Carwash that allows you to use wash mitt?

[Jeff TYPE R]

Most carwashes have a no handwashing policy. I get that, they don't want people hogging the bays and not spending money.

However, my routine consists of:

1. one cycle of soap spray
2. wash mitt
3. one cycle of rinse

I try to respectful and be really quick with the washmitt. I only use the washmitt because some dirt just won't spray off and there's no chance I'm using the communal foam brush. Washing at home isn't much of an option because I'm just not setup for that.

When I lived in Edmonton, I visited a great carwash that had the no handwashing policy, but I went there all the time and they knew I wasn't going to be a dick about it, so they were ok with me doing a once-over with the wash mitt.

So...anyone know of a good car wash here that isn't uptight? Specifically inner city SW?

[jsn]

I think your best bet would be to go during quiet times. I've been to about 4 or 5 car washes in the SW and all of them have the no hand washing policy when there is a line up. If there's no one waiting, none of the car washes have ever had an issue with me hand washing as long as there's money in the machine. Maybe someone can speak out, but I don't know of any car washes in the SW that actually allow handwashing, especially when it's busy.

[Tik-Tok]

None of them "allow" it, but if it isn't busy, no one will likely say anything. The one closest to me (Fairmount and Heritage) is closed at 11pm, I go at 10:30 and bucket wash. I've never had to hurry or move.

The manager did give me grief once, but I told him it's 8 bays, and I'm the only one there, would he rather I give my business elsewhere? $5 is better than $0.

[BensonTT]

I go wash my car 1 - 2 in the morning.. nice and quiet! Nobody cranking their bollywood music next door.. LoL

[FraserB]

Isn't there a 24 hour one on Richmond or around there? Just go there at midnight and take all the time you want.

[Jeff TYPE R]

Originally posted by FraserB
Isn't there a 24 hour one on Richmond or around there? Just go there at midnight and take all the time you want.

Yeah, actually what prompted me to start this thread was some lowlife scum employee hassling me when I was there at Western Pride. There was no one else lined up behind me, and I had already finished with the mitt by the time the guy came. He tried to tell me that if it weren't for the rule, then "everyone would be using a wash mitt here!" What an idiot.

The worst part was my wife was there and she got pretty excited and the lowlife started getting in her face and I was ready to spray him down with the wand and start a fight...

[speedog]

Centex on Centre Street - never had a problem using a wash mitt there even during busy times.

[K3RMiTdot]

i use the mitt no mattter wheere i go, even when its busy

[idriveabox]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R
Yeah, actually what prompted me to start this thread was some lowlife scum employee hassling me when I was there at Western Pride. There was no one else lined up behind me, and I had already finished with the mitt by the time the guy came. He tried to tell me that if it weren't for the rule, then "everyone would be using a wash mitt here!" What an idiot.

The worst part was my wife was there and she got pretty excited and the lowlife started getting in her face and I was ready to spray him down with the wand and start a fight...

Western Pride is brutal. Same thing happened to me and I know the guy you are talking about. I usually use the mitt at the same time as spraying, so there is always money in it. Got into an argument (in front of wife too) and pledged to never come back.

Try the one near Mount Royal behind the Petro-Can. They don't police it and I always use the mitt.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R
Yeah, actually what prompted me to start this thread was some lowlife scum employee hassling me when I was there at Western Pride. There was no one else lined up behind me, and I had already finished with the mitt by the time the guy came. He tried to tell me that if it weren't for the rule, then "everyone would be using a wash mitt here!" What an idiot.

The worst part was my wife was there and she got pretty excited and the lowlife started getting in her face and I was ready to spray him down with the wand and start a fight...

you crazy!!!

I don't know man, the guy is told by his boss "no one is allowed to hand wash", he does his job and people talk back to him and give him shit, no wonder he gets irate.

I completely 100% agree with you that if no one is around you should be able to hand wash, but if you get caught by a do gooder employee who wants to enforce the rules then you have to agree they post "no hand washing" signs in bright giant letters at most car washes that no one can miss and make you completely aware that you aren't allowed to hand wash, so if an employee tells you that you can't do it then there isn't much reason to talk back. The fact that no one is around doesn't magically change the rules, it just may change how lenient they are but that is at their discretion not yours.

That aside, I think you could get away with it at the car wash in the NW (by kilkenny) there usually are no employees in there (except during high times during the day). I've spent an hour in there detailing my car on a weeknight when there were no other cars but an employee was around cleaning bays and they never said anything other than hello, they sell wash cards so you know they want to keep their regular customers.

[Jeff TYPE R]

Good to hear that I'm not the only one with issues at that car wash. I know I'm not really in the right, hence seeking a new place that isn't uptight.

I did nicely explain to buddy that there was no one else lined up; it's not like the bay is losing money with my 2 minutes of using a mitt. But it turned ugly pretty quickly, and I'm sure if his boss were around he'd get his ass fired for the way he acted.

I'll give the MRC car wash a shot...I think it might actually be closer than Western Pride anyway!

[kvg]

You could go to the shell in deer run and I'm sure they wouldn't care, as they charge by the minute

[ExtraSlow]

I was at Centex on Centre street yesterday around lunchtime. Prime time. Guy was teaching his daughter how to mitt-wash his 1995 K1500 in the front bay. Two people had time to wash thier cars in the back bay, then back out and he was still working a chamois when i finished washing my truck and backed out.

Hand-washing has it's place to be sure, but noon on a weekend isn't it.

[msommers]

Are you guys bringing a bucket with different soap to use with your mitt?

[Jetta-2.0]

lol before it use to cost me 5 bucks to get the cars very clean, now it cots me 2 to 3 bucks, i soap the car then rub it with my mitt then rinse done, i did once started to dry my car but the owner came and was like pull it to the side and dry it dont do it in the bay lol

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by msommers
Are you guys bringing a bucket with different soap to use with your mitt?

I bring two buckets, one for wheels / exhaust / body panel underside and the other for everything else. Two wash mitts as well.

First I add my own liquid car wash soap in each bucket to supplement the soap water from the car wash. I fill each bucket with the car wash's soap cycle, using a lid with a hole so the wand doesn't splash. Each bucket takes less than 30 seconds to fill, leaving lots of time to spray down the rest of the car with the remaining $2 soap cycle.

Once the hand washing is done, a $2 rinse cycle is sufficient to rinse off the car leaving enough time to rinse out the buckets.

I go to the Centex on Centre St N at odd hours, like 4:30 AM.

[DeeK]

It may be a bit of a drive, but the one at the Gas station in Valley Ridge (West most community on HWY. 1) has always allowed it. They have a sign that says "no hand washing while other cars are waiting". To which, unless you go on a sunny saturday morning at 10am, there will be noone. I've detailed my car in there for hours some days.

[95teetee]

Originally posted by DeeK
They have a sign that says "no hand washing while other cars are waiting".

wow- a car wash with a rule that actually makes sense

[turbotrip]

the brentwood car/dog wash usually doesnt have any employees in the evening/night

[cherpintow]

The Shell carwash in Crowfoot would be a good place to use a mitt. You're on the clock as soon as you drive in so they couldn't care less what method you use. Also, you don't get the annoying factor of seeing someone in their car right behind you waiting for your stall. The cars wait outside the wash bay. Edit: Not inner city however.