? about saving soap

[smokemeister25]

i occassionally end up with about a half 5 gallon bucket of car wash soap i don't use. i just put the airtight lid on and wait till next time.

 

is there anything wrong with that practice? it's pretty clean (actually very clean) and i just add a little soap to it and hit it with the power washer and it foams like mad and i use it. it feels and looks fine and feels the same as new stuff. super slick and very foamy.

 

we're not talkin about something that's 3 or 4 weeks old. days at most. sometimes only hours old and like i said it's very clean and i put an air tight lid on it and leave the grit guard in the bottom.

 

wondered what people thought about my practice?

 

thanks for the advice

 

les

[Chewy]

I'd personally only do it if it was FRESH water and soap. Any dirt that settles is stirred up and in suspension once you hit it with the pressure washer.

 

If you're not going for PERFECT paint, then keep doing it. If you are, pony up the little bit of money to start from scratch.

[smokemeister25]

it's not so much the wasting the money thing... more just that i hate to waste good soap. i guess that what comes from being poor when i was growin up. i just hate to waste something.

 

i had the same thought about re-foaming it by hittin it with the hose and stirrin up all the dirt that's settled at the bottom of the bucket. i usually just dump it but wondered what people that are smarter than i am about this stuff do.

 

i'll take your suggestion and just dump it. i use a foam cannon and by the time the lambs wool wash mitt hits the car there's so little dirt involved i really don't even have anything to speak of in the bottom of the bucket though. i use a separte towel to do the wheels and spray them with wheel cleaner and let em soak during the wash and then hit em with the power washer and by the time i get to them with the towel they're about clean enough to eat off anyway.... i really like this adams car shampoo. it's so slick it's almost like washing with lubricant instead of soap anyway. i'd love to say how it's my favorite adams product but i think the glass cleaner is by far the best glass cleaner i've ever used, and the detailer is phenominal as is the spray all purpose cleaner... so i guess i'm a pretty satisfied new adams user and forum member.

 

did i mention how much i like the waffle towels...

 

and i reckon this is the wrong thread to get me started on my

new love...

 

... just look at that shine... this car washing and waxin is turnin into a lot of fun. and good exercise too. i keep tellin my wife that all the money is spend is helpin me stay in shape. and so far she's buyin it

[07RS4]

so far she's buyin it

 

She won't for long.....when you start getting a beer gut from all the detailing:lol:

[Golf for Life]

Les IMO it's not worth the chance of picking up grit from the bottom of the bucket even with a grit guard. I save my left over soap from the foam gun. Just pour it in a one gallon jug. I also pre-mix Adams car wash and water in the gallon jug so all that I need to do is fill the 32 OZ. reservoir in the foam gun and I'm ready to go.

[07RS4]

I'd personally only do it if it was FRESH water and soap. Any dirt that settles is stirred up and in suspension once you hit it with the pressure washer.

 

If you're not going for PERFECT paint, then keep doing it. If you are, pony up the little bit of money to start from scratch.

 

Agree with Chris.

 

Les, even if you use 2 oz of soap in your foam gun and 2 oz of soap in your wash bucket...that's only 4 oz. A gallon is a 128, so even at that rate you could do 32 washes. It's just not worth the risk trying to save a little soap.

 

Now's your chance to jump on the gallon refills with the Labor day sale, especially the essentials kit. With the 15% off and 4 16oz extra bottles of each product your getting a good deal.

[Chris@Adams]

I would start out with fresh as well.

[AZGTO]

Start fresh...buy a gallon of the soap and it will last you a long time!

[mbreyer]

Agree with most previous comments. DO NOT reuse wash water, it will actually make you spend more on the paint correction process in the end. There is dirt and all other unknown stuff you dont need rubbin up on your paint. 1-2 oz of soap per bucket, i figure if not all is used you will sacrifice .25-.5 oz of good soap. That just isnt a savings risk i would take considering the electic and product you will use to correct the paint after dirty soap has been used.

[Vincenzo]

Don't re-use. Learn to estimate just how much soap/water you will need. I have found that I only need to half fill the thing in the first place to end up with about 2 inches of soapy water over at the end of the day.