Night-Time Washing

[Ryans09G8]

With the recent time change, it is now full night by the time I get home from work.  So I can't really do a full wash in the driveway when I get home due to no real light source.  
 

I want my G8 to look good for this Saturday, but it's rained all weekend and the first half of this week so she's pretty rain-dirty.  My question:  

 

What is everyone's opinion on rinsing the car, then foaming the car with Adam's foam gun (making a few passes around the car), then pulling it into the garage and rinseless washing while the car is still foamed?

 

Bad idea?  Safe?

 

All summer I've kept up a constant H20 G&G on her every other wash and a month or so ago put on a coat of buttery.  In case that makes any difference in everyone's opinions on what you would do.

 

Thanks,

 

Ryan

[Beemer]

Wouldn't that make an awful mess in your garage?

 

I would certainly rinse off the soap from the foam gun before pulling in.

 

After that a rinseless wash would be fine.

[Chris@Adams]

I took my dirty truck to the car wash about a 1/2 mile away last night, blasted off all the dirt and grime came home and WW the truck while it was still wet. I used a lot of WW  BTW and it came out great. I do this a lot this time of year. You may want to give it a try.

[Ricky Bobby]

Ryan it's perfectly safe however, rinse the foam off first and pull the car in wet.

 

I regularly do a pressure washer or foam cannon pre soak and rinse, then pull in the garage while the car is still wet and complete my Rinseless wash. This has me not fighting the sun or the light, and I can go at my pace. Sometimes I will do the wheels/tires traditionally while I do the "pre wash" if they are excessively dirty.

 

Rinseless washing is a huge time and water saver and is very convenient.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Ricky Bobby

[MaStA]

Ryan it's perfectly safe however, rinse the foam off first and pull the car in wet.

 

I regularly do a pressure washer or foam cannon pre soak and rinse, then pull in the garage while the car is still wet and complete my Rinseless wash. This has me not fighting the sun or the light, and I can go at my pace. Sometimes I will do the wheels/tires traditionally while I do the "pre wash" if they are excessively dirty.

 

Rinseless washing is a huge time and water saver and is very convenient.

 

I agree.  Your plan sounds like a good one!

[Ryans09G8]

Great!  Thanks guys, much appreciated.  Always nice to have some reassurance on my plan of attack from the pros.

 

I know what I'm doing tonight now

[Drive XR7]

Also for garage lighting, I have 4 LED strips mounted to the ceiling. They put out bright clean light with no warm up in colder weather. A definite upgrade over florescent or a handful of incandescents.

[Ryans09G8]

Successful night, I must say!

 

[stripesace]

I need some work lights.... The front of my garage is good. It's the garage door side that gets dark. I honestly don't care that my neighbors would be looking at me like I was crazy. But this time change and recent rain is seriously cutting into my "schedule" for keeping the car shiny.

[Ryans09G8]

 I honestly don't care that my neighbors would be looking at me like I was crazy. 

 

Haha, I guarantee my neighbors were thinking I was ridiculous when I started spraying the car in the driveway last night.

[Ricky Bobby]

Did it not work absolutely awesome and efficiently to do that Ryan or what?

[Ryans09G8]

Did it not work absolutely awesome and efficiently to do that Ryan or what?

 

Yep, it worked flawlessly!  The pictures don't do it justice.  Thank you so much!

[oski83]

Great job! I've recently resorted to swinging by my local coin op to use their high pressure hoses. Started with their "wash" which has soap, then switched to "rinse" followed by rinse less wash or HGG while wet. They at least have lighting in booths. Really wish I had a well lit and spacious garage as you.

[stripesace]

I should have just shot some foam on my car tonight and then pulled it in for a rinseless wash... On my second 16oz bottle of Rinseless and have yet to actually do a rinseless wash. 

[TheWolf]

Great job! I've recently resorted to swinging by my local coin op to use their high pressure hoses. Started with their "wash" which has soap, then switched to "rinse" followed by rinse less wash or HGG while wet. They at least have lighting in booths. Really wish I had a well lit and spacious garage as you.

 

Omar, I would suggest just using the rinse option at the coin op wash, and skip using their soap.  The soaps they have can be harsh, it is most likely not pH balanced and could strip off any protection.

 

If your car is really dirty, do a pre-soak with diluted RW in a spray bottle before using the pressure washer for your starting rinse.

[imcrazy]

I've often fantasized about washing in the garage but, my lousy old garage floor is cracked and no longer slopes to the drain in the center so it would be a big mess. If not I'd probably have a tarp or three to hang up as curtains and wash in the garage.

[LFairbanks]

Haha, I guarantee my neighbors were thinking I was ridiculous when I started spraying the car in the driveway last night.

 

Wait for the looks you will get when your soap and water is freezing on the driveway and it starts snowing.  

[eric@thompsonracing.us]

Looks like you have plenty of space in your garage, I'd wash it inside. 

 

At my house, I did my floors in epoxy so I wash my cars in the middle bay, then squeegie the water out at the end.  Your concrete looks in good shape and you could probably do the same.