Washing your car: Hose and Bucket style

If you have access to a garden hose, you can easily get your car squeaky clean without going to the car wash. Matter of fact, this method usually results in the cleanest car wash you can get!

Time Required:
30-60 minutes

Tools Needed:

bucket

soap (normally, use car wash soap, or use Dawn if you wish to remove the wax prior to claybarring or re-waxing)

clean sponge

hose

Procedure:

1. Add the soap to the bucket
2. Fill the bucket with lukewarm water (for best results)
3. Spray car with hose thoroughly (make sure the car stays wet at all times until you are ready to dry)
4. Start with the roof and windows (do not let the soap dry onto the car
otherwise it's a pain to get off)
5. Spray the areas you've just washed
6. Wash the hood and headlights (spray off soap)
7. Wash the front bumper (spray off soap)
8. Next, move onto the side of the car (preferably the side that is NOT facing the sun)
9. Start with the fender and front door. (spray off soap)
10. Wash the rear door and rear quarter pannel (spray off soap)
11. Now start with the opposite side and repeat steps 9 and 10.
12. Wash the trunklid or hatch and rear bumper (spray off soap)

Immediately proceed to Drying Your Car (coming soon) to avoid the formation of water spots.

If you wish to re-wax or claybar your car, make sure you go through the above steps a second time, using a powerful dish soap such as Dawn both times. Then, proceed to instructions on Claybarring (coming soon) or Waxing (coming soon) Thanks to FiReEyE690 from the focaljet.com forums for providing these instructions