How do I wash a car in the winter?

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678) 01/31/2015 at 12:36 • Filed to: None

0

22

So my car is covered top to bottom in salt at this point and I would really like to wash it off. The past couple months of winter, I have just been waiting for a 30 degree plus day and washing it. However, looking at the weather for the next 10 days, I cannot find one day above 20. This makes using the garden hose a pretty impossible affair thanks to the water freezing. Anybody have a good solution for this? I have thought about going to one of those coin-operated self-service car wash places but I have not been able to find one in my area that is open this time of year. Also thought about going to a regular car wash place, but I really enjoy washing my own car and I didnt want my soft top to get damaged. Dirty SAAB for your inspiration!

bob and john > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 12:38

1

you jusrt have to suck it up and go to a regular wash. sorry.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > bob and john 01/31/2015 at 12:42

0

What are some good qualities to look for in those type of places? I am wondering if I actually need to worry about my soft top anyways or if I am just being paranoid.

thebigbossyboss > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 12:45

0

Sorry to say your options are the following: Go to a coin place, and spray it down. I have to drive across town to get to mine it's annoying, but as you said some of them close in winter. The high pressure of the water means it's doesnt freeze, but leave your car running when you do it.

I have done that up to about -10F, in winter just doing a rinse for the minimum amount of time, will get 95% of the results of doing a full wash.

Otherwise, suck it up, open the wallet and get in line at your local exxon.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 12:45

2

Here in California we just put a long sleeve shirt on and go out to wash it instead of just in a T shirt :P

E92M3 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 12:50

1

Is there a touchless wash around you? I used those in the past between the rare 50 degree winter days.

Tina Corbett > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 12:57

0

I just go to the Goo Goo car washes here. They do a decent job and have free vacuums, plus that little car mat cleaner thingie.

Textured Soy Protein > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 12:58

0

I'd just hit up one of those drive-thru touchless high pressure washes at a gas station. When I had a Miata, a little bit of water would seep past the seals on the top when I ran through one of those, but not enough to drench the inside are anything.

That's assuming your top seals are in good shape of course. And also that you have somewhere to park inside, otherwise you'll end up with a bunch of ice in all sorts of places in the car.

scoob > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 01/31/2015 at 12:58

3

California

OPPOsaurus WRX > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 13:00

1

Amoore100 > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 01/31/2015 at 13:31

0

I still do it in a T-shirt...it's like 72 degrees out there!

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Amoore100 01/31/2015 at 13:33

1

I was trying to be creative! Its only a little chilly in the morning for me, pretty nice afternoons.

Svend > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 13:33

0

Pressure wash off what you can then spray a TFR prewash, degreaser or mix of all purpose cleaner or foam with snow foam onto the car. Allow to dwell and then pressure wash again. Wash from top to bottom with a good shampoo, rinse thoroughly and then dry making sure you dry the door seals well.

With the amount of salt and grit on the road do not go straight into washing the car with a sponge or mitt as you will undoubtedly scratch the paintwork. You want to loosen and soften the dirt as much as possible before physically touching the paint work.

Granted the weather hasn't been as bad here in the U.K. but I did the car on the snow the other day. Pressure wash, spray lower valance and rear with a citrus cleaner, snow foamed and allowed to dwell, rinsed, washed with Gyeon Bathe+ shampoo (shampoo and sealant in one), rinsed, then sprayed down with Gyeon Wetcoat sealant and activated with pressurised water and dried off (in the 20 minutes of dry time I had).

Amoore100 > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 01/31/2015 at 13:36

0

Yeah, what part of CA are you in? Here in Bay Area we get ~35-40 degrees in early morning (6 AM) to about 60 by 10 AM and around 70s in the afternoon...

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Amoore100 01/31/2015 at 13:39

1

I'm in Marin, in the shadow of Mt. Tam. So until the sun gets over the mountain it is chilly. I never start the 240Z up until noon haha. But yeah its pretty good right now, I am just in a little microclimate where the redwood trees and the mountain changes things as the seasons do.

Amoore100 > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 01/31/2015 at 13:58

0

Ah, that sounds nice...We're in South Bay and we were planning on going to Ano Nuevo this weekend but I have a physics project so probably not...

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Amoore100 01/31/2015 at 14:06

1

Oh I've never been there, once I sort my vibration out in my Z I might head south on the coast. I go north a lot.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Svend 01/31/2015 at 16:21

0

Mm having a pressure washer would definitely be helpful. I wonder if I can get a decent one on the cheap.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > thebigbossyboss 01/31/2015 at 16:25

1

I'm definitely going to try and find a coin operated place. Google search returns all kinds of automatic ones but I'm sure I'll find one somewhere.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Textured Soy Protein 01/31/2015 at 16:29

0

Well I wasn't worried about water seepage but I didn't know if the rollers were bad for the fabric. I'll research it a bit either way.

Amoore100 > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 01/31/2015 at 16:30

0

Yeah, we go to Santa Cruz a lot since North and East bay is somewhat far for a day trip out of San Jose/Saratoga...

Textured Soy Protein > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 16:47

0

Don't go through a car wash with rollers. Go through one that just shoots high pressure water.

Svend > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/31/2015 at 17:39

0

If you don't do you have a self service wash area? Get a cheap hand pump pressure sprayed and put about 10:1 water and all purpose cleaner in and then take it to the service wash and pressure wash as much of the dirt off as possible, then spray the car with the mixture and while it dwells and softens the dirt use a small brush to agitate the dirt on the wheels then pressure rinse the whole car, then shampoo and continue as you would any other time.