Water Ban in Allentown PA!!!!!!!!!!

[bobfred44]

Ok, so our local authority has just notified us that we can no longer wash our cars starting June 1. I can explain how screwed up our government is in Allentown (Lehigh Valley) Pa. and Pennsylvania but that is not what this forum is for. I need to continue to wash my three cars on a weekly basis to keep that new detail look all summer. I just detailed all three cars topping them off with APW and now this news. Well, I have a plan and need all you experts to lend your advice. Free advice in Pa is still tax free but I am sure that will change soon. After all, the newest industry in the Lehigh Valley just opened today which is said to help bail us out of Pa's budget deficit. It is "Legalized Gambling" and the casino was built on the sight of the old Bethlehem Steel Mills. Our economy is in trouble. Oh, sorry, back to my plan:

 

1. Buy one more Adams buckets with grid. I already have one.

2. Fill on bucket with Adasm soap and was mitt. The second one fill with plain water. Screw on lids and pack the buckets and Adams green wheel cleaner, brushes, APC, DS, a few MFT and MF drying towels into my vehicle

3. Head to my local car wash about 6 am Saturday mornings. 6 AM becuase buckets are not allowed and I don't what the buckets cop or cash wash cops trach me down. I feel they will feel sorry for me that early in the morning.

4. Rinse down the care completely, wash tires and wheels first, then was down the entire car with the soap bucket and rins the mitt with the clean water bucket,

5. Rinse down car again, maybe using the "Spot Free" rinse as a final pass. Don't know if that would hurt the finish. (Any advise?)

6. Dry off car with white MF drying towels and DS. This p***es me off since I just bought the vacuum/blower from Adams which really helps in the drying process. Unless the car wash has electric outlets, I am screwed.

7. Drive home and finish with the windows and vacuuming and final details. I don't care if I wake up the neighbors cause they would proabably report me if I wash the cars in the driveways.

 

If anyone has ideas that would add to this plan, again, I would appreciate your help. This is the summer version of Adam's winter car wash video which by the way, I tried in January and was told to leave because I could not use a bucket.

 

If it sounds like I am upset, you got it. I am all for protecting our environment and believe we may need to do something, but no washing cars at all is a little extreme. The vehicles are huge investments and I take pride in not only how the car I drive looks, but I take care of everything I own. Why can't we was every other week or some other modified approach. As it turns out, going to the car wash will probably use more water. Maybe the water authority's web site a better news but until then, I will work with my plan

 

Thanks for listening to me rant and hopefully, I can get through this. Car washing and detailing is like therapy for me. Ashley, send my a bucket!

[ozzy]

Sounds like a plan to me, just remember that the wash bays recycle the water and it's not always filtered, other then that, good luck.

 

I wonder how this is going to impact the Carlisle car shows, they normally have a wash area just inside Gate 3.

[Marylander]

Why the ban? You guys aren't having a drought, are you? I'd say write letters to all the local council people and tell them how they just lost your vote. And for good measure, get some petitions from every car club, car dealership, neighbor and anyone else you can think of and show the pols how many votes that their bone-headed ban will cost them. It means some work for you, but these guys shouldn't be allowed to go unchecked.

 

Or, alternately, just throw lots of mud on their cars every morning.

[mc2hill]

Bob, have you looked into any of the no-rinse (not rinse-less!) products? As much as I love working with the Adam's wash shampoo and wash pad, I have started using a no-rinse product for 'maintenance' washes (light dirt, no bugs or mud). With the bucket, Grit Guard, and plenty of great Adam's MF towels (WW drying and fluffy blue) you have the 'hardware' part already. With just 2 gallons of water you can have a clean car (I like to use the 2 bucket method with this, so 4 gallons of water). You could even wash them in the garage!

 

Not sure if Adam's is planning to offer a no-rinse solution, but it seems to be something that there is need for, especially for folks, like yourself, who face water restrictions.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com<img src=" /><o:p></o:p>

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[bobfred44]

OK, here is the scoop. I looked into the water ban further and it turns out, the local water authority had what appears to be a capital spending plan to drill more wells in our area which has been growing rapidly. Even during the economic downturn, there are still developments being built, just not at the rapid pace. The well drilling project seems to be way behind schedule and they are concerned about the lack of water for essential use so they are telling us we can wash cars,,,,,,,,,,,,,but not totally. For those of us living in houses with an odd number address, we can wash our cars on the first and third Saturday of a month. We have to use a bucket (brilliant people on the water authority) and a hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle. Still no problem. Here is where it gets interesting, we can use the hose to spray the vehicle for no more than two minutes. Adam, got any timers for sale? So, I think I can live with this along with my plan. All this because the bone heads are behind schedule, but law is law.

 

Michael, any website for the no rinse car wash. I did use the "Waterless Car Wash" years ago but now that I know more about detailing, I am not sure that was good for the black paint on our Saab. Adam, Ashley and Steve, any suggestions regarding this method of washing.

 

Oh well, this is minor in the big picture of live and Riley (Irish Setter) really likes the car wash. Hope we don't get kick out again for using buckets. I have been kicked out of bars, sporting events and now even a car wash. My wife is a saint!!!!

 

I also want to thank ever Veteran and current Armed Service person for all they do for us. Happy Memorial Day!:patriot:

 

Thanks for the helpful hints.:pc:

[bobfred44]

Why the ban? You guys aren't having a drought, are you? I'd say write letters to all the local council people and tell them how they just lost your vote. And for good measure, get some petitions from every car club, car dealership, neighbor and anyone else you can think of and show the pols how many votes that their bone-headed ban will cost them. It means some work for you, but these guys shouldn't be allowed to go unchecked.

 

Or, alternately, just throw lots of mud on their cars every morning.

 

I like the alternative!!!

[mc2hill]

First off, I like Rich's alternative too!

 

As for a no-rinse product, check out Adam's dealer Phil Yiu at Detailers Domain - http://www.detailersdomain.com/index.asp. I'm not an expert on no-rinse products, but will be glad to answer questions or point you to other resources.

[mikegeaney]

ABSOLUTELY!! We are not changing out existing products, rather, adding new ones that have been requested.

 

HINTS: Scratch removal kit, Wheel Cleaner, a Compound, water spot remover, waterless wash, and a few others. (Don't hold me to all of these, as the testing is not finished yet!)

 

As was mentioned earlier, we don't release a product until we have used it in a variety of temperatures, conditions, etc. I like saying, "use our stuff only in day, night, hot or cold, alone, with someone, drunk, or sober!"

 

We can only feel out the user-friendliness after using a product for a while, and in both extremes of the seasons.

 

Thanks for your patience!

 

From a previous post I believe that Adam's was working on a waterless wash. You might also want to search for "Spray On Wash" as there was thread on that sometime ago. I have used ONR in the past with some success.

[AZGTO]

I would just say screw it and not listen to them...wash it in your garage

Edited May 24, 2009 by AZGTO

[bobfred44]

I would just say screw it and no listen to them...wash it in your garage

 

Donny, I like your thinking.

[11chevz71]

Ok, so our local authority has just notified us that we can no longer wash our cars starting June 1. I can explain how screwed up our government is in Allentown (Lehigh Valley) Pa. and Pennsylvania but that is not what this forum is for. I need to continue to wash my three cars on a weekly basis to keep that new detail look all summer. I just detailed all three cars topping them off with APW and now this news. Well, I have a plan and need all you experts to lend your advice. Free advice in Pa is still tax free but I am sure that will change soon. After all, the newest industry in the Lehigh Valley just opened today which is said to help bail us out of Pa's budget deficit. It is "Legalized Gambling" and the casino was built on the sight of the old Bethlehem Steel Mills. Our economy is in trouble. Oh, sorry, back to my plan:

 

1. Buy one more Adams buckets with grid. I already have one.

2. Fill on bucket with Adasm soap and was mitt. The second one fill with plain water. Screw on lids and pack the buckets and Adams green wheel cleaner, brushes, APC, DS, a few MFT and MF drying towels into my

 

 

vehicle

3. Head to my local car wash about 6 am Saturday mornings. 6 AM becuase buckets are not allowed and I don't what the buckets cop or cash wash cops trach me down. I feel they will feel sorry for me that early in the morning.

4. Rinse down the care completely, wash tires and wheels first, then was down the entire car with the soap bucket and rins the mitt with the clean water bucket,

5. Rinse down car again, maybe using the "Spot Free" rinse as a final pass. Don't know if that would hurt the finish. (Any advise?)

6. Dry off car with white MF drying towels and DS. This p***es me off since I just bought the vacuum/blower from Adams which really helps in the drying process. Unless the car wash has electric outlets, I am screwed.

7. Drive home and finish with the windows and vacuuming and final details. I don't care if I wake up the neighbors cause they would proabably report me if I wash the cars in the driveways.

 

If anyone has ideas that would add to this plan, again, I would appreciate your help. This is the summer version of Adam's winter car wash video which by the way, I tried in January and was told to leave because I could not use a bucket.

 

If it sounds like I am upset, you got it. I am all for protecting our environment and believe we may need to do something, but no washing cars at all is a little extreme. The vehicles are huge investments and I take pride in not only how the car I drive looks, but I take care of everything I own. Why can't we was every other week or some other modified approach. As it turns out, going to the car wash will probably use more water. Maybe the water authority's web site a better news but until then, I will work with my plan

 

Thanks for listening to me rant and hopefully, I can get through this. Car washing and detailing is like therapy for me. Ashley, send my a bucket!

 

 

 

 

DOnt you just love pa government.

[BlueJacket]

I would just say screw it and no listen to them...wash it in your garage

 

+1

 

Whats the fine if they catch you?

[jjwvette]

I guess you don't pay enough property taxes

[AZGTO]

Donny, I like your thinking.

 

Screw it...just crack your garage door and let it loose! I mean I pull my car into the garage when its all wet to dry it off, whats a little more water going to do?

[bobfred44]

+1

 

Whats the fine if they catch you?

 

$50 per occurrence plus $50 if you rinse for more than 2 minutes or don't use a hose or a bucket or you don't have an automatic hose nozzles. Looks like our local police department will be busy this summer. Using the garage has now been moved to Plan A, the car wash plan is now Plan B.

[BrandonL]

+1 for Optimum No Rinse. I just washed my car for the first time with it and it turned out great! I should have taken some before pics but I should have after pics posted some time later tonight

 

I also have heard rumor that Adam's will make a no rinse car wash. I'm very excited to see that come through

[mc2hill]

I just did a 'winter wash' in my Florida garage yesterday with the ONR!

I needed to wash the wife's car and was going to use the Adam's shampoo. As I was cleaning the wheels a thunderstorm started rolling in, and I finished the last wheel just as the rain started. I had my wife move the already damp car in the garage and got the ONR ready. I pre-treated some bugs with ONR at detail-spray strength and got started. It took about 45 minutes to wash and dry the car (dry as you go). BTW, I used some Detail spray when drying yesterday and liked the way it worked. The washing did not make garage floor any wetter than it already was with the rain dripping off the car on to it.

I said earlier in this thread, if you have a wash bucket, Grit Guard, white MF drying towels, and blue detail towels, you have everything you need. (I like using a grout sponge for washing instead of using a folded blue towel.) It is amazing how black the water in the rinse bucket gets when using this product!

 

If the moderators don't mind I'll post some pics later.

 

I'd be glad to switch to an Adam's no-rinse product when it becomes available, but until that time I'll stick with the ONR.

[BrianT]

That's why GOD gave us the sun! Do the legal stuff when it's light out, do the not so legal stuff when the sun goes down! Who will see you at 11 pm?

[Superior Suds]

I have not tried ONR, but is on my wish list to try and most likely use. I have only heard good things about it.

[Baron_Von_Awesome]

I have not tried ONR, but is on my wish list to try and most likely use. I have only heard good things about it.

 

It is a nice product...very versatile, too. And it can be used to compliment Adam's Car Wash! - Have hard water problems? - A capful of ONR in your wash buckets will totally take care of it, leaving you with no hard water spotting - you can even add it to your foam gun mixture for the same effect

[mc2hill]

Hey Frank,

Thanks for that tip, I'll give the ONR(1/2 ounce?) in the Adam's Wash Shampoo a try this weekend (if the rain doesn't force me in the garage again! [don't hate ATL folks ]).

 

One thing I did find is that just because you washed an area, it is not necessarily clean. I have taken to washing 'below the beltline' twice. Not wiping with one side of the sponge, then flipping the sponge over and wiping again. But using both sides, clearing the sponge in the rinse bucket, and reloading with wash solution.

[JCHall]

My hose out front just blew a hole. I'll have a chance to get a new one this weekend.

 

I haven't heard of a band in Bethlehem. If it would help you stay out of jail you're welcome to come over. I'm 2 - 3 miles off the Freemansburg Ave Route 33 exit.

 

Jim

[P's Titan]

had a buddy in GA when they had there droughts do his truck wash and water his lawn at 2-4 am.

 

If you do it quietly you may not be heard ( or seen )

[Bert]

First off, I like Rich's alternative too!

 

As for a no-rinse product, check out Adam's dealer Phil Yiu at Detailers Domain - http://www.detailersdomain.com/index.asp. I'm not an expert on no-rinse products, but will be glad to answer questions or point you to other resources.

 

Phil sells Optimum's No Rinse Wash and Shine which is a very nice no rinse wash. Of the 4 or 5 no rinse washes that I know of, it tends to be a favorite.

 

While I don't consider myself a tree hugger, once I used up the rest of my traditional wash, rinseless washing is how I plan to wash from now on.

[IMADreamer]

Slightly off topic but how does no rinse car wash work?

 

Sucks about the water situation in your town, but it looks like you have a work around.

[mc2hill]

Jason,

Are you asking about the technique or the technology?

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com<img src=" /><o:p></o:p>

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The technique:<o:p></o:p>

• Put 1 oz. in 2 gal. water – some (me) use another 2 gal. rinse water w/ Grit Guard<o:p></o:p>
  
• Soak grout sponge or microfiber towel in wash solution<o:p></o:p>
  
• Wipe each panel down lightly <o:p></o:p>
  
• Panel may need to washed twice – clean the sponge first<o:p></o:p>
  
• Dry panel with MF towel, wipe again with a dry towel to ‘shine’<o:p></o:p>
  
• Clean sponge and move to next panel<o:p></o:p>
  

<o:p></o:p>

 

 

 

 

 

The technology:<o:p></o:p>

• Lubrication/encapsulation carries away the unwanted dirt particles from the surface<o:p></o:p>
  
• ONR binds the dirt to the wash media<o:p></o:p>
  
• ONR softens water, so the bigger particles just sink to the bottom of the bucket. It’s like having a built-in grit guard in the wash solution. Smaller particles end up in the wash media<o:p></o:p>
  
• The polymers in No Rinse have reactive groups that bond and trap dirt particles making the dirt particles virtually non-abrasive. They also bond to oily particles and emulsify them into water. The latter is equivalent to the cleaning action from soaps which also work by emulsifying oil particles into water. However, with soap there is no interaction with dirt. This is why adding No Rinse to a regular wash also helps protect the paint from dirt particles.<o:p></o:p>
  
• The No Rinse polymers also bond to all automotive surfaces and create a slick surface and act as a barrier to protect paint from marring. That is something that soap(dish soap) will not provide since surfactants in soaps have no affinity for painted or other automotive surfaces.<o:p></o:p>
  

Edited May 30, 2009 by mc2hill
More specific on 'soap' in last bullet