Car washing and water restrictions

[Shane Brittle]

Where I live in Australia (Canberra), car washing will soon be banned
(except from commercial car washes that recycle water) as we have not yet
fully recovered from drought and out dam levels continue to fall.

Apart from taking the car to a commercial car wash (which I hate), I'm
thinking of ways to keep the car clean without the traditional hose and
bucket hand wash. For minor dust and road grime, I know that products are
available like Meguiars Quick Detail. Apart from being expensive, I think
these may be too harsh to use all over the car every week or so.

I'm thinking of making a similar water-based solution in a spray bottle to
mist over the car and wipe off. What about water with just a few drops of
kerosene added? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Cheers
Shane
MY00 Impreza Sportswagon (Impreza OBS in the U.S. market)

 

[Edward Hayes]

A good coat of wax and let rain do it. Catch rain water in a barrel from the
roof to use later? recycle house wash water(not potty) from the shower or
kitchen sink?

 

[Lance B]

A good coat of wax and let rain do it. Catch rain water in a barrel from the
roof to use later? recycle house wash water(not potty) from the shower or
kitchen sink?

Shane,

I feel your pain. We've been put on water restrictions here in Sydney
from October 1. What I can't work out is that where I live in the
Sutherland Shire of Sydney, we get our water from the Woronora dam
which is 90% full and not from the Waragamba dam which is only 60%. I
don't see why we should have water restrictions as well as we have
plenty of water.

Anyway, what I can say to help your situation is that there used to be
a soft brush (like a mop)which has a type of wax included in the soft
fibres. The brush is like a duster, very soft and won't harm the
paint. The wax in the fibres picks up the dust and works quite well. I
then use a bucket of very warm water with a cup or 2 of metho and a
chamois. I go over the car with a very wet chamois of water/metho and
then dry off with a the chamois after squeezing out the excess. The
metho in the water really cleans out the paintwork even better than a
car shampoo.

This type of cleaning is only good for when your car is dusty from
road dust etc, not much good for mud and other gunk. I would go to Car
Lovers and use their high pressure cleaner and clean that stuff off
first and then do the metho/water chamois method. These methods have
worked for me and I'm very particular about keeping my car clean. The
paint work is in A1 condition.

 

[null]

The brush you describe on this side of the pond is called the "California
car Duster"
It's a cotton string brush impregnated with paraffin wax. It pulls all the
dust off you car
without leaving any residue. The best part is the older it gets the better
it works. My dad's had one for
over 10years and it's still going.


I'm assuming by commercial car wash you mean the type you drive your car
through and not the do it
yourself type. Otherwise I'd reccomend visiting when it's not busy and
bring your own bucket and mit.

My guess for your water restriction is that although they level is at 90%
its not being replenished
at a rate that would allow no restriction.


What's Metho?

 

[Losiho]

Where I live in Australia (Canberra), car washing will soon be banned
(except from commercial car washes that recycle water) as we have not yet
fully recovered from drought and out dam levels continue to fall.

Apart from taking the car to a commercial car wash (which I hate), I'm
thinking of ways to keep the car clean without the traditional hose and
bucket hand wash. For minor dust and road grime, I know that products are
available like Meguiars Quick Detail. Apart from being expensive, I think
these may be too harsh to use all over the car every week or so.

How strict are the NSW / ACT restrictions going to be ? Down here in
Melbourne under stage 2 restrictions you are still allowed to wash your car
with a high pressure water machine (ie, Karcher or similar). Double check
what you can or can't do under the proposed restrictions.

 

[Geoff Mercer]

Canberra is going to Stage 3 restrictions on Oct 1st.
No car washing except at commercial ones that recycle water, not even
from a bucket.
No sprinklers, hand watering only 7am-10am or 7pm-10pm

details at
http://www.actew.com.au/waterrestrictions.cfm

geoff

 

[roofi]

Use the rinse water from your clothes washing.......



Canberra is going to Stage 3 restrictions on Oct 1st.
No car washing except at commercial ones that recycle water, not even
from a bucket.
No sprinklers, hand watering only 7am-10am or 7pm-10pm

details at
http://www.actew.com.au/waterrestrictions.cfm

geoff

 

[Lance B]

The brush you describe on this side of the pond is called the "California
car Duster"
It's a cotton string brush impregnated with paraffin wax. It pulls all the
dust off you car
without leaving any residue. The best part is the older it gets the better
it works. My dad's had one for
over 10years and it's still going.


I'm assuming by commercial car wash you mean the type you drive your car
through and not the do it
yourself type. Otherwise I'd reccomend visiting when it's not busy and
bring your own bucket and mit.

My guess for your water restriction is that although they level is at 90%
its not being replenished
at a rate that would allow no restriction.


What's Metho?

Sorry, I should have known that the Americans who read this wouldn't
know what Metho is. It's full name here is Methylated Spirits. Is that
what you know it as over there in the US. I think it has another name
but it is essentially pure alcohol or methanol not ethanol. Its very
good for cleaning car surfaces and windows as well.

The car wash I was talking about are the type that you do yourself
with the high pressure water cleaner hose and then the brush with the
detergent suds. These car washes use recycled water and are ok in the
water restriction areas.

Our dam I was talking about (Woronora) gets plenty of rain fall and
has never been below 55% (it now has 90%). So I don't know why the
politicians have decided to put us on restrictions like the rest of
Sydney. Unfortunately I'm a cynical bastard and reckon that the
politicians are just gearing us up to believe that the only way to
really retrict consumption is to put the water rates up. Just another
way for the government to screw some more money out of us tax paying
suckers.

 

[Alan]

Regarding the water restrictions: It is probably because it would be too
confusing to have varying restrictions in the same close area. Residents may
not know from which dam they get water, or, more likely, "Oh, I'm sorry
officer. I thought I got my water from the unrestricted dam."

 

[Mark]

I used to clean Lear Jets with a bottle of glass cleaner and a rag.
Yep, the entire plane was cleaned this way. However, Aviation paint
seemed to be thicker and we always had a good quality of wax on it.

 

[Alan]

What, no toothbrush?

 

[Lance B]

Regarding the water restrictions: It is probably because it would be too
confusing to have varying restrictions in the same close area. Residents may
not know from which dam they get water, or, more likely, "Oh, I'm sorry
officer. I thought I got my water from the unrestricted dam."

Regarding the water restrictions: It is probably because it would be
too

confusing to have varying restrictions in the same close area. Residents may
not know from which dam they get water, or, more likely, "Oh, I'm sorry
officer. I thought I got my water from the unrestricted dam."

Alan, a good point. Silly me didn't think of that. Too busy being
angry at the law makers.

 

[Shane Brittle]

Thanks for the tip mate, I found one of those dust mops at K Mart on the
weekend.

Shane

 

[SASCHOCH]

Unfortunately I'm a cynical bastard and reckon that the
politicians are just gearing us up to believe that the only way to
really retrict consumption is to put the water rates up. Just another
way for the government to screw some more money out of us tax paying
suckers.

Lance:
Ditto!
I see that politicians are politicians everywhere.

-Steve
U.S.A.

 

[Rick Courtright]

What's Metho?

Hi,

I think most of the world knows "fuel grade" or solvent alcohol as
meths, methylated spirits or similar. In the US we have "denatured
alcohol" at the paint or home improvement store. Same stuff AFAIK.

Rick

 

[Lance B]

Thanks for the tip mate, I found one of those dust mops at K Mart on the
weekend.

Shane

Shane,

Tell me what you think of my method for cleanind the car. I would like
to know if the brush thingy works for you. Remember to then clean the
car with the hot water/metho solution. It's good for keeping the
windows clean as well.

Lance

 

[Andrew Morris]

I think you call methylated spirits, white spirits in the US...

 

[Rick Courtright]

I think you call methylated spirits, white spirits in the US...

Hi,

Could that be a local/regional name? Or a different ethanol based fuel
from "denatured alcohol?" I just checked the can in the garage and
there's no reference to that name. My can says "contains ethanol
denatured with methanol." It also says for use as a fuel for marine
stoves (or, in the fine print, for any stove spec'ing alcohol fuel.)

But... we've had all kinds of names on stuff here and they become
confusing. At one time we had "white" gas (actual gasoline/petrol
without any additives) which is a term still frequently used for Coleman
fuel (naptha based, but not the same as the naptha one buys at the
hardware store) and its clones. And we still have "mineral spirits"
which is a light solvent used for paint thinner and various
cleaning/degreasing purposes.

I'll look a little further...

Rick

 

[Lance B]

Hi,

Could that be a local/regional name? Or a different ethanol based fuel
from "denatured alcohol?" I just checked the can in the garage and
there's no reference to that name. My can says "contains ethanol
denatured with methanol." It also says for use as a fuel for marine
stoves (or, in the fine print, for any stove spec'ing alcohol fuel.)

But... we've had all kinds of names on stuff here and they become
confusing. At one time we had "white" gas (actual gasoline/petrol
without any additives) which is a term still frequently used for Coleman
fuel (naptha based, but not the same as the naptha one buys at the
hardware store) and its clones. And we still have "mineral spirits"
which is a light solvent used for paint thinner and various
cleaning/degreasing purposes.

I'll look a little further...

Rick

Rick,

It is ethanol. I've just had a look at the 20lt drum I have of it. It
must be a name we use here in Australia and not you guys in the US. It
is readily available in supermarkets, hardwares etc for cleaning
purposes. I'm sure it would be the same in the States. Some of the
homeless wino's use it here either straight or with a bit of orange
juice to make it palatable. Do you know what I mean now? Do the wino's
over there use an ethanol for a drink?

Lance.

 

[Alan]

We don't have winos, we have oenophiles

Rick Courtright <(e-mail address removed)> wrote in message

Rick,

It is ethanol. I've just had a look at the 20lt drum I have of it. It
must be a name we use here in Australia and not you guys in the US. It
is readily available in supermarkets, hardwares etc for cleaning
purposes. I'm sure it would be the same in the States. Some of the
homeless wino's use it here either straight or with a bit of orange
juice to make it palatable. Do you know what I mean now? Do the wino's
over there use an ethanol for a drink?

Lance.