Keeping Clean

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Puppethead

Puppethead

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I'm curious about everyone's opinions of keeping the SE clean, starting with the exterior.

I've been meaning to start this thread for a while, and with the discussion of car washes in the PPF thread it seems like a good time.

The first thing I noticed after I got my car in the summer is I no longer stop for fuel so I have no opportunity to clean the bugs off my windshield or headlights. I have yet to look into getting home equipment for that. Or do I just pull up to pumps to use the squeegees? Maybe public chargers should include windshield cleaners!

And then there's the full body wash. I've always avoided touch washes, but the discussion of pH levels in the PPF thread has me wondering if even touchless washes are a good idea. I have a carwash card, but I won't use it on my SE because it includes wheel scrub and I don't want harsh brushing of my winter Electric Revolites or my summer Power Spokes. Especially those, since they have a plastic exterior.

Another concern I have is undercarriage spray. I'm not sure what kind of effect high-powered jets of water from below could have on the battery pack or wiring.

It's not feasible to wash the SE by hand in the winter, so I've been doing the basic rinse-only wash to keep the grime off when temperatures were warm enough. Am I going to have to get into the habit of hand washing the SE in the warmer months? Maybe that's a good idea anyway, since I drive on gravel and it likes to work its way under the hatch.
 
Because of that other thread discussion, I did a little research. I'm leaning toward a garden hose foam spray gun rinse, then cyclone korean microfiber wash mitts with soap bucket and separate rinse bucket (with grit guard grid in the bottom).
 
I got the crystal paint coat. I simply spray with my garden hose and wipe down with a chamois. I don't spray/wash the underneath of the car.
 
I'm surprised how quickly the rear of my SE gets dirty after I wash it. I've taken to washing just the hatch and rear bumper when the rest of the car still looks clean. Some cars have wind deflectors that help keep the rear-end clean, but I love the look of my SE (since I erased the fake hood scoop), so I wouldn't want an ugly deflector.
 
insightman said:
I'm surprised how quickly the rear of my SE gets dirty after I wash it.
Click to expand...
I didn't bring up mud flaps, but the rear ones are a must-have to keep dirt off the back of the car. The front mud flaps, in my experience, don't do much to stop dirt. The standard mud flaps can be added to the SE (I asked service), but I'm not sure what the impact on range would be.
 
I spent an alarming number of hours going down various YouTube detailer rabbit holes while researching this topic to develop my own strategy.

Disclaimer
There are innumerable "wrong" and "right" ways to do it, depending on your own personal conditions, objectives, and preferences. The "right" way for me may be "wrong" for you. And the choices I made are "right enough" for me--there are certainly superior options, but I made some compromises to balance my desired results against my desired level of effort and budget.

Factors influencing my strategy
  • I have a 2-car garage with an HVAC vent so it's "heated and cooled".
  • My car has a ceramic coating, which has its own special requirements for maintenance:
    • soft-touch/no-touch cleaning methods
    • pH-neutral shampoos/chemicals
    • in other words, avoid automatic washes of all sorts.
  • I want to reasonably "protect my investment" and "keep it looking nice".
  • ...But I also want to avoid being neurotic about keeping my car clean.
Warm Weather Maintenance Washing
When the weather is warm enough to wash my car in the driveway (shaded), I basically use the two-bucket method with minor embellishments. (Note: Since I took delivery of my SE in late fall, I haven't actually done this yet--it's my plan.)
  • Spray whole car with garden hose to loosen the lightest debris and begin soaking.
  • Spray on foaming shampoo to pre-wash. Wait a few minutes for it to soak and loosen/lubricate.
  • Rinse car off with garden hose.
  • Hand wash with the two-bucket method and microfiber wash mitt, working from top to bottom.
    • Bucket 1 has the car washing shampoo (and a grit guard in the bottom).
    • Bucket 2 has clean water for rinsing/cleaning the wash mitt (and a grit guard in the bottom).
  • Rinse car off with garden hose.
  • Blow dry with a car dryer.
  • Clean windows with a waffle weave microfiber towel and ammonia-free cleaner (safe for the tint on the inside of the windows).
  • Finish with a ceramic booster (spray on; wipe off with microfiber towel; buff with clean microfiber towel)
Cold Weather Maintenance Washing
During the winter, it's too cold to keep the garden hose out...and too cold to safely wash my car in the driveway. But my garage is large enough and warm enough that I have some reasonable options for washing.
  • If the car is somewhat dirty, I go to the local "pay-n-spray" and use the "rinse" option in the bay to remove any grime/salt build-up.
  • If it is really dirty, I will go at a very low traffic time with my own pH-neutral shampoo in a foamer:
    • rinse
    • spray on foam
    • wait a few minutes for the foam to work
    • rinse again
    • go home.
If I'm feeling lazy or know the car will immediately get dirty again, I just let it air dry in the garage. (I tried using the car dryer once, and wound up with streaks because this frictionless method with cold water left the car cleaner but not truly clean.)

If the roads are clear enough that the additional effort is worth it, I proceed with a hand wash in the warmth of my garage:
  • Since it isn't practical (or safe) to use a hose inside my garage, I use a rinseless wash following the Garry Dean method (with warm water in the bucket).
  • Clean windows with a waffle weave microfiber towel and ammonia-free cleaner (safe for the tint on the inside of the windows).
  • Finish with a ceramic booster (spray on; wipe off with microfiber towel; buff with clean microfiber towel).
 
Puppethead said:
Maybe public chargers should include windshield cleaners!
Click to expand...

That is a brilliant idea!

Puppethead said:
Another concern I have is undercarriage spray. I'm not sure what kind of effect high-powered jets of water from below could have on the battery pack or wiring.
Click to expand...

While you should be reasonably careful, this shouldn't pose more risk than driving at highway speeds in the rain, through puddles, etc.

Puppethead said:
I didn't bring up mud flaps, but the rear ones are a must-have to keep dirt off the back of the car. The front mud flaps, in my experience, don't do much to stop dirt. The standard mud flaps can be added to the SE (I asked service), but I'm not sure what the impact on range would be.
Click to expand...

That's a great tip! I will definitely look into that, because I am also surprised/irritated by how quickly the backside gets dirty while the rest still looks clean. Impact on range is an interesting question, though...
 
MichaelC said:
(I tried using the car dryer once, and wound up with streaks because this frictionless method with cold water left the car cleaner but not truly clean.
Click to expand...
Thank you for answering this question I've had since I first learned about car dryers. So in the winter I'll just keep using my microfiber towels after washing at the pay-n-spray. After washing, I park the driver's side towards the sun and dry the passenger's side as quickly as I can before the ice forms. If I can't keep ahead of the ice, I give up and hope for sublimation. Then I run to the driver's side (not a long dash with a MINI Cooper), hoping the sun has prevented the formation of ice.

I spend a lot of time spraying the heck out of the underside and wheel-wells, knowing what damage road-salt has done to so many of my cars (except for my aluminum-bodied Insights). @MichaelC, I agree that the car-wash spray cannot be worse than the puddles through which the car must drive.

As I'm leaning over to get the spray nozzle way under the battery (why do I never remember to wear my knee pads?), I always wonder how deep a stream a MINI Electric can ford. I've thought of making a Jeep-like snorkel and telling people at the next car meet that the snorkel is for me--my ICE-less car works even when completely underwater.

I've also thought about mounting a pair of fake exhaust pipes and telling people I could only afford to remove the fake hood scoop. Speaking of which, I'm feeling better about my obsessive-compulsive modification since discovering it cost me less to buy, paint and install a scoopless hood than what some people are paying for PPF! Oops, I'm drifting off-thread again...I love washing my scoopless hood!
 
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MichaelC said:
I spent an alarming number of hours going down various YouTube detailer rabbit holes while researching this topic to develop my own strategy.

Disclaimer
There are innumerable "wrong" and "right" ways to do it, depending on your own personal conditions, objectives, and preferences. The "right" way for me may be "wrong" for you. And the choices I made are "right enough" for me--there are certainly superior options, but I made some compromises to balance my desired results against my desired level of effort and budget.

Factors influencing my strategy
  • I have a 2-car garage with an HVAC vent so it's "heated and cooled".
  • My car has a ceramic coating, which has its own special requirements for maintenance:
    • soft-touch/no-touch cleaning methods
    • pH-neutral shampoos/chemicals
    • in other words, avoid automatic washes of all sorts.
  • I want to reasonably "protect my investment" and "keep it looking nice".
  • ...But I also want to avoid being neurotic about keeping my car clean.
Warm Weather Maintenance Washing
When the weather is warm enough to wash my car in the driveway (shaded), I basically use the two-bucket method with minor embellishments. (Note: Since I took delivery of my SE in late fall, I haven't actually done this yet--it's my plan.)
  • Spray whole car with garden hose to loosen the lightest debris and begin soaking.
  • Spray on foaming shampoo to pre-wash. Wait a few minutes for it to soak and loosen/lubricate.
  • Rinse car off with garden hose.
  • Hand wash with the two-bucket method and microfiber wash mitt, working from top to bottom.
    • Bucket 1 has the car washing shampoo (and a grit guard in the bottom).
    • Bucket 2 has clean water for rinsing/cleaning the wash mitt (and a grit guard in the bottom).
  • Rinse car off with garden hose.
  • Blow dry with a car dryer.
  • Clean windows with a waffle weave microfiber towel and ammonia-free cleaner (safe for the tint on the inside of the windows).
  • Finish with a ceramic booster (spray on; wipe off with microfiber towel; buff with clean microfiber towel)
Click to expand...

You went down the same rabbit hole I went down yesterday! Your warm weather strategy is what I came up with, as well. And with the mild winters where I live, I should be able to do it most of the year. My virtual shopping cart already has wash items in it.
 
Optimum no rinse! Paired with high quality waffle towels it’s so easy to clean cars, and it works on virtually any surface.

Great for quick touch ups (especially bugs while on a road trip), and a full wash only takes 10 minutes + very little water.
 
Screenshot_20210318-223807_Drive.webp

I live by this for cleaning ;)
 
Lainey said:
I live by this for cleaning ;)
Click to expand...
I'm with you on that, a dirty MINI is a happy MINI. That said, I need to see out of the back window. I'm not going full-out with detailing (nothing wrong with it, though), but I like to put a shine on regularly. I think @MichaelC's plan has good elements to get a basic wash at home which will do a better (and cheaper!) job than car washes.
 
polyphonic said:
Optimum no rinse! Paired with high quality waffle towels it’s so easy to clean cars, and it works on virtually any surface.

Great for quick touch ups (especially bugs while on a road trip), and a full wash only takes 10 minutes + very little water.
Click to expand...
I googled Optimum No-Rinse. How does it work on a road trip? Can you use it when you have no access to water?
 
Puppethead said:
I'm with you on that, a dirty MINI is a happy MINI. That said, I need to see out of the back window. I'm not going full-out with detailing (nothing wrong with it, though), but I like to put a shine on regularly. I think @MichaelC's plan has good elements to get a basic wash at home which will do a better (and cheaper!) job than car washes.
Click to expand...
Sorry I couldn't resist with that one. We're up for my first wash this weekend finally. I'm a bit less meticulous than most here. If it gets really bad in the winter I spot clean. Otherwise I just wait until its warm. My car was prepped with a ceramic coating at the dealer without my saying anything. Of course to get the warranty I'd have to pay... we'll hand wash and air dry as always sat or Sunday. Both cars can use it. I'm just happy with how better the green is with showing dirt than my thunder gray was.
 
Puppethead said:
I didn't bring up mud flaps, but the rear ones are a must-have to keep dirt off the back of the car. The front mud flaps, in my experience, don't do much to stop dirt. The standard mud flaps can be added to the SE (I asked service), but I'm not sure what the impact on range would be.
Click to expand...

Does anybody know if the MINI mud flaps are "no drill" installation? I would install them myself if it didn't mean drilling new holes in the body and all the implications with corrosion, etc. that may carry.
 
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Would love to see a pic with the Mini brand rear flaps. If they look good I might add them if they help keep the back end cleaner.
 
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