Tips for filling a bucket at the jet wash

bmw140s67 · 10-23-2025, 12:37 PM

I know this is a weird question, but I want to hand wash my car myself at the jet wash, and just use the Lance for spraying a pre wash over the car, then using it to rinse off after I have hand washed it.

I have all the cleaning gear and a bucket with my wash shampoo, but how do I fill the bucket using the water in the jet wash Lance? its a high powered jet and it just blasts the bucket away without filling it.

any tips?

JimmyJazz · 10-23-2025, 02:47 PM

I put my wash mitt in the bottom of the bucket and stick end of the gun almost in the mitt and pull the trigger until the bucket is about a quarter full. Then you can give a little space and fill the bucket about 3/4ths. Then add soap to the water and fill the bucket as much as you want. Don’t remove the end of the gun from the water at any time with the trigger pulled or it will back spray all over you. It does take a couple of minutes to fill the bucket.

Pathy01 · 10-23-2025, 08:01 PM

Get a Gamma Seal lid for your bucket, fill it up and then screw on the lid. Bring it with you and then unscrew the lid to proceed with your washing. I do this with two separate buckets, one for wheels & tires and the other for rinseless wash. I also use an iK Foam Pro 2 sprayer to pre-foam the wheels, then clean wheels with wheels bucket and brushes, then rinse the wheels, do a quick pre-wash with high presssure soap, high pressure rinse and then do rinseless wash and dry. It takes a little while but gives great results. You can simplify the process as you wish but the bucket(s) with lids should eliminate dealing with high pressure water to fill.

Three Stents · 10-23-2025, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmw140s67

I know this is a weird question, but I want to hand wash my car myself at the jet wash, and just use the Lance for spraying a pre wash over the car, then using it to rinse off after I have hand washed it.

I have all the cleaning gear and a bucket with my wash shampoo, but how do I fill the bucket using the water in the jet wash Lance? its a high powered jet and it just blasts the bucket away without filling it.

any tips?

ask your husband

bmw140s67 · 10-23-2025, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pathy01

Get a Gamma Seal lid for your bucket, fill it up and then screw on the lid. Bring it with you and then unscrew the lid to proceed with your washing. I do this with two separate buckets, one for wheels & tires and the other for rinseless wash. I also use an iK Foam Pro 2 sprayer to pre-foam the wheels, then clean wheels with wheels bucket and brushes, then rinse the wheels, do a quick pre-wash with high presssure soap, high pressure rinse and then do rinseless wash and dry. It takes a little while but gives great results. You can simplify the process as you wish but the bucket(s) with lids should eliminate dealing with high pressure water to fill.

Yeah, bought a bucket with a snap on lid, that was going to be my next move

bmw140s67 · 10-25-2025, 12:26 PM

Update: Half filled a bucket at home put lid on took it with me, added car shampoo then stuck lance in bucket and filled it up.

All good.

WytLytnyn · 11-07-2025, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Three Stents

ask your husband

LMAO

JoeyO · 11-11-2025, 11:13 PM

Is there any truth to the rumors that those car wash places use recycled “dirty” water?

John in VA · 11-13-2025, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeyO

Is there any truth to the rumors that those car wash places use recycled “dirty” water?

Yes, most of these places recycle the water due to state/county regulations.

TimmyTurbos · 11-15-2025, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeyO

Is there any truth to the rumors that those car wash places use recycled “dirty” water?

Yep, the water is treated and filtered. The water is not the issue as long as they are changing the filters on schedule - It's those brushes full of dirt and grime scratching the hell out of the cars. Touchless only, if not hand washed.

Three Stents · 11-15-2025, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmw140s67

Update: Half filled a bucket at home put lid on took it with me, added car shampoo then stuck lance in bucket and filled it up.

All good.

is this what your husband said to do?

afadeev · 11-15-2025, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Three Stents

is this what your husband said to do?

Dude, what's your problem?

pz619 · 11-19-2025, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pathy01

Get a Gamma Seal lid for your bucket, fill it up and then screw on the lid. Bring it with you and then unscrew the lid to proceed with your washing. I do this with two separate buckets, one for wheels & tires and the other for rinseless wash. I also use an iK Foam Pro 2 sprayer to pre-foam the wheels, then clean wheels with wheels bucket and brushes, then rinse the wheels, do a quick pre-wash with high presssure soap, high pressure rinse and then do rinseless wash and dry. It takes a little while but gives great results. You can simplify the process as you wish but the bucket(s) with lids should eliminate dealing with high pressure water to fill.

This is 100% the way. I basically do the same!

TAIBMW · 11-27-2025, 08:48 AM

I had to contend with this myself as the weather has gotten cold and I had to wrap up my home washes. I take a prefilled bucket with my wash solution and I have a lid for it. If it's going to be a while before I will be back home, I have a second bucket with a lid that I fill with an APC solution, as soon as I am done with the wash mitts I use for the contact wash, I throw them in the second bucket to protect the microfiber in the interim before I wash them.

10-23-2025, 12:37 PM	#1
bmw140s67 Registered 9 Rep 4 Posts Drives: BMW 140i Join Date: Oct 2025 Location: North West iTrader: (0)	Tips for filling a bucket at the jet wash I know this is a weird question, but I want to hand wash my car myself at the jet wash, and just use the Lance for spraying a pre wash over the car, then using it to rinse off after I have hand washed it. I have all the cleaning gear and a bucket with my wash shampoo, but how do I fill the bucket using the water in the jet wash Lance? its a high powered jet and it just blasts the bucket away without filling it. any tips?
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10-23-2025, 02:47 PM	#2
JimmyJazz Private First Class 979 Rep 126 Posts Drives: 2020 M340i, 2009 PontiaG8GT, Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Lubbock TX USA iTrader: (0)	I put my wash mitt in the bottom of the bucket and stick end of the gun almost in the mitt and pull the trigger until the bucket is about a quarter full. Then you can give a little space and fill the bucket about 3/4ths. Then add soap to the water and fill the bucket as much as you want. Don’t remove the end of the gun from the water at any time with the trigger pulled or it will back spray all over you. It does take a couple of minutes to fill the bucket. Last edited by JimmyJazz; 10-23-2025 at 03:15 PM..
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10-23-2025, 08:01 PM	#3
Pathy01 Second Lieutenant 99 Rep 262 Posts Drives: 2026 X5 40i Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Long Island, NY iTrader: (5)	Get a Gamma Seal lid for your bucket, fill it up and then screw on the lid. Bring it with you and then unscrew the lid to proceed with your washing. I do this with two separate buckets, one for wheels & tires and the other for rinseless wash. I also use an iK Foam Pro 2 sprayer to pre-foam the wheels, then clean wheels with wheels bucket and brushes, then rinse the wheels, do a quick pre-wash with high presssure soap, high pressure rinse and then do rinseless wash and dry. It takes a little while but gives great results. You can simplify the process as you wish but the bucket(s) with lids should eliminate dealing with high pressure water to fill.
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10-25-2025, 12:26 PM	#6
bmw140s67 Registered 9 Rep 4 Posts Drives: BMW 140i Join Date: Oct 2025 Location: North West iTrader: (0)	Update: Half filled a bucket at home put lid on took it with me, added car shampoo then stuck lance in bucket and filled it up. All good.
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11-11-2025, 11:13 PM	#8
JoeyO Major 580 Rep 1,233 Posts Drives: 2025 BMW X3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Is there any truth to the rumors that those car wash places use recycled “dirty” water?
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11-27-2025, 08:48 AM	#14
TAIBMW New Member 6 Rep 8 Posts Drives: BMW X7 m60i, BMW M8, BMW X3 Join Date: Apr 2025 Location: MI iTrader: (0)	Bucket with lid I had to contend with this myself as the weather has gotten cold and I had to wrap up my home washes. I take a prefilled bucket with my wash solution and I have a lid for it. If it's going to be a while before I will be back home, I have a second bucket with a lid that I fill with an APC solution, as soon as I am done with the wash mitts I use for the contact wash, I throw them in the second bucket to protect the microfiber in the interim before I wash them.
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