How do you handle NOT being able to wash the car? (bad weather, etc)

[RippyD]

Just get used to it. It rains here almost every day for ~5 months. I'll wash them but the get covered with road grime almost immediately - no reasonable way to keep them clean. I still wash them, but maybe every 3-4 weeks rather than every 1-2.

[ScottH]

I don't let winter get in the way. I wash all year round; traditional hose/soap or rinseless (pre treat with waterless). I ran warm water into my garage this year to allow for this. I could never go a few days, let alone weeks or months with salt on my cars. Never! (LOL) So they get washed no matter what. Is it fun when it's 15 degrees - heck no - but then I pull it into my garage with heater and dry it off. 100% ideal? No, but so much better than nothing.

ScottH

[ducksfan]

My favorite time to use a traditional wash soap is when it’s sprinkling out.

I can go slow and be as thorough as I want.

If you’re the type that doesn’t want to wash it because it’s going to rain then you’ll never wash it.

I sometimes wash in the rain too. Saves the time of having to dry. Nature's DI.

[PaulMys]

I am in the camp of waiting until the weather will be nice.

My truck needed a wash (although others say it "looks clean!") last weekend, but with a forecast of rain for almost all of the week, I didn't waste my time or products.

This weekend, with a great stretch of days forecast for the week, I happily washed and detailed it.

I have learned not to fight the weather.

[spazzz]

Of all the negative aspects to winter in NE Ohio, one positive is that it's just so hopeless trying to keep cars clean, I can just forget about it for a few months.

It use to drive me crazy but with age you get over it.
I can always find something to do.

I am in the camp of waiting until the weather will be nice.

My truck needed a wash (although others say it "looks clean!") last weekend, but with a forecast of rain for almost all of the week, I didn't waste my time or products.

This weekend, with a great stretch of days forecast for the week, I happily washed and detailed it.

I have learned not to fight the weather.

These guys are the smart ones

I chill until I get a few nice days of clean car weather.
I have it where I want it so it should all wash relatively smoothly whenever that happens.

[RippyD]

I don't let winter get in the way. I wash all year round; traditional hose/soap or rinseless (pre treat with waterless). I ran warm water into my garage this year to allow for this. I could never go a few days, let alone weeks or months with salt on my cars. Never! (LOL) So they get washed no matter what. Is it fun when it's 15 degrees - heck no - but then I pull it into my garage with heater and dry it off. 100% ideal? No, but so much better than nothing.

Winter doesn't get in the way of washing. There's just no point when the car is literally covered with muddy road grime after driving it a mile or two.

[PA DETAILER]

Of all the negative aspects to winter in NE Ohio, one positive is that it's just so hopeless trying to keep cars clean, I can just forget about it for a few months.

[UncleDavy]

I actually go through a bit of a depression when I can't detail the cars. We had a stretch of weather last week where it rained every day. I couldn't detail the cars and it made me crazy. When we finally had a sunny day I ran outside and worked on all three vehicles. I couldn't get over how much better I felt afterwards. I actually enjoy the activity of detailing and it is definitely therapeutic. Winter washing is actually more enjoyable to me. It gives me an excuse to wash the salt off of the cars and I can wash the cars outside and not sweat.
The wife's car is always in the garage so her Buick gets a lot of Wolfgang Uber rinseless washes.