Keeping your car clean without scratching the paint is the challenge. The two bucket car wash method overcomes it. It’s a simple yet effective technique that enthusiasts and detailers swear by, and for good reason—it’s one of the best ways to avoid those dreaded swirl marks that ruin your car’s finish.
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What Is the Two Bucket Car Wash Method?
The two bucket car wash method is a system focused on keeping dirt off your car while you’re washing it. We want to make sure that as we wipe the dirt off the car, we’re not rinsing our wash media off in the same bucket that has our car shampoo in it. You’re risking bring all of that dirt back onto the car and scratching the surface.
The two buckets are your rinse bucket and your wash bucket.
Rinse Bucket
- Filled 3/4 of the way up with clean water
- Allows you rinse of the dirty soap and anything else that was picked up off the surface of the car off your wash media
Wash Bucket
- Filled to the top with soapy water
- I recommend you only use a car wash soap or shampoo; no other cleaners (eg. dish soap)
- Gets you fresh soap to lubricate and clean the surface of your car
What You’ll Need for the Two Bucket Car Wash Method
The two bucket method has a simple shopping list:
- Two buckets: 5 gallons are the perfect capacity for most cars
- Grit guards: One for each bucket
- Car shampoo: Go for an actual car wash shampoo or soap (my favorite is Adam’s Car Shampoo) instead of dish soap or other cleaners
- Wash media: Microfiber wash pad (my favorite), microfiber wash mitt or microfiber towels
Pro Tip: Spend a little extra on quality products. Anything that touches the surface of your car (wash mitt, towels, etc.) should be high quality. This will provide additional help in preventing scratches.
How to Set Up Your Buckets and Grit Guards
Day of wash setup is simple:
- Put the grit guards in the bottom of both buckets
- Fill one bucket with clean water. This is your rinse bucket.
- Throw your wash media in the second bucket and put car shampoo on top according the label. This is your wash bucket.
- Aggressively fill the second bucket with water to help agitate the car shampoo to enhance suds/foam
- Place both buckets together near your car for easy access; I like having the rinse bucket on the left and the wash bucket on the right.
The Step-by-Step Two Bucket Car Wash Process
Now, let’s dive into the washing process:
- Rinse your wash media: Drown your wash media in your rinse bucket and give the sides a quick scrub to make sure we remove any existing loose debris
- Gently wring out wash media: Your wash media needs to be a little thirsty before it goes in the wash bucket
- Dunk wash media in wash bucket: Give your wash media a little squeeze to help it pick up that soapy water
- Wash a Section:
- A section is typically anything you can wash without taking a step
- Start from the top of the car and work your way down gently wiping left and right.
- The bottom of the car is the dirtiest so never wipe from the bottom up
- If you washed a very dirty section, flip your wash media over and continue
- Repeat: Rinse your wash media and continue washing section by section until the entire car is clean.
Remember, let the wash media do the work—gentle passes are more effective.
How the Two Bucket Car Wash System Fits Within Your Car Wash Process
The two bucket car wash method is a good system that will fit within your overall car wash process.
A typical car wash process has three phases:
- Pre-rinse
- Wash
- Dry
The two bucket car wash system fits right in the middle into the “wash” phase. For simplicity your “pre-rinse” phase could just be spraying your car with water and your “drying” phase could be just wiping your car with a drying towel (the best is the Gauntlet 15×24 Drying Towel).
As time goes on in your car wash journey you’ll have multiple wash methods you could take advantage of as well as multiple pre-rinse and drying methods. You will use them interchangeably depending on how much time you have and how dirty your car is.
Additional Tips for Maintaining a Spotless Car
- Wash regularly: The more frequently you wash the less you have to clean. Find a frequency that works for you based on available time and how quickly your car gets dirty.
- Protect your paint: Take the time to apply a spray on sealant or coating to help protect your paint and make future washes that much easier.
- Seasonal adjustments: Refresh sealants and coatings before rough weather (winter) or change your car wash process based on weather (two bucket method vs rinseless wash)
By following these tips, your car will look amazing year-round!
Conclusion
The two bucket car wash method is an awesome way for beginners to start washing cars. Remember that it’s all about finding what you like. Start small, try it out, see what you like or don’t and adjust. You’ll find a process that gets your cars to your acceptable level of clean in the most efficient way for you which will make it more enjoyable.