AIBU to find people think it’s alien to hand wash your own car?

[SweetMagnolia423]

So yesterday, I had a bit of spare time and with the weather being what it has been, my car was in need of a wash. Now, when I am busy, I will go to my local car wash and get it hand washed there. But, generally I have always liked washing my own car. I really don’t see it as a big deal. But, recently I am starting to get fed up of people walking past having to say something ‘jokey’ or about a woman washing her own car. I even went on to wash my husbands car after mine because it was convenient and I just thought I might as well since I’m here with all the stuff.
Normally, I usually have the laugh and can respond in a jokey way back. But, I just wasn’t in the mood for it and wish I could just do it without the comments.🙄

You know hot water is available these days? 😂

I always hand wash my car. I live in a gated development so the majority of my neighbours can watch me hand washing my car in our communal car park from their windows. In 2 decades of living here (115 flats) I’ve never seen anyone else hand washing their car. I think my neighbours have given up making comments to me about it as they’re so used to it now.

There are no jet washes near me (there was one but it was closed when Crossrail took over the land and never reopened) and it would take me longer to drive to the nearest one (I’m in central London so traffic is terrible) than it does to carry all my buckets outside and wash the car myself.

How very bizarre.

Mind you, I’ve never seen anyone in my road wash their car apart from us. There’s one of those hand wash places next to the supermarket but I never know if there one if these illegal fronts for modern slavery as they are very cheap.

Otherwise I have no idea how far I’d have to drive to find a car wash.

I think it’s great you want to do it and have the energy to do it.

My FIL (well ex fil) is a judgey prick when he does it though. He openly says he’ll never pay anyone to do a job he can do himself and he thinks it’s lazy to use a car wash. 🙄😂

I don't have a hose or an outside tap so I'm in and out of the kitchen with a bucket. I only do it if it's dry outside.
Mostly I pay someone to do it.
No partner, so if anyone who knows me passes by they won't make a comment about it being my husbands job ha ha ha.

more likely that she’s just ocd about her car than she has a high end one. Dealers are used to dealing with nut cases

I’ve got a friend who thinks her BMW is a high end car 😂

and for all the hot water comments for gods sake it seems fairly obvious it gets cold

and for all the hot water comments for gods sake it seems fairly obvious it gets cold

Eh? I carry 2 buckets of hot water (1 soapy, 1 ‘clean’) outside (downstairs from my flat) and the water is still hot when I wash and rinse my car with it. How long do you think it’s taking that hot water has gone cold?!! 🤦‍♀️😂

Alright. It’s really doesn’t matter that much. That’s why I don’t wash my car, I don’t need to validate it to you.

Our entire cul de sac is out washing our cars on Sunday mornings. It's very normal round these parts.

Never had any delivery drivers or passers by say weird stuff...but then again I'm deep into my chosen podcast with noise canceling headphones so I wouldn't notice anyway!

Bucket. It's much more fun throwing buckets over it than a hosepipe. Bonus strength and cardio exercise.

I think we have only ever been to an automated car wash on three occasions and have never been to a hand wash.

I will clean the car if necessary (and yes, I always get the "will you do mine next" comments) but usually my OH does it as he likes to make sure it is thoroughly cleaned underneath and he does the usual checks at the same time (tyres, oil, screen wash etc). I volunteer to clean the inside.

He gets the most comments when he cleans the MoHo (I never do that!).
Setting up the gantry to clean the roof, it is an epic task but one he seems to enjoy and people always stop to chat, asking where we have been, where we are going etc. Almost turns into a social event.😆

Yeah, it's annoying.
I went out with a bowl of soapy water and a cloth and basically spread the dirt around then rinsed it off with a kettle of water 😂
Cars knackered but I was trading it in so just wanted to wipe it over.
Ndn was straight out to offer his advice. I was actually doing a countdown to see how long it would take him to appear.
Came home with my new car and I hadn't even got out of the door before he was out to offer some more advice 😁
Tbh he's actually a really good neighbour, the good outweighs the bad

I feel sure we have the same neighbour! 😂
Showing my age but he reminds me of the Harry Enfield character, that always said "you don't wanna do it like that!"

I had no idea! Think I’ll cross the road next time. Always best to give sublimated anger a wide berth. It ends up being triggered for the most innocuous of reasons!

I live in a top floor flat, so for all the hassle I’d rather pay someone a fiver to wash it for me.

I used to do DF’s on a Sunday, for 7/6d. (35p). But that was quite a bit then. It would buy you 15 Mars Bars! I hated doing it, but it was considerably more than my stingy pocket money.

Unless you're driving a Lamborghini (so are already snobby by defalt), then this one line is probably the snobbiest, most knobbish thing I've ever read on MN. Congrats.

@zingally
I don't blame you at all if you can afford it!
Those bloody hand wash cowboys and auto car washes use cloths and brushes full of the previous few cars grit and knacker you paintwork

Apologies
@ Shade17

I take a bucket of soapy water and a sponge to the car two or three times a year. It doesn't take long and much easier than messing about with car washes.

Not the point of the thread but what detergent do you use? I have avoided washing mine for so long because it got scratched in the automatic wash and I discovered the people who work at hand car washes are enslaved 😥 But now it's filthy. So I'll have to work out how to do it myself!

I use a specific car wash detergent, from Halfords or supermarket.

I get the "you've missed a bit" line. Hilarious every time!

I used to do mine at home, and DH often did either/both, and his DM's when visiting. He liked to finish off with a waxing treatment if he could get enough of a weather (and time) window.

Not many around us hand wash, although 1 guy does his van. But we never get comments about it - if anything, it's a chance for neighbours to stop and chat to us more generally.

I don't mind washing the car myself. But this time of year when it's covered in crud, I prefer to pay someone else to get cold and dirty washing it! They never do it to my standards, mind, so I often drive home and finish it properly myself.

Obviously there are people in your neck of the woods who believe women out in public doing stuff are fair game, OP.