Dr_Pain
04-27-2015, 03:07 PM
I've been in the detailing field for over 20 years and although I love playing with new products, new technologies, or new techniques, sometimes it is just fun to go "Old School".
This weekend started like any other weekend in South Louisiana (at this time of the year)..... a major scramble to do all the maintenance washes and seasonal "wash and wax" before the "doodoo" hits the fan. I'm a "Weekend Pro" so Friday, Saturday and Sunday is all I have to offer and I am blessed to be booked solid (with 2 employees). Here is what my weather app was showing Saturday, YUP rain and lots of it :(
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=433&d=1430143532
We were able to pack them tight Friday, and was able to do a couple of cars on Saturday morning.... but then came the deluge. The weather forecast predicted rain from around 10am to 4pm.... OUR PRIME TIME!!! We offer a valet service, but there were no delivering car in that kind of weather. So what does a guy do in this kind of weather?? Yup, wash the car in the rain!!! WHAT??? Absolutely, there is no better Old School shortcut than washing a car in the rain, especially when a car does not need to be delivered (or can wait till the ground dries up). So no tears were shed because of the potential downtime.
So what are the advantages of working in the rain??
No sun = no rush to avoid water spotting
No sun = no soap drying on a panel
No sun = cool panels
No sun = no sun burns
Constant rain = flooding of the car exterior with DEMINERALIZED water
Demineralized water = no worries about water spotting
No worries about water spotting = no worries about drying the car <---Major time saver!
So what is my process??
STEP #1: A THOROUGH RINSE DOWN, to get rid of all the caked on dirt (and other solids)
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=432&d=1430143506
STEP #2 A nice "foaming" action to begin cutting down the road grime (only if it is not raining too hard, which would prevent dwell time)
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=434&d=1430143545
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=435&d=1430143560
STEP #3 A little dwell time, followed by a 2 BM washing method
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=436&d=1430143577
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=438&d=1430143622
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=437&d=1430143608
As you can see above, the rain starts the rinsing off process (nice foamy beads), but needs to be followed by #4 for good measure.
STEP #4 A through rinse down with the pressure washer followed by a quick inspection
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=439&d=1430143634
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=440&d=1430143651
STEP #5 Just forget them in the rain for a good rinse with demineralized water
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=441&d=1430143671
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=442&d=1430143684
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=443&d=1430143703
It goes without saying that this technique only works if it if actually raining, not just a light drizzle which would not "flood" the car enough to flush the hard water minerals you get from the faucet.
Once the sun comes back out the rain will evaporate and you are left with dressing the tires and fender wells and you are good to go ;) (NOTE: Interior is done first in the shop and the vehicle is brought back outside for the wash)
Why don't you share your favorite "old school" technique. Looking forward to your comments
This weekend started like any other weekend in South Louisiana (at this time of the year)..... a major scramble to do all the maintenance washes and seasonal "wash and wax" before the "doodoo" hits the fan. I'm a "Weekend Pro" so Friday, Saturday and Sunday is all I have to offer and I am blessed to be booked solid (with 2 employees). Here is what my weather app was showing Saturday, YUP rain and lots of it :(
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=433&d=1430143532
We were able to pack them tight Friday, and was able to do a couple of cars on Saturday morning.... but then came the deluge. The weather forecast predicted rain from around 10am to 4pm.... OUR PRIME TIME!!! We offer a valet service, but there were no delivering car in that kind of weather. So what does a guy do in this kind of weather?? Yup, wash the car in the rain!!! WHAT??? Absolutely, there is no better Old School shortcut than washing a car in the rain, especially when a car does not need to be delivered (or can wait till the ground dries up). So no tears were shed because of the potential downtime.
So what are the advantages of working in the rain??
No sun = no rush to avoid water spotting
No sun = no soap drying on a panel
No sun = cool panels
No sun = no sun burns
Constant rain = flooding of the car exterior with DEMINERALIZED water
Demineralized water = no worries about water spotting
No worries about water spotting = no worries about drying the car <---Major time saver!
So what is my process??
STEP #1: A THOROUGH RINSE DOWN, to get rid of all the caked on dirt (and other solids)
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=432&d=1430143506
STEP #2 A nice "foaming" action to begin cutting down the road grime (only if it is not raining too hard, which would prevent dwell time)
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=434&d=1430143545
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=435&d=1430143560
STEP #3 A little dwell time, followed by a 2 BM washing method
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=436&d=1430143577
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=438&d=1430143622
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=437&d=1430143608
As you can see above, the rain starts the rinsing off process (nice foamy beads), but needs to be followed by #4 for good measure.
STEP #4 A through rinse down with the pressure washer followed by a quick inspection
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=439&d=1430143634
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=440&d=1430143651
STEP #5 Just forget them in the rain for a good rinse with demineralized water
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=441&d=1430143671
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=442&d=1430143684
http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=443&d=1430143703
It goes without saying that this technique only works if it if actually raining, not just a light drizzle which would not "flood" the car enough to flush the hard water minerals you get from the faucet.
Once the sun comes back out the rain will evaporate and you are left with dressing the tires and fender wells and you are good to go ;) (NOTE: Interior is done first in the shop and the vehicle is brought back outside for the wash)
Why don't you share your favorite "old school" technique. Looking forward to your comments