Day: January 20, 2023

At Washos, we know all about the ongoing drought in California and restrictions placed on water usage. We take pride in offering a waterless car wash as our default option. Not only is it good for the environment but it also produces the same results as a water based wash.

Here’s the deal…

You’ve probably heard about a waterless car wash or a spray on car wash or a dry car wash, but you have absolutely no idea what it is! In this post, we will cover the basics of a waterless car wash, the results you can achieve and how you can wash your car at home with minimal water use.

Follow along!

I. What is a Waterless Car Wash?

A waterless car wash is an eco-friendly and efficient car wash that uses little or no water. Sometimes it is also known as a spray on car wash or no water car wash.

This is the best part
It also allows the car detailer to service your car in narrow spaces while saving surprising amounts of water.

Waterless products are more advanced than regular soap used for a mobile car wash as they need to compensate for the lack of water. Thus, the efficiency of the waterless car wash is usually better than using water-based methods. Plus, when doing a waterless car detailing, you only need a bucket of water to rinse your towels instead of using between 50 to 100 gallons of clean water when using a pressure washer or a hose.

II. How does a Waterless Car Wash work?

A waterless car wash uses high lubricity sprays to polish and wash the vehicle’s bodywork. The spray’s high lubricity chemicals encapsulate dirt and dust particles. This process is similar to how water removes dirt, but the chemical combination of a waterless car wash product is more efficient.

You have to simply spray the surface of the car and then wipe it off. This process removes any light dirt or stains from the car’s surface. It works ideally for cars that don’t have thick dried mud to clean. A waterless car wash is only recommended for cars with light dirt.

Wiping down your car with a waterless car wash spray is advised by any auto detailer as water can sometimes hurt your bodywork and leave marks if you go about it the wrong way. However, you have to have a good soft microfiber towels to wipe the car.

A microfiber towel is used because of high absorbency and softness, which helps to scoop up these dirt particles.

If the waterless car wash product is used correctly, it will not damage or scratch your car’s paint.

III. Environmental Impact of a Waterless Car Wash

Most corner car washes use vast quantities of water as they drown the bodywork in water and soap to remove as much dirt as possible (and as fast as possible!).

This is how much water is used to wash a sedan:

A commercial car wash

Most commercial car washes use up to 45 gallons of water per wash. However, car washers reclaim most of that water.

A Waterless car wash

Want to know the best part?

A waterless car wash just requires 4 – 6 oz of waterless car wash formula used per car and a couple of buckets of water. In the cases where the car is caked in mud, you require an additional gallon of water.

IV. Waterless Car Wash Products

Most professional mobile detailers use homemade products by mixing different type of high lubricity sprays. We strongly advise you not to do so unless you are a car detailing expert.

You are better off buying a gallon of waterless car cleaner. The waterless car cleaner product will cost you approximately $30 and will allow you to wash your car 5 or 6 times. There are many popular car care brands like Meguiar’s, Chemical Guys and 3D Auto Detailing Products that sell high-quality ready to use waterless car wash products.

While at Washos, we use a proprietary waterless car wash formula, our research has concluded that Meguiar’s Behind Wash & Wax Anywhere is one of the best premium waterless car wash sprays around. For a less expensive waterless car wash product, we recommend the Triplewax Waterless Wash & Shine.

V. Waterless Car Wash Review

If you’re looking for a simple car wash to remove the visible dirt, a waterless car wash works perfectly fine. However, if you get thick embedded dirt on your vehicle, it might sometimes be better to apply a small quantity of water on those areas so that you don’t use too much cleaner to soften the dirt. If you follow the steps correctly, then you will not damage the paint of your car.

If you want to use wax or to go up to the clay bar treatment, preparing your car with waterless car wash solution is better. If you use water, you would have to dry the car very well using specific equipment or let the vehicle dry under a hot sun. Residues of water on your can be harmful when applying car wax or polish.

Tip: If you’re still going for a water-based car wash, then do it on some grass! That way spilled water will at least be useful for something.

VI. How to do a Waterless Car Wash Yourself [Step-by-Step Guide]

To do a waterless car wash yourself at home, you will need many clean microfiber towels and a ready to use waterless car wash product. We recommend using microfiber towels with a minimum weight of 300 GSM (grams per square meter). A low quality or dirty towel can damage your car.

If your car has excessive mud, we recommend a rinse. A waterless car wash solution will not be effective against caked mud.

Follow our step-by-step guide to getting your car shiny in no time!

Step 1

Start by taking a microfiber towel and folding it twice in half to create eight useable sides. Remember that we use a microfiber towel because it offers high absorbency and softness, which helps to scoop up these dirt particles.

Note: We highly recommend making sure the towels are clean before using them. You can read our Microfiber Towel guide on how to clean your microfiber cloth.

Step 2

Mentally split up your car into different sections that you can work on at a time.

• The side glass
• The roof
• The hood and trunk
• The side doors (upper half)
• The front bumper
• The rear bumper
• The lower half of the side doors
• The wheels

You will want to use different microfiber clothes for different sections of the car. Stop using a cloth if it becomes too dirty or accumulates particles. Incorrectly using a microfiber towel can cause scratches on your vehicle. Never reuse a dirty microfiber without washing it first.

Step 3

Usually, car detailers start at the top of the car to avoid spilling when using products on the roof.

Simply spray the waterless car wash product onto one folded cloth and onto a panel of the vehicle, gently wipe with leading cloth. And quickly buff using a second clean and dry microfiber cloth.

Step 4

Wipe lightly in one direction. Wipe the bodywork gently without applying too much pressure. Don’t go circles or you’ll just end up keeping the dirt on the car. We recommend wiping linearly in the direction of the wind.

Step 5

When the towel gets too dirty, use one of the other clean sides. The idea of using a clean side every time is not to reintroduce the dirt on the car. Repeat this process as you clean the other parts of your vehicle. We recommend using a separate microfiber towel for the brakes since the brake pads may contain chemical fluids.

Conclusion

We believe that waterless car washes are the future. Encourage your local washer and detailer to wash your car without water and see the incredible results for yourself!

We are committed to being eco-friendly, and for that reason, all of our car detailers do a waterless car wash and waterless car detailing by default.

Whether you need an interior detailing, a full exterior detailing, a tree sap removal or a water spots treatment, our waterless mobile detailing will restore your car to its original condition.

Try Washos

Here at Washos, we get asked a lot of questions. There is one question that keeps popping up, however: “What is the difference between car detailing and car washing?”

We realize that for most non-car enthusiasts, the difference probably isn’t very significant. However, all car owners, enthusiasts or not, should look at getting their car fully detailed every so often, and should also perform smaller details regularly to have their car looking at its best all the time.

So, to help our customers understand the many benefits of car detailing, also known as auto-detailing, we are going to outline what you can expect when you choose to have your car detailed. Trust us when we say that you’ll never go back to normal washing!

I. What is Car Detailing?

Simply put, getting your car detailed means a top-to-bottom thorough cleaning of your vehicle using specialized tools and products. Normally, a detailer will also perform some light cosmetic touch-ups, but the process does not include paintwork or body repairs.

Car detailing involves cleaning and reconditioning the interior and exterior of the car. The aim of this is to restore the paintwork by eliminating scratches or swirl marks to make the car look almost brand new like it did when you first drove it out of the shop.

A simple car wash gets rid of dirt on the outside of your car, and if you clean the interior you might catch some of the grime with a vacuum, but car detailing takes this process much further. Every car we detail has every last imperfection buffed, polished, or vacuumed out, leaving it fit for display in any showroom.

Since there are no set guidelines, you will see a great variety in terms of the services included in a complete detail. At Washos, our complete detail package consists of an exterior detailing using clay treatment and high-end wax, an advanced interior cleaning with stain removal and leather treatment as well as dressing on all the plastics.

II. What is the difference between a Car Wash and an Auto Detail?

Now that you know what car detailing is, we are going to quickly outline the differences between a car wash and auto detailing, before going on to talk some more about why car detailing is a seriously good idea.

Aside from cost, which ranges from $10 to $40, a typical car wash only covers a fraction of the cleaning that you can get from a detail, and so only achieves a fraction of the result.

So what does a car wash include?

Most car washes take between ten and twenty minutes to go from washing to drying. A car wash can be done by hand or by machines (a drive thru car wash) that run bristles, soap, and water to clean your car’s exterior.

A car wash tends to be a superficial cleanse while an auto detail is more thorough and restorative.

III. What are the steps in Auto Detailing

A thorough car detailing consists of two main phases: interior detailing and exterior detailing. We are going to break down each phase so you know exactly what to expect when you get your vehicle detailed. Feel free to ask your technician if you have any questions about the process, as most of them love to share their art of detailing with others.

Exterior Car Detailing

We begin with an exhaustive exterior wash to remove as much dirt as possible. By allowing the soap to foam, dirt and mud are softened and lifted off the surface.

Next, using special brushes and wheel cleaning products, the detailer takes off all the dust and filth from the wheels; brake calipers, lug nuts, etc. The wheels are usually the dirtiest parts of the car!

After the wheels have been cleaned, the paintwork is washed and dried from top to bottom using washing mitts and soft microfiber towels. The paintwork is then clayed using automotive clay bar that removes the tightly bonded dirt of the surface of the car, which is your car’s clear coat.

If required, the paint is polished to eliminate any light scratches, oxidation, and swirl marks. The paint can be polished by hand or by a polishing machine. This can be the most time-consuming part of the detailing service depending on the car and the state of its paintwork.

Finally, the paint is waxed to give it an additional protective layer using high-quality carnauba based paste wax. This added protection results in a noticeable shine too, the kind that you saw when you first bought it!

The remaining exterior parts, like the windows and other rubber parts, are then polished and methodically cleaned, adding the finishing touches in all the corners of the car’s body and exterior trim to make the entire car sparkle.

Interior Car Detailing

All of the upholstery inside the car is thoroughly vacuumed and shampooed to remove stains and dirt. If the car has leatherwork, this is often conditioned and scrubbed to remove dirt that is deeply ingrained. Plastics and vinyl are also properly cleaned and dressed.

Lastly, the interior glass is also cleaned and polished.

An Important Optional Step

Cleaning the engine bay is an important step but a lot of people simply don’t do it. The reason for this is probably that some people don’t care what their car looks like under the hood, or that they think only mechanics should venture to clean anywhere under there.

Having the engine bay cleaned can make identifying any engine problems easier and faster. Mechanics love working in a clean engine bay, and if the car owner is having the car detailed before selling, a clean engine bay can make a big impression on how well maintained a car is. Anyone that purchases a used vehicle will likely glance under the hood, and a clean engine bay can only raise the value

However, there are steps you can take when you have your car detailed to protect some components from wear and tear. The detailer cleans the engine bay by lightly spraying it with water, and then wiping it down with a degreaser before rinsing everything clean. Once properly dried, all silicone, plastic and rubber components should be properly dressed to protect them from cracking. This is a simple process that ultimately serves to protect the car from everyday problems of wear on rubber and silicone.

IV. What are the benefits of getting your car detailed?

A complete car detail will bring your car to its best condition. You can then perform mini details to keep your car looking as good as new.

Car Value

Keeping your car in good condition will help maintain or restore the value of your car. This is particularly true of older or classic cars, especially if you’re looking to sell your car in the future. You simply cannot get the same results from car washes. A good detailer will bring your car to its original beauty and increase its resale value.

Protection

Another benefit of auto detailing is the added protection against the elements. When a wax coat is routinely applied to the exterior painted surface, it protects the finish from contamination and oxidation (rust).

Attention to Detail

Since detailing is an incredibly thorough process, you can expect the detailer to meticulously assess every crevice of your car to suggest customized solutions. You will not get this kind of personalized service at a car wash.

V. How much does a car detail cost?

You’re probably thinking ‘Alright, I’m sold… but I don’t know how much this is going to cost me’. Well, according to this article, the size of your vehicle is a major factor in determining car detailing prices. So, a Humvee won’t cost the same as a Prius – but the difference isn’t as huge as you might think.

A basic car detailing package ranges from $50 to $125 for an average sized vehicle, while an SUV or van tends to cost between $75 and $100. However, additional services like clay bar treatment, leather conditioning, and pet hair removal, as well as the quality of these products, can increase the cost (so keep those dogs under control!).

VI. How to Choose a Car Detailing Service?

Now that you’ve decided to get your car detailed, and you know roughly how much it’s going to cost you, you will need to do some research to figure out where to take your car. The quality and experience of the detailer makes all the difference here.

You will also want to study the different packages offered and whether they provide services your car needs. The whole idea of detailing is centered on its bespoke nature. If it doesn’t work for you – your car, your needs, your vision – it doesn’t work at all. Be picky! That’s the point! So, we are going to give away our best-kept secrets to help you find the perfect detailer for your car.

1. Services Offered

Start by looking for a detailer that offers exactly the kind of services you’re looking for. If you’re looking to get rid of all that dog hair in your car but the company doesn’t offer pet hair removal then you’re not going to get the best results.

2. Pricing

Car details can become very expensive quite quickly due to their use of high-quality cleaning products, and you will want to find someone that provides the best bang for your buck. Keep in mind though that a complete detail is worth the short-term investment, because of the long-term value it provides!

3. Reviews

These days it is impossible to not look for reviews before making a decision, and it’s always a good idea to search on Yelp or Google to see what other customers have had to say about their experiences.

At Washos, we take pride in our customer satisfaction and we work hard to maintain our five-star rating on Yelp. There will be times when things don’t go right but our responsiveness in fixing any mistakes goes a long way to proving our commitment to the highest quality service.

4. Mobility

We understand that modern life can be incredibly busy and that taking your car to a washer is something that some people simply don’t have time to do. If that’s you, you should keep an eye out for mobile car detailing services. These detailers will come to your location, at home or at work, and provide the same high-quality service you would get by driving to a detailing shop.

Conclusion

While we have only scratched the surface of detailing, the world of auto detailing is very exciting and highly detailed. There are tons of forums where you can find in-depth guides for all of the different parts of the detailing process, or you can ask other car enthusiasts about car detailing.

If you have any questions about auto detailing that you’d like to put to us after reading this, please write them in the comments section and we will help you out.

Try Washos!

I know what you are thinking. You are surprised that the question “How to remove the bad odors of my car?” is a common one. Don’t worry, you are not the only one that typed this on Google. Let us tell you more on a few tricks you can use to solve that problem without having to book a mobile car detailing or to go to the corner car wash!

Whether it is because you spilled coffee, eat McDonald, have dirty shoes or because the wet fabric of your car after a heavy rains smells, car odors are really uncomfortable. However, you tend not to care about it until your beloved one, your friends, or worst, your boss that tags along for an important meeting notices it. Here are 10 tips you can use to remove those odors.

1. Regularly wipe down your car’s surfaces

Even if it is not that obvious, the most common source of car smells is the dust embedded in your car, especially if you have fabric seats. Wood, plastic, and metallic surfaces need to be cleaned with detergent once in a while in order not to stack bad odors. People usually don’t have their interior cleaned or detailed when having a car wash. You may want to think about it twice the next time! The dust will infect the material of your interior and deteriorate it. Leather car seats are also very fragile and need to be maintained regularly.

2. Thoroughly clean your car

We tend to leave small trash on the carpet of our car. Plastic bags, empty cans, used papers or worse, food garbages like small pizza boxes (we all had one on the back seats at some point!). Those objects, when left abandoned too long under your leather car seats tend to leave a bad smell, dirty your fabric and bring more bacterias. You do not need a car detailing to remove those. Just do it at the end of each day or when going to the car wash or gas station.

3. Brush and Vacuum the carpets

Even invisible dirt can leave a smell especially when they attack the differents fabrics of your vehicle. You want to avoid rot as much as possible, notably on leather car seats. At some point, you might have to change completely the carpet or to recondition your leather completely if it becomes too embedded. Any good car wash or mobile detailer will start detailing your car by removing the superficial dirt. Interior vacuum and wipe-down are the first things you want to do when detailing your car.

4. Use steam or waterless products to wash your interior

Steam wash is very efficient against bad car smells. The heat will instantly kill all the bacterias and prevent your interior from rotting. I advise you to do so in case you have food or liquid spills deteriorating your interior.

You can also have recourse to a waterless car wash or waterless detailing. Indeed, waterless products are highly concentrated and leave a nice smell in the car. Few detailers provide carwash with steam. However, a lot of them do waterless carwash and interior detailing.

5. Don’t use too much water when cleaning your interior!

Some people often drown their interior in water that is a very bad idea! Too much water on your fabric will take days to dry especially if you leave in a cold area. This will grow a musty smell in the car. When you spill water on your seats, and the water remains clear, it means that there is no dirt left on your seats.

6. Remove cigarette odors

This one if for smoking people! A good tip to completely remove smoke odors is to place a bowl of vinegar on your front and back seats. Put two towels in those bowls. The towels will release a strong perfume that will snuff out the cigarette smell. However, the smell of vinegar is not what you should aim for. However, this one vanishes with time whereas cigarette odor can really embed in your car for long.

7. Use deodorizer in a smart way

Don’t just spray deodorizer all over your interior. Start your engine put the fan on full power and turn on the AC. Set up the fresh air setting of the car so that the air comes from the outside. Then, spray the deodorizer in the intakes of the car.

That way, the deodorizer will be mixed up with fresh air and spread all over your interior. This method will also clean the air circuit of the car that could have been affected by bad odors. Turn on the heat of your car and redo the operation.

8. Clean/change the air filter

If bacterias or rot have been growing on your air filters, bad odors are automatically spread in your interior each time you turn your fan/AC on. If you leave your air filter dirty, the seven previous tips will become useless! Ask your detailer or car service provider if you do not know how to do so. Brand new air filters cost approximately $50 and bring a comfort you will not regret if you use your AC a lot!

9. Condition your leather and shampoo the fabrics

If you absolutely want to remove all odors of the car, having your interior fully detailed is an excellent way to start. Shampooing the carpet will release a clean smell in your car. Reconditioning your leather will protect your seats from being affected by future dirt or bacterias and reinvigorate the leather. And of course, the natural smell of leather is certainly what you want for your car!

However, this part requires some skills. Before doing it yourself, have a professional detailer show you how they do. If you do not want to waste time finding a detailer on your own, Washos can definitely help you.

10. Clean the spills in your car as soon as possible

A common mistake people make is to wait until their car is really dirty to clean everything at once. There is no better way to deteriorate your car and have lingering odors grow in your interior. Rot is the worst source of odors for your vehicle, and it comes from lasting stains or spills. If you have pets, do never wait more than a day if they urinate or vomit in your car or you might embed the odor for good.

3 myths about odors removal

1. Using an air-freshener is enough

Absolutely not! The air-freshener will make you feel that the car smells good, but bad odors will still keep on growing in your interior. As soon as you don’t use those products anymore, the smells of your car will re-appear. By that time, of course, those odors would have embedded in your fabric and leather and will be way harder to remove.

2. Driving with the window open

Isn’t that obvious that this method does not remove bad odors? Doing so will simply have you used to the odor of the car while you’re driving. Close all the windows, step out of the car for 10 minutes and go back in. You’ll have the demonstration that this method is nothing but a myth.

3. You need very good supplies to remove bad car odors

You don’t! Just follow our guide and you’ll see the result. The most important is to clean and vacuum the car. Then wipe-down all the surfaces to remove the dirt. As for shampooing the carpet or cleaning the seats, you can even use a good brush with baking soda and then wipe-down all the surfaces with a clean towel.

And if you feel like having a professional detailer pave the way to odor removal for you. Simply book a Washos car wash and our detailer will be more than happy to guide you through all those steps.