Here’s the picture: I am sitting at Gate 91 in Orlando International Airport, headed home after a two-day business meeting. At least half of the terminal population is children, many wearing T-shirts, mouse ears and the other souvenirs one inevitably cannot leave this town without. Add to this the fact that it’s already been an unusually kid-filled summer for me consisting of a 16th birthday party, high school graduations, celebrating Fourth of July weekend spent with another family, a day visiting dear friends who are essentially raising their grandkids (ages 7 and 5)… you get my drift. In the past four weeks, I’ve had more face time with the under-18 crowd than in the prior six months.
On top of these interactions, I serve on the board of a local non-profit and we’re struggling to make ends meet because the economy remains on life support. When unemployment exceeds 9%, folks just don’t have a lot of cash to spare; donations to our organization, as well as other charities, are down. At the same time, the tough economic climate means that the demand for the services we provide has increased.
This is a diy water retention / car wash mat. This seems to work real well. It took me about 3 hours and $75.00... Enjoy, and if you have any ...
What's the best way to wash your own car?
May 17, 2007 by Red | Posted in Other - Cars & Transportation
I have two cars and washing them is costing me a fortune. I want to start washing them on my own.
What should I buy?
How should I do it?
I know it's a dumb question, but I've never washed a car before...
Go to Wal-Mart... go to the automotive section... find the isle with the car wash stuff... place a bucket/ car wash soap (don't use dish wash soap, I guess it's bad for the clear coat on your car), a wash mitt, a brush for the tires and rims, a shammy to dry your car off, into your shopping cart... go home... remove all tags from wash mitt... turn on garden hose.. pour in about 3 cap fulls of car wash soap... fill bucket... place in wash mitt and tire brush in bucket... get car wet with said hose ( don't park to far away)... if it super sunny wash in small sections, working top to bottom, using the wash mitt, in a side to side movement (going in circles makes little scratches)... every section must be hosed off, until you can't see the suds.. after doing the whole car, it time to do the tires with the brush... hose off wheels... get shammy... remove tag... get shammy wet.. ring out shammy... dry car with wet thing, ringing out shammy when it is dripping with water... do the whole car but not the tires.. stand back, take it all in, a clean car
Seth | May 17, 2007
Mr. Clean AutoDry is the best, you don't even have to take the time to dry your car, click on this link...
I wash my own car. All you need is a bucket, a rag, a towel, a nozzle (if you like that), I use a brush I bought specifically to use on my rims, I use a degreaser and a small brush on the tar that gets on near my tires, and I use soap specifically made for car washing. Wash your car at a time or place where the sun isn't beating on it if you don't want to ruin the topcoat on the paint. I pour some soap in the bucket, fill the bucket with water, get my nozzle on the hose, spray my car first, dip the rag in the bucket and start washing. Usually I do a section and then hose it off. After that I use the brush, dip it in the bucket and wash the rims and also remove any tar or grease using the degreaser (I believe it's an Arm and Hammer brand product) and a toothbrush .
Lastly, I hose it off and then wipe it down with the towel so I don't end up with water spots.
Goldenrain | May 17, 2007
As a person who has insisted on washing my own cars for the past 30 years, I can provide some good guidelines.
1. Never, EVER use dishwashing liquid (Dawn, Palmolive, etc). These have harsh detergents that can scratch the clear coat finish
2. Use specifically formulated car wash (Turtle wax has a good one) and use a large natural sponge if you can find one. If you can't find one, use a soft terry cloth towel.
3. First, hose off the car thoroughly to loosen the dirt
4. Dip the sponge into the bucket in which you've mixed the car wash solution with water
5. Wipe the sponge along the surface, starting with the roof, in a long stroke. Avoid repeated back and forth strokes of the sponge. The dirt you get on the sponge on the first pass, will simply sit on the sponge and drag back along the area over which you are still scrubbing on.
6. At the end of your reach turn the sponge over and wipe another long stroke. Dip the sponge back in the water.
7. Continue this process over the whole car...working your way from roof, to trunk, to hood and along the doors and fenders...never re-using a side of the sponge unless it is rinsed out first.
8. After the body is washed, use what is left to clean the tires and wheels. You can pre-spray them with something like Simple Green, which will loosen the brake dust that causes the wheels and tires to look black and very dirty.
Rinse the entire car down..starting again at the roof, and wipe it dry to prevent spotting. The best wipe cloth is a natural chamois, but again...a clean terry cloth towel will do as well.
Good luck.
Tommy T | May 17, 2007
Why would you go to a car-wash when you can wash your car yourself?
Jun 15, 2009 by Dungeon Raider | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs
I'm starting my own car wash business and I see my neighbor washing his car a lot. So I thought, "Why would people come to my car-wash when they can wash their car their self?"
Mostly because its fast and convenient to have it done. I prefer to hand-wash my cars, but especially in the colder months I just can't do it. I've always thought a car wash would be a good business to start.
Just as some extra help from the consumer, it's okay to charge a little more if you are getting a quality wash! The closest car wash to me is about 4 dollars, but it doesn't offer drying and they don't use clean water. The best one is a few miles out of the way, and it's $5.25, but they use clean and hot water and after it goes through the dryers, they hand dry the residue. I go to that one anytime I can, even though it's a little more money.
Hope you do well!
P Fizzle | Jun 15, 2009
so they dont have to do anything lol
shuman57 | Jun 15, 2009
Time saver if you're in a hurry
dkgingue | Jun 15, 2009
Of course people "can" wash their car themself, but most people don't enjoy doing so or don't have the time. Your neighbor must really love his car or be extremely bored...lol!
taximomuv3 | Jun 15, 2009
Lote of lazy people out there would rather have someone do it for them..
robert | Jun 15, 2009
Two reasons:
1) They are lazy.
2) They think they are above having to wash their own car.
If you think about it it really doesn't save you any time to take it and get washed at a full service car wash. I can have my car cleaned in about an hour when I do it at home, washed and vacumed. At a full service place it takes about 40 minutes, but add on 20 minutes of driving each way and wham you are at 1:20, plus for as much as it costs for one car wash you can buy the supplies and do it at home about 5 times before having to buy some new supplies.
Robbo_op_98 | Jun 15, 2009
Car wash have a system that cleans and reuse the water. Its better for the enviroment if you go to a car wash. That can be one way to advertise that you helping the enviroment by not wasting water at home.
jesseoo323 | Jun 15, 2009
car wash slogan carwash slogan?
Dec 30, 2008 by Matt S | Posted in Other - Cars & Transportation
Starting a car wash called the blue turtle. It's a car wash that has self serve bays that you wash your own car and a long automatic conveyor that washes for you along with someone at the end to dry your car. And you get to use the vacuums free. Our prices are good and the quality of the long automatic is near perfect. But I can't think of slogan. Can anyone help?
have a car wash at the blue turtle we'll make it clean and fertile
prices are low and our car washers a pro's ho ho ho
but christmas passed so it sucks haha
IDK something rhyming
something like that
Hitman | Dec 30, 2008
Clean Cars, Good Service, Affordable Prices
Headtater | Dec 30, 2008
Would you pay £25 for your car to be washed and valeted at your own home?
Jun 02, 2009 by Dylan | Posted in Other - Cars & Transportation
Hello There
I would just like your honest opinion really. I am thinking of starting up a mobile car washing and valeting service in Mid Wales, but in your opinion, would you pay £25 for both services together if you could choose the time and day that suits you?
Many Thanks
Why would I need you to valet the car? It will already be parked in my driveway while you wash it. I wouldn't mind an in-home car wash though.
dk | Jun 02, 2009
Car washing????????????????
Jan 03, 2009 by Valid | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs
How do I start a car washing business? I'm 13, almost 14, and I want to make a little extra money so i can have more in my pocket. I live in California and in the condominiums i live in, they don't really let you wash even your own car. But I think I'm willing to break that promise. lol. I have a lot of my own money, like 700 dollars, and i used to have more, but bought stuff for christmas to people recently. And an iPOD. I'm not, i repeat, I'm not spending all of it. Nor am i going to spend like 100 bucks of it. I already know which cleaners to get, like the car wash soap, a sponge, armoural, and stuff. BTW, i am good with cars, because my whole life my dad forced me to work with him and like very beat up cars. So, my question is how do i attract customers? Do i get cardboard boxes and write on them, and post them on telephone poles or something? I have my very own cell phone, and i can talk on it all i want, and text. So the phone part is not an issue. That's one question. The other is What should my price range be? How should i set it up, for example, like if someone only wants the inside, or only outside done, or both. Or blah blah blah. That's also my second question. So any tips are welcome. I will choose the best answer, the one that helps me the most. Thank you.
:)
You don't what to do this for two reasons.........
1. You will have to carry some high insurance in the event that something goes wrong with the wash job and you are labile for it.
2. All of the water that comes off the vehicles cannot go into the cities sewer system, this will bring the EPA in and cost you a lot.
He approached every driver and said, “I would like to wash your car while you are shopping. It will cost you just X dollars.” He got many rejections but
It is not too late to rent a plot and begin growing your own fresh produce in the rich, sunny plots. Buncombe County Master Gardeners are available to offer
"I might start washing my own car. I would definitely save a little bit of money." “That kind of scares me because you know you pay a lot for your car and and more »
The company's moto (which shows up when you start the car) used to be “Power, Beauty and Soul” and it's the Soul part that I can't emphasis enough.
