Reminder: Bring in Your Car-Care Products from Unheated Garages to Keep Them from Freezing

With the onset of winter and this recent cold snap in the Upper Midwest where I live, I would like to remind my fellow Autopians to bring in their car-care products INSIDE to protect them and your sizeable monetary investment that you have made in them if they are kept in an unheated garage or storage shed. Some of you may have difficulty doing so, especially if you live in an apartment complex, OR the significant other in your life does not like those products in the closet(s) your share or even in your own "personal space"(Like, "why are these bottles and containers under the bed?!")

I also know that there was some discussion on this subject of car-care products ordered online recently and then delivered to your domicile OUTSIDE in this cold weather and how it affects their chemical structure/make-up and hence, their usage and performance. You can decide that for yourself and where you live if that is relevant or not to you, personally.

I will make the comment from my experience on one product in particular being subject change when it freezes, and that is Gold Seal (formerly Aerospace) 303 protectant. I have bought this product over the counter from a local RV supply place that this must of happened to and the product will smell like very bad body odor when it thaws. It`s not pretty when you apply it unknowingly that this has happened. Just a word of warning and caution. I will use my nose now and open the sprayer nozzle cap for a quality-control sniff before I buy a bottle OTC just to be sure.

Good advice. Also don`t forget to drain your hoses and pressure washers too!

Great advice! I literally had the EXACT same thing happen to my 303 protectant - that smell was nasty!

<---- unheated garage

Great advice. I keep everything inside 24/7/365. Except my vacuum, wash buckets, and wheel brushes.

Just had a garage heater installed for this reason....I mean to keep the wife’s car warm! [emoji6]


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Question - how cold is too cold? I have an unheated garage thats attached to the house with a heated room above. It usually stays above 45 in winter. Is this OK?

Also just had heat installed in my garage, well heat and A/C in the detached garage and heat in the attached garage. I am getting to old to play around in uncomfortable conditions. I came to the conclusion that its cheaper to heat up my garages then to move to Florida for half the year (at least till i retire in 20 years).

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Originally Posted by NC_Frank

Question - how cold is too cold? I have an unheated garage thats attached to the house with a heated room above. It usually stays above 45 in winter. Is this OK?

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I am interested in this as well.

Thanks for the heads up! I`d rather it be heated and insulated, but bringing them in will have to do for now.

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Originally Posted by NC_Frank

Question - how cold is too cold? I have an unheated garage thats attached to the house with a heated room above. It usually stays above 45 in winter. Is this OK?

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In Northeastern Wisconsin, we know it`s cold when you see two beagle dogs trying to jump start a rabbit with jumper cables during the winter rabbit gun season. Or Packer football fans in December at Lambeau Field who have to drink their beer fast before it freezes in the bottle, can, or cup. (which really does happen!).You keep beer in the "cooler" not keep it cold, but to keep it from freezing solid. And you do NOT want to lick a "beer-cicle", because by then your tongue will stick to it like that kid did with his tongue to the flag pole on a double-dog dare with cherries on top in the classic "The Christmas Story" movie.

All kidding aside, I would think 45°F is "`warm enough" for most car-care products. Too cold is 32°F and below that temperature.
(Of course, 32°F ambient temperatures in January is T-shirts and shorts weather in Wisconsin. It`s true! I`ve seen "unintelligent" kids get on school busses dressed in this apparel only. Must be the offspring of those Packer fans you see on TV in the stands at Lambeau Field in December who are shirtless! (Good thing I typed in the "r" in that last word!))