Winter washing!
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On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2009
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Winter washing! Well as some of us DD our firebirds and camaro's in the salty snowy roads, whats the Best way to clean a car after its gotten a bunch of salt onto it? I have a black car, and my biggest fear is SCRATCHING THE PAINT especially whenever i spray the car down, even though it looks like it sprayed off, its only becuase its wet, whats the safest/best way to wipe/get the salt off the car? I need to know how you guys clean up and detail your cars in the winter. I want my paint to look as new as it does., and look like its never been driven on the salty roads.
I used to go to the do it yourself car wash but im afraid to used the big brush on my car as it may already have dirt and stuff inthe brush that will surely scratch my car.
I used to go to the do it yourself car wash but im afraid to used the big brush on my car as it may already have dirt and stuff inthe brush that will surely scratch my car.
Last edited by fire-chickens; Feb 3, 2010 at 04:33 PM.
lol i was just about to post to see who washes there car during winter i didnt wash my car before i put it away and it being so dirty bugs me, i should have braved the cold today it was like 35 out
i just wait till its a minimum of 40* to go outside in the winter to wash my car from all the salt deposits . i never ever ever ever go to a car-wash station or do it yourself car-wash service area. Anyone who has a sense about detailing cars knows this is a big no-no. going to those things may actually do more damage than good. Just man up and wash it on a semi-spring like day.
I'd love to wash mine properly in 40* plus weather. But sometimes we don't see that for weeks, and usually months on end. Also most of us shut the outside water off on the house as to not have pipes burst from the cold. So hand washing just isn't an option.
I always powerwash my car in the winter. Or at least until its warm enough out to hand wash it. No, it's not the best way to wash it, but it's really the only option IMO. My car polishes up nicely in the spring time, and has for the last 6 years. I do have the regular swirls in the paint just like everyone else, but on a DD it's really not a big deal to me.
My best advise is to make sure you have a good coat of wax on it as late as you can in the fall. Powerwashing is fine when it's too cold out to hand wash just to get the salt off. Then just hope for a decent day that you can wash it properly.
I always powerwash my car in the winter. Or at least until its warm enough out to hand wash it. No, it's not the best way to wash it, but it's really the only option IMO. My car polishes up nicely in the spring time, and has for the last 6 years. I do have the regular swirls in the paint just like everyone else, but on a DD it's really not a big deal to me.
My best advise is to make sure you have a good coat of wax on it as late as you can in the fall. Powerwashing is fine when it's too cold out to hand wash just to get the salt off. Then just hope for a decent day that you can wash it properly.
i dont drive my camaro ss in winter (very lucky but did drive my v6 camaro in winter) but now i drive a black taurus. ive learned in the pass if u take it to a car wash they will scratch it up. so im just waiting till march to detail is again being a black car. i buffed it back in october with a good amount a wax and it was fine the year before. ill just wait till march to give a full detail to it. right now the taurus isbroke but i refuse to drive the camaro on chicago roads in winter so i might have to rent a car!
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I try to wash it by hand but if I go to the car wash I usually just use the sprayer to wash as much of the crap off as possible until I can do it by hand again, especially the undercarriage
My car has been through hell and I daily drive the **** out of it so it has its fair share of scratches BUT I try not to add more to it.
Bad thing about winter though is the fact that the **** they put down to melt the ice has taken its toll on my chrome rims.
Its really hard to wash all this **** off without scratching the paint:
Oh well its not a show car and I enjoy driving it so its all good.
My car has been through hell and I daily drive the **** out of it so it has its fair share of scratches BUT I try not to add more to it.
Bad thing about winter though is the fact that the **** they put down to melt the ice has taken its toll on my chrome rims.
Its really hard to wash all this **** off without scratching the paint:
Oh well its not a show car and I enjoy driving it so its all good.
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I take the power washer to it at the car wash and just spray it down with the water/soap mix as best as I can and then rinse really good with the pressurized water. I know it won't get it totally clean but it helps. Gets the worst off. Plus I really aim it at the undercarriage until I get clear water running off. Don't need more rust than I have already.
i would take it to a brushless car wash and just have tha automated thing rinse it off and that way it sprays the undercarrage too... just spraying with the power washer at the car wash wont hurt the paint and just wash it good and do the spot free water after to reduce the water spots that could stain your paint... other then that just wait for the spring but what ever you do DONT USE THE BRUSH!!!
drive it through the TOUCHLESS car wash to get the heavy debris off. Drive her home and park in the garage. Re-wash the car with Optimum No-Rinse (google it if you aren't familiar). After the car is 100% clean....seal it up with a couple of coats of Opti-Seal (spray on sealant, and it is amoung the best in he industry and also easy and quick to use). Once you have sealed it up, you can layer wax on top of that if you feel the need to, but theres really no need. Opti-Seal will provide great protection for the paint, and will also make your future washing a lot easier. This stuff also beads and sheets water like CRAZY!
I usually use the power washer then use the brush, BUT the brush at my car wash is very soft so scratching isn't really an issue. Without the brush in winter it's really difficult to actually get all the salt off.
I take mine to the manual car wash and spray the rims with the "super wheel cleaner" and while doing that I will real quick go over the bottom of the sides of the car. Then while that is soaking I use the spray soap and then I go over the entire car with the high pressure rinse. That gets it pretty damn clean if I take my time.. Usually spend around 2.50-3.00$.. If I need it really clean I will go to the automatic ones that don't touch your car with anything and then after that I will dry it with an "absorber" like you get at wal mart. Looks as good as hand washed usually.
I can't go more than 4-5 days TOPS without spraying my car off.. Hell, I have done it when its 25 out before cause that is the warmest it had been in days and I had salt all over.. Water had froze before I pulled out, at least it was protecting the paint though!
I usually wash it as soon as its 40+ and then spray it off every other day.
I can't go more than 4-5 days TOPS without spraying my car off.. Hell, I have done it when its 25 out before cause that is the warmest it had been in days and I had salt all over.. Water had froze before I pulled out, at least it was protecting the paint though!
I usually wash it as soon as its 40+ and then spray it off every other day.
The scratching isn't going to come from the soft bristles, it's going to come from all the dirt/debris/gunk that is stuck in that brush from all the other cars. I am 100% sure you are inflicting swirl marks in your paint by uaing this method!
What I do is take the nozzle off the end of your hose and just let the water run over the car to essentially dissolve the salt first. Get as much off before you start rubbing the paint with anything. Do the double bucket method using a 5 gallon bucket as a rinse bucket (I use warm water). Do a body panel at a time, then rinse the sponge / wash mit well, and repeat for the rest of the car.
Again, get as much of the 'solids' off the car with simple water before you start to actually wash it.
Again, get as much of the 'solids' off the car with simple water before you start to actually wash it.
I try to wash it by hand but if I go to the car wash I usually just use the sprayer to wash as much of the crap off as possible until I can do it by hand again, especially the undercarriage
My car has been through hell and I daily drive the **** out of it so it has its fair share of scratches BUT I try not to add more to it.
Bad thing about winter though is the fact that the **** they put down to melt the ice has taken its toll on my chrome rims.
Its really hard to wash all this **** off without scratching the paint:
Oh well its not a show car and I enjoy driving it so its all good.
My car has been through hell and I daily drive the **** out of it so it has its fair share of scratches BUT I try not to add more to it.
Bad thing about winter though is the fact that the **** they put down to melt the ice has taken its toll on my chrome rims.
Its really hard to wash all this **** off without scratching the paint:
Oh well its not a show car and I enjoy driving it so its all good.
Didnt read all of the posts so it may have been said before. Just wash it whenever you get a chance. Dont let it sit on the paint. Ive personally had my 98 see 5 winters now without including the previous owner. Just keep it as clean as you can and wax wax wax during the nice days and during the summer. Whenever I finish waxing or detailing it it looks brand new including the chrome rims.
Also spray down the undercarriage !
Also spray down the undercarriage !
Like someone mentioned above, try to get a good detail before the season begins. I would run through a touchless place to keep it clean. If you can, do a quick detail with the Quik Detail spray. I hate a nice car dirty!
Here is what I do if the roads are clean & weather looks like its gonna stay nice.
hit it first with the power washer. Go over it once at a distance & make a second pass with the tip really closer to the paint but held at a angle. Start at the top & work your way toward the ground. Then use a soft mit made for washing & lightly go over the car. Rinse & then go over it again with more pressure.
If my paint was nicer I'd then hit it with a claybar & coat of wax.
If your just wanting to clean it off & know weather is comming back in, just do the 2 rinses & let it air dry. Wont be shiney clean but it'll get about 80% of the crud caked on off the car.
hit it first with the power washer. Go over it once at a distance & make a second pass with the tip really closer to the paint but held at a angle. Start at the top & work your way toward the ground. Then use a soft mit made for washing & lightly go over the car. Rinse & then go over it again with more pressure.
If my paint was nicer I'd then hit it with a claybar & coat of wax.
If your just wanting to clean it off & know weather is comming back in, just do the 2 rinses & let it air dry. Wont be shiney clean but it'll get about 80% of the crud caked on off the car.