well..i am 5"11
and i have a hard time of reaching the top and wash it..
how do u guys do it?
cannot be open all 4 doors and step on it and wash the top,right?
as the water will get in the cabin..
so..how?
even harder to wax that area...

I'am 6'2" but I still need a good old plastic milk crate.
Itchy

Well thats the benefit of being 6' 7" tall. :lol:

I'm 6'3" and it is still a reach. I find that if I open both doors and stand on the sill I can reach most of it.

My standard wash the top of tall vehicles device is an inverted 5 gallon contractor pail. Perfect height, great stability. I used to use one of those small excersize trampolines, but it was intermittent... :D

I'm 5'9" and manage ok with the side doors open and by using the tailgate for the rear.

With the side doors open, there's a handy silver hook to hold onto with one hand while sponging or drying with the other.

In the back, I open the tailgate and close the hatch, then stand on the tailgate. I keep a small skid-proof carpet in back and put that on the tailgate so that I don't end up standing on my head.

I second the vote for pails. Except my weapon of choice is the numerous kitty litter pails we have lying around.

I stand on the side steps and when nec. use a handy dandy step ladder....after all 5'5 is hardly tall enough to even see the top of the E :mrgreen:

I'm 5'10 and use a folding kitchen 2 step ladder. I've also used a car washing brush on a pole. One's not better than the other.

Like Diane as always: I am 5'4", and use a step ladder. (I guess its a short thing and we're just used to not being able to reach things).

:lol:

I'm 6'2" and I stand on the floor with the doors open. It's a reach but I can hit most of the roof. I had thought of using one of those sponge type mops with a long handle.

Ok, I wondered about this for a long time, but the answer is right in front of you. I just washed and waxed my 'E' this past weekend, and I find the best way to wax and polish the top is to remove the sunroof and stand thru the hole. Now I may have a better reach than most people do being the height I am, but standing on the folded down rear seats did add some height. Now, remember, this is for the WAXING and POLISHING ONLY...otherwise you'll have water in your car.

For those of you with a DX, I am sorry...I haven't any advice for you.

I just gave my E its first car wash at home this morning and boy was it a pain in the arse. I'm 5'11" and had trouble reaching a lot of the roof, even while standing on a crate. Then there are those windows; 3 on each side and a front and back windshield. Most of which hold water behind the glass making drying very difficult. You wipe dry then, later, water continues to drip from the same window that you just dried. I don't mean to sound sour but all my cars in the past have been 2 seater coupes. I remember my old CRX needing only 2 large swipes with the chamois to dry. I'm going to wax the car this weekend with Blackfire products that are suppose to make water sheet off and not bead. I'll let you guys know how the washes are after the wax. I may also look into using one of those silicone water blades to help with the drying process.

I recommend the California Water Blade. It really makes fast work of beaded-up water.

I open the side doors and stand on the interior floor of the car. I don't really like this method, but it's what I do. On the passenger side there is an Oh **** handle (sorry, it's what they're called) that you can hold on to with one hand while you sponge with the other. On the driver's side, there is a problem. I keep pushing up on the carpeted ceiling with my wet hands. They're almost clean, but I know I am going to stain the ceiling if I keep using this method. When washing, I use a soapy and wet sponge and don't worry If I slosh a tiny bit inside the cabin. It makes the floor quite dirty on the inside - especially if I am wearing shoes. Interior gets cleaned last, though. The E's floor wipes up so easily, doesn't it?

I am 5'4" so I can't see the top. Therefore I don't care what it looks like! Just kidding! I haven't had to clean it yet, so I am not sure how I will do it!

those complaining about getting rid of all the excess water, what about using your leaf blower to get rid of excess water. I read someone here actually cleans the inside with said blower. Just open all the doors.

I have a 2003 EX model with roofrack and side rails...I stand on the side rails to wash the front of the top and then stand on the top of the rear tire when i wash the sunroof. I am careful to step on the rail first then on the tire ...it works great and you get a great view..I use a chamois cloth to dry it off.

im 5' even.... ive never seen the top of my E, i pay tall people to wash it at the car wash....

Ladder.

I'm 5'6" and learned this from my old (gone)Tacoma with a shell on the bed:
I have a long-handled small brush (about 3" x 8"), made to wash an RV, I swab the soapy washing mitt around the roof with this brush. Works well, for details I open both doors and tailgate. Hose it down and use a plain ole squeege (not the Calif water blade) to get rid of the excess water before I dry the E. Just did this yesterday, done in 45 min.

Seems I remember a 2 and a half foot long back-washer from bed bath and beyond made of wood. Seems that if it is ment for something as tender as my back that it would not scrarch the Element either. Just just a thought. Im 7' 2" so its no problem for me.

Just kidding lol.

nope, best way to wash the top is to climb on your rear tires. Very easy and without the hassle of crates or ladder.

5'5" myself, and I would go with a ladder too.. I washed the top last year, have not done the top this year yet.. i do wash all accessible areas regularly.. I don't worry so much about the top.. don't see it either..

But a ladder does well..

I have a 2003 EX model with roofrack and side rails...I stand on the side rails to wash the front of the top and then stand on the top of the rear tire when i wash the sunroof. I am careful to step on the rail first then on the tire ...it works great and you get a great view..I use a chamois cloth to dry it off.

This is exactly what I've been doing. Extra careful not to slip on the wet rear tire. :roll: Use the roof rack for a hand hold. Works great!

When it needs it (once a week), I pay the extra 7 bucks with a fill up, and get the no-touch car wash.
wash/wax/rinse/dry no muss, no fuss, and no stretch.
And, ironocally, no frozen buckets and hoses. :lol:

I have owned vehicles most of my life that have roofs that are higher than I can reach. I have always had a small flip open step ladder around. I sometimes wash my wife's Honda Accord(after all, she never does) just for the novelty of washing a car without a ladder.

I use the california blade to wipe the main mass of water off, then a bath towel to dry off the remaining bits of water. I do like a shiny car. I don't like to spend a lot of time. And putting two kids through college at the moment, a $7-$20 car wash every other week (this is the Northwest) is out of my budget.

OK. I just washed and waxed my beautiful E. I used a 2 step ladder-it worked great.While drying you must leave the doors open so you do not scratch the sides.The other point I would like to make is to NOT grab the inside material to hold on-your hands may leave a dirt print. Also, I used Meguires NXT liquid wax-I highly recommend it. It goes on real easy and comes off the same. It left a great shine on my Shoreline Mist Metallic

I am 5' 10 and use the tailgate and door-sill method. Iuse a mitt to wash and follow washing with a dry-and-wax product (Eagle 1 Wax As-U-Dry) to wax and dry at the same time. I use an air hose to blow out the crevices that tend to leak, then dry any overspray.. Don't have a roof rack but that would help for the stand-on-the-tire system.

i'm 5'9" and have been using a wooden 6' ladder. its a bit labor intensive but i can reach everything that way. on the days i don't wash i dust off with a california duster, i can reach all of the top with that thing . helps alot.

I finally gave my E his first waxing a couple of weekends back. I always use the self-wash foaming brush to reach the top when washing, but was a little stumped on the waxing.

So, I popped out the moonroof and stood on the spare tire. I could reach all but about the front 2 feet of the roof this way and took care of the remainder with a little kitchen step ladder, moving from one side to the other.

Meguiars Gold Class is very easy to work with, btw, and has a nice, mild scent. :)

I have a folding stand on wheels designed for sitting while gardening/yardwork or flipped over for kneeling. Though it is on wheels, the alignment is so poor, it doesn't roll easily enough to be a problem standing on. It's about 18" high and allows me to get at every square inch of roof area. If you have one that rolls easily and want to try it - I strongly suggest doing something to calm it down before climbing up.

[quote:5086163909=" "]I finally gave my E his first waxing a couple of weekends back. I always use the self-wash foaming brush to reach the top when washing, but was a little stumped on the waxing.

So, I popped out the moonroof and stood on the spare tire. I could reach all but about the front 2 feet of the roof this way and took care of the remainder with a little kitchen step ladder, moving from one side to the other.

Meguiars Gold Class is very easy to work with, btw, and has a nice, mild scent. :)[/quote:5086163909]

ooh good method!

i washed my element for the first time yesterday, (fairly successfully, but not 100%...) mind you, ive never actually hand washed a car in my life before (this is my first owned vehicle :mrgreen: leased 2 before this). i had the sunroof open and did as much as i could standing thru it, standing on the top of the seat (still thru it) to reach the far down spots toward the front end... after that, i reached the rest by standing on the inside with the doors open, holding the "oh-****" bar on the drivers side and the metal hook on the passengers side :lol: i was very proud of my small self, cuz im only 5'4", on a good day :P

PS :arrow: forgot to mention that im a newbie here...

Hmm...I'm 5'3" and I find it very difficult to wash the top. (Guess I shoulda thought about that before buying the Element) I usually get a ladder and place it at 4 strategic locations, lol. :wink:

Went to Home Depot and found an aluminum work platform. It's a small step ladder with a 2 foot work platform--ladder at each end, platform in middle. Sit the platform in the middle and you can reach front to back on the top. The platform, in the ladder aisle, was less than $35.

or u could just do it easily through the roof for free... just a thought (and it saves u $$$)

As often as I wash my Element, I would rather snap open a ladder and move it a couple of times than remove and reinstall the sunroof a few times and have to avoid getting water and soap inside, plus clear out the stuff usually being carried under the sunroof area. Seems a lot faster to use the ladder. Of course you don't get a chance to play tank commander every time you wash your Element with the ladder method. 8)

I don't have a lot of spare time, but prefer to wash my own cars. I am all about a high speed operation. 40 minutes through washing, waxing, 303ing the tires, and rainX windows is about what I try to aim for. (only possible with a shortcut like the Eagle One)

Ive always used a long handle sponge mop to wash my cars. its sooo fast. The same kind you use to wash kitchen floors :)

:wink: Even at 74.5 inches I prefer to use a step stool to make sure I get the entire roof.

8) DasBear

I haven't come across one yet - or been obsessed enough to mail order - but I'm kinda interested in one of these wheel-mounted steps:

http://www.prolineracks.com/proline-car-tire-wheel-step-240.jpg
Step200 Proline Car Tire Wheel Step (http://www.prolineracks.com/step200-tire-step.html)

However, the weight limit on that unit is only 225 lbs, which just ain't cuttin' it for a big guy. This similar product is only $3.50 more and claims to support up to 400 lbs:

TopLine's "Tire Hopper" Tire Step (http://www.bike-racks-plus.com/TOPTH2100.htm)

Rob

Hows 'bout being 5'2" and trying to wash the roof with a LoadWarrior attached! Makes for intersting work. Step ladder and the longhandled car wash tool gets all the roof. Fortunately enough room under Loadwarrior to still be able to clean roof itself without having to go thru rack bars. I seldom wax the top, but yesterday I got ambitous and I managed to wax as much as possible, but I know I missed the very middle part. Had too much loaded in my cargo E to take off the moonroof. I take bath towels and slap them around the Loadwarrior to get all the water droplets off before I bother trying to actually dry the roof.

Always use the Meguiar's Gold Class to "shampoo" my SOP "redhead". Followed by Eagle One.

I LOVE washing my E. Usually do it at least once every other week, unless I'm out of town or weather is just too yuk.

I LOVE washing my E. Usually do it at least once every other week, unless I'm out of town or weather is just too yuk.[quote]

Weather too yuk? Here? Nah.... :wink:

8)

I'm 6'4" can almost reach from the ground but my armpits get wet but I have the running boards so I stand on those and it is no problem.

-SS

Hello fellow obsessed cleaners. I think I'm the shortest one of the bunch: at 5'6'' it can be a pain in the you know what to reach the roof. I use several methods. I usually take my shoes off and stand on the sill (with both doors open) but I recently discovered that you can stand on top of the rear tires and reach most of the back half of the roof.

ADIOS!

I use a folding 2 step-step stool. I like to see the roof while washing it. Works great wether your 5'2" or 6'2".

I use a combination of the long handled washing pad and standing on the door sills/tailgate. I'll have to try the 'standing on the tires' trick. Sounds so simple... why didn't I think of it? I haven't waxed it, though. When I do, I'll try the painter's tape method to keep wax off the grey panels.
The real problem I have is cleaning the rear window. No matter how clean I think I've gotten it, it always looks hazy when I'm driving at night. Any suggestions?

windex works good. also mother's window cleaner works good too

Take it from someone who washes bigger, boxier vehicles (ambulances) on a daily basis. Use a long handled, SOFT bristled brush to wash your vehicle. A good quality plastic step stool is much safer than a milk crate .And be careful standing on running boards (side steps) and bumpers that are wet as you will fall and " bust your arse" or worse sooner or later.

i use a large towel to wipe down the top and then use sprey wax for a wuick wax.

I use the sidesteps with all the doors open and a california blade

wash the top? never tried it.

I have never washed my E. I call the detailer! :-D :-D

I take mine to the touchless wash. Yea I know it doesn't do a great job but i don't care much since I drive 50 miles to work each day. its dirty after 1 day of driving on the beltway.

I'm pretty tal and don't really have a problem, but just standing on the tires seems fine to me. You can grip the plastic mold around the roof for support without worry of scratching the paint. Just be sure to clear your body against the side of the car..

I'm 5'5" too. I had a hard time washing the top. Even waxing was so tiring. I open the door and stand on the side, but my arms are not long enough to clean the entire area. I was too lazy to drag out the ladder. My neighbor might think I'm crazy to bring out my 6 ft ladder. :-P

i pray for hard rain

I'm 6' and still have a little trouble with roof cleaning. I can see most of it, but.... :rolleyes::-D
I bought one of those rectangle shaped extendable soft brushes and it WORKS GREAT!!!! I don't need a ladder, just a small step stool works fine. I ONLY use it to wash the paint, therefore keeping it relatively free of dirt to scratch said paint..... :sad::razz:

Just did mine today (in 35+ degree weather)...... looks better..... :roll::roll:

I don't clean the top of mine:oops:

But when the sunroof gets dirty I stand on the tailgate and clean it.:)

I don't clean the top of mine:oops:

The shame, the shame!!! :sad::sad::rolleyes::lol:

What if a plane flew by with a propective E owner........ just sayin' :rolleyes::lol::lol:

I bought a 3-step folding stool at Target on sale for about $20. Not only does it work well for washing the top, we use it when we load and unload our kayaks. It's light enough and folds into a thin package so it's easy to carry inside the E.

This is not the exact one but it's close: Clickie (http://www.target.com/Xtend-Climb-3-Step-Aluminum-Stepstool/dp/B000KYW6DA/sr=1-6/qid=1204719570/ref=sr_1_6/601-2683356-5664958?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3A3%20step%20stool&page=1)

I use my lovely side steps!

I use the side steps for the front and middle. When it's time to wash the back 1/3 I grab the roof rack, for stability, then stand on the rear tire and wash away.

I use the handy-dandy car wash.

a small fold able two step ladder and a long handle wash brush from Target (the kind your suppose to screw in the hose on one end, but we don't).

I have a group of midgets that stand on each other to get to the top and underneath..:D:D:D:D
Sorry i couldn't help myself.... bad dog bad dog..:)

i pray for hard rain

Praying for rain; THAT is what I call the 'no sweat' car wash!

I pay my friend 5 bucks, and he washes it with me. Two stools and we're set to wash the top.

I'm 5'6" and learned this from my old (gone)Tacoma with a shell on the bed:
I have a long-handled small brush (about 3" x 8"), made to wash an RV, I swab the soapy washing mitt around the roof with this brush. Works well, for details I open both doors and tailgate. Hose it down and use a plain ole squeege (not the Calif water blade) to get rid of the excess water before I dry the E. Just did this yesterday, done in 45 min.
Bingo!

I learned of these when I watched the contractor wash all the phone trucks, they would come around after work and wash them.

Having a van with a 6'8" roof IIRC, I use this and a two step kitchen ladder.

Waxing was a different story. I had a wooden 8 ft step ladder and put the step side close to the vehicle, then used the kitchen stepper to get onto the steps of the 8 footer. This leaves you standing backwards on a ladder, which is supposed to be a no-no, but the eight footer is heavy and stands wide, plus you are up against the van, so it is hard to fall forward.