When to Bucket wash vs foam cannon vs quick detail?

I've had my 2017 taco for about a month. Before that it was all 10+ year old cars that I haphazardly cared for. I'd like to do the taco right, especially since it lives in a driveway as of now.

It came from the dealer "detailed" and I took it on a road trip up so when I got back I went to a car wash bay and hit it with pressure wash, then the blue corral spray on foam which I let sit for 5-10min, then another pressure wash, and a low pressure rinse.

Brought it home and then cleaned it up with Meguirs quick detailer and finished with Meguirs ultimate quik wax (which is really a synthetic sealant).

Now I'm wondering about ongoing care and how best to wash/seal it. I have a pressure washer, so I can get a $17 foam cannon from Amazon, and I can also order a couple buckets and grit guards and I of course have the quick detailer and a mountain of microfibre cloths.

I'm at a loss for how to gauge which step is appropriate when.

When is it too dirty to just use quick detailer and microfibre clothes? If I use a foam cannon is it touchless, or do you do multiple applications of foam and use a microfibre mitt like in a bucket wash?

 

A foam cannon just gives you a head start on loosening the dirt before you take a mitt to it. If it's really dirty I would spray it with foam cannon, let it sit without drying, then rinse off most of the dirt with a little pressure from the hose. Not the pressure washer. Then foam and wash with mitt rinsing mitt often.

 

If you have more than light dust, you need to get out the bucket. Foam cannon as stated above is only meant to help loosen dirt to prevent swirls.

 

To be honest, I never use a detailer spray. If it's not dirty enough for a two bucket wash, then it's probably clean enough to drive it until it's ready for a two bucket wash. Why risk some random debris getting stuck in a towel and causing a bunch of swirls if you don't have to? Especially on a daily driver. I kinda see detail spray for dusting off a car mid day at a car show with your garage queen.

That said, I might do a waterless wash with some ONR or WG Uber Rinseless concentrate if it's not dirty enough for a two bucket.

 

I don't ever use a quick detailer and a MF towel. To me its too much swirl risk, but I also have white so usually my truck still looks clean when its in the quick detail window.

If you have a foam cannon, its ideal to always use it. The purpose of the cannon is to increase lubricity and decrease swirling compared to using a bucket.

And no, Foam cannons are not touchless. You still need to physically wash the dirt off the truck. To do a touchless wash, wash the truck at a car wash with filtered water and do a spotless rinse so you dont have to hand dry the truck.