap, and a real sheep skin wash mitt. Start at top, be gentle and you will never get a swirl or scratch. Washing your own car by hand is like making woopie with a beautiful woman.


----------



## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

The best way to minimize scratching is to first do a gentle hand wash, changing the cloth frequently. This is to get rid of most of the coarse dust and dirt.

Then you need to do another wash to get off the oxidation.

Gee I wish there was a wax or coating that lasted more than a week.

What do you mean by claying? Buffing? Buffing takes off paint. After a finite number of times you wear right throuhg the paint and the undercoat becomes visible here and there particularly on convex corners.


----------



## Durt Ferguson (Apr 14, 2010)

AllanJ said:


> What do you mean by claying?


He's talking about using claybar to remove all the tiny little ground in particles. Google 'claybar car'. You rub your car with clay (made specifically for this purpose) to remove surface contaminations.


----------



## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

Claybar is to automotive detailing, what a hammer is to a carpenter. Removes everything, doesn't hurt the paint (unless you are wreckless/careless) and gives you a smooth, even surface to apply compounds, polishes, glazes, and waxes.


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

polarzak said:


> I never wash my car in the winter. It is black, but with a wonderful white coating of road salt all winter long. I was told many years ago by a GM rep that washing a car in the winter (where salt is used) is one of the worst things one can do. Dry salt is not corrosive, and when you wash it, you send salt water deep into the seams. Salt water is very corrosive.
> 
> All that said, I have a four year old black GM. It is in showroom condition. It is clayed spring and fall a year, polished and waxed regularly in the summer.
> I would never take it to a touchless. Use the two bucket method when you wash, with a good car soap, and a real sheep skin wash mitt. Start at top, be gentle and you will never get a swirl or scratch. Washing your own car by hand is like making woopie with a beautiful woman.


Great info


----------



## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

dinosaur1...just wanted to add a couple of things. While I never wash my cars in the winter, I to get them oil sprayed every fall. Also, check out the Mequiiars wax forums http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/index.php
Lots of great information, tips, tricks, to keeping your vehicle gleaming and blemish free.


----------



## dinosaur1 (Nov 22, 2009)

polarzak said:


> dinosaur1...just wanted to add a couple of things. While I never wash my cars in the winter, I to get them oil sprayed every fall. Also, check out the Mequiiars wax forums http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/index.php
> Lots of great information, tips, tricks, to keeping your vehicle gleaming and blemish free.


Thanks


----------



## rafaelrobertson (6 mo ago)

dinosaur1 said:


> Which is safer over time?
> 
> Touchless is great and is less time consuming. I can always take it home to spray wax or wax afterwards....
> 
> ...


if It is a DIY task, snow foam the car, pressure wash it off after 10 minutes, repeat if really crudded up.

Then use the two bucket method to wash the car followed by a rinse using 0 ppm water and the result will be stunning.


----------



## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

@rafaelrobertson you have a knack. This is an 12 year old thread.


----------

