QEW Users; my pre-soaking/winter routine

G35stilez · 12-19-05, 06:04

Now that the cold weather is upon most of the US, it was time for my second season with my pre-soaking routine and cold weather washing regimen.

I use a pesticide sprayer available at Lowe's or Home Depot which runs around $20. It is used by pumping the handle and holding the wand to spray. If pumped enough, it will spray as hard as a low pressure hose. Also, it will fit in most trunks; if not, then in the rear seat footwell.

I fill this sprayer with 1 oz per gallon with QEW and 2 oz per gallon of Poorboy's Spray and Wipe. When I QEW in the winter, I use warm water (if available) when presoaking. I spray top to bottom, spending more time on extremely soiled areas.

For my winter QEW use, I use double the QEW, S+W and warm water. For instance, in my 3 gallon bucket, I will use 6 oz of QEW and about 8-10 oz of S+W to insure optimal slickness and cleaning power. I also use a chenille pad as compared to my usual sheep wool mitt due to the amount of solution it holds. I only do 1 panel at a time, drying afterwards to insure the water won't freeze to the panel.

Before

Spraying

Washing

Any questions, feel free.

tumbler · 12-19-05, 06:05

wonderful, thanks for sharing

n2_space · 12-19-05, 06:08

Similiar to what I have done for the past two years. I have a couple of 48 oz sprayers and a 3 gallon one similiar to yours in the pic. The small ones I use to pretreat the panel I am going to wash (using two bucket method with QEW) with a QEW miz (same ratio as the wash). I use the three gallon sprayer to help with wheel wells and the backside of rims. Works really well.

gmblack3a · 12-19-05, 06:31

Sean, Do you also have the QEW/S+W mix in the bucket too? Or is that just rinse water?

Thanks for your post.

Pats300zx · 12-19-05, 06:48

Awesome info Sean. I just QEW'd yesterday using the 2 bucket method. I think I am going to go to Lowes to pick up a sprayer. It seems to make the whole process alot easier.

G35stilez · 12-19-05, 06:53

gmblack: Yeh, I mentioned above that I use double of each in the winter.

Pat: And safer!

ebpcivicsi · 12-19-05, 06:59

I use a 1/2 gallon pump sprayer with the QEW mix. FWIW, some of the 2 gallon sprayers have an input ofr air. Those of you with access to compressed air can fill them via your compressor....

novadude · 12-19-05, 07:05

I used QEW yesterday for the first time ever. My driveway weather was about the same as yours. I sprayed the panel with a 1/2 oz to 1 qt solution (32 oz spray bottle), and used 1 gal w/ 1 oz in a bucket, and a second bucket to rinse the wash mitt.

I gotta say I am impressed. The whole time, I am thinking that I was trashing my paint, but QEW does what it claims... the car came out great! I'm sold!

SK2003TypeS · 12-19-05, 07:09

pumping up the sprayer helps keep me warm.

Mine is without a wand....I think I'll pick one up with one to help get to the wheel wells.

flatstick · 12-19-05, 07:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSRstilez

Now that the cold weather is upon most of the US, it was time for my second season with my pre-soaking routine and cold weather washing regimen.

I use a pesticide sprayer available at Lowe's or Home Depot which runs around $20. It is used by pumping the handle and holding the wand to spray. If pumped enough, it will spray as hard as a low pressure hose. Also, it will fit in most trunks; if not, then in the rear seat footwell.

I fill this sprayer with 1 oz per gallon with QEW and 2 oz per gallon of Poorboy's Spray and Wipe. When I QEW in the winter, I use warm water (if available) when presoaking. I spray top to bottom, spending more time on extremely soiled areas.

For my winter QEW use, I use double the QEW, S+W and warm water. For instance, in my 3 gallon bucket, I will use 6 oz of QEW and about 8-10 oz of S+W to insure optimal slickness and cleaning power. I also use a chenille pad as compared to my usual sheep wool mitt due to the amount of solution it holds. I only do 1 panel at a time, drying afterwards to insure the water won't freeze to the panel.

Any questions, feel free.

Hey looks like I am not the only one using the chenille pad. couple of questions on your use of the pad. do you really load that bad boy up ( it holds a ton of water ) second I see in your pic you have it scrunched up not flat on the surface. I seem to prefer to scrunch the pad and let some QEW run down the panel before swiping the area. last question would be how much of an area do you swipe before you rinse? sorry for all the questions but I like the pad however seems like I use twice as ( nearly two gallons per SUV) much as I should. suppose more is better to combat marring but do I really need that much?

I do pretreat the area with a 32 oz sprayer.

G35stilez · 12-19-05, 07:45

flatstick: Yep, I scrunch it to release the solution.

On a vehicle that dirty I will do like 3-4 swipes, then flip, 3-4 swipes and rinse the pad.

I use about 1 gallon worth of pre-soak and 1-2 gallons of wash (in bucket) per total wash.

flatstick · 12-19-05, 08:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSRstilez

flatstick: Yep, I scrunch it to release the solution.

On a vehicle that dirty I will do like 3-4 swipes, then flip, 3-4 swipes and rinse the pad.

I use about 1 gallon worth of pre-soak and 1-2 gallons of wash (in bucket) per total wash.

Thanks for the confirmation, the scrunch deal seems to be made for the pad and QEW. sounds like I am using the corect amount of solution. about 3/4 quart from the sprayer and 1.5 to 2 gallons in my wash bucket. 3 gallons in my rinse bucket with gritguard seems perfect for me. thanks for the info. may have to check out the spayer it looks like a good idea. if you get me the chance can you please shoot me a pm? as always appreciate your time and effort.