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Washing a car without a pressure washer

  • Don't feel pressured into thinking you need a pressure washer
  • Get good results with nothing more than chemicals
  • Cut down on water bills with our guide

Written by Ryan Gilmore Updated: 1 May 2024

When it comes to car washing, sometimes we feel under too much pressure (ahem) to get it right. It sometimes feels that if you’re not using snow foam or special detergent for your pressure washer, you’re not doing it right. But, hang on a second – how did we cope before pressure washers? And, let’s face it, not everyone has a driveway or an area close to the house with mains power and a strong water supply to run a pressure washer.

Using a pressure washer doesn’t ‘improve’ the quality of your car wash, but without one, you might need to use more elbow grease or expand your product range to get the results you want. Sure, pressure washers make it easier, but where is the fun in easier?

So, let’s get looking at some of the bits and pieces that will help you get better results when you are cleaning your car without a pressure washer.

Cleaning your car without a pressure washer at a glance:

Best car cleaning bucket: Meguiar’s RG203 Yellow Car Wash Bucket – Buy now from Amazon UK
Editor’s choice: Autoglym Perfect Bodywork Collection – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best budget car wash set: DetailedOnline Car Valeting Pack – Buy now from Amazon UK

Cleaning your car without a pressure washer

Best car washing water bucket
Price: $14.29
If you are washing your car without a pressure washer, you will still need some water, so let's begin with something that has become a bit of a classic. The Meguiar Yellow Car Wash Bucket. This heavy-duty stalwart of car cleaning will hold 22 litres of water and can be fitted with a grit guard, which can be purchased separately. You can also get a lid to prevent spillage. Of course, if you are taking pride in your work, you may want to invest in two of these, one for cleaning and one for rinsing.

Pros

  • Iconic design
  • Heavy duty

Cons

  • Dirt guard has to be purchased separately
Best quality car wash set
Since 1965, Autoglym has been leading the way in the research and development of premium car products. The Autoglym Bodywork and Wheels Collection is a comprehensive set of carefully chosen products designed to give car owners the ultimate finish. Autoglym is a reliable brand with a track record of bringing out the best aspects of your car's bodywork and wheels.

Pros

  • Ceramic spray offers three months of protection
  • Acid-free wheel cleaner

Cons

  • No storage case
Best car washing hose
Price: $114.11
You may not have or want to use a pressure washer, but perhaps you have access to a decent water supply and could use a hose. Hozelock has been one of the main hose specialists for quite a time, and the Hozelock Hybrid Tuffhose is ideal for car cleaning or general garden or household duties. It's 25 metres long and is what it says: tough. With a good crush resistance, it’ll withstand a car wheel going over it, which might be a good idea if you are washing your car on a busier street. Also, it won't get damaged if it gets snagged while being moved around the car.

Pros

  • Sturdy construction
  • Flexible

Cons

  • Quite heavy when wet
Best interior and exterior car wash cleaning set
The Demon Gift Pack contains all you need for that perfect showroom finish, inside and out. Your car will look and smell great with five one-litre cleaning products, a sponge, and a Demon air freshener. This kit contains everything you need to clean your car without the need for a pressure washer. The shampoo is super bubbly and adds excellent lubrication and cleaning to your car.

Pros

  • For cleaning inside and out
  • Everything in one package

Cons

  • You may run out of some items more quickly than others
Best budget car wash cleaning set
Everything you need for under £30 with a bucket thrown in. A highly concentrated shampoo that cuts through dirt with ease and won’t strip your layers of wax, giving your car a glossy radiant protective shine. The kit includes a 15L wash bucket, shampoo, polish, interior dressing, wheel cleaner, tyre dressing, and detailers' glass cleaner.

Pros

  • Bucket included
  • Highly concentrated shampoo

Cons

  • Not all items have a spray trigger
Best car wash set for a professional finish
This is a collection of five of the best car cleaning products that Autoglym has to offerwhich will quickly clean and wax your car, giving it a lasting shine. The Pure Shampoo has one job - it removes all of the contaminants from your vehicle. That means it'll lift off dirt, pollen, grit, bird mess and more. Once this has been rinsed off, it's time for the Rapid Aqua Wax. According to Autoglym, the Rapid Aqua Wax is the "best-kept secret in car care." Well, we're here to burst the secret wide open and tell you, dear reader, that this is an excellent quick wax. It's carnauba-based and can be applied to a wet vehicle after washing to leave a hard wax finish that both protects paintwork and makes it pop.

Pros

  • Streak-free shampoo
  • Microfibre cloth included

Cons

  • Still requires a bit of effort for the best results
Best all-round car washing kit
This bundle from the ever-present Turtle Wax (a name synonymous with car care and cleaning) contains 500ml Wax It Wet, 500ml Quick Easy Waterless Car Wash, 500ml Renew Liquid Polish, 300ml Wet'n'Black Tyre Gel, 500ml Redline Car Wheel Cleaner, and 5-litre Zip Wash & Wax.
This car valeting bundle will last you a summer of washes and help keep your car pristine and looking great.

Pros

  • Contains Carnauba car wash
  • Tyre and trim gel included

Cons

  • Polish action could be better
Best no power car washer
Price: $31.75
This isn't shampoo, nor is it wax. It's a pressure washer - but not like you're used to. There are many reasons that someone might want to avoid a mains-powered or battery-powered pressure washer - they might be worried about the power ruining paintwork, the cost of a decent product, or they might not have access to an outdoor plug and water supply.
Well, the Spear & Jackson Pressure Sprayer answers all these concerns. It's hand-pumped, meaning that the spray power is moderate and safe while still allowing cleaning benefits. It's cheap, and it's reliable.
Using this, you can spray a pre-wash on your car’s extra dirty areas, which will help lift dirt and grime off the paint and out of its tiny little pores. This leaves a glossier and better finish on your car and helps to preserve the paintwork.

Pros

  • No power needed
  • Can be used with water or product

Cons

  • Not a particularly strong jet

Hints and tips on car cleaning

Make sure your car’s bodywork is not hot to the touch before you start, and also try not to wash your car in direct sunlight. Why? If the body panels of your car are too warm or the sun is beaming directly onto them, this will cause water to evaporate off your car too quickly. This means all those little bits of dirt you’re trying to clean off will get left behind in the evaporation process. When it comes to drying the car, these bits of dirt can easily cause micro-scratches in your paintwork, taking away that shine and meaning you’ll need to do more in the long run to get that shine back.

Follow the tried-and-tested wet, wash, rinse, and dry method.
If a car is filthy, wash the vehicle in segments, ensuring the area you’re washing is always wet. This will add a tiny layer of lubrication and help lift any larger bits of dirt. Again, all this is trying to do is reduce the micro-scratches on your paint. These are inevitable; they will happen – our very own car detailer (someone who loves to get cars really clean), Ryan Gilmore, has many products that will help you along your car cleaning journey. Remember, get the car wet, wash it with a sponge and shampoo, rinse all the soapy suds away, and then dry using a drying cloth – gone are the days of chamois leather.

Cleaning your cleaning gear
As with the dirt you rinse off the car, if you don’t have a specific car cleaning bucket with a grit guard, you risk putting all of that back on again. Guess what this might make? Yup… micro-scratches. We explained what that means before, so to avoid these, it’s best to have a bucket with lovely clean water constantly. You may want to have two buckets, one for your shampoo and one to clean the sponge. Whichever way you choose to clean your car, it’s important to make sure it’s clean – that means clean sponges and cloths with clean water.

What about pre-wash?
You can use snow foam, or you can use chemicals – but as this whole thing is about not using a pressure washer, in this instance, chemicals are probably your friend here. Happily, our sister site, CAR Magazine, has reviewed the best prewash products available and rounded them up here.

Myles Warwood is an Autos Products Writer for both Parkers and CAR, specialising in child seats and e-bikes. In his spare time, he’s a freelance cycling journalist and dog owner.

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