How long does it take you to wash the car?

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4-5 minutes to run it thru the car wash shop, and let the staff dry it off before I leave. Avoiding two hours of time that I will never get back on manual efforts to show off the shine on my car--priceless!
 
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
It takes me 30 minutes per vehicle.

I just need it clean, not showroom spotless.


Exactly. I rains almost everyday in South Florida and the bulk of the time you will be driving in it so 30 minutes is more then enough. Most times it starts raining before I am even done washing it as the rain comes in so fast down here in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Roughly one hour.


I'll say it is more like one hour on the cars. The van is just a lot more surface area.

Those who say 30-60 minutes, do you clean the door jambs and door bottoms?



About one hour to wash the car. That was the original question. If I do the extras plus wax add another hour.
 
If I go to the coin op, about an hour. At home in the drive-way, with two buckets - about 2 hours - but I'm pretty anal.
 
Depends on my strategy...

- If I just do a Waterless Wash, then roughly 20 minutes, plus maybe 5 minutes if I follow it with a spritz and wipe of D156

- If I do a proper 2-bucket-method wash followed by either a Wax-as-u-dry or a spray wax, then anywhere between 40 and 60 minutes. Also depends on how hot it is, and how long it's been since the last wash.

... If I'm also doing an interior clean, then add about 45 minutes more.
 
Even if I bought a fancy car, I have zero desire to spend so much time washing and waxing it.

It will just get dirty as soon as I get on the highway and drive for a few days.
 
2-3 hours, love washing and waxing all my vehicles on the weekends, good therapy and helps me unwind from the work week
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Originally Posted By: Malo83
2-3 hours, love washing and waxing all my vehicles on the weekends, good therapy and helps me unwind from the work week
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My thoughts exactly. Makes for a good relaxing break.
 
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Spray the van directly with your foam gun and wipe with a mitt then rinse.


Just doesn't work. At least as meticulous as I am with keeping the mitt clean, which means lots of rinsing of the mitt.

Even cool, in the shade, it looks like this in no time flat:

 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Just doesn't work. At least as meticulous as I am with keeping the mitt clean, which means lots of rinsing of the mitt. Even cool, in the shade, it looks like this in no time flat:


Cleaning a filthy vehicle the size of a van can be alot of work I know. Have you thought of taking the van down to a DIY car wash first and do a quicky with the brush to get the heavy stuff off. Then taking it home to do a more thorough job on it. Should keep the mitt from constantly getting dirty and having to replace the soap bucket.
 
Brushes will mar the paint. I can clean a dirty car with no noticeable marring with my method. If I were going to correct the paint I might consider that, but I wish to avoid the time and work of doing so.

Ive been successful so far with my sponges. Id love to reduce the time, but it may not be in the cards.

I dont wash very often either. Once ever 1-2 months...
 
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Just doesn't work. At least as meticulous as I am with keeping the mitt clean, which means lots of rinsing of the mitt. Even cool, in the shade, it looks like this in no time flat:


Cleaning a filthy vehicle the size of a van can be alot of work I know. Have you thought of taking the van down to a DIY car wash first and do a quicky with the brush to get the heavy stuff off. Then taking it home to do a more thorough job on it. Should keep the mitt from constantly getting dirty and having to replace the soap bucket.




The two bucket method with grit guards will go a long ways in keeping the soap bucket and mutt cleaner. The thought of using a brush on the vehicle makes me cringe.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Brushes will mar the paint.

All the places I go... use Hog Hair. I haven't noticed they damaged the paint in any way.
 
Been using a boars hair brush for 20 years - never once marred the paint on any vehicle - as long as I keep it rinsed but that goes for anything.

Fastest way to wash a big panel or hood is with that brush.



UD
 
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Brushes will mar the paint.

All the places I go... use Hog Hair. I haven't noticed they damaged the paint in any way.




Brushes leave micro scratches that don’t show unless you look real carefully or with special lighting. What can be noticeable though is if any of the vehicles before you used that brush to clean away mud or cleaned the wheel wells or other high dirt areas. Think about a mudded up Jeep in this situation. Those small rocks, sand and whatever else stay in the brush and all the cleaning in the world won’t remove them 100%.
 
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