How to Wash Your Car with the 2 Bucket Method

2 Bucket Method, One Car

Washing your car with the 2 bucket method is probably the easiest and most cost-effective preventive maintenance you can ever do for your car. This is a method made by detailers to prevent further scratches and swirling your paint during the washing process. Generally, the washing process causes the most damage so we detailers are trying everything we can to limit the damage done, even if it is small.



When a normal person washes their car, they assume they need the following:

• Wash Bucket
• Wash Mitt or Sponge
• Soap
• Drying Towel

That list is correct, but limited and many of the essentials are not listed there. Let’s look at my own personal list for simply washing one of my clients cars:

• 3 Wash Buckets (One for Soap, One for Rinse, and One for the Rim Degreaser)
• 2 Grit Guards (You can buy them here)
• 2 Wash Sponges
• Wash Soap
• Various Wheel Brushes
• Wheel Degreaser
• Tire and Wheel Well Degreaser
• Drying Lubricant
• Multiple Drying Towels

The difference is clear between a DIY detailer and a professional. But it isn’t hard to get the basics down and do your own quality detailing at home! For starters, lets just look at the basic wash process using the 2 Bucket Method.

Head to any local hardware store and pick up 3 of their 5-Gallon buckets. They are very cheap and the third will be useful later on in the detailing process. Mark one bucket rinse and one bucket “soap” and the other “water.”

The soap bucket will be filled up with a mix of your favorite car wash and the rinse will simply be filled up with water. I also recommend getting a tool called the “Grit Guard” to place at the bottom of your buckets to hold down the dirt. These are fantastic little devices that prevent dirt from rising out of the bucket back onto your sponge and at the same time can be used to clean off the sponge from any residual grime and dirt. You can get them on Amazon for cheaper (if you include shipping) than any other vendor I’ve purchased from. I personally have two of these and they have lasted the past 2 years no problems. And if you have trouble finding a good and lubricating wash soap, try out Chemical Guys Citrus Wash Daily. It is super gentle and very concentrated. $10 worth of soap will last a DIY-er months.

The technique for the 2 bucket method from here is very simple:

1. Soak the wash sponge in the soap bucket
2. Wash and scrub (GENTLY!) one panel or small section
3. Dip and rinse sponge in the water bucket
4. Then dip into the soap bucket
5. Repeat the process

And there you have it. You now learned the 2 bucket method and this the absolute easiest preventive maintenance for your car and also the beginning to becoming a DIY detailer.