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Cold weather and car wash

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  • #1

    Cold weather and car wash

    Hi there. The other day I went to wash my car. The weather was cold, but I didn't think it was THAT cold. Rougly, I strated to wet the car with a high pressure hose, started washing the front driver door, and while I was getting to next door, I noticed the water and soap would just freeze on the first door. It went that quickly. I think the outside temperature was around -3°C, and the water used was very cold as well. I ended going over the car as fast as I could, and repraying water on high pressure to rince the car afterward got most of the ice particles away. Probably NOT a good thing for the wax coat and so on, I'm just waiting for the weather to warm up to rewash and re-wax the car...
    Anything one should do differently in these situations?
    Regards,
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Cold weather and car wash

    In the winter when I was the car I take it to a coin op car wash in the mroning when its not busy. I spray it down then if there is no line they don't care if I bucket wash and dry it after. I go first thing in the morning cause there is never a line at 6:00 in the morning to wash your car, for some strange reason...

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Cold weather and car wash

      That's just what i did. The guy doesn't mind too much If i go there with my buckets, and that's what I did, Two buckets technique... I sprayed it down to "wet" the car, hand washed it, and sprayed it down again to rince it. I didn't evenb dare using the water magnet afterwards because of all the ice on the hood...

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Cold weather and car wash

        Sometimes it's just too darn cold to work on the paint, and if your wash water is freezing on the surface, that's a very strong indicator that you might want to find something else to occupy your time until things warm up.
        Michael Stoops
        Senior Global Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Inc.

        Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Cold weather and car wash

          Originally posted by Michael Stoops View Post
          Sometimes it's just too darn cold to work on the paint, and if your wash water is freezing on the surface, that's a very strong indicator that you might want to find something else to occupy your time until things warm up.
          For sure!!!!! Most of us had to learn this the hard way and still forget every once in a while.

          Tom

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          • #6
            Re: Cold weather and car wash

            Not everyone has the luxury of waiting for a warmer day. If I waited for a warm day to wash my car my car would be dirty from november to april. What a mess that would be to clean up.

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Cold weather and car wash

              Originally posted by cd36 View Post
              Not everyone has the luxury of waiting for a warmer day. If I waited for a warm day to wash my car my car would be dirty from november to april. What a mess that would be to clean up.
              Being in Alberta I know what you mean! For you guys that live in warm climates remember we get temps in the -30 's or lower all winter! Also our local wash bays charge upwards of 65 cents a min weather your washing your car or not. A typical DIY rince, soap soak, rince and hand dry in these parts will net you about $15.00 or more.



              The Official Canadian Temperature Conversion Chart

              50° Fahrenheit (10° C)
              •New Yorkers try to turn on the heat.
              •Canadians plant gardens.

              40° Fahrenheit (4.4° C)
              Californians shiver uncontrollably.
              •Canadians Sunbathe.

              35° Fahrenheit (1.6° C)
              •Italian Cars won't start
              •Canadians drive with the windows down

              32° Fahrenheit (0 ° C)
              •Distilled water freezes
              •Canadian water get thicker.

              0° Fahrenheit (-17.9° C)
              •New York City landlords finally turn on the heat.
              •Canadians have the last cookout of the season.

              -40° Fahrenheit (-40° C)
              •Hollywood disintegrates.
              •Canadians rent some videos.

              -60° Fahrenheit (-51° C)
              •Mt. St. Helens freezes.
              •Canadian Girl Guides sell cookies door-to-door.

              -100° Fahrenheit (-73° C)
              •Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
              •Canadians pull down their ear flaps.

              -173° Fahrenheit (-114° C)
              •Ethyl alcohol Freezes.
              •Canadians get frustrated when they can't thaw the keg.

              -460° Fahrenheit (-273° C)
              •Absolute zero; all atomic motion stops.
              •Canadians start saying "cold, eh?"

              -500° Fahrenheit (-295° C)
              •Hell freezes over.
              •The Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.
              Professional Automotive Reconditioning Services
              "You scuff it-I buff it!"

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Cold weather and car wash

                Originally posted by THE BIG BUFFER View Post

                -460° Fahrenheit (-273° C)
                •Absolute zero; all atomic motion stops.
                •Canadians start saying "cold, eh?"

                -500° Fahrenheit (-295° C)
                •Hell freezes over.
                The Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Cold weather and car wash

                  Originally posted by cd36 View Post
                  Not everyone has the luxury of waiting for a warmer day. If I waited for a warm day to wash my car my car would be dirty from november to april. What a mess that would be to clean up.
                  Yes, but how do you effectively wash a car when the water freezes on it so rapidly?

                  Just so you all know, this boy grew up in Michigan so cold is no stranger to me. We didn't wash our cars if water would immediately freeze on the surface, but we would at least spray them down at the local coin op place. Of course, I have memories of the walls of those places being covered in thick ice and the spray want frozen into the tube that held it. And of menacing looking icicles hanging from the entrance and exit of the bays. And the drain grating frozen over so water just sat there in a big puddle as you sprayed the car down - until the puddle froze. And the car doors were hard to open unless you sprayed down the drivers door last thing so it didn't quite have time to freeze shut while you put the spray wand away.

                  So I moved to California.

                  The difference between winter and summer driving here is that we use a sunblock with SPF45 for summer time (driving with the top down, mind you) but a mere SPF15 for winter driving (the top is still down, of course!).
                  Michael Stoops
                  Senior Global Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Inc.

                  Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Cold weather and car wash

                    As I said in the first post, some sacrifices may need to be made. If I want to wash my car I need to get up at 5:30 in the morning, to make it to the car wash place shortly after 6. It's a coin op place that doesn't care if you use a bucket and dry the car after you spray it down.

                    I can spray the car down, wash it with a mitt and ONR, and then dry the car off. The place is heated, and doesn't experience any of the issues you had at the coin op places. The only unfortunate part is the water does freeze under the car, where I can't dry it, but I think that is minimal compared to having to drive around in a dirty car all winter.

                    No one said it was easy to keep a car clean in Winnipeg, but with a little determination and work it can be done.

                    Except for this morning. Alarm was set for 5:30 and I slept till 6:30. Oops, guess I'll have to try again....

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Cold weather and car wash

                      No doubt having a heated facility to wash/dry is a huge luxury when temperatures plummet. Even a garage that can be heated to something above freezing will allow for the use of a decent ONR wash, but again, not everyone has even that available.

                      Originally posted by cd36 View Post
                      Except for this morning. Alarm was set for 5:30 and I slept till 6:30. Oops, guess I'll have to try again....
                      Ah yes, the best laid plans, eh?
                      Michael Stoops
                      Senior Global Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Inc.

                      Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Cold weather and car wash

                        Yes it is nice. I wish I had a garage at home to do this, but paying the car wash isn't really that expensive in the long run.

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