Winter car care!!! What are you going to be doing?

[MrOneEyedBoh]

So as we all know about each other, we hate dirty cars. And some of us cannot wash in the winter time, I know this has been beat to death, but here is my circumstance.

Its best to leave the dirt on the car or jus take it to the coin-op and hose it down only, right?

You gotta think about how many people go to the touch less all the time. Their cars look good, I don't see the touchless causing damage. Am I wrong?

Maybe the trick is to just use it once a no the during the winter?


I'm just having a hard time figuring out how I want to deal with the grime this year. I did want to try rinseless, but I'm just a tad reluctant.

So what ya guys think??

[frankprozzoly]

I would run it through the touchless then use a rinseless. Stay on it don't let it get too bad

[longdx]

Pretty much what "frankprozzoly" said. I always try to time my last fun detail in mid to late October and then just maintenance washes/quick wax during the winter months (weather permitting). Rinseless washes are also invaluable during this time.

[dpk20x]

I think sometimes you just got to live with your car being a little dirty. If there's salt on the ground it's almost pointless to do a rinseless cause as soon as you take your car out around the block its gonna be covered again.

I tried that a few winters ago. I was doing like three to four washes a week. My car was clean for a few minutes at best lol. I think I did more harm than good that winter I know I inflicted a lot of swirls.

[damaged442]

We've got both sand and salt here, so it's a double whammy of suck.

Whenever it's above freezing, I hose down whatever I can to get the majority of the stuff off first. Next, I just wash it with a microfiber wash mitt. This is when the 2BM with grit guards become really important! Sometimes I wonder whether to use a 3rd bucket, lol.

Be careful, do what you can, and plan to polish her out in the spring!

[runrun411]

I would run it through the touchless then use a rinseless. Stay on it don't let it get too bad

Best thing going during the winter. :xyxthumbs:

[Desertnate]

My strategy this winter will be running the car through a good touchless and then living with the remaining grime.

Last winter, I tried the combo of touchless and then follow up with a waterless wash. Even after the touchless, there was too much salt grit on the car to safely do a waterless wash. I ended up with quite a bit of marring which had to be polished out when Spring rolled around.

I have a black car.

[Zelfiris]

I visit a coin wash weekly to rinse off any build ups. I don't use anything else from the coin wash.

When its warm enough that water won't freeze when I wipe, I would do a rinseless wash monthly.

I'm hoping to get a place soon with big enough garage to do rinseless wash indoor

[SYMAWD]

I'll just spray it down at the coin-op and use whatever harsh soap comes out of the gun (my car is coated), rinse with the spot-free water there and drive off. Occasionally I do a rinseless with warm water so my hands don't freeze.

[Klasse Act]

I would run it through the touchless then use a rinseless. Stay on it don't let it get too bad

This is exactly what I do!

Even when I lived in the apartment w/o underground parking I would run it through the touch-free and on days where it was sunny and over 32, I would do a rinseless wash out in the parking lot.

The one thing to keep in mind when using the touch-free wash is this, use the squeegee to clean the windows before going into the touch-free wash. Why may you ask, well its pretty easy, nothing touches the windows, thus where the wipers wipe is clean and the area above it never comes clean. If you've got an SUV or hatchback, the rear NEVER comes clean, so keep this in mind too. If the car is really, really bad, the touch-free wash is going to get the top layer of dirty and grime off only, leaving a haze of dirt behind but like said before, don't let it get too bad.

One more thing, when using the touch-free wash, get the better wash as it washes the underbody, an area that's most needed in the winter time, Additionally, spray your wheel w/ wheel cleaner before entering the wash, doesn't hurt but I would use a cheaper cleaner for this purpose, maybe an APC even would be good here, then you could hit the tires, wheels and wheelwells:dblthumb2:

[MrOneEyedBoh]

Thanks guys

[PA DETAILER]

Ahhh, PA winters. Got to love them. The xterra got DP paint coat before winter. So i am really at the mercy of winter. I just wait till a decent day(s) and do a good driveway wash when the temps are ok.

[CarolinasFinestDetailing]

Ahhh the joys of a coated car plus heated garage...lol.

I normally do a quick rinse outside if above freezing, then move her inside for a good ONR wash.

If Im really busy, touchless.

[MrOneEyedBoh]

So basically if we can live with a dirty car.... Either coin-op it to get the heavy stuff off then touchless, or just do one or the other until you can a recent day to wash it off. Right? Leaving the dirt isn't hurting anything I would assume?

[shawng10940]

Ive been using my foam canon in the cold. If it freezes up I just hit it with a hot water pressure washer then pull it in my garage to defrost and dry. Old man winter cant stop my cash flow.