Tell us what products and how you wash your truck

RedZilla said:
My last truck was an 05 F150 Lariat. It was taken through a local high end car wash almost weekly for the first 5-7 years. Made sure to get the under body wash and full wax each time through, you know, get that salt cleaned out of all the underbelly. By 2010 the bumpers front and back were beginning to bubble rust under the paint visibly. By 2012 the frame and wheel wells were producing big flakes of rust. The underside of the bed was so rusty that the lineX was the only thing that made it possible to walk in the bed, felt like a trampoline.

That truck rusted out worst than any other truck I've ever owned. I'm convinced the cleaners used in this particular car wash were very effective at quickly dissolving dirt and grim. At the same time those cleaners also were very effective at attacking the finish and base materials the truck was made out of.

Redzilla only gets hand washed at home and rinsed with a pressure washer with soft water.

PS - I'm thoroughly convinced that automatic car washes are for people the trade vehicles every three years.
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I Totally agree, no cleaners on my truck or the paint.
As I said before, only hand wash out of the sun.
Clean, clear, soft water rinse or let the rain do the final rinse.
Keep a good coat of wax on it also.

Had my 2003 F250 for 17 years and it still looked brand new when I sold it to get my new Superduty.

And once again, No tire dressings, it’s a Truck!!!
 

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It’s one thing to be vehemently against automatic car washes when you live in CA, AZ, NV, FL, most of TX, or similar climates. It’s quite another to be against automatic car washes when you live somewhere where the temps don’t rise above freezing for the better part of four months.

If I didn’t regularly use a touchless car wash as maintenance in the winter, then by the end of March or beginning of April you could literally scrape the salt off of the body - and more importantly the frame and all associated components - of my vehicles with a putty knife. Regularly running through a touchless wash during winter in areas like where I live isn’t a vanity thing, or a lazy thing - it’s just what you have to do. There’s not an alternative option.

When it is warm enough out that “hard water” does not carry a literal interpretation then I hand wash.
 
ICT Tremor said:
It’s one thing to be vehemently against automatic car washes when you live in CA, AZ, NV, FL, most of TX, or similar climates. It’s quite another to be against automatic car washes when you live somewhere where the temps don’t rise above freezing for the better part of four months.

If I didn’t regularly use a touchless car wash as maintenance in the winter, then by the end of March or beginning of April you could literally scrape the salt off of the body - and more importantly the frame and all associated components - of my vehicles with a putty knife. Regularly running through a touchless wash during winter in areas like where I live isn’t a vanity thing, or a lazy thing - it’s just what you have to do. There’s not an alternative option.

When it is warm enough out that “hard water” does not carry a literal interpretation then I hand wash.
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I get that completely, there's always the need to weigh the worst of the two evils. I was doing the same for the same reasons with my last truck. Only difference is that we hit temps well above freezing in central Indiana throughout the winter months and it was just easier for me at the time. Being retired and having more time, and watching the weather patterns, my Tremor will get a thorough cleaning the hand wash method next Wednesday when it's 40 degrees here. Nice thing is it'll be rainy so I won't bother to dry and it'll get a soft water rinse for a few days. (y) ;)
 
RedZilla said:
I get that completely, there's always the need to weigh the worst of the two evils. I was doing the same for the same reasons with my last truck. Only difference is that we hit temps well above freezing in central Indiana throughout the winter months and it was just easier for me at the time. Being retired and having more time, and watching the weather patterns, my Tremor will get a thorough cleaning the hand wash method next Wednesday when it's 40 degrees here. Nice thing is it'll be rainy so I won't bother to dry and it'll get a soft water rinse for a few days. (y) ;)
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I always schedule my washes around rainy days. 👍 (Except in summer, no rain for 5+ months, Jun-Oct typical)
 
ICT Tremor said:
It’s one thing to be vehemently against automatic car washes when you live in CA, AZ, NV, FL, most of TX, or similar climates. It’s quite another to be against automatic car washes when you live somewhere where the temps don’t rise above freezing for the better part of four months.

If I didn’t regularly use a touchless car wash as maintenance in the winter, then by the end of March or beginning of April you could literally scrape the salt off of the body - and more importantly the frame and all associated components - of my vehicles with a putty knife. Regularly running through a touchless wash during winter in areas like where I live isn’t a vanity thing, or a lazy thing - it’s just what you have to do. There’s not an alternative option.

When it is warm enough out that “hard water” does not carry a literal interpretation then I hand wash.
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And ^^^^^this is why you should buy used trucks from AZ;)
 
Reviving an old thread with some good content.

During summer, I hand wash with the foam cannon most of the time. In winter, I like to use the pressure washer and foam cannon to remove the bulk of the debris and wash underneath. Then I move inside and finish off with a rinseless wash. I've been using Wolfgang Concourse Series and like it. Thinking about trying the Griot's ceramic rinseless wash.

Anyone else have a rinseless wash they love? Tips on tire cleaning when using rinseless method?

 
I pay someone to do it
 
Greenworks in my experience are the nicest electric pressure washers.

Honestly for the purposes of a car wash you don’t need that much psi. GPM is more important.

While I’m here I’ll recommend 303 for the interior. You get UV protection and so on without viking bukkake all over your dashboard. Looking at you armorall.
 
Briski said:
What do you guys recommend for pressure washers? I bought a cheap one a few years ago but would like to upgrade.
Cheers 🍻
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One of the best if not the best is the Kranzle, they come in a variety of flavors. Top of the line professional unit and you pay the price. The Active 2.0 is the regular guys "good" pressure washer. Upgrade the hoses and wand right from the get go and it's a great performer. Just a reminder or side note. Detailers usually do not go for a high pressure washer. They like to run in the 1000-1200 PSI and around 2 gallons a minute. You don't want to sand blast the paint with the adhered dirt and grime. So if my truck is super muddy I will hit the car wash or drag out my gas powered 4K washer.


www.obsessedgarage.com

Kranzle K1322TS Pressure Washer

OG's Kranzle K1322TS, a compact wall-mountable pressure washer designed for efficiency and convenience. With a tested flow of 1.9 GPM and a pressure of 1010 PSI, this powerful unit features auto-start/stop functionality and a lightweight design at just 43 lbs.
www.obsessedgarage.com www.obsessedgarage.com



My add to the thread:
I like CarPro and Koch-Chemie products, with a few others, almost every brand has one or two things that are worthwhile. I usually do the pre soak foam cannon fallowed by a rinse then foam again and contact wash with 4-5 mitts. Never rinse the mitts, just get a fresh one. Blow dry as much as I can and wipe down.
 
Fozzy said:
Never rinse the mitts, just get a fresh one. Blow dry as much as I can and wipe down.
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Great information, thanks for sharing.

I am considering an electric PW, probably get one from OG eventually.

For now, I hose wash. Use a ‘Y’ adaptor at the faucet, run a hose down each side of the truck with shutoff ball valves and quick connectors at hose ends. I can switch my fire hose nozzle to each side without dragging one hose all over.
Use one soap bucket and rinse the wash mitt before dunking it back in for more soap.
A new mitt each time would be faster for sure!
 
I will add a little bit and ask more questions. I hose wash. (pressure washing is for the underside) I use Meguiar's gold soap. The truck is so big, I let it air dry but I do use a squeegee on the glass.
Now my question:
How do you clean the roof? I stand in the bed and hand wash what I can reach and use a boat brush on the forward area.
How do you wash your windshield? I use my hand mit and push it around with the handle (4') of my squeegee.
 
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I use this to reach the roof, windshield and hood. Easy to move around with the center handle.
I does require some agility, stepping on and off…

Also have an extending soft brush which has a flow through hose connection that I really don’t use, just dunk it and rinse before going back to the soap bucket.
Similar to this, though this one’s ratings are not good.
www.autozone.com

ProElite Soaping Flow Thru Wash Brush

Shop for ProElite Soaping Flow Thru Wash Brush with confidence at AutoZone.com. Parts are just part of what we do. Get yours online today and pick up in store.
www.autozone.com www.autozone.com
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HeavyAssault said:
@KBarb : I have used the below as often as I wash. I swear it's magic in a bottle. I will wash the truck usually with a microfiber mop or by hand. Rinse. Then do a second wash/wipe by hand with the Griots Ceramic Wash. Rinse. Dry. Sort of a labor of love, but damn if it doesn't work awesome.

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Thanks for the info! What's the benefit of the first wash (before using the Griot's ceramic wash)?
 
Briski said:
What do you guys recommend for pressure washers? I bought a cheap one a few years ago but would like to upgrade.
Cheers 🍻
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I have the Chemical Guys electric pressure washer w the foam cannon. It's been reliable and works fine for what I do with it. But definitely not impressive. Having a power cord and the garden hose and the high pressure hose is less than ideal!
 
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