It's quite easy to sit and talk about the two bucket method over and over on all of our product descriptions without realising some of you may not know exactly what we are talking about.
This blog post will explain what it is, its benefits, what you need to carry it out, and the process.
What is the Two Bucket Method?
The two bucket method acts as a filter when washing your car, greatly minimising the risk of inflicting swirl marks in your paintwork whilst washing. It does this with a simple process, using two buckets.
One bucket has your shampoo solution called the "Wash" bucket and the other just water, called the "Rinse" bucket. We will explain the full process in more detail below, however the rinse bucket acts as a filter, keeping the wash bucket as clean as possible, and following this method the wash bucket will always be the last bucket you put the mitt in before touching the paintwork, meaning it's as clean as it possibly can be.
What are the benefits
- Greatly minimises the risk of inflicting swirl marks
- Keeping your wash mitt clean during use, prolonging it's life and quality
What you need
- 2x Car Wash Buckets (ideally with bucket inserts)
- Bucket Stickers (for easy identification)
- Wash Mitt
- Car Shampoo
The process
Preparation:
- Fill your WASH bucket up with water and add your desired car shampoo in, using the hose or pressure washer spray into the bucket to create a rich lather.
- Fill your RINSE bucket up with just water.
During use:
- Dunk your wash mitt in your WASH bucket and load up with a generous amount of wash solution.
- Wash a small area of the vehicle. Try to do a panel at a time or split larger panels like bonnets and roofs into sections so you ensure you have enough wash solution to safely clean the area.
- Dunk the mitt into the RINSE bucket, and using your other hand agitate the mitt to ensure all dirt and debris is released from the mitt into the rinse bucket.
- Remove the mitt from the rinse water and squeeze any excess water from the mitt into the rinse bucket.
- Return to the WASH bucket fro a fresh dose of wash solution and repeat the above steps until the whole vehicle is clean.
Summary
The two bucket method is a fantastic process that many detailers and enthusiasts have used for years. The proof can really be seen at the end once you tip the water. You will see the wash bucket is clean and the rinse bucket full of dirt and grime. If using a single bucket this would be continuously contaminating your wash mitt each time you dunk it.
It doesn't really take much more time and providing you look after your equipment it's only a one time investment and won't cost you any more per wash, with the exception of using a little more water to fill the second bucket.
