Washing car in freezing temperatures

jdTrader

jdTrader

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So... I never wash my car if it's below about 35 just because as soon as you wash your car, anywhere the water goes freezes up and you increase risk the risk of damaging your car. What I mean by this is locks freezing up and you trying to open it when it might get stuck, trying at some point to open the winter after it being frozen up from the water, parts that may freeze in the under carriage or other pieces, etc.

To be honest, I sometimes wonder what people are thinking when I see it's 20 degrees and see them pulling out of a car wash.

Also, I have read and heard before that it is best to not wash the car in the winter when it's freezing temperatures because you then increase the chance of getting salt working against your car because you warm up the area slightly and also may push salt further into crevasses of the car. When the temperatures are low, the salt doesn't work as much and it's basically in more of a frozen temp, but when it turns 35 or more, then it's good time to wash to get it all off.

So please let me know what you guys think. What have you read/heard and what are you experiences. My car has not been washed for like 3 weeks at least and has been covered in salt. Temperatures have not gotten above 25. It's supposed to stay below 30 for at least another week and who knows probably still same. So my thought process is the only good place to wash your car if you really want to have it washed and stay warm after the wash is a detailer place that has a garage and have the wash it during winters. But I would like to know what you guys think.

So lets talk about best ways to keep a car clean and salt free during winter freezing temperatures! Maybe some of you guys have some clever methods? :laugh::tup:
 
I've washed my vehicles in the winter for 40 years and never had a problem.
I have never gone to an automatic car wash, I stay away from them. I do not let the Dealer wash my car, I am the only one that does it. When it is freezing cold out I go to the DIY carwash and just power wash the crud and road salt off. I live north of you JD in Ontario and it has never been a problem.
 
GEE35FX said:
I've washed my vehicles in the winter for 40 years and never had a problem.
I have never gone to an automatic car wash, I stay away from them. I do not let the Dealer wash my car, I am the only one that does it. When it is freezing cold out I go to the DIY carwash and just power wash the crud and road salt off. I live north of you JD in Ontario and it has never been a problem.
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What's the lowest temperature you have washed your car in? I think once before I used the self wash high pressure hot wash, but remember it freezing up very very fast. I remember getting the car wet with high pressure, then washing it with soap and then the soap started freezing on the car, and then when I was washing the car, I was basically trying to get the frozen soap off the car with the hot high pressure water. And then couldn't get the car dried faster enough before it freezing up. That is just my experience with previous cars so I am worried about doing that with the nice FX.
 
I have washed it in some pretty cold temps where as soon as I leave or stop all the water freezes. But I just use the high pressure and keep the water going, I don't stop to do it by hand. This gets most of the crap off and it looks pretty good. I use a good sealant (Zaino) that seems to protect it and it cleans up easy. In the late fall I always make sure my weatherstripping is all treated with silicone lube. I also keep the car running while I wash it. When I am done I open all doors and rear hatch and let them drain for a few minutes.
 
Ummm pretty sure its not a good idea to keep the car running while washing it. There's always this danger of getting water on the hot engine block but with newer cars n their air tight sealings its much safer in terms of not having yourself a cracked block. But still....
 
bleedingsujit said:
Ummm pretty sure its not a good idea to keep the car running while washing it. There's always this danger of getting water on the hot engine block but with newer cars n their air tight sealings its much safer in terms of not having yourself a cracked block. But still....
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I really hope you aren't serious:rolleyes:

I'm talking about washing the outside and under the car, not shampooing the engine. Wow :eek.:, Iam sooo lucky, that I haven't cracked a block in the 40 years I have been doing this.
 
When I washed my car yesterday, I turned the car on to prevent ice from forming over the car.
 
GEE35FX said:
:smug: Somehow I thought you would comment here Aaron :tup:
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Aaron mentioning washing the car in 27 degree weather sparked my question hehe. Aaron if you didn't use high pressure and just did it on your driveway, how the heck did it not freeze up on you fast enough? I would be washing the back fast then go to the side and the back would be frozen already. In my experiences when it's that cold, it freezes up in probably less than 30 sec
 
I just got back from a do-it-yourself carwash. Just dropped in a few tokens and sprayed the car down with the pressure washer. first the soap pressure wash, then rinse, then the wax pressure, then spotless rinse wash. didn't even use the brush. not sure if it's cause i did a through wax job 2 weeks ago, but the salt and grime just washed right off. the water coming out of the pressure washer was also hot (or at least heated).
 
jdTrader said:
Aaron mentioning washing the car in 27 degree weather sparked my question hehe. Aaron if you didn't use high pressure and just did it on your driveway, how the heck did it not freeze up on you fast enough? I would be washing the back fast then go to the side and the back would be frozen already. In my experiences when it's that cold, it freezes up in probably less than 30 sec
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Not sure why it didn't freeze. I used Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine on it. My driveway froze up, but the car didn't. The only part that formed a little bit of of ice was in the gas tank lid because I left water there by accident.
 
Sounds great guys. Haven't heard of the Optimum No rinse Wash and Shine before, so going to order that now.

Aaron-> Should have probably washed the car at the self serve car wash using the Optimum No rinse! hehe
 
lmao I did that once and the owner or whoever was charge of the self service coin operated washes gave me a dirty look because all I used was the water, and nothing else the car wash offers.
 
Fire0nic3 said:
lmao I did that once and the owner or whoever was charge of the self service coin operated washes gave me a dirty look because all I used was the water, and nothing else the car wash offers.
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I am lucky that way. I know the owner of the Car Wash. So I can hand wash my vehicle with my own supplies anytime there as long as there are no people waiting.
I don't see the problem for you doing that Aaron, as long as no one is waiting to wash their vehicle.
 
haha i work on my car (mechanically and detail the interior) at the self service car washes. Well only at 9pm and later when no one goes there :-).

sufficient lighting and semi indoor ftw!
 
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