How to wash in freezing weather?

[AutoApollo]

Hey guys, just washed the car below 0 Celsius or 32 farenheit and it was a nightmare. Soap suds froze on the car, couldn't dry the car in time before it froze over. What's the best way to wash your car in the winter?

[LSNAutoDetailing]

You can't defy the law of physics when it comes to freezing points of liquid.
The best thing to do is take stock and trust in your last LSP and go through the touch-less laser wash racks, select the option that doesn't include wax.

Or find an in-door wash rack, or shop with a drain.

[PA DETAILER]

One word..don't. Been there and done that. I love keeping up on the xterra, but below 32 is a losing battle. Unless you have a heated garage, you can do a rinsless or waterless. As mentoined above, i rely on my LSP and glass/trm/wheel coatings to take the brunt of winter. And when the weather does break, i do a normal wash.

[OTSDetail]

If you have a garage, you can also buy one of those reclamation system pads and do it that way....

Or do an rinseless/waterless. Only real options there.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

If you have a garage, you can also buy one of those reclamation system pads and do it that way....

Or do an rinseless/waterless. Only real options there.

Agree on the garage, disagree on the rinsless.

Right now our roads in NH are white top... from SALT. The cars are baked and caked in salt and sand. Rinsless would nearly be impossible. You can't even see the color of the car any more. Salt is everywhere...

At least with the touchless (as mentioned above) it will get under carriage, wheels, wheel wells and get all that caked salt off. But if your last LSP is strong (i.e. coating, Collinite, etc..) just a basic rinse and wash should be ok.

I had to do the same for my DD's...

Then we have melting, then another 3 days of snow coming next week... which means more salt to prevent black-ice from the re-freeze at night.

There is so much salt on the roads, I can taste it... I think a rinsless would be futile at this point.

[custmsprty]

Man I don't envy you guys, but I do feel for you. Just the word salt makes me cringe.

[Lt1xL82]

A good pre-rinse (pressure washer, coin-op wand, garden hose if need be) and waterless/rinseless works rather well.

[hoyt66]

If my dd gets to bad I'll do a touchless and then at home heat up the garage for a 2 bm rinseless and some spray wax

[Lt1xL82]

If my dd gets to bad I'll do a touchless and then at home heat up the garage for a 2 bm rinseless and some spray wax

:whs: I've done the same...works well and undercarriage gets a blast at the same time! :props:

[runrun411]

As much as I enjoy detailing my car when the weather gets like this I just go to the touchless wash and as was mentioned, don't use the wax option. It kills me to haft to concede to the fact that detailing season is over for awhile during the brutal weather months. I use a really good LSP and then hope for some 40 degree days. I end up focusing more on the interior.

[GSKR]

I see your from dutchess county I use to live nearby.

[BrutalNoodle]

As much as I enjoy detailing my car when the weather gets like this I just go to the touchless wash and as was mentioned, don't use the wax option. It kills me to haft to concede to the fact that detailing season is over for awhile during the brutal weather months. I use a really good LSP and then hope for some 40 degree days. I end up focusing more on the interior.

Same here. When it's crazy out, I would focus on the interior & windows. At least it helps easing the pain of having to drive around a caked up vehicle. The coldest I ever detailed was 38*. Nothing serious like many are dealing with. Was not fun at all. I couldn't imagine having to slave away in colder tempts. Yikes.

Btw, Happy New Year, my friend. A bit late, but just want to use this opportunity to wish you and loved ones a positive 2016. :cheers:

[runrun411]

I see your from dutchess county I use to live nearby.

I bet you're in a nice place like Florida now.


Same here. When it's crazy out, I would focus on the interior & windows. At least it helps easing the pain of having to drive around a caked up vehicle. The coldest I ever detailed was 38*. Nothing serious like many are dealing with. Was not fun at all. I couldn't imagine having to slave away in colder tempts. Yikes.

Btw, Happy New Year, my friend. A bit late, but just want to use this opportunity to wish you and loved ones a positive 2016. :cheers:

Happy New Year to you too. About 40 degrees is as low as I'd go. I had some mid forties yesterday and said to myself all day "I'm gonna do an RW today". But after doing so many chores and running errands I ran out of time and the weather got cold. Doggone it. Now it's in the low twenties.

[AutoApollo]

Yeah it's 14 farenheit here

[Audios S6]

Yeah it's 14 farenheit here


14 sounds downright tropical to me this morning

Below 20F it gets very challenging without a heated garage.

Hot water for the pressure washer.
Work only on the sunny side of the car
Hot water in your buckets
Work one panel at a time.
Final rinse with Hot water
Pull it inside and use a hot rinseless wash to get anything that froze and to get your streak free shine.


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