Large car lot question

[Jaredfromsubway]

Hey guys. I'm the head detailer for a used auto dealership. I primarily detail Range Rovers, Jeeps, and sports cars. Once they are finished, they go to the lot and sit there. During their sitting, they accumulate the usual lot fallout that rests on cars that sit in the same place all week long. Usually this fallout is pollen, water spots from rain, smudges from people putting their hands on the windows, but nothing to major other than the occasional bird droppings.

Now once a week, my bosses would like me to clean all 20+ cars on the lot, basically a touch-up to eliminate the fallout that sits on the cars from them resting. Most of this is just surface residue that's sitting lightly on top of the sealant or waxing. I would like to make this process of cleaning a multitude (20+) cars at a time, a quick operation.

Rather than driving them back to the covered detailing shed and washing them one by one, I would like a faster method to clean them. My quickest though is a wipe down with a waterless car wash. Something that won't leave streaking, and is easy to apply and remove quickly with a microfiber towel. This way, I can just go out the the lot, mist them down, wipe off, and the sealant and wax does their job of keeping the paint protected, so that this fallout is easily removed.

What product, or method, would you all recommend for this weekly task?

 

[Dubbin1]

A rinseless wash would be my choice

DP Rinseless Wash & Gloss

 

[Poorboy]

Spray and Wipe is made for just that and it's available in 5 gallons that make it very economical ... no hose.. no buckets.. no mess!!

 

[Ronkh]

IMHO if it's what you described........

I'd fill a garden sprayer with PB spray and wipe and go for it.

 

[Calogero]

I'd go with what Ronkh said or use ONR Wash and Shine in a chemical sprayer.

 

[E's Exteriors]

I know this isn't the way we do things around here but, try a good rinse with deionized water. Honestly its a car lot and all they really care about is the bottom line.

 

[Pockets]

Rather than driving them back to the covered detailing shed and washing them one by one, I would like a faster method to clean them. My quickest thought is a wipe down with a waterless car wash. Something that won't leave streaking, and is easy to apply and remove quickly with a microfiber towel. This way, I can just go out the the lot, mist them down, wipe off, and the sealant and wax does their job of keeping the paint protected, so that this fallout is easily removed.

What product, or method, would you all recommend for this weekly task?

Spray and Wipe

 

[tuscarora dave]

I know this isn't the way we do things around here but, try a good rinse with deionized water. Honestly its a car lot and all they really care about is the bottom line.

I like this suggestion the best for the situation at hand but I would still vote S&W or S&G as a drying aid. You would use a lot less product and towels both. I know around here I get a lot of fall out settling in a week.

 

[Mr. Clean]

I know this isn't the way we do things around here but, try a good rinse with deionized water. Honestly its a car lot and all they really care about is the bottom line.

I like this suggestion the best for the situation at hand but I would still vote S&W or S&G as a drying aid. You would use a lot less product and towels both. I know around here I get a lot of fall out settling in a week.

For the sake of speed in a wholesale (volume) environment. I agree with TD that the combination of the power rinse followed by towel drying combined with S&W would yield the best results. Even faster than by S&W or ONR alone.

 

[00GREENMACHINE]

will the spray and wipe enhance any gloss?

 

[Ronkh]

will the spray and wipe enhance any gloss?

spray and wipe, no. it will give you back what you started with
spray and gloss, yes.

 

[Jaredfromsubway]

Lots of great advice here, thanks guys. I wish I had de-ionized water to work with that would be great; unfortunately I don't. I do use the pressure washer everyday though, but I find rinsing it first and drying it down still consumes to much time when I have 20+ cars to do.

I took all of your advice and used our own brand of ONR, S&W, whatever generic waterless wash you want to think of. Ours is called "Body-Shine", its the exact same principle as what you all recommend. I found that it worked great, IF I was working under cloud cover, or in heavy shade. If I work with this stuff in the sun, it immediately dries, and ends up looking just as bad as water spots. So I have to drive the cars under cover to wipe them down, which kind of stinks.

Does, ONR or S&W work IN the sun? Meaning in this hot Texas heat, can I walk into the lot and use ONR or S&W without the fear of it drying and leaving streaks? If thats so, I'll spring for a bottle and pass up our shop's body shine. One thing my managers are not afraid of, is spending money for the detailing bay. They just sprung for a $500 carpet extractor, which works amazing!

So I look forward to hearing yalls advice on ONR or S&W use in the sun. I understand that I will still have to spray and wipe quickly, but this body shine doesnt even give me a half second before it dries on contact.

 

[Mr. Clean]

...So I look forward to hearing yalls advice on ONR or S&W use in the sun. I understand that I will still have to spray and wipe quickly, but this body shine doesnt even give me a half second before it dries on contact.

The short answer...Yes. FYI, ONR can be mixed into a QD dilution, but it is primarily a rinseless wash so you would have a wash bucket mitt/sponge towel dry. S&W is well...spray it and wipe it.

Repeating myself, and JMO as I have not timed it, but hitting the vehicle with your pressure washer and rinse water only following with the S&W would seem to be a pretty quick process. For reference, I primarily use my S&W as a drying aid and cleaning areas where I don't want to introduce a lot of water (like door jambs).

 

[Poorboy]

Spray and Wipe is meant to be used in the sun, even on the hottest days without streaking .. on Black

 

[tuscarora dave]

I use a few squirts per panel with the water still on the car. I actually go around and spray 2 to 4 squirts on all the panels then grab my drying towel and simply dry the entire car. This is with S&G and the car always looks nice and glossy. The hot summer days here are not as hot as they are in Texas though.