When it comes to car washing, sometimes we feel under too much pressure (ahem) to get it right. It sometimes feels that if you’re not using snow foam or special detergent for your pressure washer, you’re not doing it right. But, hang on a second – how did we cope before pressure washers? And, let’s face it, not everyone has a driveway or an area close to the house with mains power and a strong water supply to run a pressure washer.
Using a pressure washer doesn’t ‘improve’ the quality of your car wash, but without one, you might need to use more elbow grease or expand your product range to get the results you want. Sure, pressure washers make it easier, but where is the fun in easier?
So, let’s get looking at some of the bits and pieces that will help you get better results when you are cleaning your car without a pressure washer.
Cleaning your car without a pressure washer at a glance:
Best car cleaning bucket: Meguiar’s RG203 Yellow Car Wash Bucket – Buy now from Amazon UK
Editor’s choice: Autoglym Perfect Bodywork Collection – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best budget car wash set: DetailedOnline Car Valeting Pack – Buy now from Amazon UK
Cleaning your car without a pressure washer
Best car washing water bucket
Pros
- Iconic design
- Heavy duty
Cons
- Dirt guard has to be purchased separately
Best quality car wash set
Pros
- Ceramic spray offers three months of protection
- Acid-free wheel cleaner
Cons
- No storage case
Best car washing hose
Pros
- Sturdy construction
- Flexible
Cons
- Quite heavy when wet
Best interior and exterior car wash cleaning set
Pros
- For cleaning inside and out
- Everything in one package
Cons
- You may run out of some items more quickly than others
Best budget car wash cleaning set
Pros
- Bucket included
- Highly concentrated shampoo
Cons
- Not all items have a spray trigger
Best car wash set for a professional finish
Pros
- Streak-free shampoo
- Microfibre cloth included
Cons
- Still requires a bit of effort for the best results
Best all-round car washing kit
This car valeting bundle will last you a summer of washes and help keep your car pristine and looking great.
Pros
- Contains Carnauba car wash
- Tyre and trim gel included
Cons
- Polish action could be better
Best no power car washer
Well, the Spear & Jackson Pressure Sprayer answers all these concerns. It's hand-pumped, meaning that the spray power is moderate and safe while still allowing cleaning benefits. It's cheap, and it's reliable.
Using this, you can spray a pre-wash on your car’s extra dirty areas, which will help lift dirt and grime off the paint and out of its tiny little pores. This leaves a glossier and better finish on your car and helps to preserve the paintwork.
Pros
- No power needed
- Can be used with water or product
Cons
- Not a particularly strong jet
Hints and tips on car cleaning
Make sure your car’s bodywork is not hot to the touch before you start, and also try not to wash your car in direct sunlight. Why? If the body panels of your car are too warm or the sun is beaming directly onto them, this will cause water to evaporate off your car too quickly. This means all those little bits of dirt you’re trying to clean off will get left behind in the evaporation process. When it comes to drying the car, these bits of dirt can easily cause micro-scratches in your paintwork, taking away that shine and meaning you’ll need to do more in the long run to get that shine back.
Follow the tried-and-tested wet, wash, rinse, and dry method.
If a car is filthy, wash the vehicle in segments, ensuring the area you’re washing is always wet. This will add a tiny layer of lubrication and help lift any larger bits of dirt. Again, all this is trying to do is reduce the micro-scratches on your paint. These are inevitable; they will happen – our very own car detailer (someone who loves to get cars really clean), Ryan Gilmore, has many products that will help you along your car cleaning journey. Remember, get the car wet, wash it with a sponge and shampoo, rinse all the soapy suds away, and then dry using a drying cloth – gone are the days of chamois leather.
Cleaning your cleaning gear
As with the dirt you rinse off the car, if you don’t have a specific car cleaning bucket with a grit guard, you risk putting all of that back on again. Guess what this might make? Yup… micro-scratches. We explained what that means before, so to avoid these, it’s best to have a bucket with lovely clean water constantly. You may want to have two buckets, one for your shampoo and one to clean the sponge. Whichever way you choose to clean your car, it’s important to make sure it’s clean – that means clean sponges and cloths with clean water.
What about pre-wash?
You can use snow foam, or you can use chemicals – but as this whole thing is about not using a pressure washer, in this instance, chemicals are probably your friend here. Happily, our sister site, CAR Magazine, has reviewed the best prewash products available and rounded them up here.
Myles Warwood is an Autos Products Writer for both Parkers and CAR, specialising in child seats and e-bikes. In his spare time, he’s a freelance cycling journalist and dog owner.
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Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website, we never allow this to influence product selections – read why you should trust us
Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.
