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Washing with No Driveway

Discussion in 'Detailing' started by sprtbkr, Jul 6, 2018.

  1. Jul 6, 2018 at 6:59 AM
    #1
    sprtbkr

    sprtbkr [OP] Average Member

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    Scott
    Denver, CO
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tundra SR5 4x4 Double Cab - Inferno
    TRD Wheels & Tires, Double Cab Fold-down Back Seat mod, LED Interior Lighting, Turned Off Seat Belt Chime, Franken-key (Flip Key), Duraliner Bed Liner, Bed Rails, Hood Wind Deflector, Console Gun Safe, iBoard 5" Running Boards, TRD Sport Bed Vinyl, Fortin Evo One Remote Start with Mycar Cellular Module, Plasti-dipped Badges and Bumper End Caps, Tinted front windows, Extang Solid Fold 2.0, Pop-N-Lock, TUNDRA tailgate inserts, RCI Powder Coated Skid Plate - coming soon - 12” android radio, oemaudio+ Reference 500Q, under dash/seat lighting.
    I live in the heart of Denver, and I don't have a driveway to wash my truck in. I have an oversized 2 car garage (25x25) in my back yard opening directly to the alley. I generally take my truck and car to the self serve car wash a block away and spend $6-8 doing a power wash with their soap, and then the spot free rinse. I have used their bubble brush in the past on other vehicles, but haven't used it yet on my 2018 Tundra, just soap pressure and spot free rinse. When using the bubble brush in the past, I've always power sprayed it to get dirt of previous washes out of it.

    I then drive 1 block and pull into my garage to dry it with microfiber cloths. I waxed my truck a week or so ago, and then went camping. When I got back I took it to the self serve wash and did soap and spot free rinse, and my wax is still intact, so I think the soap they use is gentle enough on my wax.

    How do you guys suggest somebody in my situation wash their Tundra without introducing damage to the paint? As a side note, most self serve car washes prohibit bucket washing in their bays.
     
  2. Jul 6, 2018 at 7:13 AM
    #2
    Danimal86

    Danimal86 Looks clean even when its dirty!

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    Daniel
    Sacramento, CA
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    How dirty is your truck when you wash it?

    If its just a little dirty from driving around on pavement, why not use a quick detailer spray? I'm a big fan of Merlins Magic Elixir (CarPro Ech20+Reload+distilled water.....amazing stuff).

    The man, the myth, the legend @SouthBoundSteve can chime in.
     
  3. Jul 6, 2018 at 7:17 AM
    #3
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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    I would just bring my own soap regardless of their signs.
    Do the 2 bucket wash method and bring your own mitt, buckets, soap. Truthfully, during our freezing months, I’ll use their water so I don’t risk freezing our lines.
     
    jewsNbrews and sprtbkr[OP] like this.
  4. Jul 6, 2018 at 7:17 AM
    #4
    sprtbkr

    sprtbkr [OP] Average Member

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    Scott
    Denver, CO
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tundra SR5 4x4 Double Cab - Inferno
    TRD Wheels & Tires, Double Cab Fold-down Back Seat mod, LED Interior Lighting, Turned Off Seat Belt Chime, Franken-key (Flip Key), Duraliner Bed Liner, Bed Rails, Hood Wind Deflector, Console Gun Safe, iBoard 5" Running Boards, TRD Sport Bed Vinyl, Fortin Evo One Remote Start with Mycar Cellular Module, Plasti-dipped Badges and Bumper End Caps, Tinted front windows, Extang Solid Fold 2.0, Pop-N-Lock, TUNDRA tailgate inserts, RCI Powder Coated Skid Plate - coming soon - 12” android radio, oemaudio+ Reference 500Q, under dash/seat lighting.
    I've never felt comfortable doing a waterless wash, afraid of scratching the paint. And I do need to get a better understanding of how to deal with washing when it does get really dirty from road spray and such in the winter. I did order some waterless wash from Amazon which should arrive tomorrow for when it's not very dirty. I'm trying out Meguiar's G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax.
     
  5. Jul 6, 2018 at 7:20 AM
    #5
    sprtbkr

    sprtbkr [OP] Average Member

    Joined:
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    Scott
    Denver, CO
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tundra SR5 4x4 Double Cab - Inferno
    TRD Wheels & Tires, Double Cab Fold-down Back Seat mod, LED Interior Lighting, Turned Off Seat Belt Chime, Franken-key (Flip Key), Duraliner Bed Liner, Bed Rails, Hood Wind Deflector, Console Gun Safe, iBoard 5" Running Boards, TRD Sport Bed Vinyl, Fortin Evo One Remote Start with Mycar Cellular Module, Plasti-dipped Badges and Bumper End Caps, Tinted front windows, Extang Solid Fold 2.0, Pop-N-Lock, TUNDRA tailgate inserts, RCI Powder Coated Skid Plate - coming soon - 12” android radio, oemaudio+ Reference 500Q, under dash/seat lighting.
    I imagine if I washed when there wasn't a line for the bays that they wouldn't care as much. I could also bring my own buckets of warm wash water from home in the bed of my truck.
     
    jewsNbrews likes this.
  6. Jul 6, 2018 at 7:21 AM
    #6
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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    The ones I go to never have any employees there. Those are the best ones.
     
  7. Jul 6, 2018 at 7:25 AM
    #7
    sprtbkr

    sprtbkr [OP] Average Member

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    Scott
    Denver, CO
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tundra SR5 4x4 Double Cab - Inferno
    TRD Wheels & Tires, Double Cab Fold-down Back Seat mod, LED Interior Lighting, Turned Off Seat Belt Chime, Franken-key (Flip Key), Duraliner Bed Liner, Bed Rails, Hood Wind Deflector, Console Gun Safe, iBoard 5" Running Boards, TRD Sport Bed Vinyl, Fortin Evo One Remote Start with Mycar Cellular Module, Plasti-dipped Badges and Bumper End Caps, Tinted front windows, Extang Solid Fold 2.0, Pop-N-Lock, TUNDRA tailgate inserts, RCI Powder Coated Skid Plate - coming soon - 12” android radio, oemaudio+ Reference 500Q, under dash/seat lighting.
    The owner seems to be there a lot on weekends at mine off Alameda and Bannock. :). Maybe he likes to watch the cash roll in. Haha.
     
    Black Wolf and jewsNbrews like this.
  8. Jul 6, 2018 at 7:25 AM
    #8
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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    Grab a different location then :)
     
    sprtbkr[OP] likes this.
  9. Jul 6, 2018 at 7:26 AM
    #9
    Danimal86

    Danimal86 Looks clean even when its dirty!

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    Daniel
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    If you've got big chunks of dirt on the paint, then probably not the best time to use a quick detailer, but wanting to shine it up between washes.....quick detailer is the way to go.

    With your situation, you might be a prime candidate for doing a ceramic coating. If you did that, you could probably just get away with rinsing the truck off.
     
    sprtbkr[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  10. Jul 6, 2018 at 7:30 AM
    #10
    Steve6

    Steve6 New Member

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    I don't go to the self serve on weekends / non busy times and the one I go to allows me to use buckets (since there are no signs saying otherwise). I agree with the OP about the waterless wash; it seems like the dirt will scratch the paint eventually. I use the same basic procedure as the OP but I use my own soap, bucket and mitt for the soap step. The only problem that I run into at this time of year is that the single digit humidity combined with the triple digit temperature makes it hard to finish the soaping and wiping the whole truck before the soap starts to dry.
     
    jewsNbrews and sprtbkr[OP] like this.

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