Winter washing - what to do?

[tom p.]

Lonnie, good points! How could I possibly overlook frozen locks and the like All too common !

[Desertnate]

I make sure I have a good LSP on before winter hits. Then when the weather allows, like yesterday, I do a good traditional wash outside. It can go weeks or longer before this, but not much you can do with winter.

This is my approach. When winter hits, I just live with dirty vehicles.

To avoid swirls, I`ll go through a touchless car wash and then simply air dry it on the drive home. The vehicle doesn`t get totally clean, but it will get off most of the salt/grime. Several of our touchless places also have undercarriage sprays, so that helps with removing the salt and keeping it from rusting the undercarriage. Each time I do this, I dream of warmer weather when I`ll be able to once again do a quality bucket wash.

[BudgetPlan1]

This is my approach. When winter hits, I just live with dirty vehicles.

To avoid swirls, I`ll go through a touchless car wash and then simply air dry it on the drive home. The vehicle doesn`t get totally clean, but it will get off most of the salt/grime. Several of our touchless places also have undercarriage sprays, so that helps with removing the salt and keeping it from rusting the undercarriage. Each time I do this, I dream of warmer weather when I`ll be able to once again do a quality bucket wash.

This is the way to go. Soap and rinse, no car wash waxes, sealers or such.

[tom p.]

Ugghh, why did I ever state that it`s never too cold to wash? I`ve jinxed myself for certain. We`ve had some seriously cold weather for our locale, supposed to continue for another 10 days or so

I have washed a couple of cars in the past few days, always 2x the effort and a dismal mess to clean up Going thru some serious kerosene over the past week.

[skibik]

This is my approach. When winter hits, I just live with dirty vehicles.

To avoid swirls, I`ll go through a touchless car wash and then simply air dry it on the drive home. The vehicle doesn`t get totally clean, but it will get off most of the salt/grime. Several of our touchless places also have undercarriage sprays, so that helps with removing the salt and keeping it from rusting the undercarriage. Each time I do this, I dream of warmer weather when I`ll be able to once again do a quality bucket wash.

This is what I do also. One thing I do different is that when the grime doesn`t seem to rinse off I do the unthinkable and run it through the soft touch. It is either that or I leave it on all winter. I have pretty much gave up on keeping my Camaro clean through the last few winters. Right now it hasn`t seen the car wash for almost a month and that is because we have had frigid and now subzero temps(today`s high -7F, tomorrow`s high -18F) and won`t see above zero until mid next week. I might be able to get the salt off next Friday, if not what`s another week!

[Dan]

Careful with those automated washes that spray the underside. The majority use recycled water for that. Ask me how I rusted the underside of my Tundra in record time.

[Mary B]

This is what I do also. One thing I do different is that when the grime doesn`t seem to rinse off I do the unthinkable and run it through the soft touch. It is either that or I leave it on all winter. I have pretty much gave up on keeping my Camaro clean through the last few winters. Right now it hasn`t seen the car wash for almost a month and that is because we have had frigid and now subzero temps(today`s high -7F, tomorrow`s high -18F) and won`t see above zero until mid next week. I might be able to get the salt off next Friday, if not what`s another week!

Tell me " bout it .. Yowww!!!

[Accumulator]

I really sympathize with you folks who don`t have climate-controlled facilities! Honestly, I`d probably rethink my approach to the whole car ownership thing (let alone Detailing) if I didn`t have a shop.

[skibik]

If needed I have a torpedo heater that I can run and get the garage into the 60`s with when it gets above 0 but the surface temp of the car is a lot harder to get up to temp and takes forever. The first couple winters I would go wand the car off and then drive the 13 miles home, warm the garage and do a rinse-less wash. I tried DP and then Blackfire and both seemed to streak and never really got the car clean but it did get the harder grime off though. Working in the garage even in the 60`s is cold so I just quit trying.

[Accumulator]

If needed I have a torpedo heater that I can run and get the garage into the 60`s with when it gets above 0 but the surface temp of the car is a lot harder to get up to temp and takes forever...

Yeah, that was my experience too (did it that way in the `70s). Did work OK, just took a lot of time.

[bob m]

Well, with temps in the single digits - with 20 the high, I`m just going to wait a bit until we see temps a bit milder and scope out a touchless wash place, just like others have stated and get that heavy salt/grime off. I will just have to live with a car that isn`t pristine until a warm day comes up - and sometimes it does happen here where youget a winter day that soars to the 60`s. I just can`t bring myself to go to a regular, commercial (even a "good") car wash place. Sometimes I think things were easier before I paid such attention to detailing!

[Accumulator]

.. Sometimes I think things were easier before I paid such attention to detailing!

Ah, the Curse of Autopia rears its head

But not really, I guess...keeping the salt from rusting out a vehicle is way beyond detailing, and IMO its basic maintenance if you plan to keep a vehicle for an extended period.

Eh, gotta keep the windows clean anyhow, just for visibility, and I`d sure hate to do that outdoors this time of year! I honestly don`t know how people get by without garage facilities.

[bob m]

Ah, the Curse of Autopia rears its head

But not really, I guess...keeping the salt from rusting out a vehicle is way beyond detailing, and IMO its basic maintenance if you plan to keep a vehicle for an extended period.

Eh, gotta keep the windows clean anyhow, just for visibility, and I`d sure hate to do that outdoors this time of year! I honestly don`t know how people get by without garage facilities.

Well, before I got so bitten by the detailing bug, I`d keep my car clean aand protected/ waxed/sealed, but I would be heading to the car wash and not be terribly concerned about the swirls.

[Accumulator]

bob m- Ah, then it *IS* the Curse of Autopia after all! What I mean is...in the functional sense, swirls simply don`t matter. They only matter as much as the beholder cares and it`s possible to have an utterly *WONDERFUL* automotive experience without giving them a moment`s thought. Rust, OTOH, can be serious, even life/death issue so keeping it (truly) clean (everywhere, even underneath) is a whole different matter, Autopian or not, it`s necessary.

[bob m]

bob m- Ah, then it *IS* the Curse of Autopia after all! What I mean is...in the functional sense, swirls simply don`t matter. They only matter as much as the beholder cares and it`s possible to have an utterly *WONDERFUL* automotive experience without giving them a moment`s thought. Rust, OTOH, can be serious, even life/death issue so keeping it (truly) clean (everywhere, even underneath) is a whole different matter, Autopian or not, it`s necessary.

This then begs the question - if you are in a cold snap withh weather at best in the 20`s for the forseeable future and you don`t have access to a heated garage of even a "touchless" wash, do you week a few more weeks hoping to get a 40 degree day or bring it to a "better" auto car wash and let it air dry or use my own MF cloths? (Have a coating (Nanolex))on for some months now. Would it damage/remove the coating?