Washing your own car could be a challenging task, especially if you are a beginner. If you will learn how to do it, you will find that one of the most important tools to use in washing your car is a good hose. But what if it’s not available or it got broken?
Good news, there are new easy ways to do it no matter how impossible you think it is. Here are 5 easy ways that I’ve found really useful that you might want to check.
5 Easy Ways to Wash your Car without a Hose
#1 Rinseless Car Wash
Rinseless Washing is a washing technique where you don’t need a hose to rinse your car with water after washing.
Need to Prepare:
For this method, you only need to prepare your Optimum No Rinse or CarPro Ech20 that you can buy from your local convenience store, water buckets, spray, and two towels – one microfiber towel to dry the applied waterless cleaning solution and another one for drying the vehicle.
Required Tools:
You can use a spray bottle or a spray gun to make the job easier. However, these are only optional if they are available.
Features:
If you are familiar with the Bucket system, it normally uses approximately 20 to 35 gallons of water for each vehicle, but with the rinseless method, you get to use only 3 to 5 gallons of water.
Cost Evaluation:
A single wash is fairly affordable as you need to buy some cleaning agents and towels.
How To:
Prepare your rinseless solution and start pre-washing your vehicle. Allow the solution to sit in for a while to loosen up dirt build-ups and then wipe off with a microfiber mitt.
Do this per panel until all sides are clean. For the final step, dry the surface with a microfiber towel. Note that dirty towels must be discarded immediately to avoid circulation of dirt.
P.S. Check here for more detailed info.
Pros:
Unlike the typical car wash system where you use lots and lots of water, soap, and cleaning agents, the rinseless car wash method minimizes your water consumption.
Not only that, it can also help you save money, time, and effort as well.
Cons:
Rinseless washing can leave your car damaged overtime with the chemicals present in it especially when not correctly done.
Bottom Line:
Rinseless Car Wash is safe and reliable. It does not involve using pure chemical solutions and cleaning agents that may affect your car’s exterior.
Video Tutorial:
Here is a short video that I thought will be helpful for you to better understand the process.
Related Guide: How To Use A Rinseless Car Wash?
#2 Foam Gun Car Wash
From the name itself, foam gun car wash uses a snow foam in pre-washing your car. Unlike the cold stuff applied on a regular car wash, snow foam leaves your car cleaner and brighter.
Need to Prepare:
To start this method, you will have to prepare your snow foam cannon, pressure washer, two water buckets, microfiber wash mitts, and microfiber towels.
Required Tools:
For this technique, you will need a pressure washer and a snow foam cannon to easily spray the snow foam in your car's exterior.
Features:
Foam wash technique is mild and safe for any type of car. Using snow foam removes and lifts dirt easily without rubbing the surface of your vehicle.
Cost Evaluation:
A typical single foam wash can cost is affordable and cheap depending on the type and brand of snow foam you will purchase.
How To:
Starting from the roof, spray the snow foam onto your car using a foam gun that is connected to a pressure washer while maintaining a distance of three feet.
Allow the foam to run through the sides especially in the dirty parts but do not let it dry up. Rinse it after ten minutes with plenty of water.
Using a microfiber car wash mitt, clean the car starting from the top downwards and rinse again. After the car is cleaned, dry and shine it using dry spray wax and wipe with a microfiber towel.
Pros:
Foam is safer than other cleaning agents and chemicals. It is milder and deep cleans dirt particles without the need of rubbing.
Foam car wash also minimizes the use of water. It is also a faster and easier way to remove dirt and it reduces risk of scratching.
Cons:
Foam gun is a must when performing this technique. Plus, you should also clean and wash the gun because dried snow foam solution can clog the tubes and make your next job more difficult for you.
Bottom Line:
Foam Gun Car Wash is mild and safe. It lifts up dirt easily and it is less likely to affect your car's paint, plastic, aluminum, and other parts.
You should take note that snow foam must be fairly thick when applied so that it will stick. If foam runs off quickly, it may not clean at all.
Video Tutorial:
Here is a short video that I thought will be helpful for you to better understand the process.
#3 Waterless Car Wash Spray Technique
Waterless car wash may sound odd but it is significantly faster and more convenient. It makes car washing simpler with the help of waterless car wash products and a few towel wipes.
Need to Prepare:
In preparing for your waterless car wash, you would need a waterless car wash kit that consist of a waterless wash and a waterless wax. These items will not only clean your vehicle but would also lubricate it.
Required Tools:
Since this technique is quite simple, you won't be needing any tools to perform this.
Features:
The waterless car washing technique can help the environment by avoiding chemical washing that can pollute the supply of water.
It also considerably saves water and time. You can perform this anytime and anywhere using a few stuff.
Cost Evaluation:
A waterless cleaning product typically costs around $30 or less and you can already use it on your vehicle by up to 6 washes.
How To:
Unlike the typical car washing, waterless car wash comes in three simple steps. You just need to spray the product, leave it for a while to sit and wait for the dirt to loosen, then wipe it off with a microfiber towel.
Pros:
Evidently, waterless car wash can help conserve water by up to 50 gallons per vehicle and it can also help you save money. Waterless washing removes more than just dirt but it also leaves your car protected and finished.
Aside from this, it also saves time and effort since you only get to rinse off your car a few times. All you need to do is to wipe off the waterless solution.
Cons:
The drawbacks of this technique can be experienced by beginners. Pre-mixed waterless solutions may contain silicone and if not applied properly can cause rust.
Bottom Line:
Waterless car wash is a convenient option if you want to save water, time, and money. It can also be a good choice to consider if you don’t have available tools such as a hose.
However, you should ensure to mix and apply the proper solution to avoid unwanted effects in your car's finish.
Video Tutorial:
Here is a short video that I thought will be helpful for you to better understand the process.
#4 Car Wash Using Brush with Soap Dispenser
Using a brush in washing your car is just similar to the typical car wash, the only difference is that you won’t be needing a hose and what you will be using is a large brush to get the work done immediately.
Need to Prepare:
You will need to prepare a car wash brush, bucket of water, car shampoo or soap, and a soap dispenser.
Required Tools:
There are no tools needed for this technique but you may want to prepare for a built-in soap dispenser for an easy application of the detergent.
Features:
Car Wash Brushing is much cheaper than other types of car washing. It is also a faster and easier method since you will use a larger brush to remove the dirt. Plus, you can also be able to clean the hard to reach areas.
Cost Evaluation:
A car wash brush with a soap dispenser will only cost you a little. It may only cost you around $12 to $15. You can buy these tools on your local store.
How To:
Just like your normal car washing, start pre-washing on your car roof going downwards to wet the car’s exterior. Then apply the soap and use a brush to remove the dirt and mud. After washing, rinse and dry your vehicle using a microfiber towel.
Pros:
Car washing with a brush is faster. You get to clean the dirt at large amounts which is also a lot more easier.
Cons:
If your brush has rough bristles, this technique can cause scratches or minimal damage on your car’s paint.
Bottom Line:
Washing your car with a brush is easy but you will have to put extra effort for it.
Video Tutorial:
Here is a short video that I thought will be helpful for you to better understand the process.
#5 Car Wash Using Microfiber Car Wash Brush
Microfiber brush has many purposes. It can easily remove dust and other particles in your car’s surface and it can also be used to clean your car’s interior.
Need to Prepare:
You may need to prepare your microfiber car wash brush, car soap, and water bucket.
Required Tools:
There are no required tools to use in this technique.
Features:
Microfiber car wash brushing is another effective and easy technique in cleaning and dusting your car. It has multiple uses – for cleaning, drying, and dusting your car’s interior and exterior.
Cost Evaluation:
You can buy your microfiber car wash brush at any local hardware store. I bought mine for around $50 which is pretty pricey compared to other car washing tools. However, you can also buy e smaller and thinner one which may also be cheaper.
How To:
Basically, you will only need to brush your car with your chosen solution and then dry it with a microfiber towel.
Pros:
Microfiber car wash brushes are easy to use and have multiple uses. You can assure that your car won’t get scratched. Plus, they are also more effective in spreading the cleaning solution with their wide and soft bristles.
Cons:
Microfiber car wash brushes may be costly. They must also be made from quality materials and microfiber to ensure a longer lasting use.
Bottom Line:
The microfiber car wash brushing technique is fast to do and makes washing easier.
With this, you are not only able to save water and time, but you are also able to avoid rinsing off expensive chemical products down the drain.
Video Tutorial:
Here is a short video that I thought will be helpful for you to better understand the process.
Conclusion
Even if you don’t have a hose you can achieve that glossy and shimmering look for your car in a few easy techniques.
With the help of these five easy ways, you can now wash your car easily and more conveniently. You can even do it anywhere and anytime.
Of the five car washing techniques, I personally like the rinseless washing. It is safe and you won’t have to worry that your car will be scratched because you only need to do a little wiping. Plus, most of these waterless cleaning agents contain special lubricants that help protect your car’s surface with dirt and other fragments.
Waterless auto washes not only remove exterior dirt but also get rid of marks. Not only that, you can also help conserve water by saving up to 50 gallons of water for every vehicle. By practicing waterless car wash, you can also help protect the environment by minimizing elimination of toxic wastes.
Evidently, rinseless washing has many advantages when it comes to saving time, money, water, and in protecting the environment.
Pollutants such as dirt, pollen, bird droppings, road grit, and splattered bugs can accumulate on my car and damage the metal and paint of my vehicle. Therefore, it is advised to wash my car at least once every couple of weeks.
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for sharing, it’s really helpful. Thumbs up for you. A general cleaning schedule every two weeks should be more than good enough to keep your ride clean inside and out during regular use.
However, there are specific instances when cleaning should be done more frequently. If your car regularly logs high mileage (ex. 100 kilometers per day), you should consider increasing the frequency of your cleaning sessions to a weekly basis.
Please check here for more details about “How Often Should You Wash Your Car?”.
We know that using car-washing services on a regular basis can be quite expensive. It is a solution to wash cars at home with VERY BASIC tools and products! It is not only environmentally-friendly, but it also has the same impact as water-based washing.
Hi Jessica,
Yes, it’s really great! Thanks for sharing.