Sorry for the long title to this post,

I like using my Karcher 2800 psi pressure washer for cleaning the wheels and wheel wells etc. There is also a low pressure options to dispense the soap onto the car evenly. I really like this feature because I'm not scooping water from a bucket (very helpful when washing my X5). My question is how much to dilute the highly concentrated soap when using the pressure washer to dispense the soap? If anyone has this set-up, you activate the dispensing by using the black colored nozzle. Somehow the use of the black nozzle activates the soap dispensing automatically, if you have the clear tube submersed into a container of soap.

 

I used to do this but find that it's far too easy to go through car wash soap. With a 64 ounce jug of soap, I would find it 1/4 empty with each wash. If you like lots of foam, diluting it will give you less foam.

I fed my soap this way using a modified old car wash bottle.


Using the setup on an X5--still not the same as a foam gun though that's shaving cream thick.


Richard

 

Hi OG, Since you did not cover using a power washer in the two bucket video (only car washing video I have watched) do you recommend or not recommend using a power washer for applying / removal of soap?

 

I suppose it's a personal preference. I don't use the pressure washer anymore, since my Karcher died. But, I don't think it's essential for cars in California either. For states with snow, salt, etc... I think it's very desirable.

Applying soap with the pressure washer certainly makes soaping easier, and for those that have never used a pressure washer, my old Karcher could only apply soap at the lowest pressure settings, and the strength of the water could be controlled so it felt soft as cotton, or change to a higher pressure and put the tip a few inches from the surface and it was sharp as a knife!

The other benefit of a PW is controlled water usage, since they use a fixed amount of water. I think mine was around 1.4GPM (Gallons Per Minute). Mobile detailers use pressure washers because they carry fixed tanks of deionized water to prevent water spotting and otherwise have no pressure to draw the water out unlike your spigot at home.

Soaping with the PW is fast and easy and safe, but it's just not all that economical IMO.

When using a PW, I prefer to rinse with the PW, soap with a lambswool wash mitt, rinse with PW, rinse with a hose to sheet the water off. =)

Richard

Richard