FAQ

Yes. Flowing a continuous stream of soap and water keeps the dirt flowing off of the paint and not trapping it in the sponge. I have been testing the device in various configurations since 2014 on my personal vehicles and have not seen any negative effects on the paint. The Dirt eRacer also passed an exaggerated scratch test called the “CD Scratch Test”. Check out the video of this scratch test on our Videos page.

There are no adjustments on the device itself to regulate the soap flow, which is part of the design. However, using very thick premium car soap vs. diluting 10% to 15% with water will change the rate the soap is consumed. Thick premium undiluted soap will enter the sponge more slowly, producing less suds but for a longer period. Diluted soap enters the sponge a little faster, producing a little more suds but for a shorter period before the soap reservoir is empty. Generally either will work fine because you don't need many visible suds to do a good job. Try both soap approaches and see how much soap is still within the sponge when you squeeze it out after washing. Fine tune from there if you like.

While there is not really a learning curve it does take a handful of car washes to get more comfortable to a completely different way of washing. Your comfort level and technique will quickly improve as you use the Dirt eRacer. Experiment with the water flow and your process.

The sponge used in the Dirt eRacer is not your ordinary wash sponge found at the discount store. It is an American-made car detailing sponge with a grid pattern cut in both sides to aid in dirt removal. This sponge has just the right density, porosity and softness for great car washes as part of the Dirt eRacer.

Generally this is not needed, as the flowing soap and water mixture does this as you wash. It's not a bad idea to give a quick rinse if the vehicle has a great deal of mud or winter road salt on it. I recommend flipping the sponge over from time to time as you wash, depending on how dirty the vehicle is. This is part of the sponge self-cleaning process.

First start with soap that’s made for car washing. While the unit is compatible with nearly any car soap, we recommend steering toward the premium brands because they tend to do a better job. Premium soaps like Meguiars Gold Class, Adams Car Shampoo and others work well. No need to spend extra money on soaps that are classified as “foaming soap” because there are no advantages to making more suds. I use a good car wash shampoo and then dilute it with water roughly 10% in order to make it flow into the soap reservoir a little easier. Experiment with using your favorite car soap straight up or try diluting it a little if you like.

The Dirt eRacer holds about 1 ounce of soap which is usually plenty even for most SUV’s. Experiment with using less if you’re washing a small vehicle or one that’s just dusty for example. Experiment with your preferred soap and your vehicle by checking how much suds still exist when rinsing/squeezing out the sponge after you’re finished washing. You might also try diluting the soap about 10% if you using a really thick premium soap.

The Dirt eRacer is not limited to just vehicles. We're engaging in testing it on boats, campers, small planes and even horses. Really any larger item that you might already use a sponge or wash-mitt with a bucket of soapy water. Go for it and drop us a line with how it did. support@dirteracer.com

Here are three main tips for storage: 1. I recommend storing the on/off valve and the entire quick-connect with the unit, rather than leaving it attached to the garden hose. 2. The unit needs open air to dry. The inside of the sponge will take a number of days to dry so leave it out in the open. 3. The sponge and hose will last longer if it's stored out of direct sun. I store my Dirt eRacer in the garage by hanging it upside down on a hook. This method also prevents the hose from potentially developing a kink because you're not folding up the hose.

The time savings will vary greatly depending on your current wash method. My personal experience shows it takes roughly 10 minutes to wash my SUV (excluding the wheels and drying time). Compare this to my previous process that took close to one hour. I now wash my cars twice as often because it’s so much faster. This also makes it easier because they aren't as dirty. In terms of saving money by using less soap… this too will depend on your current wash method. As an example, the typical foam cannon and two bucket method uses 5 to 6 ounces of soap compared to 1 ounce with the Dirt eRacer. This is a significant savings that really adds up over time.

No it should not be used on wheels. The shape and size of the sponge would not effectively clean the wheels. More importantly the brake dust would quickly contaminate the sponge making it unusable for your vehicles paint.

Until it becomes unfeasible, the Dirt eRacer is personally assembled, inspected and shipped by me (the inventor) in my home-based shop out of St. Louis Missouri. I take great pride in providing a quality product and nearly all of the components are made in the USA.

The sponge life expectancy is a matter of how many washes you perform and how aggressive you are when going over rougher surfaces such as emblems, grills, wipers, license plate edges or other components that can lead to small tears in the sponge. My personal testing yielded about 75 to 80 vehicle washes before I wanted to change out the sponge. The device is designed to allow you to quickly change out the sponge with a preconfigured replacement at a reasonable cost. We have made a video to demonstrate this process.

Extra cleaning of the sponge is typically unnecessary. When you’re finished washing the vehicle rinse out the soap reservoir followed by rinsing the sponge by flowing water through the unit while gently squeezing out the excess soap and water. It’s not necessary to get ALL the suds out. I normally spend less than a minute on this step. In the unlikely event the sponge needs some extra cleaning just rinse it out in a bucket of soapy water while gently squeezing.

Absolutely yes as long as it’s not straight hot water. Washing your vehicle while flowing warm water from a slop sink or other indoor warm water source makes washing in the winter a joy. Otherwise wearing insulated rubber gloves is the next best bet.

Yes. We want our customers to be happy and we will stand behind the product. The warranty is explained on our warranty page. Scroll all the way to the bottom of any page and you will find a link to the warranty.