[HKap]

Washing cars everyday isn't good for the car either. For the last 10 years, my car has only got a light dusting everyday and a wash once a month.That included a wax shampoo bath and one bucket of clean water. 1.5 buckets is all that was required for the whole month. The last 4 years I had reduced the washing to once in 2 months with no wet wash from June to September. Just a simple dusting is enough for most of us. I used a cloth to dust the car but I guess one of those static brushes is good too. I've been in Toronto for a year now and I've taken my car to the car was just once. The cars get really dirty in the snow with all the salt and it was for that reason that I took the car to the car wash. Otherwise I just let it get a natural wash when it rains and clean the windscreen and other windows when I fill her up. Works just fine!!

There's a lot of stuff that we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. Trash is another such menace. We're just piling on the the trash at dumping grounds. Surely its not good for the planet or the species inhabiting this planet.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by HKap

There's a lot of stuff that we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. Trash is another such menace. We're just piling on the the trash at dumping grounds. Surely its not good for the planet or the species inhabiting this planet.

I'm all for that, I'm a tree hugging, amateur conservationist as well.

However I wonder where in India might you have lived that just afforded you the ease of light dusting and once-in-a-month water washes? I try my best to park in nice areas and reduce the car usage but even then, bird droppings, mud splashes, thick crusts of sand and streaks of filth are unavoidable and it becomes a horrible sight in less than 10 days. The duster is literally useless in such situations, heck even the bucket of water method doesn't remove the dirt. It comes off only with a hose and modulating the pressure with the finger.

Things will be way easier in Toronto though. We all know America hates Canada because Canada is what America was 5 decades ago.. bountiful and resourceful.

[roshanjathanna]

One lesson learnt is shouldn't park under a tree, those small particles of tree leaves, easily gets stuck in AC evaporator and cause for rusting and AC gas starts leaking. Replacing a AC evaporator in i20 is very long process. Entire dashboard has to be removed.
I made a practice of cleaning AC filters after every long drives.

[HKap]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

I'm all for that, I'm a tree hugging, amateur conservationist as well.

However I wonder where in India might you have lived that just afforded you the ease of light dusting and once-in-a-month water washes? I try my best to park in nice areas and reduce the car usage but even then, bird droppings, mud splashes, thick crusts of sand and streaks of filth are unavoidable and it becomes a horrible sight in less than 10 days. The duster is literally useless in such situations, heck even the bucket of water method doesn't remove the dirt. It comes off only with a hose and modulating the pressure with the finger.

I lived in Mumbai for the better part of 35 years. I tried to park away from trees. If I still got bird poo on the car then I'd just take a wet cloth and wipe it off. I hardly ever got mud on the car. Dusting worked just fine.

[NTO]

I used to wash my cars once in a week on my and use it for the entire week. However, the new work place's parking had increased the need to clean the car. I did not want to appoint a traditional car washing guy as the testimony to most car washer's work are the innumerable micro scratches and swirl marks. I found out a company named "Smart Car Care". These guys do complete exterior and interior cleaning and also have a plan called daily washing. They charge around 1000/ car / month "upto D segment sedans" and little more expensive for the luxury brands. These guys carry a 20 litre portable container filled with water with them and clean the car every alternate day and interior cleaning and tyre polishing once in a week. They use the 20l can for 5 cars and they go back to their hub and refill the same. I found that these guys are doing a good job and swirl marks are yet to appear after three months of availing their services. Probably this is a good solution to both clean cars and reduced water usage.

[prithm]

My car washing (2 bucket wash) has gone from twice a month to once a month. I live in a dust bowl and there is active construction zone right at my doorstep. Very fine layer of cement dust settles on my car body. I have learnt to let it be and not disturb it. But people do take that for granted and they consider dust on my car as a open invitation for their doodles.

To circumnavigate this, I have a schedule of waxing (hard paste wax) every third month. Yes, it is hard work and will take nothing less than 2 hours, but worth it. One dash of sealant spray wax monthly keeps things squeaky clean.

Underbody is coated with Bitumen based coating, so one visit to pressure wash cleaning FNG every 4-5 months is enough. Engine wash combined during same visit.

There is nothing to feel shy about having your car look dusty outside. People have to come to terms with the lack of availability of potable water. I have also resorted to using domestic RO water run off as water to use washing my car. Though there will be water marks, thats fine. I can wipe little harder with Chamoise cloth and make it look neat.

Cheap soap solutions are available a plenty. Investing in good hardwax and liquid wax will help save litres of precious water which can be put to better use than cleaning a car which is destined to get dirty in few days.

[GeeTee TSI]

On dry days, I use a damp cloth for the odd splotches or bird poo after using a Jopasu Duster on all but those spots

By reducing (or eliminating) access to a hose with running water, I have been able to wash a monsoon muck sprayed car with 2-3 buckets. I practiced (patiently) to rinse the mitt in a separate bucket thereby keeping the car shampoo solution relatively clear. So more than using x buckets full of water, it pays to use two separate buckets.

A combination brush with bristles and sponge (specifically for wheel crevices) has worked well for the alloys, utilizing the muddy (but still soapy) bucket of water.

[Adi22]

Have stopped regular water wash. Use waterless wash instead whenever needed. Will give a full water wash very very rarely. Unnecessary waste of water in these times.

[chandrda]

I thoroughly wash my Duster once in a Month and don't event wipe the car in between the wash. Also, the water I use for washing the car goes into water harvesting pit as I live in a independent house with a good rain water harvesting system

Palio is washed once in 3 months only if required, otherwise most of the time I just give a clean wipe with fiber clothes. Palio is anyway covered most of the time and hardly gathers any dust.

Having come from an Agriculture family background and being born/brought up in the part of Bangalore which till doesn't have cauvery water connection, I know the importance of water.

I am currently doing a project to implement drip water system for plants/pots from the waste water of the water filters. My RO water filter gives out around 3 liters of water for every 1 liter of drinking water. I am ending up with around 80-90 liters a day.

[aquarian1502]

The last time my Ecosport had a wash was on 5th Sept, so it has been atleast 45 days now since she had a wash. And not just this time, I generally wait for atleast 2 months before taking her to the neighborhood car wash. Every other day, I use the Jopasu duster to clear of the loose dust, and it helps in restoring some shine as well. I am happy with the way the car looks, may not be like a mirror shine, but does not look dirty either .

[prithm]

Originally Posted by chandrda

I am currently doing a project to implement drip water system for plants/pots from the waste water of the water filters. My RO water filter gives out around 3 liters of water for every 1 liter of drinking water. I am ending up with around 80-90 liters a day.

If you are having large trees, yes you can use it safely. We have large tress and RO water along with kitchen sink water goes straight back into our soak pit and then into ground which is heavily infiltrated by Coconut, Palm, Banana tree roots.

If you are planning to use it in potted plants, you can use it if you can bring the pH and ppm to normal or near normal. By covering the surface around the potted plant with one or 2 inches of loose sand (ones that are of beach or river used for construction). This will reduce percolation of salt and act as sieve. Supplement with manure every other month.

Glad that you have a thought to use RO run off effectively.

[Horizon85]

I get my car thoroughly water washed only once in 3-5 months. Mostly its the Jopasu duster at duty. Having used this for more than 3 years now, I find that Jopasu duster is very efficient.

Have never given any of my car to be washed and cleaned daily and many of my friends find that awkward. This also helps me avoid swirls on the paint surface.

Sure, the car doesn't look clean on a daily basis. But I do care more for the water.

[Turbohead]

I don't know if this is off topic but how much water is too much?

For example I wash the car myself and use about 4 regular sized buckets (approx 60 litres totally)-2 bucket method plus 2 buckets to rinse car before and after cleaning. I prefer to wash it once a week but at times it goes unwashed for 2 weeks.

For reference, the old cleaner used approximately half a bucket a day ie 3.5 buckets a week.

1) Is it too much water? I can reduce atleast one bucket by using a better method to rinse the car. Any pointers or ideas?

2) Is waterless wash good for heavily soiled vehicles? Seems like a reasonable investment though. 500 ml per wash is seriously low.

[prithm]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

1) Is it too much water? I can reduce atleast one bucket by using a better method to rinse the car. Any pointers or ideas?

- I use oodles of cheap soap (for regular wash) in the first bucket. Pour half bucket of it liberally from top so that it flows on all panels. Allow it to soak for good 5 min and then use the rest of the water to wet the cloth and clean surface.

Second bucket of just water to rinse clean surface. Half bucket more if I have to clean mats and wheel wells.

Originally Posted by Turbohead

2) Is waterless wash good for heavily soiled vehicles? Seems like a reasonable investment though. 500 ml per wash is seriously low.

- Its like cryptonite for me. . I can hardly stand the sight of waterless wash and not convinced a bit. School of thought one side, but I really cannot convince myself for luxury of using so many microfibre clothes or spray and wipe liquids, better effectiveness can be obtained with fraction of the cost and less manual work and chemicals.

[rrsteer]

Does anyone here collects the water run off from home ACs to wash cars? In summers I collect the run-off from the two window ACs at night which fills 2 buckets easily (in humid months). This collected water is used for cleaning the cars, among other usage. I have not seen any adverse effects on car paint etc. Comments?