hand washing car in cold weather-your technique

[Russell]

I like to keep salt and other debris off my cars in the winter. I dislike using car washes so I often do it by hand when above freezing (in the 40s at least) and the hose is not frozen.

What techniques do you use to do a good job and not be to uncomfortable? I simply use a large bucket or buckets of hot/warm soapy water and sometimes rubber gloves. Rinse with hose as normal.

 

[A_Harman]

I don't hand wash my car much in cold weather, but I do make a lot of trips to the quarter car wash to keep the salt off of it. I go every 3 days or so and spray it off, concentrating mightily on the undercarriage. I don't worry to much about getting all the dirt off the painted areas because those are protected. I concentrate on body joints and undercarriage. I'll wash my car at temperatures down to about 15F and then drive home and park it in my attached garage, which rarely gets below 40F.

If I do hand wash, I just use a bucket of hot water with a suitable car wash soap and a sponge. I bare hand it with right hand only and move quickly. My hand doesn't get cold as long as the water is hot enough.

 

[matrass]

if my ride had a lot of salt on it I would go to the car wash and spray off the heavy stuff first. if not I use the two bucket method. one bucket had my onr wash solution ( 2-3oz of ONR for 5 gallons of water ) with my grit guard in it. the other 5 gallon bucket has rinse water in it. I prefer a real natural sponge as they are super soft and release dirt from the media very well. wash small areas at a time, rinsing sponge in my rinse bucket often. once a panel is done wipe dry with high quality waffle weave towel. using warm water in the buskets I would be good down to the high 20's. using this method with back and forth motion ( never circle motion ) I was able to keep my Honda swirl free for almost 5 years ( until it got smashed from behind and totaled ) knowing how soft Honda paint is this tells me my technique did the trick. this is the same method I use to details other peoples rides and has served me well over the years.

 

[Lead Shoes]

As much as I love my rust bucket, I have just given up this winter with all the below zero stretches... I've washed it maybe twice since October

 

[Barkleymut]

I just wait it out till a warm stretch. Of course this winter it is tough to find one. Oh my the temp is 60 right now...too bad I'm trapped at work and it will get dark sooner rather than later

.

 

[Donald]

Car wash.

 

[strat81]

I'll use a touchless automatic in the winter for general clean-up and to get the big nasty stuff before a hand wash.

For a hand-wash, I use Optimum No-Rinse with hot water and wash in the garage.

FWIW, I use ONR in the summer too. I have little shade in my driveway and the sun dries the water on the black paint before I can dry it off if I do a traditional wash. So, even in the summer, ONR prevents the water spot problem by letting me wash in the garage.

 

[jimbrewer]

I don't hand wash my car much in cold weather, but I do make a lot of trips to the quarter car wash to keep the salt off of it.).

Yep. then I go and do a "Garry Dean Method" wash (Lots of microfiber towels soaking in a bucket of no-rinse) in the insulated garage. I try to use warm water of course. Good sealants/ waxes can protect the paint for four months anyway. That's all you need.

 

[Tzu]

Me too. I think we've had 2 days that have been sunny and warm enough that the water doesn't freeze in a minute on the shady side of the car in the past 2 months. When the weather cooperates, I just use warm water spray from our basement hose and spray the ice chunks from around the wheel well areas so they aren't scraping when I go over bumps. And if I'm lucky I can try to get the underside rinsed as best as I can. Supposed to be near 0 degrees again for lows next week, but soon it has to start warming up. I can't wait to hand wash the cars on a sunny, warm day. I like to dream....
Originally Posted By: Brenden
As much as I love my rust bucket, I have just given up this winter with all the below zero stretches... I've washed it maybe twice since October

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: Russell
I like to keep salt and other debris off my cars in the winter. I dislike using car washes so I often do it by hand when above freezing (in the 40s at least) and the hose is not frozen.

What techniques do you use to do a good job and not be to uncomfortable? I simply use a large bucket or buckets of hot/warm soapy water and sometimes rubber gloves. Rinse with hose as normal.


Pretty much what I do. I never used to wash my car in the winter. Buying a new car in the middle of winter changed my ways.

I use warm water in two buckets. Three micro fiber sponge thingies, some micro fiber wash rags, and some brushes.

Plenty of hose blasting.

Absolutely recommend Eagle One Nano Wax-As-U-Wash. Will not strip your wax and really gently carries dirt away.

Then I use the Eagle One Wax-As-U-Dry, wipe down with my fluffy micro fiber towels. Done. Car is clean and waxed.

 

[mikered30]

Originally Posted By: matrass
if my ride had a lot of salt on it I would go to the car wash and spray off the heavy stuff first. if not I use the two bucket method. one bucket had my onr wash solution ( 2-3oz of ONR for 5 gallons of water ) with my grit guard in it. the other 5 gallon bucket has rinse water in it. I prefer a real natural sponge as they are super soft and release dirt from the media very well. wash small areas at a time, rinsing sponge in my rinse bucket often. once a panel is done wipe dry with high quality waffle weave towel. using warm water in the buskets I would be good down to the high 20's. using this method with back and forth motion ( never circle motion ) I was able to keep my Honda swirl free for almost 5 years ( until it got smashed from behind and totaled ) knowing how soft Honda paint is this tells me my technique did the trick. this is the same method I use to details other peoples rides and has served me well over the years.


That is exactly what I do, but I use ice fishing gloves when I wash.

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: mikered30
Originally Posted By: matrass
if my ride had a lot of salt on it I would go to the car wash and spray off the heavy stuff first. if not I use the two bucket method. one bucket had my onr wash solution ( 2-3oz of ONR for 5 gallons of water ) with my grit guard in it. the other 5 gallon bucket has rinse water in it. I prefer a real natural sponge as they are super soft and release dirt from the media very well. wash small areas at a time, rinsing sponge in my rinse bucket often. once a panel is done wipe dry with high quality waffle weave towel. using warm water in the buskets I would be good down to the high 20's. using this method with back and forth motion ( never circle motion ) I was able to keep my Honda swirl free for almost 5 years ( until it got smashed from behind and totaled ) knowing how soft Honda paint is this tells me my technique did the trick. this is the same method I use to details other peoples rides and has served me well over the years.


That is exactly what I do, but I use ice fishing gloves when I wash.

What are ice fishing gloves? Sounds interesting I just use rubber coated gloves which are waterproof but a bit bulky.

 

[mikered30]

Originally Posted By: Russell
Originally Posted By: mikered30
Originally Posted By: matrass
if my ride had a lot of salt on it I would go to the car wash and spray off the heavy stuff first. if not I use the two bucket method. one bucket had my onr wash solution ( 2-3oz of ONR for 5 gallons of water ) with my grit guard in it. the other 5 gallon bucket has rinse water in it. I prefer a real natural sponge as they are super soft and release dirt from the media very well. wash small areas at a time, rinsing sponge in my rinse bucket often. once a panel is done wipe dry with high quality waffle weave towel. using warm water in the buskets I would be good down to the high 20's. using this method with back and forth motion ( never circle motion ) I was able to keep my Honda swirl free for almost 5 years ( until it got smashed from behind and totaled ) knowing how soft Honda paint is this tells me my technique did the trick. this is the same method I use to details other peoples rides and has served me well over the years.


That is exactly what I do, but I use ice fishing gloves when I wash.

What are ice fishing gloves? Sounds interesting I just use rubber coated gloves which are waterproof but a bit bulky.


My gloves are made by Glacier Glove, they are fleece lined neoprene gloves. The dont have the greatest durability, but they are good enough for car washing.

 

[Doog]

I have hot water and floor drains in my garage. Wash the car and clean the floor all in one easy step. I can wash down to 28F before it is too cold.

 

[kkreit01]

If it's real nasty, I'll drive through a touchless, undercarriage wash. I'll then drive home, into the garage, and perform a 2-bucket, warm-water ONR wash. I'll add Aquawax while drying -- depending on how long it was since the last application.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: mikered30
Originally Posted By: Russell
Originally Posted By: mikered30
Originally Posted By: matrass
if my ride had a lot of salt on it I would go to the car wash and spray off the heavy stuff first. if not I use the two bucket method. one bucket had my onr wash solution ( 2-3oz of ONR for 5 gallons of water ) with my grit guard in it. the other 5 gallon bucket has rinse water in it. I prefer a real natural sponge as they are super soft and release dirt from the media very well. wash small areas at a time, rinsing sponge in my rinse bucket often. once a panel is done wipe dry with high quality waffle weave towel. using warm water in the buskets I would be good down to the high 20's. using this method with back and forth motion ( never circle motion ) I was able to keep my Honda swirl free for almost 5 years ( until it got smashed from behind and totaled ) knowing how soft Honda paint is this tells me my technique did the trick. this is the same method I use to details other peoples rides and has served me well over the years.


That is exactly what I do, but I use ice fishing gloves when I wash.

What are ice fishing gloves? Sounds interesting I just use rubber coated gloves which are waterproof but a bit bulky.


My gloves are made by Glacier Glove, they are fleece lined neoprene gloves. The dont have the greatest durability, but they are good enough for car washing.


You could also try to find some neoprene paddling (kayak/canoe) gloves, but these tend to be more costly, but are also stitched/sealed better, and slightly more durable.

That being said, I bought a pair of neoprene (3mm thick) cold weather salt water fishing gloves ("Frogg Toggs" brand) from a local deep sea/outdoor type store for $12.00 for shoveling/clearing ice off of the car.

 

[gofast182]

As with much of the country, it's been hopeless this winter here in NJ. If it's not too cold it's snowing or about to snow. I usually hand wash my cars all winter long as long as the temp is above 32. The salt buildup got so bad a week or two ago that I ran the TSX through a car wash for only the second time in its life

Anyway, two bucket method with warm water in the buckets. If doing a second car the chamois flushing water becomes the wheel water for the next.

 

[Miniata]

I use elbow length neoprene gloves and warm water for washing my cars in cold weather. The gloves cost me about $25-30 8 or 10 years ago, and were well worth it. Keep my hands/arms dry and warm through the process.

 

[hattaresguy]

Typically salt doesn't do much unless their is moisture in the air, so its got to get above freezing. When it does I hose off underneath where the damage is done. The paint is purely cosmetic.

 

[PeterGreen]

Spent a couple of hours hand washing my ride on Sunday with Optimum no rinse and then some spot buffing. Today we got an eighth of an inch of snow accumulation but the municipalities decided that they needed to put down a half inch of salt. oh well, back to the drawing board.