What's the real story regarding a ban on car washing at home? (Los Angeles: neighborhood)

[Exitus Acta Probat]

I've been hearing this prattle for almost year. Just 20 minutes ago I heard a commercial for a professional car washing business stating that home car washing may be banned in Los Angeles -- does anybody have further information on this? Digging around on the world wide interwebs for computers isn't gleaning too much specific information on this topic, other than such a ban is scheduled to go into effect in Fresno.

[Teckeeee]

I don't know but I had some weirdo in my neighborhood carrying a clip board around about 15 minutes after I got done washing my car looking in my direction.

I always wash it with a nozzle so there is no run off.

[CALGUY]

If and when a ban on car washing goes into effect(and I believe it will be before summer starts) I have a system that I have been using for the better part of 60 years, that uses less than a pint of water, and my vehicles always look better than they did when they were new.
It is not one of those crackpot waterless washes.

One thing more, I never use soap of any kind on my vehicles with one exception, that being before claying, and that is the only time.
Soaps are not good for a waxed surface.

Click on my user name, and you will see a sample of what my system does to a vehicle.
My Corvette, and my Dakota pickup are equally as clean and shiny.
Bob.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

From those pictures, it's not clear to me if the paint has any swirlies. If I cannot clean my paint without getting swirlies, I'm going to continue to first rinse it with water before touching the paint.

[CALGUY]

Originally Posted by Exitus Acta Probat

From those pictures, it's not clear to me if the paint has any swirlies. If I cannot clean my paint without getting swirlies, I'm going to continue to first rinse it with water before touching the paint.

Same car, only a closer look.
Absolutely no swirls.


The Vette close up.
No swirls.

There are two reason for swirls.
One is cleaning and waxing in the sunlight, and two, not waiting until the finish is cool to clean and wax, even if doing it in the shade.

Bob.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Hmmm...care to elaborate on how you're cleaning your cars with a pint of water?

[PDF]

If true, then that's ridiculous.

[CALGUY]

Originally Posted by Exitus Acta Probat

Hmmm...care to elaborate on how you're cleaning your cars with a pint of water?

Glad too.
First, the vehicle has to be detailed on the outside.
This is the ONLY time you will use an appreciable amount of water.
Do it yourself, or take the vehicle to the carwash.

If you take it to the carwash, tell them not to apply a spray wax.
They usually do that when the car is washed there.
Also, this is the only time you will use soap on the vehicle.

If you are washing the vehicle at home, I recommend using a dish liquid, as this will remove some of the previous wax on the car, which you will want to do.
Once the vehicle is dry, it is ready for the detailing, which begins with claying the finish.

Personally, I don't use one of those expensive claying kits sold at auto parts stores.
I found that good ole plumber's putty,which is available at any home improvement,or hardware store, works every bit as good as a clay bar.

The claying process requires a lubricant so that the clay will run smoothly over the finish.
Some people used water, windex, or as I do, a detailing spray, available at auto parts stores.
Once the claying is finished, apply a coat of wax.
Again, I don't use an expensive (designer) wax.
Turtle wax works great.

Now that the vehicle is detailed correctly, you do two things, forget about taking the vehicle to a carwash, and also forget about the soap, and most importantly, forget about using a bucket of water to clean your vehicle.

All you will need to do is a couple of times a week, take ten minutes to go over the surface with a damp(not wet) soft rag, then dry and buff with a soft rag,and that's it.
In the process of keeping your vehicle clean and shiny like mine, I don't believe you will ever come close to using a pint of water.

Now, if your vehicle is reasonably new, or been detailed recently, then you are that much farther ahead of the game.
In that case, I would go over the finish with clear water(definitely no soap), dry, add a new coat of wax, then weekly wipe it down as I stated above.

If you follow this procedure, your vehicle will always look better than it did when new.
The secret is, to wipe the surface as explained above, at least once or twice a week.

This is the front fender on my pickup,and as you can see, this process works
The pickup is 13 years old, and still looks better than the day I purchased it in 2002.

Look closely , you will never see swirls.

This process is one key to saving water during our drought.
It requires a little sacrifice and work on your part, but it also saves you some money,because you're not wasting water,and not paying to go to a carwash.
Bob.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Do you ever show your cars at events?

[CALGUY]

Originally Posted by Exitus Acta Probat

Do you ever show your cars at events?

Your question is a bit off topic, but with the moderators indulgence, I can answer.
The Tbird was at Knotts fabulous fords a couple of years ago.
I recently sold it, and once in awhile I take the Vette or the pickup to a cars and coffee.

Bob.