Battling Salt and Road Grime in The North Eastern US

[Irishwoodchuck]

Does anyone have any tricks for battling against the elements? I don't have access to a garage and wash my car when it is warm enough to get it in above freezing that is. But the rest of the time I use a waterless wash and a detail spray. The salt really is disgusting up here and its a slushy mess any tricks?

Products Wash:
Duragloss

Waterless:
Pinnacle Waterless wash

[weekendwarrior]

$9 touch-less car wash with blow dry. Hopefully a strong coating or sealant on paint and windows before winter hits, will help stuff slide off when it warms or rains or when washed.

Since its warming this weekend, use a touchless wash first then take it home and try waterless wash. Follow up with a spray sealant.

[Irishwoodchuck]

I do have DP AIO sealent on it did a full wash today

[swanicyouth]

1. Apply a coating.

2. Foam with Auto Finesse Avalanche. This is the only product I've seen recommended for this by manufacturer.

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[Irishwoodchuck]

intresting

[Irishwoodchuck]

Tue
37°21°
Wed
30°27°
Thu
41°25°
Fri
37°25°
Sat
36°25°

Looks Like its not going to be a warm wash Tuesday Im going to do a full wash though. My hand might go numb LOL

[lyodbraun]

+1 for auto finesse avalanche snow foam, used it the other day on wife's vehicle and it cut thru the salt and road grime with ease...

[dsg03gt]

$9 touch-less car wash with blow dry. Hopefully a strong coating or sealant on paint and windows before winter hits, will help stuff slide off when it warms or rains or when washed.

Since its warming this weekend, use a touchless wash first then take it home and try waterless wash. Follow up with a spray sealant.

No touch less washes in my area.

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[dcjredline]

well then go to a self serve and just power wash as much of the crap off as you can then go home and do a waterless or rinseless.

[Desertnate]

well then go to a self serve and just power wash as much of the crap off as you can then go home and do a waterless or rinseless.

:iagree:

This is the best way to go. I go through a touch-less wash, but the results aren't much different. I like the touch less wash as the one in my area has an underbody spray.

[TundraPower]

+1 for auto finesse avalanche snow foam, used it the other day on wife's vehicle and it cut thru the salt and road grime with ease...

+2. Superb product. If it's really bad use Citrus Power first.

[BlackRam]

Today was great. Got up to 60 sumthing. Did a full handwash and threw o a fresh coat of megs nuba paste wax

[Romans5.8]

Touch-less or coin op is what I do, followed by a waterless wash. The touchless/coin op will knock most of it off leaving a thin layer of grit or dirt underneath which can be safely wiped off with a fluffy microfiber towel and a good, slick waterless wash solution.

I prefer the coin op (high pressure rinse followed by spot-free rinse) over the touchless because I am concerned that the strong detergents used in the touchless (If touchless washing got cars clean than nobody on autogeek would advocate even a two bucket method as it would involve unnecessarily touching the car) washes. They use hardcore detergents to try and get it clean, but if APC or other degreasers can strip wax and sealants, then I'd be concerned about the detergents used in a touchless doing the same. (Coatings are an exception here as nothing can be sprayed on them to remove them. If it won't harm the clear, it won't harm a coating). But when it's below freezing, the blow dry is crucial and standing out spraying the car down can be miserable.

I also do a waterless wash at the end of every day when the roads are particularly bad. A lot of work; yes. But I find if I keep up with it and don't let anything build up, then I can negate the coin-op/touchless option. That's if it's just a thin layer of film and grit. Large chunks of grit (like salt) or stuck on snow/ice and other gunk MUST be sprayed off first. The pieces are far too large to get safely trapped up into a microfiber towels 'fingers' and thus WILL scratch the paint.

[swanicyouth]

One thing I find is if your car is black or dark, and you pressure rinse it at the Pay-N-Spray, and THEN drive it home wet to wash it, you will likely get water spots. Maybe I'm just picky, or my water is too hard (200 ppm), but I did that once - no more.

[Kacz]

well then go to a self serve and just power wash as much of the crap off as you can then go home and do a waterless or rinseless.

This is probably the best way during cold crappy weather. So another vote for this.

No matter what; you're always going to be battling winter weather and your car will never be as clean as it can be during the summer.

Buuuuut having protection on the paint, glass, runners, plastics, metals, etc..will make everything much much easier.