Author Topic: How did we clean cars in the old days?  (Read 10613 times)

sparky Paul

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #15 on: November 14, 2018, 10:14:47 AM »
One of the more respected detailing websites, PolishedBliss, point out that excessive washing is as bad as no washing as your car is subject to more abrasion. They recommend no more than once a week.

A friend of mine is a retired panel beater and sprayer, old school. Over the years, he's repainted a number of cars where the paint and/or lacquer had been polished through, right through to the primer.

peteo48

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #16 on: November 14, 2018, 10:43:06 AM »
Yes - some of the more extreme detailing aficionados are heavily into machine polishing to remove swirl marks. They often use a device to measure the thickness of the paint and, more importantly, top coat but the process can be quite aggressive as it involves removal of a small layer of clear coat.

I guess this is why the handbook recommends regular waxing but polish only if the coat is losing its shine.


TnTkr

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #17 on: May 19, 2020, 07:48:07 AM »
I recognize most parts of the old way methods described by peteo48 in first post. No way of getting the garden hose, just one bucket of water for washing the car from roof to sills and wheels and then another for rinsing. Drying with chamois only in warm summer time.  Although in my family history we never used Fairy but Esso wash&wax small pillow-like single portion packs.

I like to drive with a clean car, but very seldomly wash it myself. I'm using a local carwash once every month or so. I'd even use the automatic car washing lines if they cleaned the door frames. For me the car isn't properly washed if I get the trouser legs dirty from the sill.  ;D

But when I do wash my car myself, my method is semi old fashioned too. First using hose to get rid of mud from sides, sills and wheelarches, then washing with one bucket of warm water with some basic wash&wax using brush or mitt, and rinse with hose. Then another bucket of warm water for cleaning door, hatch and bonnet frames with a rag. Drying with chamois only if it's sunny.

All that takes easily more than an hour. If I'd take the pressure washer, it'd be half an hour more. A professional carwash does it in 20 minutes or so. Only if I'd have to drive to town and back just for getting the car washed, it'd save time to wash myself. But combining it to daily commuting (when the lockdown is over) or other needs to go to town, paying for a carwash is solely saving my precious spare time.  ::)

Jocko

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #18 on: May 19, 2020, 10:51:51 AM »
Recently I have been using the car wash, but in beautiful weather, I like to wash the car myself. I use two buckets, one with Dodo Juice Low On Eau Rinseless Wash and the second with clean water. I wash a panel with the wash, using a wash mitt, then rinse the mitt in the freshwater. I dry the panel with a Microfibre Drying Towel. I continue like this until the car is washed. I then polish using Bilt Hamber Double Speed-Wax.

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langserve

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #19 on: May 19, 2020, 12:18:44 PM »
I am a convert to Karcher. Blast off loose dirt then foamed car shampoo then bast off foam then chamois wipe down. Twice a year (spring and autumn) I also do a wax and buff. I have never done a polish but perhaps one day.


guest9236

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #20 on: May 19, 2020, 12:38:44 PM »
This topic was a bad idea as soon as it was posted. Not because of Pete, of course, nor the subject an sich. But talking about car cleaning is opening a can of worms and soon not going about the subject anymore, but against it. The car detailing section on this forum is a magnet for trolling. A shame, yes!

So, it wasn’t my intention to reply on Pete’s original post because of that. But as expected it soon went off topic and then i had to...
Quote
... imagine a salmon trying to find its way back to its home river and being confused by smell of car shampoo..
 
Pesticides (chemicals that kill insects) applied to farmland enter surface water and groundwater, often in large quantities.
Air pollution can make its way into rivers, lakes and streams. Some fall from the sky as dry particles. Other air pollutants are carried to the ground in raindrops, snowflakes, or fog. They not only harm water, but also the plant and animal life that depend on water to survive.
Rivers, streams and drinking water supplies are contaminated by synthetic hormones from contraceptive pills. More than 2.5 million women take birth control pills in the UK. Their EE2 content is excreted and washed into sewage systems and rivers. Even at very low concentrations, this chemical has proven harmful effects on fish.

The Typical Tap Water Content in the UK (and in the most part of the modern world) contains:

Chlorine
Fluorine compounds
Trihalomethanes (THMs)
Salts of:
arsenic
radium
aluminium
copper
lead
mercury
cadmium
barium
Hormones
Nitrates
Pesticides

Which cleaning detergents, laundry cleaners, softeners, shampoo, all purpose cleaners, fairy liquids, algae- and other outside cleaners do you all use in and around your house (not your car) and on yourself?  All natural, eco-friendly? Do you eat biological, produced or grown close to your home as much as possible? What other chemicals do you use, eat, drink, food, medicine and end up in the water system and is NOT filtered out?

No? Then don’t go over the people who like to wash their car once or twice a month!! The smell of a car shampoo is the less the salmon has to worry about...

Spot on well said.

olduser1

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #21 on: May 19, 2020, 12:51:54 PM »
Always clean the car in the rain, simple.

sparky Paul

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #22 on: May 19, 2020, 03:43:46 PM »
Always clean the car in the rain, simple.

Better still, watch the rain washing the muck off the car from the comfortable side of the living room window.

culzean

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #23 on: May 19, 2020, 04:39:29 PM »
Always clean the car in the rain, simple.

Better still, watch the rain washing the muck off the car from the comfortable side of the living room window.

+1

Having a car that is too immaculate is a recipe for getting the sides 'keyed' in a lot of places - they seem to attract the scrotes, as my nephew found out the other day.

Looks as though the dealer applied  'Diamond coat' sealer or whatever it is called has done the trick, for the first 5 years we had the Jazz mk2 and Civic never waxed ( maybe just rinsed down a couple of times a year with a brush on a garden hose with a shampoo stick in it - and after winter to get salt off ) and the rain bought them up lovely. About a year ago  tried Autoglym Super resin Polish ( had actually bought it to clean up PVCu windows and doors - does a great job, easy if you keep on top of them and do them once every year ) but thought I would try it on the cars, just hosed down,  dried by nature overnight and then polished both in a couple of hours next day.  Just done the same this year ( second time they have been waxed since we got them ) - I have to say I am really bored though, and have done all jobs in house and garden ( including autoglyming all the doors - including garage door, window frames and PVC facias ) - done everything on motorbike including changing fork oil.   

May be able to play golf next week ( may have to evict some spiders out of golf bag) - so can do it with a clear conscience.  Now that people can play golf again that is sure to bring the rain the farmers and gardeners want.

Edit - just added a couple of photographs of cars a week after a quick swill with a hose and one coat of Autoglym super resin polish - the Pearl orchid white Jazz never shows its shine as well as the Civic ( Urban Titanium - can you believe it is 'Silver' in logbook, queried it with dealer and they said that was OK ) which always looks OK despite hardly getting cleaned - probably won't get cleaned again this year.  We had a sprinkle of rain a few days ago that was just enough to coat cars with Sahara dust.
« Last Edit: May 20, 2020, 08:46:17 AM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

peteo48

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #24 on: May 20, 2020, 10:28:19 AM »
In the handbook for the Jazz it recommends "dusting" the car.

Why not use sandpaper instead!

Jocko

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #25 on: May 20, 2020, 11:06:33 AM »
Here is how I used to clean my car. A young, slim Jocko, early 70s. Car is a 1956 Ford Prefect 100E 1172 cc.


peteo48

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #26 on: May 20, 2020, 12:17:59 PM »
Great shot!

Side valve engine?

guest9236

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #27 on: May 20, 2020, 12:45:14 PM »
Great shot!

Side valve engine?

And Vacuum windscreen wipers,We had one as well thought we were the bees knees, happy day# nonetheless,
Thanks Jocko For reviving many happy memories,At that time I was attached to Porton Down in Wiltshire, my to be wife was An Army Nurse we married in 1958 and still are, smashing girl then and still is.

Jocko

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #28 on: May 20, 2020, 01:58:14 PM »

sparky Paul

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Re: How did we clean cars in the old days?
« Reply #29 on: May 20, 2020, 02:41:13 PM »
Here is how I used to clean my car. A young, slim Jocko, early 70s. Car is a 1956 Ford Prefect 100E 1172 cc.

Splendid. Both the car and the hair  ;)

Had they done away with convection cooling by then?

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