View Full Version : Coldest weather youve washed in?
BlueLibby04
02-03-2007, 12:10 PM
Its 37F right now but the wind is blowing kinda hard. The sun is also out with very few clouds. Ive never washed my Jeep when it was before 45 or so.. They are giving a low of 12 tonight
with a high of 25 tomorrow. So if Im going to do it, its got to be NOW.
This isnt a "can I do it" thread. Its a "are you manly enough" thread. Haha. :grinno:
velobard
02-03-2007, 12:30 PM
It was 39 when I did my last wash. I`d love to go get the salt off my car, but it`s only 19 right now. If it would just get closer to 30 I`d be out with a bucket of warm ONR, but I don`t want the water freezing on the paint.
BlueZero
02-03-2007, 12:31 PM
I`ve done down to about 35. I use a brush instead of a mitt at that cold. It`s 4 here now with the wind chill is -17. Now that`s too darn cold. Keep your hands dry and you should be aright.
LeadingEdgeDetail
02-03-2007, 12:33 PM
I remember washing an Audi in November, the water was freezing on the car as I was washing it.... as well as 10` around the car was over an inch of ice, so I moved myself merely by pushing with the washmitt on the car...
Polished below 0C before, hands numb, not fun.
Now I`m not afraid of saying sorry, its too cold.
mikebai1990
02-03-2007, 12:34 PM
I`m in the same dilemma too. The high today is 34F with a "realfeel" of 16F. The car is really dirty (and salty :)), and it`s only gonna get colder the next few days. The sun is pretty strong though, so I may try washing it. I`ll be using lots of hot water.
White95Max
02-03-2007, 12:42 PM
Current conditions at Stevens Point, Wisconsin:
-4*F (-19*C)
Winds W @ 13mph G 25mph
Dewpoint -15*F
Wind chill -20*F (-29*C)
This Afternoon: Areas of blowing snow. Sunny and cold, with a temperature falling to around -4 by 5pm. Wind chill values between -20 and -25. West northwest wind between 14 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around -13. Wind chill values between -25 and -30. West northwest wind between 10 and 13 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near -4. Wind chill values between -25 and -35. West northwest wind between 11 and 16 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around -14. Wind chill values between -25 and -35. Northwest wind between 11 and 13 mph.
Good thing I washed it by hand on Thursday when it was a balmy 19*F outside. :D
4get gto
02-03-2007, 06:07 PM
I`ve washed when I`d have to turn the car on the sun side to keep from freezeing..........
BlueLibby04
02-03-2007, 06:49 PM
I ended up washing my Jeep and my dad helped me wash my moms Jeep. It was around 38F but for some reason, everything was freezing up on me. I was standing on the rear tire to spray the roof off and I fell off the tire b/c it was covered in ice and I didnt know it. The end of the water hose caught some paint on the roof and put a nice scratch in it. Since my Jeep is so high, no one will be able to see it anyway. I didnt try to get it out, but I will someday.
I guess its "wash at your own risk" in the winter. :nervous2:
Some pics.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/jeepjeepster/Detailed/DSCF5762Medium.jpg
Alittle blurry:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/jeepjeepster/Detailed/DSCF5760Medium.jpg
Scratch:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/jeepjeepster/Detailed/DSCF5764Medium.jpg
Fender wells:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/jeepjeepster/Detailed/DSCF5767Medium.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/jeepjeepster/Detailed/DSCF5768Medium.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/jeepjeepster/Detailed/DSCF5766Medium.jpg
mikebai1990
02-03-2007, 10:01 PM
Oh man, I decided to wash the Acura today, and it was a disaster. First the hose I took out from the garage was partially frozen, so it took a while to loosen up the ice inside and blast it out. Then I had to use lots of soap solution because there was so much salt. For some reason, I think I put a lot of marring into the hood area. Or maybe it was there from before. During the whole time, my hands were intermittently freezing and warming up after I dunked my freezing hands into the hot water soap solution and rinsing bucket.
Drying was absolutely the most painful step. For some reason, my Collinite protection had not held up too well, and the beading on the horizontal panels were pretty bad. So I had to use my Absorber to get most of the water off. During this time, my fingers were freezing so badly that I had to go into the house and get a bucket of hot water. It was PAINFUL... Towards the end, the side without the sun was already freezing up and I was getting frustrated. The beads of water were frozen and I could really do anything about it. I ended up doing a quick AW and just didn`t do the frozen part. I was working kinda fast, so I probably put some marring into the paint. At that point, I was so frozen that I couldn`t care less about the marring anymore... I`ll be doing my polish during the spring, I guess.
Maybe this is a sign to buy ONR...
klnyc
02-03-2007, 10:08 PM
I did on 31deg and thats freaking cold and i dont think I ever do this again.
37+ or better from now on.
BlueLibby04
02-03-2007, 10:17 PM
Haha, my hose was frozen and stiff also. Took it alittle while to thaw out.
My last wash was around 35. But the sun shining on my work area made it comfortable. Just above freezing is my limit for a bucket wash.
spotter
02-03-2007, 10:28 PM
It was in the low to mid 20`s this morning with 10-20 MPH winds but I had a lot of salt on the car and decided to go for it with lukewarm ONR. I used a double sided bucket with a little extra ONR in each side and several clean mf towels. It really wasn`t too bad because I was in the garage. If fact it was so easy I did the wifes SUV as well. Did everything except the wheel wells.
ONR is indispensable.....I love driving around in a clean ride when everyone can`t even see with all of the salt and crud on their car.
itb76
02-03-2007, 10:48 PM
Current conditions at Stevens Point, Wisconsin:
-4*F (-19*C)
Winds W @ 13mph G 25mph
Dewpoint -15*F
Wind chill -20*F (-29*C)
This Afternoon: Areas of blowing snow. Sunny and cold, with a temperature falling to around -4 by 5pm. Wind chill values between -20 and -25. West northwest wind between 14 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around -13. Wind chill values between -25 and -30. West northwest wind between 10 and 13 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near -4. Wind chill values between -25 and -35. West northwest wind between 11 and 16 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around -14. Wind chill values between -25 and -35. Northwest wind between 11 and 13 mph.
Good thing I washed it by hand on Thursday when it was a balmy 19*F outside. :D
I used to live in Baraboo, I don`t miss the below 0 temperatures.
Coldest wash I ever did was yesterday. 14º out when I got home from work. Pulled into the garage and did an ONR wash, no problems with freezing. The garage is not insulated or heated but is attached. Trip computer said 34º in the garage before I pulled back out--my ride sits outside (wife`s car and racecar sit inside).
It may get down to 0 tonight. With all the snow we`re having, it will be a mess by 8:00 Monday.
Scottwax
02-04-2007, 01:11 AM
I did on 31deg and thats freaking cold and i dont think I ever do this again.
37+ or better from now on.
I did a detail a few weeks ago on a day the high was 31. Their garage really wasn`t big enough to clean their SUV with the door down the whole time. Ugh.
I did a detail a few years back where it had dropped to the upper 20s by the time I finished. Not much you can do about it when you are mobile.