The best car wash bucket for most people is a 20 litre bucket with a grit guard sitting in the bottom, used as part of a two bucket wash. The DTLR Grit Guard Wash Bucket with Trolley is exactly that: a 20 litre (5 gallon) high-impact plastic bucket with a grit guard insert, a lid and five heavy duty castor wheels, in our buckets and grit guards range.
Why does a car wash bucket need a grit guard?
Every time you rinse a wash mitt, the dirt it picked up falls into the bucket. Without a guard it swirls around in the water and goes straight back onto the mitt and the paint, which is how wash marks start. A grit guard is a ridged grid that sits on the bottom: the dirt sinks below it, and rubbing the mitt across the ridges helps knock grit out of the fibres.
Why use two buckets?
One bucket holds shampoo and the other holds clean water for rinsing the mitt. You load the mitt with shampoo, wash a panel, rinse the mitt in the clean bucket over the grit guard, then go back to the shampoo. The shampoo stays far cleaner for the whole car. Our guide on how to wash your car safely covers the full routine.
What size car wash bucket should you get?
A 20 litre bucket is the usual choice. It is big enough to dunk a mitt properly and hold a grit guard on the bottom, and small enough to carry when it is full. Fill it most of the way, but leave room so the water does not slop over when you rinse the mitt. A smaller bucket works for a quick wash or a motorbike, but leaves less room under the guard for grit to settle.
Do you need a lid or wheels?
Neither is essential, but both make washing easier.
- A lid: keeps leaves and dust out between washes and lets you carry mitts and bottles in the bucket.
- Castor wheels: let you roll a full bucket round the car instead of lifting it, which is easier on your back and keeps the bucket next to you.
- Labels: the Gyeon Bucket Sticker Set marks buckets for wash, wheels and rinse in vinyl, so nobody mixes them up.
Bucket setups compared
| Setup | Buckets | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| One bucket with a grit guard | Shampoo only | Quick maintenance washes |
| Two bucket wash | Shampoo and rinse | Most cars, most of the time |
| Three bucket wash | Shampoo, rinse and wheels | Dirty wheels and keeping brake dust away from the paint |
How do you set up your buckets?
Fit the grit guards, fill one bucket with clean water and one with shampoo, and add a third for the wheels if you need it.
- Fit the grit guards: drop one into each bucket so it sits flat on the bottom.
- Fill the rinse bucket: clean water only.
- Make up the shampoo: add shampoo such as Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild or Stjarnagloss Bubblor at the dose on the bottle, then fill with water from the hose so it foams up.
- Add a wheel bucket if you need one: use a separate bucket, mitt and brushes for the wheels.
- Load your mitt: a deep pile mitt such as the Mammoth Furry Fist holds plenty of shampoo.
- Rinse often: rinse the mitt over the grit guard after every panel.
Can you wash a car with one bucket?
Yes, for a light wash on a car that is only dusty, as long as the bucket has a grit guard and you rinse the mitt often. On a properly dirty car, two buckets keep far more grit away from the paint.
How much shampoo should you put in the bucket?
Follow the dose on the bottle, as strengths vary a lot between shampoos. Too little and the mitt drags across the paint, too much and it takes longer to rinse off. Measure it rather than pouring by eye.
How often should you change the water?
If the rinse water turns grey or gritty partway round the car, empty it and start again. On a very dirty car, change it after the lower panels, which carry most of the grit. If you rinse the mitt properly, the shampoo bucket should stay clean all the way round.
Wash bucket mistakes to avoid
- Using the same mitt and bucket for the wheels and the paint.
- Dropping the mitt on the ground and carrying on, instead of rinsing it well or swapping to a clean one.
- Washing in direct sun, so shampoo dries on the paint before you rinse it.
- Washing from the bottom up, which drags the dirtiest grit over the cleanest panels.
- Filling the rinse bucket with shampoo too, which leaves nothing clean to rinse the mitt in.
- Leaving dirty water standing in the bucket until the next wash.
How do you look after a wash bucket?
Empty and rinse the buckets and grit guards after every wash, then let them dry upside down so nothing grows in the bottom. Keep the wheel bucket for wheels only, and store everything with the lid on so the next wash starts clean.
Common questions
Do I need a grit guard in both buckets?
It helps. The rinse bucket matters most, but a guard in the shampoo bucket also keeps any grit that gets in away from the mitt.
Can I use any bucket?
Any clean bucket works, but a grit guard needs a round bucket wide enough for it to sit flat on the bottom, which is why 20 litre wash buckets are the standard.
What colour should my buckets be?
Any colour works. Different colours, or labels like the Gyeon Bucket Sticker Set, make it easy to keep the wheel, wash and rinse buckets apart.
How do I clean a grit guard?
Lift it out after the wash, rinse both sides with a hose or a pressure washer and let it dry before it goes back in.
Do I still need to pre-wash?
Yes. Taking the worst dirt off first with snow foam or a pre-wash means less grit ends up in the buckets. Our guide to the best snow foam explains it.
Need help choosing?
Ask our team for a hand putting together a wash kit, or see our guide to the best car wash mitt to go with your buckets.
