It is a well known fact that Improper wash techniques are one of the biggest causes of swirls and scratches to many vehicles in todays society. If you are using one bucket or a dirty wash mitt, you can be applying many imperfections to your paintwork without even noticing.
If you use the two bucket method, which is the proper way to wash any vehicle using water, you'll minimise the chances of these imperfections and and have much greater chance of achieving no swirls or scratches at all. Keeping your pride and joy in the best condition it can possibly be in.
Below is a clear example of the damage improper wash techniques can cause.
What you will need for the two bucket method
Two buckets... The clue is in the title. Now any bucket will do, However you will find there are bucket available on the market that will come as a set and more importantly with a Grit Guard.
The Grit Guard itself holds important role within this method. Any Dirt and contamination that comes from the surface of your vehicle and is picked up onto your chosen Wash mitt / Wash pad has to end up somewhere. In this case it is going to be transferred to your wash / rinse bucket. Now without a Grit Guard these particles will have a good chance of getting back onto your wash mitt potentially causing further damage to you paint.
Seen featured in the image below is a Vortex Grit Guard, designed to have Vortex dirt funnels. These funnels filter and trap the dirt beneath the guard eliminating them from coming back into the clean water that will be used in the continued wash process.
Shampoo
The importance of a shampoo during your two bucket wash stage is to provide enough lubrication between the mitt / pad and the surface of your paint. The Pre-wash stage should eliminate the majority of the heavy contamination built up on your paint. However, If there happens to be any remaining, the suds & slickness that you get from a premium shampoo will act as a potential lifeline for keeping your paint scratch free.
Wash Mitt
Wash Mitts + Wash pad - Designed to have optimal glide, contaminant capture and release characteristics. Combined with their inner foam core that retains a very high volume of wash solution. The safest options when it comes to hand washing.
Sponges - Do not use! They may look soft and flexible but they will trap bits of grit. When you move the sponge along your paintwork this will cause scratches.
