Hi all,

 

I'm wanting to ditch the local car washes and start cleaning the cars myself. Despite picking the wrong season to start, I'm wondering what pressure washer, bits and products you guys would suggest getting hold of?

 

If you don't want to get into it too heavy financially, but want a product that will last. 

 

 

Karcher Outlet sell 'refurbed' washers. I put it in commas as some merely had damaged boxes, sat in a warehouse, etc... but look brand new and last. I've the same Karcher K2 for years and it's still going strong. 

https://www.karcheroutlet.co.uk/products/product.asp?id=5086

 

 

Plus £7 postage and packaging. 

Or keep an eye out for sales at Screwfix, Wickes, Homebase, etc... I'm a Karcher person but Nilfisk come highly recommended also. 

 

To start you'll need

two buckets, (one for wash and one for rinse) these can be bought from any supermarket for about £5 each,

a microfibre wash mitt (pad or glove) again canbe had from any supermarket for about £3. 

shampoo, 

glass cleaner, 

all purpose cleaner, 

wheel cleaner (if you choose, you can use the car shampoo, but if you go that route, use another mitt and do them last), 

drying towel, 

quick detailer or drying aid. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With reference to buckets. I use Builders Plastering buckets, they hold 3 times the water of a normal bucket for roughly the same price.

 

white-plastic-30-l-plasterers-mixing-bucket

 

 

Edited 12 September, 20178 yr by Auric Goldfinger

45 minutes ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

With reference to buckets. I use Builders Plastering buckets, they hold 3 times the water of a normal bucket for roughly the same price.

 

white-plastic-30-l-plasterers-mixing-bucket

 

 

Just a note of caution with my Health & Safety gone mad hat on. 30l of water weighs 30kg or almost 70lbs. Don't put your back out carrying buckets of water. I use a 15l bucket for the wash and there's always enough and a 20l bucket for the rinse which I fill on site, so to speak, from the hose.

Plenty of hints and tips on here with regarding washing and cleaning your motor. I only tend to use my pressure washer in the winter for shifting the crud such as road salt. 

On 12/09/2017 at 06:06, Svend said:

If you don't want to get into it too heavy financially, but want a product that will last. 

 

 

Karcher Outlet sell 'refurbed' washers. I put it in commas as some merely had damaged boxes, sat in a warehouse, etc... but look brand new and last. I've the same Karcher K2 for years and it's still going strong. 

https://www.karcheroutlet.co.uk/products/product.asp?id=5086

 

 

Plus £7 postage and packaging. 

Or keep an eye out for sales at Screwfix, Wickes, Homebase, etc... I'm a Karcher person but Nilfisk come highly recommended also. 

 

To start you'll need

two buckets, (one for wash and one for rinse) these can be bought from any supermarket for about £5 each,

a microfibre wash mitt (pad or glove) again canbe had from any supermarket for about £3. 

shampoo, 

glass cleaner, 

all purpose cleaner, 

wheel cleaner (if you choose, you can use the car shampoo, but if you go that route, use another mitt and do them last), 

drying towel, 

quick detailer or drying aid. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a quick note on the rinse bucket, it is for rinsing the wash mitt out , not rinsing the car.

On 12 September 2017 at 06:06, Svend said:

If you don't want to get into it too heavy financially, but want a product that will last. 

 

 

Karcher Outlet sell 'refurbed' washers. I put it in commas as some merely had damaged boxes, sat in a warehouse, etc... but look brand new and last. I've the same Karcher K2 for years and it's still going strong. 

https://www.karcheroutlet.co.uk/products/product.asp?id=5086

 

 

Plus £7 postage and packaging. 

Or keep an eye out for sales at Screwfix, Wickes, Homebase, etc... I'm a Karcher person but Nilfisk come highly recommended also. 

 

To start you'll need

two buckets, (one for wash and one for rinse) these can be bought from any supermarket for about £5 each,

a microfibre wash mitt (pad or glove) again canbe had from any supermarket for about £3. 

shampoo, 

glass cleaner, 

all purpose cleaner, 

wheel cleaner (if you choose, you can use the car shampoo, but if you go that route, use another mitt and do them last), 

drying towel, 

quick detailer or drying aid. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the Kercher Outlet info. I think they are the best. I'm on my second, original one was left with water in it, in outside storage, over Winter. Ice is not kind to plastic components...kinda stops them being watertight as I found out at first post-Winter use.  Attempted use. My fault.

3 minutes ago, alltorque said:

Thanks for the Kercher Outlet info. I think they are the best. I'm on my second, original one was left with water in it, in outside storage, over Winter. Ice is not kind to plastic components...kinda stops them being watertight as I found out at first post-Winter use.  Attempted use. My fault.

The K2s downside is the plastic pump but I always fed the water through and then disconnected the water and pulled the trigger with the power off to remove all water I could. 

 

I took delivery today of a Karcher K4 Compact (early birthday present). Metal pump, higher pressure only £100. 

 

Old and new. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

@Svend, thanks for that bargain of a link. Mine is on it's way

2 hours ago, BlackAndBlue said:

@Svend, thanks for that bargain of a link. Mine is on it's way

It's a good machine. 

As with any machine, bleed any air through first, let the water run tills it stops spluttering and then turn on the washer. 

So many people damage their washers by that one simple thing. 

Air pockets from the tap through the hosepipe can cause a washer to 'hunt' (scream loudly) as it tries to push the air pocket through which in turn will burn the pump out. 

After use, always turn off the power and disconnect the water supply and pull the lance trigger to release any pressure before putting it away. 

Like anything, always look after your tools. 

K2 Compact is decent! I've had mine for about 4 years now. Just make sure it does get left outside in winter due to plastic pump as it may crack.

 

As others have mentioned, get a couple of buckets, some form of wash mitt (microfibre or lambswool), shampoo, wheel cleaner, tyre dressing, polish and wax.

 

Might be worth considering a clay bar or mitt if it's not been done for some time. You'd be surprised how much they pick up even after the car has been washed and looks clean.