I live in a condo with no water or electrical hook ups at any realistic distance between my car and my place. I just put on those window air vent cover things that allow to crack the window but prevent rain from coming in. My go to has been the automated car wash at the Shell but the manual warms not to use those for fear of damage.

So... my car shows it's dirt easily cause it's dark blue. Doesn't really get all that dirty really. Just that "there was dew in morning and once it dried it left a thin layer of 'dirt'" type dirty.

What can I use to clean the car??

When I was in your place, I used a product called "Dry Wash n Guard." It was sold Amway-style, by local distributors. The stuff was great! I carried a spray bottle in my trunk with a microfiber cloth for quick touch-ups.

If you've ever used a clay bar, you'll appreciate how good this stuff is. Spray an area, wipe clean and then feel how smooth your car's surface is.

You can now buy it online (or become a distributor): http://www.driwashsolutions.com/

Option One (Good) - Find a better 'No Touch' car wash for general maintenance. Option Two (Best) - Find a good mobile detailer that can come to you.

I'd only use a waterless car wash product for spot cleaning. Waterless products up the probability of scratching the heck out of the finish.

I've had good luck with the Armor All wash wipes. They also have wax wipes.

I got mine at Walmart.

They are large wipes...I use them all over the truck, inside and out.

I'm sure the folks over at Autopia Forums could help you out.

Clicky Linkage

You have options and I believe these are fine with a couple of considerations.

1. Rotate through microfiber cloths as it gets dirty to limit potential for scratching.
2. Use light pressure
3. If the car is filthy go through a no touch car wash first.

Option 1 requires a bucket with water but no hose. Optimum No Rise Wash and Shine. I use this in the winter. I follow it up with the No Rinse Wash and Wax diluted in a spray bottle to add a layer of shine and protection. https://optimumcarcare.com/catalog/wash-dry

Options 2 is new and I have not tried it but it is interesting. https://www.ammonyc.com/shop/a...rothe-hoseless-lift/

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Option One (Good) - Find a better 'No Touch' car wash for general maintenance. Option Two (Best) - Find a good mobile detailer that can come to you.

I'd only use a waterless car wash product for spot cleaning. Waterless products up the probability of scratching the heck out of the finish.

Ah, I forgot to mention. The car is a 2008 Yaris. It's my daily driver and I uber in it on weekends, so trying to keep my costs down. Around my way a come-to-you detailer would be in the neighborhood of $150...

An additional note: I said "when I was in your place." I lived in an apartment condominium for 27 years. My vehicle ownership went from a Chevy Cavalier to a Mercedes-Benz CLK430 (yes, my lot in life improved over the years!).

I never used a hose, and yet I like to keep my cars clean. I found I could do so routinely with a bucket, a soft sponge and a good sized chamois. If the car was terribly dirty, it might take two buckets of water (no soap, just water), which I toted out from my unit. If I was in "detailing mode," I'd bring an old toothbrush to get into the crevices. Maybe some tire black to finish the job.

The Dry Wash n Guard came later, and I used it mainly for touch-up jobs when the car wasn't terribly dirty.

I would just go to an old school wand type carwash. Soap it all over, wipe it with a mitt, hose it off.

On a Yaris it could take more than two cycles, one with soap and one with rinse.

Drive it out or just use one of those fake chamois to dry it.
30 minutes max.

quote:

Originally posted by fpuhan:
When I was in your place, I used a product called "Dry Wash n Guard." It was sold Amway-style, by local distributors. The stuff was great! I carried a spray bottle in my trunk with a microfiber cloth for quick touch-ups.

If you've ever used a clay bar, you'll appreciate how good this stuff is. Spray an area, wipe clean and then feel how smooth your car's surface is.

You can now buy it online (or become a distributor): http://www.driwashsolutions.com/

Just ordered a bottle!

Optimum No Rinse wash. Get a bucket of water and you're good to go.

quote:

Originally posted by Phelen_Kell:
Optimum No Rinse wash. Get a bucket of water and you're good to go.

Hmmm... I watched the video on the Amazon page for this product. It seems like one must go over the car three times...? First with the water/No Rinse. Then in the video they show this "no wash rinse" stuff and the car is done over again. Then a third time to rub off any streaks. Three times? So you use the rinse agent (something they referred to as a "drying agent." ??

https://www.amazon.com/Optimum-NR2010Q-Rinse-Wash-Shine/dp/B00D8DR0AO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523060169&sr=8-3&keywords=Optimum+No+Rinse+wash

You need a friend with a garden hose.

Waaaaay back when I was an Accountant for UT Health Science Center, a guy at work sold me a bottle of the Dry Wash n Guard...I think either he or his son were in the pyramid scheme for that product. Like others have said, I was skeptical of it eventually scratching my car if I used it for an entire "wash", but it did work great on "spot cleaning".

No car wash places around where you wash the car? (basically you're paying for soap and water and a place to do it)

Whenever it rains - I pull my car out of the garage.

quote:

Originally posted by muddle_mann: First with the water/No Rinse.

This is sort of the way I do it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15cMHR0a0Ok

I don't do the prespray. I just use the bucket and dry off by driving. This is just a quick wash for me. I will eventually drive to a car wash place where I can use high pressure water.

quote:

Originally posted by muddle_mann:

quote:

Originally posted by Phelen_Kell:
Optimum No Rinse wash. Get a bucket of water and you're good to go.

Hmmm... I watched the video on the Amazon page for this product. It seems like one must go over the car three times...? First with the water/No Rinse. Then in the video they show this "no wash rinse" stuff and the car is done over again. Then a third time to rub off any streaks. Three times? So you use the rinse agent (something they referred to as a "drying agent." ??

https://www.amazon.com/Optimum-NR2010Q-Rinse-Wash-Shine/dp/B00D8DR0AO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523060169&sr=8-3&keywords=Optimum+No+Rinse+wash

I'd strongly recommend against using that product. I got a bottle to try some time ago and was going to use it as a quick detailer and/or clay lube. It sucked for both. Its also supposed to promote sheeting when added to a normal wash bucket. Didn't see any of that either. I've used and liked other Optimum products, but this one misses the mark IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by muddle_mann:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Option One (Good) - Find a better 'No Touch' car wash for general maintenance. Option Two (Best) - Find a good mobile detailer that can come to you.

I'd only use a waterless car wash product for spot cleaning. Waterless products up the probability of scratching the heck out of the finish.

Ah, I forgot to mention. The car is a 2008 Yaris. It's my daily driver and I uber in it on weekends, so trying to keep my costs down. Around my way a come-to-you detailer would be in the neighborhood of $150...

Ask them about just a wash. My mobile detailer charges $120 for his full-ride wash, wax, & shampoo service (which is what people understandably think of when talking about a mobile detailer), But $30 for just a wash and vacuum.

quote:

Originally posted by muddle_mann:
Around my way a come-to-you detailer would be in the neighborhood of $150...

If it makes you feel any better, I'm detailing a gentleman's Ferrari 458 for a car show in a couple weeks and the tab on that competition quality detail will be $800 and take me almost the entire weekend to complete.