So, I decided to take the plunge. Washing the car at home, with a pressure washer. Seemed like a good idea, right? Save some cash, get it done right. Well, "right" is a strong word, especially at the beginning.

First off, getting the gear. I didn't go for the super expensive professional model, just one of those electric ones that seemed popular. Unboxed it, lots of bits and pieces. Instructions looked like they were translated by a confused robot. But hey, I'm a practical guy, I figured I’d manage.

My first attempt? Let's just say the car got wet. So did I. And the driveway. And possibly the neighbor's cat, who gave me a very dirty look. I hooked up the hose, plugged the thing in, and expected magic. What I got was a tangled mess and a pressure level that, initially, wouldn't scare a fly. Turns out, you gotta make sure all connections are super tight. Lesson one.

Then came the soap. I bought a fancy foam cannon attachment because it looked cool in the videos. Filled it up, attached it, and BAM! My car disappeared under a mountain of suds. I mean, a ridiculous amount of foam. Used way too much soap, obviously. It was like a foam party for one car. Scrubbing that off, even with the pressure, took ages.

And don't get me started on the actual cleaning. You think you just point and spray, and the dirt magically vanishes. Nope. You gotta have a system. Top to bottom. Which nozzle to use for what. If you get too close with the pointy nozzle, you're gonna have a bad time. I learned that the hard way on a tiny, almost invisible paint chip that suddenly wasn't so tiny anymore. My heart sank a bit, not gonna lie.

Here’s a quick list of what I quickly figured out, mostly by messing up:

• Water pressure is your friend, but also your enemy if you're careless.
• The order you do things in actually matters. Rinse, foam, wait, rinse, then maybe a hand wash for stubborn spots.
• You need more towels than you think. Many more.
• Good car soap is different from dish soap. Don't ask how I know that one.

It probably took me a good couple of hours that first real try. I was tired, a bit frustrated, and the car was… cleaner. Not showroom clean, but cleaner. My back ached. I seriously questioned my life choices at that point. Was it worth it to save twenty bucks at the automated wash?

But you know what? I kept at it. Maybe I'm just stubborn. The next time was a bit smoother. I used less soap. I figured out a rhythm with the wand. I didn’t blast any more paint off. Small victories.

Now, after doing it a bunch of times, I’ve got it down. It’s still a bit of a workout, not gonna lie. But there's something satisfying about it. Standing back, seeing the car gleam (mostly), knowing I did that. It’s not about the money anymore, not really. It’s just… my way of doing it. Takes about an hour now, give or take. And yeah, I still get a bit wet sometimes. But at least the neighbor's cat has learned to keep its distance when the yellow machine comes out.