I wanted to get opinions on the best portable car washers out there. I live in an apartment complex with no outside access to a hose. I've searched online and seen some models but also see "pressure washers" which I would be afraid to use against the paint. Often times these online ads don't differentiate between a simple washer and a pressure washer. One brand I see coming up a lot is Ivation. Thanks.

 

Is 4.5 gallons really enough to wash a car properly? Why not just go to a wand-type car wash?

Larry

 

ive used a basic 2 gallon garden sprayer in combination with a "waterless" car wash during the 2nd half of 2016 while I was in a temporary house with no access to a hose.
i would fill my buckets in the house and bring them outside. with a good wheel cleaner the 2 gallons was more than enough for the entire car.

http://www.chemicalguys.com/Rinse_Fr...inseless_Wash_

was what i was using recently.

 

I use the chemical guys waterless exclusively and realy like it, use a wheel cleaner first.

 

I guess i'm a little skeptical of anything waterless. I just can't see how you can amply get rid of dirt/salt/bird droppings with a spray and wipe. Don't you have to go through a ton of spray bottles and/or microfiber towels? I'd like to believe it works because it honestly sounds better to go waterless but have my doubts.

 

Presuming that it's not too much trouble for you to fill 2 buckets and carry them out to your car, you should look into Optimum No-Rinse Wash & Shine. There are plenty of competitors. You don't spray it on, you dunk a wash mitt in the bucket and apply liberally, then towel dry. One panel at a time. If your car is really dirty, go to a self serve and use the sprayer to blast the big stuff off.

 

That's always been my feeling too.

Dave

 

nati is 100% on.

waterless washes are not waterless. they should really be called no rinse as you don't need a hose.

when using the waterless washes, i use MF towels vs a mitt. you go through quite a few MF towels for an entire car. you get 8 swipes per towel (folding into quarters). i would use 8-10 towels for the entire painted surface of the car. in addition to the buckets i also mix up a bit into a spray bottle to spray down while i wipe to provide extra lubrication.

i use ammo hydrate when drying the car, it's especially useful when i had to use the waterless washes ... again it just provides an extra layer of protection.

 

its been difficult finding a portable washer online that has good reviews so I just ordered a bunch of stuff from chemical guys. I went ahead and got the waterless wash, a slew of MF towels, and two buckets to try out their two bucket method. By watching some of the instructional videos I think it'll be ok and get me by just fine.

 

I often use Optimum No-Rinse wash and the two bucket method. If the car is really dirty then I'll use a hose to wash it. I usually use about 4 micro-fiber cloths and a wheel brush. 2 cloths are for the car and 2 are for the wheels. I fold each cloth so that I have 8 sides to use as I move them across the surface of the car. When one side gets dirty then I flip the cloth. Once all four sides are dirty then I toss it in the bucket of clean water to be rinsed. I dry each section of the car immediately after washing it with a towel called "Dry Me A River".

 

DRY ME A RIVER. Someone shops at the ragcompany. It's actually the best drying cloth I have ever used. Plus all there towels are Korean made and not cheap Chinese knock offs

 

Yes, that exactly where I purchased my towels. I learned about them in a BMW forum before I switched to Jaguar.