Have you ever noticed those swirls that look like micro-scratches on the surface of your car’s paint? Despite your best effort at parking away from sap-dropping trees, using top notch car care products, and layering the car with exotic waxes, swirls can still materialize. Typically, those swirls occur when tiny specks of abrasive dirt get accidentally ground into the paint. One way to minimize them is to wash your car using the so-called two-bucket method.
What You Need
It’s not complicated. The two-bucket car wash method only requires these items:
- high-quality car wash soap
- wash mitt
- water
- two buckets
An optional Grit Guard device gives you an additional level of protection. The Grit Guard is a plastic device that stands up a few inches above the bottom of the bucket. The tiny holes in the guard are intended to help trap the dirt below the guard, further reducing the risk of trapping dirt in the wash mitt. This simple device is just another option to minimize the dirt that ends up in the clean wash bucket.
The Method
The first bucket holds the car wash soap and clean water. The second bucket is for rinse water. We usually add a small dash of soap to the rinse bucket to help release the dirt from the wash mitt. The rinse bucket can also use the Grit Guard or similar device. Avoid direct sunlight.
- Rinse the car off with fresh clean tap water.
- Soak the wash mitt in the first bucket with the soapy car wash and water mixture. Start at the top of the car and use the soapy water from your mitt to gently cover the car and release the dirt that was clinging to the car
- Go to the second rinse bucket and fully submerge the car wash mitt into the bucket. Shake the mitt in the water with the intent of getting all the dirt and grime off the mitt.
- Now with the wash mitt completely clean and free of the smallest dirt particles, put it back into the clean soapy water bucket. When the mitt is loaded up the totally clean soapy water, apply it to another part of the car.
Here’s the main idea: the first bucket should always stay clean and free of dirt that might end up damaging the paint. Remember the area below the belt line of the car typically contains the most grit and dirt so wash the top half first and repeatedly rinse off the mitt.
After washing the dirt off the car, rinse the car thoroughly, and dry with a high-quality microfiber drying towel. When your done, make sure to thoroughly rinse the buckets and wash mitt. After everything is dry, store your car washing materials in a clean spot.
Many of the car care suppliers on eBay carry quality car wash soaps, the Grit Guard, and microfiber drying towels. Some vendors even carry a complete kit for the two-bucket car wash method.
With some caution and quality products, the two-bucket car wash method should reduce the number of swirls you find in your paint.
