QEW Users; my pre-soaking/winter routine

S

stilez

New member
Now that the cold weather is upon most of the US, it was time for my second season with my pre-soaking routine and cold weather washing regimen.





I use a pesticide sprayer available at Lowe's or Home Depot which runs around $20. It is used by pumping the handle and holding the wand to spray. If pumped enough, it will spray as hard as a low pressure hose. Also, it will fit in most trunks; if not, then in the rear seat footwell.





I fill this sprayer with 1 oz per gallon with QEW and 2 oz per gallon of Poorboy's Spray and Wipe. When I QEW in the winter, I use warm water (if available) when presoaking. I spray top to bottom, spending more time on extremely soiled areas.





For my winter QEW use, I use double the QEW, S+W and warm water. For instance, in my 3 gallon bucket, I will use 6 oz of QEW and about 8-10 oz of S+W to insure optimal slickness and cleaning power. I also use a chenille pad as compared to my usual sheep wool mitt due to the amount of solution it holds. I only do 1 panel at a time, drying afterwards to insure the water won't freeze to the panel.





Before

IMG_0292.jpg






Spraying

IMG_0293.jpg






Washing

IMG_0294.jpg








Any questions, feel free.
 
Similiar to what I have done for the past two years. I have a couple of 48 oz sprayers and a 3 gallon one similiar to yours in the pic. The small ones I use to pretreat the panel I am going to wash (using two bucket method with QEW) with a QEW miz (same ratio as the wash). I use the three gallon sprayer to help with wheel wells and the backside of rims. Works really well.
 
Awesome info Sean. I just QEW'd yesterday using the 2 bucket method. I think I am going to go to Lowes to pick up a sprayer. It seems to make the whole process alot easier. :clap:
 
I use a 1/2 gallon pump sprayer with the QEW mix. FWIW, some of the 2 gallon sprayers have an input ofr air. Those of you with access to compressed air can fill them via your compressor....
 
I used QEW yesterday for the first time ever. My driveway weather was about the same as yours. I sprayed the panel with a 1/2 oz to 1 qt solution (32 oz spray bottle), and used 1 gal w/ 1 oz in a bucket, and a second bucket to rinse the wash mitt.



I gotta say I am impressed. The whole time, I am thinking that I was trashing my paint, but QEW does what it claims... the car came out great! I'm sold! :)
 
pumping up the sprayer helps keep me warm. :dance Mine is without a wand....I think I'll pick one up with one to help get to the wheel wells.
 
GSRstilez said:
Now that the cold weather is upon most of the US, it was time for my second season with my pre-soaking routine and cold weather washing regimen.





I use a pesticide sprayer available at Lowe's or Home Depot which runs around $20. It is used by pumping the handle and holding the wand to spray. If pumped enough, it will spray as hard as a low pressure hose. Also, it will fit in most trunks; if not, then in the rear seat footwell.





I fill this sprayer with 1 oz per gallon with QEW and 2 oz per gallon of Poorboy's Spray and Wipe. When I QEW in the winter, I use warm water (if available) when presoaking. I spray top to bottom, spending more time on extremely soiled areas.





For my winter QEW use, I use double the QEW, S+W and warm water. For instance, in my 3 gallon bucket, I will use 6 oz of QEW and about 8-10 oz of S+W to insure optimal slickness and cleaning power. I also use a chenille pad as compared to my usual sheep wool mitt due to the amount of solution it holds. I only do 1 panel at a time, drying afterwards to insure the water won't freeze to the panel.









Any questions, feel free.
Click to expand...





Hey looks like I am not the only one using the chenille pad. couple of questions on your use of the pad. do you really load that bad boy up ( it holds a ton of water ) second I see in your pic you have it scrunched up not flat on the surface. I seem to prefer to scrunch the pad and let some QEW run down the panel before swiping the area. last question would be how much of an area do you swipe before you rinse? sorry for all the questions but I like the pad however seems like I use twice as ( nearly two gallons per SUV) much as I should. suppose more is better to combat marring but do I really need that much? :confused: I do pretreat the area with a 32 oz sprayer.
 
flatstick: Yep, I scrunch it to release the solution.



On a vehicle that dirty I will do like 3-4 swipes, then flip, 3-4 swipes and rinse the pad.



I use about 1 gallon worth of pre-soak and 1-2 gallons of wash (in bucket) per total wash.
 
GSRstilez said:
flatstick: Yep, I scrunch it to release the solution.



On a vehicle that dirty I will do like 3-4 swipes, then flip, 3-4 swipes and rinse the pad.



I use about 1 gallon worth of pre-soak and 1-2 gallons of wash (in bucket) per total wash.
Click to expand...





Thanks for the confirmation, the scrunch deal seems to be made for the pad and QEW. sounds like I am using the corect amount of solution. about 3/4 quart from the sprayer and 1.5 to 2 gallons in my wash bucket. 3 gallons in my rinse bucket with gritguard seems perfect for me. thanks for the info. may have to check out the spayer it looks like a good idea. if you get me the chance can you please shoot me a pm? as always appreciate your time and effort.
 
so this is your regimen for washing cars in the winter. Do you rinse after this or just spray and then wipe with that sponge then wipe clean. It seems as if the car were real dirty you would induce marring or is this just a presoak to loosen dirt. Man im lost :confused:
 
Jay: After mitt washing, I usually mist a QD or S+W and then dry. Regardless, on vehicles that dirty with QEW, you are bound to have very minor marring. With my vehicles, I will pressure wash first, pull in the garage, then QEW.
 
GSRstilez said:
Jay: After mitt washing, I usually mist a QD or S+W and then dry. Regardless, on vehicles that dirty with QEW, you are bound to have very minor marring. With my vehicles, I will pressure wash first, pull in the garage, then QEW.
Click to expand...



Oh i was also going to ask since you live in an apartment complex. When your doing cars at your place do you wash them there as well. Or do you take them somewhere wash then qew at your place. Im moving into an apartment by the end of the month but i got a garage to do cars if i need to. just wanted to see how you do it. also the S&W thats not the same thing as thhe megs final touch is it. DO you usually qew then use the detail spray or just the qew and thats it? thats a lot of ?'s for 1 post i know :chuckle:
 
QEW, then detail spray.





When living in an apt complex, I would go to the DIY place, pressure wash top to bottom, then bring it home and QEW.



I have a hose hookup now, so its easier on my end.
 
Sean...



Quick question. Do you also have a bucket with rinse water to wash out the chenille pad after each panel???
 
Pat: Usually, but not on the day with the Audi. I couldn't find enough containers to store the water and my client was sleeping inside (no access to his water). It left a little bit of micro-marring, I noticed, when the sun came out. From now on, I save all my gallon containers :).
 
:LOLOL :clap:



Necesity truly is the mother of ingenuity.... :up Who wouldn have thought of a pesticide sprayer? I always learn something new here. You crank me up guys!





Alex



PS. They should be in clearance by now.
 
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