Two Bucket Carwash Method

The Two Bucket Car Wash

Sydney has Level 3 water restrictions so you can't wash your car using a hose.

At the end of February 2007, the ABC program 'New Inventors' featured a spray hose fitting that allows people to hose the suds off their car using very little water. It's not approved under current rules, and that's a good thing, because I think it is a VERY SILLY idea. Even though it was the judges' choice on the night.

I thought I would show how to wash your car using less than two buckets of water. It isn't an invention but it does use recent microfibre technology!

Here's what you need

Two buckets Any type will do A sole person can use the Two Bucket method, but it's more fun with two. You get to chat with each other, try to coordinate your actions, discuss relative degrees of car cleanliness and world peace. Then you put your feet up and admire your fine collaboration.
Cloth 1: Microfibre A thick mitt made from the microfibre wonder-material will remove grime without lots of rubbing. They are available from major supermarkets and most brands are more or less equivalent. You don't use detergents with the microfibre mitt and they last for years.
Cloth 2: Chamois (my grandma calls it a 'shammy') The original chamois cloth is made from deer skin – a chamois is a kind of deer. I use this synthetic version. The fun thing with shammy cloths is that you don't store them dry. Instead, you wring out the water and store them damp in their neato plastic box. They last for years.
A step, sturdy box or ladder This is for everyone who isn't a basketball or AFL player! It lets the rest of us reach across the roof of the car.
A dirty car! We've got it! A small spider lives in our driver side mirror. She's one of the family!

Step 1: Just add water

Add water to the buckets and throw a cloth in each one. If you REALLY need to save water you can re-use shower water in Bucket 1 (with the microfibre mitt), but Bucket 2 (with the chamois) should be clean water.

Step 2: Microfibre Maid attacks the grime

The team member who is LESS PICKY about dirt sloshes the microfibre mitt onto the roof of the car and rubs a bit while the PICKY team member gives advice.

The general procedure is to start from the roof, do the bits you can reach and then do the windows and doors on that same side.

The mitt-manager will leave lots of water on the car. On hot days, you don't want the surface to dry before the shammy-man comes along. This is where you get scope for coordinating – dancing with chamois? the carwash two-step?

Step 3: Coordinated teamwork

The mitt-manager moves to the rear, sloshing and rubbing the rear window, boot, bumper and anything else. No discrimination – if it is on the car, give it a rub.

The shammy team member can now get busy on the roof and side windows, doors etc. The same indiscriminate approach applies – just use the shammy on everything. When the shammy gets wet, rinse and wring. The shammy will leave the car almost dry and it will dry without streaks in seconds.

Step 4: Keep at it

Work your way around the car. Do the roof and side, then the windscreen, bonnet, lights and bumper.

One-step, two-step!

And then you're done!

Step 5: Tidy away

Now you can check the dirty the water in Bucket 1 – sign of effectiveness!

Empty the remaining water in both buckets onto your plants.

Hang your microfibre mitt out to dry. Roll up the wet chamois and return it to its box.

Stand back and admire your clean shiney car! Of course the spider has retreated to the interior of the mirror during this process. She'll come out and build her food factory again. Hmmm... only a few water spots on the ground. It looks like the Two Bucket method puts the water where it is needed – on the car!

Any questions?

Q. What about all those specialty car cleaning products? Detergents, waxes, polishes? What are they for?

A. They are for people who WANT to spend money on their car. People who enjoy the ritual of buying, measuring and administering expensive specialty products onto paintwork. People who like to chat with their mates at bars and BBQs about the pros and cons of different products and brands.

If your car is your hobby, you could trial a hybrid approach that combines the Two Bucket Method for washing the car, followed by a standard approach to wax and polish.

Q. Doesn't detergent clean the car better?

A. The microfibre cloth does an excellent job of removing surface grime, bug spots and so forth. It's damn good on the greasy film that seems to come from exhaust fumes and tyre rubber. In my view, the microfibre mitt cleans the car better and has not damaged the fancy pearly paint finish on my car.

Q. How does the Two Bucket Method avoid streaks or water-spots?

A. Firstly, it is detergent that causes the streaks. The Two Bucket Method does not use detergent, this saves water and guarantees a streak-free finish. Dr Karl could probably explain the physics of this. And the water-spots? The chamois cloth has magical properties – it soaks up the water on the surface so there is not enough water left to make spots.

Q. Can I use the Two Bucket Method on any ground surface?

A. Good question! The answer is yes! With the Two Bucket Method, the water goes on the car, not on the ground. So it is OK to do it anywhere.

Q. How long does the Two Bucket Method take?

A. Two people can get their car sparkling in about 10-15 minutes, without leaving home! When I do it alone, it takes me about 15-20 minutes, if I don't pause too often to check out the lorikeets feeding in the camelia.

Q. What about the fancy pink spray hose that featured on New Inventors?

A. When the Two Bucket Method catches on, the pink spray thingie will be recognised for what it is – another sad example of consumerism gone mad. And remember, spray hose fittings can't be used to wash cars in Sydney. Buckets can.

Love your car: Love your planet — Adopt the Two Bucket Carwash Method.

Look here for information about the ABC New Inventors program.
Look here for viewer feedback to the pink spray hose on New Inventors.

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