Two Bucket method...

F

Flynn

New member
When I'm using the two bucket method clearly one of those buckets has warm water and car shampoo in. My question is ... what does the other bucket contain? Is it just cold water, or warm water? or even more warm water and shampoo? or is warm water used at all?



Could someone advice exactly what fills my two buckets please?





(Apologies for the dim question, I'm rather new to this....)
 
The main thing that goes in the second bucket is the dirt you just wiped off your car.



By having plain water (I don't think temperature is too important to the wash process but it would certainly affect your comfort during the wash) in the second bucket you can rinse the dirt off your mitt and into the bucket.



A Grit-Guard in the rinse bucket is a good idea (but not mandatory). It helps keep the dirt down at the bottom and off your mitt.



Always squeeze excess water out of your mitt after rinsing so it can soak up plenty of soap when you go back to the first bucket.





PC.
 
i have a two bucket different way of doing it,......i use one bucket for the mid moulding UP and one for mid moulding DOWN (all the bottoms)

keeps most of the rough dirt from moving up to the top, KILLS ME :hairpull :soscared: :nervous2: TO WATCH A FELLOW DETAILER TO BRING THAT WASHMITT TO THE TOP AFTER WASHING THE BOTTOM!! :nomore:
 
psl car wash said:
i have a two bucket different way of doing it,......i use one bucket for the mid moulding UP and one for mid moulding DOWN (all the bottoms)

keeps most of the rough dirt from moving up to the top, KILLS ME :hairpull :soscared: :nervous2: TO WATCH A FELLOW DETAILER TO BRING THAT WASHMITT TO THE TOP AFTER WASHING THE BOTTOM!! :nomore:
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I use the same two bucket method as the other guys mentioned.....soapy water in one, and rinse water in the other, but I always wash from the top down. I will go to the trim line. Once I have completed the upper half of the car, then I worry about the lower half.
 
Way2SSlow said:
I use the same two bucket method as the other guys mentioned.....soapy water in one, and rinse water in the other, but I always wash from the top down. I will go to the trim line. Once I have completed the upper half of the car, then I worry about the lower half.
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:woot: kewl now that i can deal with but i cant watch the guys who just go up down up down with no regard to the debry on the bottoms :angry :angry :wall :wall

but WAY2SLOW you always have a chance with scratching tops with your mitt but with my way the mitt NEVER touches the bottom of ANY vehicle EVER in its existince!! lol :xyxthumbs
 
I use two buckets(three if you count the one for wheels, tires, wells) but both with soapy water, one for each side of the car. starting with the roof, hood, sides... I use the hose to rinse the mitts. I have tried using a rinse bucket but it gets soapy very quickly, i found the mitts get much cleaner if I rinse them with my hose(shower setting). I don't like going back and forth, side to side with two buckets, which you have to using a rinse bucket if you are starting from the top. Ideal would be to have four buckets, two for each side, but I still like to rinse with my hose.
 
i sort of use the idea of the two bucket to keep the mit clean, however i only use one bucket with the soap. i instead of washing the mit in a second bucket, i spray the mitt off with the hose
 
Mark77 said:
Ideal would be to have four buckets, two for each side, but I still like to rinse with my hose...
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My ideal (which I use) is five buckets- one wheels/tires then "2 bucket" setups for each side of car, plus four hoses- two per side, one dedicated to foamgun use. And lots of mitts. If there's any chance that a mitt has picked up something that won't rinse out I use a clean one.



Oh, and with the foamguns and the "dislodge-and-flush" approach, it's pretty incredible how little dirt ends up in the rinse buckets. For really abrasive dirt on lower panels I use the foamgun spraying through a BHB, quite free-rinsing. No dirt getting moved to other areas when you do it that way.
 
Thanks for the excellent advice everyone. That's really cleared things up.



I'll let you know how I get on tomorrow.
 
I use one bucket with grit guard in the summer and 2 bucket method in the winter when the salt and sand are out!



I dont get any more scratching or marring than normal with using just one bucket in the summer when the car doesn't have any salt or sand on it!



I'm just as anal as anyone else about my finish: foam guns, 2 buckets, 3 buckets.....it just doesn't have to be that scientific. We all polish are cars at least 2 times a year anyhow, don't we? :confused:
 
Intercooled said:
..I'm just as anal as anyone else about my finish: foam guns, 2 buckets, 3 buckets.....it just doesn't have to be that scientific. We all polish are cars at least 2 times a year anyhow, don't we? :confused:
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IMO wash technique (like most things in life) really *does* have to be scientifically worked out. By testing hypotheses, using controls, and studying the results I've been able to make incredible strides towards my goal of marring-free washing. I sure don't need to polish our vehicles two or more times a year, even with Ohio's nasty winters- I'm disappointed if I have to polish *once* a year (and I inspect ruthlessly, if it's marred I fix it). Even the minivan only needs *very* infrequent polishing; I just don't mar the paint the way I used to. Wish I'd been able to wash this gently back when the Jag was younger as years of polishing have really thinned the paint. Not gonna let that happen with my other vehicles.



But I can also understand if somebody finds occasional polishing to be less of a chore than constantly careful washing. It's all a matter of doing what works for you.
 
Accumulator said:
But I can also understand if somebody finds occasional polishing to be less of a chore than constantly careful washing. It's all a matter of doing what works for you.
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Very well said.

I personally enjoy polishing at least once year to give the finish a "new' start. I personally am carfull when washing but just am not that patient to use a foam gun etc. when doing a regular wash. I guess like Accumulator said its personal preference.
 
Accumulator said:
IMO wash technique (like most things in life) really *does* have to be scientifically worked out. By testing hypotheses, using controls, and studying the results I've been able to make incredible strides towards my goal of marring-free washing. I sure don't need to polish our vehicles two or more times a year, even with Ohio's nasty winters- I'm disappointed if I have to polish *once* a year (and I inspect ruthlessly, if it's marred I fix it). Even the minivan only needs *very* infrequent polishing; I just don't mar the paint the way I used to. Wish I'd been able to wash this gently back when the Jag was younger as years of polishing have really thinned the paint. Not gonna let that happen with my other vehicles.



But I can also understand if somebody finds occasional polishing to be less of a chore than constantly careful washing. It's all a matter of doing what works for you.
Click to expand...





Very well said :clap: I haven't found any marring on my 6 month old Volvo since I used autopian methods on it from day 1. I feel more satisfied to know I don't marr it while I wash than I feel when I'm able to remove marring(hope you understand what I mean :think: ). And I really enjoy washing more than polishing.
 
Intercooled said:
I personally enjoy polishing at least once year to give the finish a "new' start. I personally am carfull when washing but just am not that patient to use a foam gun etc. when doing a regular wash..
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Heh heh, yeah, I still like polishing the XJS too ;) The other vehicles? Well, polishing marring out of an Audi (or that Mazda minivan) just isn't my idea of fun. Using mild products to go back to "bare paint" isn't as big a deal as marring removal, so if I can limit my polishing to that sort of work I'm a happier camper. And I guess I've sorta come to like washing the way I do (what!? is this guy nuts :o ). Like most anything else, if you do it enough it starts to seem "normal".



OTOH, I sure understand people not wanting to go through my wash regimen, not like it's easy to get the hang of. For the longest time I only used it on the S8 and the Jag, and even now I don't always do the "full routine" on my wife's A8. I guess I only really get on my soapbox about this stuff when people sound like they're polishing away their clear or act like it's *impossible* to avoid marring. All a matter of trade-offs and priorities.
 
I am glad im not the only one with a mad amount off bukets and mitts used.



One Bucket with Car wash and one mitt for the top of the car.



One Bucket with Car wash and one mitt for the lower half.



One Bucket with car wash and a mitt for wheels, anther mitt for wheel wells and underbody.



A couple off Buckets with clean water to rinse the mitts changed often.
 
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