Sillyme

Hey all NOVA folks,

My new stang arrived a couple of weeks ago...loving it so far! Sadly my 60 mile commute to work roundtrip through the Tysons construction = a dirty car. My apt complex has no hose and I'm wondering if you all know of any places that offer do it yourself car wash. I also wish there were brushless car washes in the area, bc I don't want to risk messing up the paint. I ordered all my car wash stuff, now just looking for a place I can use it.

Any info would be helpful! Thanks!

VA Raptor

What part of NoVA are you located? There's a DIY car wash in Sterling called Sweetwater Splash (200 Davis Dr, Sterling, VA 20164). There is also a brushless car wash at the BP station a bit down the road off of Sterling Blvd that I use from time to time with decent results.

If you're in the Leesburg area there is a DIY carwash in Purcellville off Main Street across from the McDonalds.

11SHELBYGT500

Thank you, I haven't laughed like that in a long time. "the" McDonalds, that is pure gold.

Sillyme

I'm in Falls Church so those are pretty far options for me. I'll keep lookin around. Thanks!

Ivan 5.0

Mr Wash! They have a bunch of locations throughout NoVA.

RedWings

If you haven't heard of it yet, look in to "Optimum No Rinse" (ONR). There are a few threads over at AFM from people ranting about the stuff. It is a very popular product in the detailing community too. I've been using it for years with nothing but good things to say.

What is it?

It is a way to wash your car without needing a hose to rinse. All you need is a bucket with 3 gallons of water in it. Add a few ounces of ONR, soak your mitt, wipe a panel, and then dry with your drying towel. It will not mar your paint or cause scratches unless you have been out mudding.

You can also look on YouTube for how-to videos of ONR.

So just fill up a bucket in your apartment, take it down to the parking lot, and wash your car at home.

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse.html

Just make sure you have a decent wash mitt/sponge and some decent (microfiber) drying towels. This will eliminate your mitts/towels to cause swirling.

rhumb

Yeah, NOVA is a desert when it comes to self-serv car wash bays for some reason I haven't quite fathomed. While I certainly prefer to hand scrub my car myself, time and weather permitting, I do like the option of at least quickly spraying off the grunge in between without having to take it to a full automatic car wash, which always makes me a bit concerned about being a bit harsh to the finish.