Washing Cars in Hot Weather

[The Critic]

I found a solution.

My garage is somewhat sloped to drain water onto the driveway. So, as long as I spray carefully and avoid getting the walls wet, washing inside of the garage is a non-issue.

During hot weather, the cement absorbs the water pretty quickly. Any water that remains after the wash gets squeegeed out. I also leave the garage door cracked for a few hours to vent out any remaining moisture.

Still looks good after over a year:

 

[billt460]

Out here in the Summer, people start washing their cars at first light. If you wait until mid day, (110F+ temps with 4% humidity), you're going to get water spots no matter what you do. To do it right takes 2 people. One washing, and one on the hose rinsing, and keeping everything wet.

Then 2 people drying with plenty of towels..... And apply any waxes, coatings, tire shine products inside the garage. Same with cleaning window glass. That's my wife's job. She's good at it. If I cleaned your windshield, you would come looking for me with a hammer.

 

[demarpaint]

During the summer I wash the car as soon as there's some daylight. Which is at about 0500. Then I back it into the garage to dry it, and wax it if need be. I should be living in Florida within the next 6 months if things go well, so I better learn the tips and tricks for living in a hot climate.

 

[MParr]

That’s fine as long as the dry wall doesn’t get wet.

 

[Pablo]

Good stuff - I have washed my garage floor with my power washer so no problem with wet. Watch out though some garage concrete floors have a very slick finish.

I would leave it full open to dry.

 

[PF52]

I have a lot of trees, so getting shade is never a problem. Too many trees, actually. The real issue with the trees is the seeds and pollen they produce from about April all the way through June. I can wash the car (quickly) but I have to put in in the garage immediately.

 

[LazyDog]

Nice car, I normally used a leaf blower to dry the car.

 

[doitmyself]

Off topic (sorry). I'm always fascinated that many homes, even upscale, have unfinished drywall in the garage......for decades.

 

[64bawagon]

I avoid washing in the garage due to the moisture. I found in my previous house that the drywall also absorbed some of it even though it was finish painted. I just wash in the driveway early in the day or in the evening

 

[billt460]

Off topic (sorry). I'm always fascinated that many homes, even upscale, have unfinished drywall in the garage......for decades.

It seems far more common in the East and in the Midwest.

 

[Hall]

Off topic (sorry). I'm always fascinated that many homes, even upscale, have unfinished drywall in the garage......for decades.

If it's like our house, those walls face his home's interior I see the other picture and the opposite wall is unfinished as well and the drywall is primarily there to hold the insulation in place. My outside wall is exposed studs and no insulation.

 

[WylieCoyote]

I wait until the sun goes down behind the house to the west of mine. I can't bring myself to crank up a gas powered power washer before sun up.

 

[PF52]

Off topic (sorry). I'm always fascinated that many homes, even upscale, have unfinished drywall in the garage......for decades.

We have just bare stud walls, which is the norm for a detached garage.

 

[Bud]

Mine goes to the carwash.

 

[wpod]

I use the car wash.

 

[2005jettatdi]

If it's like our house, those walls face his home's interior I see the other picture and the opposite wall is unfinished as well and the drywall is primarily there to hold the insulation in place. My outside wall is exposed studs and no insulation.

The sheetrock in the garage is called a fire wall. By building codes, on the wall between the garage and house the sheetrock is hung and then it is fire taped. It is not there to hold the insulation in place, but it certainly helps. The door between the house and garage is self closing for the same reason.

 

[Hall]

Didn't consider that aspect I did know that the entry door from the garage into the house needs to be a) steel (metal) and b) self-closing though.

 

[Aredeeem]

I have tulip trees and little leaf linden trees in my neighborhood. Terrible choice for shade trees. Messy well into July with shed seed pods and sticky residue. Only solution is wash, dry with leaf blower, and keep in the garage.

 

[Malo83]

I wash in the evening when the sun sets and I get the shade of the house on my driveway. and I dry with an electric leaf blower, cuts down on drying time and gets all the water hiding in the nooks and crannys.

 

[The Critic]

I wait until the sun goes down behind the house to the west of mine. I can't bring myself to crank up a gas powered power washer before sun up.

8AM-8PM is my window of opportunity for outdoor power equipment.

I avoid washing in the garage due to the moisture. I found in my previous house that the drywall also absorbed some of it even though it was finish painted. I just wash in the driveway early in the day or in the evening

Interesting. I'll have to monitor this.

Off topic (sorry). I'm always fascinated that many homes, even upscale, have unfinished drywall in the garage......for decades.

Most of the newer houses have garages that are textured and painted, even the low-end ones.