Winter is coming, what to do

NY detailer · 10-16-02, 05:19

Got this idea from another post i was replying to.

Now that the winter is coming we must take some new precautions in detailing cars. Below is some ideas and tips i can think of at this time. I am sure we will get some more replies posted.

1. stay warm and know when to quit. Dont kill your self detailing.
have the correct clothing on.
water proof gloves & boots, layers of thermals. thermals are good because they keep you warm and dont make it hard to move. winter jacket, but something not to bulky.
****remove or tape down all zippers or anything hanging on the ****clothing, it can scratch the car.*********
2. Portable heaters work great but you must be safe with them. Be sure they are not in the snow or electrical cord is not getting wet.
3. drink lots of fluids, having all that clothing on will make you swet. you do not want to dehydrate.

Now here are some tips i have for the detaling.
1. do the inside of the vehicle fist. the reason i say this is because once you are done with the inside, you do not have to go back in it.
when you wash the car you will leave water on the ground, water gets on your shoes, your shoes get into the carpeting and you just cleaned the carpet, now you need to clean it again.
we tend to pick up more dirt in the winter time then we do in the summer time. so think ahead and plan out the detailing.
do not let the water run, it can freeze. someone can walk buy and get hurt. do not use hot water, use warm or cold water to wash the car, be sure to dry the car as fast as possible.
I tend to wash the car with the two bucket system, one clean water and one soapy water, i then have someone follow me around the car drying each panel once i am done with it.
It is a real pain in the butt, detailing in the winter. For all you autopians who never get a winter, come down to visit me and i am sure it will be a new experience

Any questions send me an email or a pm, glad to help you out for the winter or summer
NYD

Intel486 · 10-16-02, 05:30

Looks good NY.

I guess I should provide some information on the New Orleans winter.

Ok, it gets pretty hot in December down here.
1) Find Shade! I don't wanna see anyone getting heat stroke!
2) A couple of small fans really help out especially when working in the interior. Can blow air through the car to keep it from getting so hot.
3) Make sure you are drinking enough Water. Beer is fine and all but after you've finished working.
4) Take a short break every hour to cool down and sit in the shade (see #1). Also, have something to drink (see #3) at this time. You can also have a fan blow on you (see #2).

There you go.
Now you have enough information to survive the NY winter and the NO winter!

Good luck detailing!

NY detailer · 10-16-02, 05:34

Hey Intel, have you ever seen the personal air conditioner from shaper image. You where it around your neck and it is supposed to keep you cool.
Not sure if it works, but it makes you look wierd. I dont think i would buy it. I wonder if they have a heater like that. I would buy that, it goes under the clothing so no one will see it.
NYd

TurboCat · 10-16-02, 05:45

NY Detailer,

Thanks for another great post! I enjoy your tips and suggestions. This will be my first true "Autopia" winter so I am trying to get prepared! I am in Cleveland so it ain't exactly a cakewalk. But at least there is a carwash bay down the road, and I have a garage!

I appreciate the clothing tips, especially! Good thing I have lots of polar fleece and GoreTex. Will have to find some of those water proof gloves!

Oh! I just remembered I have GoreTex gloves too! So I guess I DO have water proof gloves. Cool!

NY detailer · 10-16-02, 05:47

cool, glad i can give you a hand. I will be on a business trip in the near future to clevland. maybe when can met up i can show you some detail tips.
NYD

TurboCat · 10-16-02, 05:50

One clothing tip from me: wear good quality socks! It would be a good idea to wear a thin cotton sock and then a thicker sock with CoolMax or wool. If your feet are wet and cold, it doesn't matter how many layers you have on, you'll be freezing!

I learned this while being a freight conductor for CSX several years ago. Believe me, I was out in all kinds of weather at all hours wearing steel toed boots so I learned what works and what doesn't.

Intel486 · 10-16-02, 06:15

Quote:

Originally posted by NY detailer
Hey Intel, have you ever seen the personal air conditioner from shaper image. You where it around your neck and it is supposed to keep you cool.
Not sure if it works, but it makes you look wierd. I dont think i would buy it. I wonder if they have a heater like that. I would buy that, it goes under the clothing so no one will see it.
NYd

yhea, I've seen it before but don't think I would use it.

There are these heat packs I saw about 4 years ago or so... maybe 5 ish at one of the "home and garden" shows here.

They were thick clear plastic w/ a gel type stuff inside and this little metal round disk, about the size of a penny. You'd squeeze the metal thing and it would start like a chemical reaction and the gel would instantly get hard and hot. It was really cool! They got really hot!

The little ones I bought would stay warm for about an hour. You'd then wrap them all up in a towel and boil them and they'd go back to a gel inside so you could use them again.

They came in various sizes. I wish I could find them to get some more.

Shiny Lil Detlr · 10-16-02, 07:38

Thinsulate is my best friend in the winter for detailing/etc.!!

Scottwax · 10-16-02, 09:17

I've got some waterproof gloves that are nearly skin tight and I wear some knit gloves underneath. I normally wear sweat pants, a t shirt, a sweat shirt over that and then another t shirt if needed. I don't like having on any clothing that can scratch a car. It doesn't get too cold in Dallas most of the time, but in January and Febuary it is close to freezing when I start in the morning. Usually warms to the mid 50s or so. Somedays, it stays in the 30's all day and we do occasionally have days that stay below freezing the entire day-I normally don't work on those days.

The nice thing with washing cars with Protect Alls Quick and Easy wash is that I don't have to use a hose to rinse off the cars, so only my hands really get wet. I fill up my water jugs with warm water in the morning so I am not plunging my hands into ice cold water...even with gloves, my hands still get cold once my hands are out of the bucket of warm water and out into the cold air.

Don't forget you will need extra towels too. Cold air does not hold as much moisture as warm air, so you don't get any drying help from warm air.