How do you wash your car through winter? Frozen hoses? Car Washes?

[VA-Mack]

Hey fam,
I haven't had to deal with this issue in years since my last car was so old I just took it to a car wash throughout the whole winter. Now that I have a nice car again, and since car washes are terrible. How do you guys go about washing your car during the winter? At home? I live in VA and my pipes are frozen most of the winter and I don't really want to pay a detail shop to hand wash my car every week. What other options are there?

 

[MisterMac]

I installed both Hot and cold water lines/spigots in my garages for the last 18 years. Let's me wash my cars by hand and out of the elements. Even when we lived in Scottsdale AZ, the garage was sun and dust free.

 

[Luminary]

I am out near Warranton VA, and last year I washed mine on "warmer" winter days. We are on well water (out in the coutry) and I never had an issue with the pipes from the well. I do fill the wash bucket with hot water from inside though. Keeps your hands nice and toasty during the wash.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

I installed both Hot and cold water lines/spigots in my garages for the last 18 years. Let's me wash my cars by hand and out of the elements. Even when we lived in Scottsdale AZ, the garage was sun and dust free.

Just curious, did you actually wash the car INSIDE the garage. Did you have an drain as well. I have not seen any garages (well standard garages that is) with drains in AZ. Back East they are everywhere.

 

[MisterMac]

Just curious, did you actually wash the car INSIDE the garage. Did you have an drain as well. I have not seen any garages (well standard garages that is) with drains in AZ. Back East they are everywhere.

I was on a hill and the water heater was in the garage. Thus, the garage was sloped toward the door. While a couple low spots produced puddles, I have a large floor squeegee to pull the water out of the garage.

In Kansas, I designed the garage floor with drains to accommodate my obsession with having a clean car.

Here in El Paso I am back to the squeegee method.

 

[SteveCo]

I used to wash my cars at home, but that is actually illegal here now as our storm (street) drains discharge directly into the river without any treatment, and they need to keep soap, etc. out of there. I've also used the pay-as-you-go wash bays, but don't want to subject the new paint on the Stinger to abuse from the wash brushes in those. Instead, I checked into local touchless car washes to see if they have discount passes available.

I ended up buying a 'flex pass' for Shell stations, as their pricing was best and they have a touchless car wash near my house. The cost is 50 CAD for 5 'Ultimate' washes, but you get a free one when you buy/reload the card, and another free one when you use 5 washes in 'off peak' hours (6 PM to 11 AM) - so you actually end up with 7 washes for $50. The 'Ultimate' includes all the extras including a pressurized underbody spray as you drive in to the wash bay, one of my biggest requirements in the winter to clean off the road salt.

I'll use the pass sporadically through the winter on warmer days to get a full cleaning - seems to do a good job, and it's valid across Canada. I also have a waterless wash/wax product by Chemical Guys that I use in my garage, to keep it looking good in between full washes.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

I was on a hill and the water heater was in the garage. Thus, the garage was sloped toward the door. While a couple low spots produced puddles, I have a large floor squeegee to pull the water out of the garage.

In Kansas, I designed the garage floor with drains to accommodate my obsession with having a clean car.

Here in El Paso I am back to the squeegee method.

Awesome, a drained garage is def on my list.

Currently i use the driveway with a Pressure Washer and MTM PF22 Foam Cannon and microfiber mitt followed by dry with a leaf blower...touch up with quick detail (hard water spots are impossible to avoid) and im off.

Would love to route soft water to outside spiget but that seems more trouble than its worth.

The pressure washer and foam cannon combo is by far best thing i have bought for washing cars. i can do a quick maintenance wash and dry in about 30min to keep the AZ dust at bay.

 

[1RADKIA]

I am meticulous on the upkeep of my vehicles. Detailing used to take most of a full weekend! That was more than 20 years ago however, as I have been using waterless methods since then. Primarily Dri-wash N guard. I fully detail my cars using that and 303 Aerospace protectant, and the result speaks for itself. I get my complete vehicle finished in ~6-8 hours now. Inside/out, door jams, trunk, engine bay.... all maintained and look better than when I purchased the car. I live in a pretty forgiving climate with little mud/snow accumulation, so I don’t find myself having to spray off big chunks before applying Dri-wash. Read up on the products and decide for yourself if you care to. I have first hand experience (years worth!!) and will gladly answer any questions should you pose any. db

 

[VA-Mack]

I think my biggest issue is my schedule since I have a newborn at home and by the time i get home from work on the weekdays it's already dark outside. That only leaves the weekends where I could maybe squeeze in a wash Saturday morning for about an hour. The only problem with that is when the roads around here are treated for snow/ice and all of that salt is on my car for 5 days before i can get around to washing. I honestly think I just need to bite the bullet and take my car to an automated wash in those cases. Is there anything I could do to protect my car with taking it to an automated wash? I've looked and I can't find any brushless washes nearby, but they have a few "soft touch" washes.

 

[GRStinger]

I think my biggest issue is my schedule since I have a newborn at home and by the time i get home from work on the weekdays it's already dark outside. That only leaves the weekends where I could maybe squeeze in a wash Saturday morning for about an hour. The only problem with that is when the roads around here are treated for snow/ice and all of that salt is on my car for 5 days before i can get around to washing. I honestly think I just need to bite the bullet and take my car to an automated wash in those cases. Is there anything I could do to protect my car with taking it to an automated wash? I've looked and I can't find any brushless washes nearby, but they have a few "soft touch" washes.

Over our long winters, they use a LOT of salt on our roads. I know that hand-washing at home or at a metered wash-stall is the best for the car. But I KNOW that I can't/won't do it enough to really keep the salt off. The touch-less is an option – I’ll use them in summer – but in my experience they don’t do a good enough job in removing those winter ice/grime/salt cakes. There’s a car wash co. here that recently bought-out/opened about a dozen washes around town – including one about ¼ mile from my office. They’ve upgraded the washes and tout ‘soft-touch’. I’ve used ‘em a few times and I decided to buy their unlimited any-store premium wash for $29 mo. It’s ‘pick your poison’. I know that some owners cringe at the thought / the effects it can have on the finish, but I’m more worried about the effects of salt sitting on the finish and on the mechanicals for prolonged periods.

 

[nhcowboy28]

Hey fam,
I haven't had to deal with this issue in years since my last car was so old I just took it to a car wash throughout the whole winter. Now that I have a nice car again, and since car washes are terrible. How do you guys go about washing your car during the winter? At home? I live in VA and my pipes are frozen most of the winter and I don't really want to pay a detail shop to hand wash my car every week. What other options are there?

Touchless car wash... then detail by hand.

 

[MerlintheMad]

On freezing days, where day and night stays below freezing, for days on end, the grim specter of salt corrosion never sleeps. Also, washing freezes water in your door seals. Major nasty! I only have a carport. If I had a garage none of the constant freeze would be an issue. Fortunately, around here such spells of hell freezing over are not very common: but when they are, it seems that they will never end. I'm planning on hand washing on "warm" days, i.e. when daytime temps hit 40F and above. During the "spells", I plan on hitting the local detail shop. And, regardless, anytime the salted roads get wet again, I'm into the detail shop to get the underside of my car sprayed off; every week, more if necessary.

None of the above has occurred, yet: my Stinger still knows no winter hell. But I'm planning the above as my battle plan.

 

[BlaydeX15]

Touchless wash every 3 weeks, depending on how the car looks and if the weather gets warm enough. I've accepted cars get ugly in the winter, so I won't be anal about it. It regularly gets to -15ish here, so hand washing just turns to instant ice.