Jet wash

montravia

montravia

Member
Messages
1,623
Forgive the heinous transgression. I think I need a jet wash.

We've moved home still in but deeper In the Cotswolds.

We've a combination of rural road, private lane and now gravel forecourt.
All the cars get very grubby quickly.

To date I've followed the purest route, clean buckets, lots of clean water, Autoglym shampoo conditioner (No shampoo)..... the only way of avoiding hardwater streaks on the GT blu Mediterano and so forth.

Now I think some of you use a snow foam pressure washer. Haven't used one.... I've seen one and looks good fun!

I've been cautious with pressure washers in the past and will continue to be so. They've been disappointing too (euphemism for waste of time... chucked it).

However I think I need something to get the initial grime removed.

Karcher, Nilfisk... some seem to leak and break according to reviews.

Should I?

Don't want to spend a fortune. I'd like to try a water softener attached (there have been recommendations), foam 'gun' and decent foam.

There later 3 items will bump up the cost but which washer about £100 is worth a try.? Or am I just chucking dosh away?

Recommendations for kit and ancillaries would be very welcome.
 
D Walker

D Walker

Member
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9,827
I've the proverbial Karcher, got it half price, I dont use it on full chat on cars, more medium, takes most of the grime off, dont get to close to wheels but quite good for inside wheel arches, where I also use an old dustpan brush for removing mud, gravel build up etc. The Karcher is good for foaming up the shampoo as well..

I have a snow foam lance I attach to it which works fine for me, think was about £15 - the snow foam costs more....

Dave
 
Scaf

Scaf

Member
Messages
6,553
I have Karcher - 3 year warranty from Argos - it last about two years so I return it and get a new one, I am on my third in the past six years but original was £149
I have snow foam attachement and buy the cheapest PH neutral foam available when I need it.
 
montravia

montravia

Member
Messages
1,623
D Walker said:
I've the proverbial Karcher, got it half price, I dont use it on full chat on cars, more medium, takes most of the grime off, dont get to close to wheels but quite good for inside wheel arches, where I also use an old dustpan brush for removing mud, gravel build up etc. The Karcher is good for foaming up the shampoo as well..

I have a snow foam lance I attach to it which works fine for me, think was about £15 - the snow foam costs more....

Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave.

Which model of the Karcher and lance?
 
H

Heavenly

Member
Messages
164
One thing to really think about people always forget is hose length. You dont want to be constantly moving station to allow the hose all the way round the car without it touching somewhere.
 
montravia

montravia

Member
Messages
1,623
Scaf said:
I have Karcher - 3 year warranty from Argos - it last about two years so I return it and get a new one, I am on my third in the past six years but original was £149 ��
I have snow foam attachement and buy the cheapest PH neutral foam available when I need it.
Click to expand...

That's what I have found unfortunately, biennial hassle init?
 
D Walker

D Walker

Member
Messages
9,827
Heavenly said:
One thing to really think about people always forget is hose length. You dont want to be constantly moving station to allow the hose all the way round the car without it touching somewhere.
Click to expand...

Yep, an extension hose is on my Xmas list, annoying it is!
 
C

cheshiremaserati

Member
Messages
1,121
I have found Karcher brittle verus the NIlfisk which seems to have a better motor. I have gone through 3 Karchers in 10 years. Only 1 karcher in 5 years at the moment. Altogether better build (Danish). I also bought the under-body lance attachment - so handy in wi9nter with the cars to keep the undersides clean of salt and grime. The flexible hose is longer also.

In line water softener is a great idea - use the one from Race Glaze. Has refillable resin and a better aspect ratio than others.
Just final risne with water through the softener and lave in the sun to dry - absolutely no streaks.
 
conaero

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,625
I go the cheapest Karcher route, about £40. It lasts about 5 years and I buy another one for £40.

No matter how powerful your jetwash is, it will never clean a car on its own, it should be used as a rinse aid and clearing the wheel arch and underbody crud.

I also still have my snow foam lance which simple attaches to the new unit I buy every 5 years and advise you to spend the money here.

Give it a good foaming and let it sit for half an hour then wash off and then revert to traditional methods with a grit filtered bucket and a noodle wash mit.

This will minimise the amount of dirt you grind into your car paintwork resulting in swirly paint.

Coat of wax twice/thrice a year (I use Harleys but use the one your used to) and use Demon Shine (pink) to finish every wash and it looks a million dollars.

If you want to go a stage further and remove the swirls, clay bar/mit the freshly cleaned surface using Demon Shine as a lubricant, get some 3M Ultrafina, an angle grinder based polisher off eBay, bin the heads that come with it and get the 3M heads and you wont go far wrong.

Work on a 2 ft square at a time, go horizontal, then vertical about 6 times till the compound diminishes and seal with wax.

IMAG1950-e1452635104442.jpg

3m-ultrafine-se.jpg

3m_50499.jpg

TETCDS101_5.jpg

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right.1.jpg

[video=youtube;kfvtlBdBPRY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfvtlBdBPRY[/video]
 
montravia

montravia

Member
Messages
1,623
cheshiremaserati said:
I have found Karcher brittle verus the NIlfisk which seems to have a better motor. I have gone through 3 Karchers in 10 years. Only 1 karcher in 5 years at the moment. Altogether better build (Danish). I also bought the under-body lance attachment - so handy in wi9nter with the cars to keep the undersides clean of salt and grime. The flexible hose is longer also.

In line water softener is a great idea - use the one from Race Glaze. Has refillable resin and a better aspect ratio than others.
Just final risne with water through the softener and lave in the sun to dry - absolutely no streaks.
Click to expand...

Raceglaze, just the job
 
montravia

montravia

Member
Messages
1,623
Makes a lot of sense, Matt.

It's the Blu Mediterano finish on the GT that always unsticks me. The BMW (White) and FIAT (cha cha cha Azure, almost white) don't give much trouble, and can't be bothered anyway. They don't show hard water streaks.

I've found that washing off the GT with Autoglym shampoo conditioner works, almost neat, after cleaning, and then buff with soft absorbent clothes is the only way of avoiding streaks. She gets a polish at least every other wash, and then a thin layer of Wax, Canoooba stuff, until she beads.

All by hand.

Looks as though the cheap jet wash and snow foam might be worth a try, but only for ruff initial stuff

Might try just a water softener on the rinse hose.

Some experimentation, methinks.

Conaero said:
I go the cheapest Karcher route, about £40. It lasts about 5 years and I buy another one for £40.

No matter how powerful your jetwash is, it will never clean a car on its own, it should be used as a rinse aid and clearing the wheel arch and underbody crud.

I also still have my snow foam lance which simple attaches to the new unit I buy every 5 years and advise you to spend the money here.

Give it a good foaming and let it sit for half an hour then wash off and then revert to traditional methods with a grit filtered bucket and a noodle wash mit.

This will minimise the amount of dirt you grind into your car paintwork resulting in swirly paint.

Coat of wax twice/thrice a year (I use Harleys but use the one your used to) and use Demon Shine (pink) to finish every wash and it looks a million dollars.

If you want to go a stage further and remove the swirls, clay bar/mit the freshly cleaned surface using Demon Shine as a lubricant, get some 3M Ultrafina, an angle grinder based polisher off eBay, bin the heads that come with it and get the 3M heads and you wont go far wrong.

Work on a 2 ft square at a time, go horizontal, then vertical about 6 times till the compound diminishes and seal with wax.

View attachment 46256

View attachment 46257

View attachment 46258

View attachment 46259

View attachment 46260

View attachment 46261

[video=youtube;kfvtlBdBPRY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfvtlBdBPRY[/video]
Click to expand...
 
conaero

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,625
Yep, I hear you with the white, my Strad needs little more than cleaning and does not get the dust coving within the hour of cleaning...well, you cant see it.
 
conaero

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,625
You can get most of that list above at Halfords very inexpensively, its just the mop, Harleys and the 3M products you will have to source either online or from your local spray shop supplies outfit.
 
montravia

montravia

Member
Messages
1,623
Conaero said:
You can get most of that list above at Halfords very inexpensively, its just the mop, Harleys and the 3M products you will have to source either online or from your local spray shop supplies outfit.
Click to expand...

Thanks Matt, Got this just as was trolling off to Halfords. Already well stocked, but now even better.

Thanks again
 
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