How to clean a car while on the road.

[corvettecrazy]

What is the best method of cleaning a car while on the road? For example: my dad and I are considering taking a trip up to Rodchester, NY (thats about 6 hours from here) and a few weeks after that a trip to Carlisle.

How do you guys do it? or do you just leave it dirty and wash it when you get home?

 

[JonM]

Two ways to do it...I prefer this method...

Or you could use this just to rinse...

 

[Vettelt193]

What is the best method of cleaning a car while on the road? For example: my dad and I are considering taking a trip up to Rodchester, NY (thats about 6 hours from here) and a few weeks after that a trip to Carlisle.

How do you guys do it? or do you just leave it dirty and wash it when you get home?

I use a quick detail spray from a company out of Ft. Lauderdale. The firemen in S. Florida use it on their trucks because it works so well. All you have to do is spray on, and wipe off.

 

[chockey]

Hi from upstate New York, not sure when you are planning to go to Rochester but July 16,17 & 18 is the Nationals in Syracuse at the New York State Fairgrounds. All sorts of Hot Rods, Customs Cars and yes many Vettes. Syracuse is about 1 hour east of Rochester next to the NYS Turnpike. This event pulls in cars from all around the North East and Canada, its a toot, wear comfortable shoes as it covers a lot of area.

I use Quick-Wax from Maguiers, does a real nice job.

Chuck

 

[jpkemp]

Two ways to do it...I prefer this method...

Or you could use this just to rinse...

Can I stop by and use the first method......

 

[Rain]

Last road trip I took, I packed automotive wipes.
The car wash ones, the tire detail ones, interior and leather ones.
Traveled well and handled the daily wipe downs..

(of course also packed the california dusters)

 

[jester]

It depends. If it is just normal light soiling, then I use one of the detail sprays. When my white car turned red after going through an Oklahoma rain storm, I used one of the coin operated car washes to get most of the stuff off.

 

[DRTH VTR]

It depends. If it is just normal light soiling, then I use one of the detail sprays. When my white car turned red after going through an Oklahoma rain storm, I used one of the coin operated car washes to get most of the stuff off.

Rinse water may be OK, but the chemicals in the wash cycle of coin op car washes will take the wax off your car.

 

[corvettecrazy]

Hey JonM, can we get a bigger picture of method 1?!?!


I guess something like Meguiars quick detail and some nice soft towels would be the best method of washing the car w/o access to water.

chockey: THat show is one weekend to early. I'm heading up on the 23rd or near that time.

 

[Aurora40]

If your car will be dirty, I'd suggest this product. You'll need to bring a bucket and some towels and whatever you use to wash with (hopefully not foam sponge!). But you won't need a hose or anything. It works very well:

http://www.protectall.com/qelg.htm

If your car won't be all that dirty, some quick detailer and some towels should work.

 

[CubanZ06]

I would certainly leave my car dirty rather than run it though one of those automatic car washers.

What is the best method of cleaning a car while on the road? For example: my dad and I are considering taking a trip up to Rodchester, NY (thats about 6 hours from here) and a few weeks after that a trip to Carlisle.

How do you guys do it? or do you just leave it dirty and wash it when you get home?

 

[hAZcAT]

The quick wipes work well, I travel with the vette all of the time (once a month away from the garage for a few nights), I throw a pack of them in my car cover bag along with some shower caps (those cheap plastic ones with elastic on the bottom) and wheel wipes. I would take more but the lack of trunk space in the rag top is a real problem . before I park and cover it I wipe it down with the wipes and do the rims it only takes about a half an hour, then cover the tail pipes with the shower caps then I cover the car for the night.

 

[corvettecrazy]

hAZcAT: out of curiosity, what is the advantage of covering your exhaust pipes with shower caps? to prevent carbon from getting onto the cover?

 

[hAZcAT]

hAZcAT: out of curiosity, what is the advantage of covering your exhaust pipes with shower caps? to prevent carbon from getting onto the cover?

It does keep the cover cleaner and keeps critters out. I cover them in the Garage too, the guy next door had a mouse build a nest in his mini-van tail pipe so I began to cover my tail pipes, not that the cheap plasic will stop a mouse but it does allow to quickly see if anything has "moved in"