Car Wash Fundraiser ACK!

Sharp10r

So, I've been tasked to make a car wash work as a fundraiser. Here's what I need to know:
how do you wash a car? I remember doing my part as a kid raising funds but now I need to make sure my youth do it properly.
Also,
What kind of soaps/spounges etc. do I need and which should I avoid if any?

Thanks.

stah

Since it's a youth fundraiser, I'd honestly just Wet, Wash, and Rinse. I wouldn't bother with a two-bucket method or anything on those line. With these kinds of fundraisers, I don't think people are looking for the best car wash on the cheap. They are more wanting to get their car semi-clean and donate some money to some kids.

On that note, I'd get some clean sponges / rags / etc. and some soap you can buy in bulk. With sponges and rags, just make sure the kids don't drop them on the ground then try to clean a car. The dirt will scratch paint.

Most of this is just my opinion, though. I'm not exactly an autophile in that regard.

Sharp10r

Thanks for the tips.
SO hows this work:
1. Hose car down
2. Soap sponge down car
3. Hose rinse
4. Rag down

Now I need to know which supplies to get and not to get (to avoid scratching and stuff).

KidDynamite

Everything above is pretty good.

You can get lots of sponges (The Advance Auto Parts by me had a 2 for 1 special recently) and big buckets of the cheapest most reliable looking car wash. (Please do not use other soaps i.e. Dawn, or the like, they will strip out all of the oils and mkae your customers :x later on)

So yeah, Rinse it down real good.

Take your sponge and soapy water, and scrub scrub scrub, (if you really want to impress have two buckets, one for top half, and one for bottom half of the car since it is way dirtier)

Then rinse really good, and depending on how much you charge you may have some good clean towels to semi-dry it off.

Change the bucket of soap and rinse out the sponges every once in a while. It will get dirt and crap that can lead to a sandpaper type of situation as you are scrubbing.

Hope this helps.

HyperAquaBlast

Short short cut off shorts and halter tops will also allow you to wash a car much more efficiently.

I guess the big thing is just be ready for if something does scratch up the paint or some guy falsely claims you messed up his car when you guys didn't. I'm not sure if a waiver is needed or insurance in advance but it sounds good.

L Ron Howard

How many hot women do you know that would gladly wear bikinis for a day? I think that's the main proponent to your success. Once you have that, it doesn't really matter what you do to actually wash the car.

Figgy

L Ron Howard wrote: »

How many hot women do you know that would gladly wear bikinis for a day? I think that's the main proponent to your success. Once you have that, it doesn't really matter what you do to actually wash the car.

But I think the idea is that kids are part of this fundraiser.

eternalbl

If you plan to offer drying the cars off, don't use towels, use chamois. For the washing, you'll probably want to wash 1/4 of the vehicle, and then re-wet the remaining bit, wash some more and re-wet as necessary. If you let the soap dry on it'll end up being a terrible wash. If it's not sunny or too warm when you're doing this you can probably get away with 1/2 the car before needing to wet it up again.

I can't disagree enough with the advice that people are just doing it to give money and the wash is inconsequential. Driving around in a car with missed dirty spots on it makes a person look like a retard and doing a piss poor job of something because it was just for charity is nothing more than a good way to make less at your future fundraisers.

Sharp10r

I agree eternalbl! We may not be auto bell, but you can't let someone off the lot with a junk job even for charity. I took the advice on here, bought buckets, sponges, and special clothes to dry the car. We didn't have an endless line of cars or anything, but enough to keep them busy and give them a huge boost towards their service trip in June. The first of 5 car washes was pretty successful. Thanks everyone!