Hey where do you guys wash your cars if you don't have a tent or a tree or any shade? I wash my grandmas car and every time it always leaves spots until it rains. I need to one step my miata and I don't want to have spots... I guess just wait until its below 70 outside?
How to avoid water spots? Where to wash car?
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They appear because it dries mid wash. And let me be clear... The spots are on the chrome trim and the glass. The car is white so I can't tell if they're there or not
zmcgovern45
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- Sep 5, 2012
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Who says you can't wash when the sun is down?
Many people won't consider this, but I wash cars at night all of the time, and in the summer, it takes away a lot of the pressure of rushing to try to avoid water spotting.
Most people have flood lighting outside of their garage, flip them on, set up a work light for added light, and go to town.
I've also got a 2 part article on the Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog about water spots and how to avoid them
Many people won't consider this, but I wash cars at night all of the time, and in the summer, it takes away a lot of the pressure of rushing to try to avoid water spotting.
Most people have flood lighting outside of their garage, flip them on, set up a work light for added light, and go to town.
I've also got a 2 part article on the Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog about water spots and how to avoid them
I wash with a waterless wash. It comes as a concentrate and it is mixed with distilled water.
16oz makes about 6 gallons. It doesn't spot. Even if I do a conventional wash I still use the same product as a drying aid like a quick detailer product. Even if I wash in the sun, it doesn't waterspot.
Try Ultima waterless wash plus.
Ultima Waterless Wash Plus+ Concentrate, concentrated waterless auto wash, waterless car wash
For $18 you can get 6 gallons of detail spray. And, no spots. I buy a gallon of distilled water at the store, splash out 3 ounces on the driveway, then replace the 3 oz from the Ultima bottle. Shake it up and spray the car, and wipe. It's so easy it's seems like cheating.
:xyxthumbs:
16oz makes about 6 gallons. It doesn't spot. Even if I do a conventional wash I still use the same product as a drying aid like a quick detailer product. Even if I wash in the sun, it doesn't waterspot.
Try Ultima waterless wash plus.
Ultima Waterless Wash Plus+ Concentrate, concentrated waterless auto wash, waterless car wash
For $18 you can get 6 gallons of detail spray. And, no spots. I buy a gallon of distilled water at the store, splash out 3 ounces on the driveway, then replace the 3 oz from the Ultima bottle. Shake it up and spray the car, and wipe. It's so easy it's seems like cheating.
:xyxthumbs:
Desertnate
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- Aug 5, 2013
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I wash my cars in the sun all the time. Our neighborhood isn't old enough to have large trees. I do try and wash early in the morning or later in the after noon when the sun isn't as hot or direct.
For smaller cars, I just move rapidly and try to get done before things dry out completely. When doing our SUV, I'll only rinse/wash the panel right in front of me to keep having water dry on a panel between the first rinse and the actual washing. I'll even do the roof last as it's the most exposed/hottest area. It's probably not the "proper" way to wash a vehicle, but I've been able to cut down on water spotting.
Once I've flooded the surface as a final rinse, I'll use a QD, waterless wash, or spray wax as a drying aid. I've found this eliminates any water spots that may have formed while drying.
For smaller cars, I just move rapidly and try to get done before things dry out completely. When doing our SUV, I'll only rinse/wash the panel right in front of me to keep having water dry on a panel between the first rinse and the actual washing. I'll even do the roof last as it's the most exposed/hottest area. It's probably not the "proper" way to wash a vehicle, but I've been able to cut down on water spotting.
Once I've flooded the surface as a final rinse, I'll use a QD, waterless wash, or spray wax as a drying aid. I've found this eliminates any water spots that may have formed while drying.
parshooter
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- May 17, 2015
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This is why I love rinseless washing. No water is on the car long enough to dry and spot. And with a black car, that's huge.
Mantilgh
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- Dec 6, 2014
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Pretty much what everyone has said here.
If forced to work in the sun, just use more water to keep the surface cool and keep rewetting previously washed sections until you're done. Or, wash the roof and glass and dry. Then wash another section and dry that and whatever areas you got a little water on, and repeat. It's a little extra work, and can be kind of a chasing your tail situation.
Most of the time just drying with a dampened drying towel takes them away. If not that then waterless, rinseless, detail spray, or spray wax as you dry. If that doesn't work then they were probably already there.
Waterless and rinseless washes used very wet alone are nice for this in the sun. Done section by section drying as you go.
What is the car wash soap that you are using?
And are you rinsing the soap off well enough?
If forced to work in the sun, just use more water to keep the surface cool and keep rewetting previously washed sections until you're done. Or, wash the roof and glass and dry. Then wash another section and dry that and whatever areas you got a little water on, and repeat. It's a little extra work, and can be kind of a chasing your tail situation.
Most of the time just drying with a dampened drying towel takes them away. If not that then waterless, rinseless, detail spray, or spray wax as you dry. If that doesn't work then they were probably already there.
Waterless and rinseless washes used very wet alone are nice for this in the sun. Done section by section drying as you go.
What is the car wash soap that you are using?
And are you rinsing the soap off well enough?
FUNX650
New member
- Dec 1, 2010
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•Whenever the Sun is bearing down on the vehicle,
and me...I'll most often let the panels' temperature
be the determining factor of whether if it's too hot,
or not, for a car-washing session.
•That's strange to have the water-spotting (from
washing the vehicle) being removed when it rains...
Seems like it's usually the other way around!
IMHO:
There really shouldn't be any formations of water
spotting occuring when performing a one-step.
So..Have at it!!
Bob
Wash early in the day or late in the day.
The water at our other house has very hard water that leads to spots during a traditional wash. This house has a better treatment system and the water yields very few spots.
But I usually do a rinsless wash and never get spots. Rinsless is just easier anyways.
builthatch
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- May 25, 2008
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this.
cardaddy
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- Nov 20, 2012
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Rinseless formulations do tend to help with that ever pesky 'spotting' problem. Even if you do them at minimal dilutions, for instance Megs D114 can make 256 gallons! 
If you have hard water, then I'd suggest mixing some D114 (or your choice of rinseless) with distilled water at minimal dilution ratios. You can pick up a 52 ounce pump sprayer at Lowes or Home Depot, complete with a brass nozzle that'll be GREAT for applying your rinseless solution as a "QD" spray to remove water spots once you're in out of the sun.
Here we're blessed with not having hard water so I generally don't have to worry about water spots. Although... I ALWAYS mix anything in a sprayer with distilled water.
About the only problem with washing at night however is trying to get the darned thing dry. After a certain point, as the temps drop, the dew point rises, as soon as you wipe the surface (at least the horizontal ones) they 'fog' over again.
That's where I do what I can outside, then move to the garage and finish. 
If you have hard water, then I'd suggest mixing some D114 (or your choice of rinseless) with distilled water at minimal dilution ratios. You can pick up a 52 ounce pump sprayer at Lowes or Home Depot, complete with a brass nozzle that'll be GREAT for applying your rinseless solution as a "QD" spray to remove water spots once you're in out of the sun.
Here we're blessed with not having hard water so I generally don't have to worry about water spots. Although... I ALWAYS mix anything in a sprayer with distilled water.
About the only problem with washing at night however is trying to get the darned thing dry. After a certain point, as the temps drop, the dew point rises, as soon as you wipe the surface (at least the horizontal ones) they 'fog' over again.
That's where I do what I can outside, then move to the garage and finish. 
Eldorado2k
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2015
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What kind of car wash soap do you use? I hear Meguiars M62 is supposed to be good for this, but I've never tried it.
SYMAWD
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- Feb 10, 2013
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Adam's for non-coated cars and CG Citrus Wash and Gloss for coated cars.
MOST people have flood lighting??!! Really?Who says you can't wash when the sun is down?
Many people won't consider this, but I wash cars at night all of the time, and in the summer, it takes away a lot of the pressure of rushing to try to avoid water spotting.
Most people have flood lighting outside of their garage, flip them on, set up a work light for added light, and go to town.
I've also got a 2 part article on the Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog about water spots and how to avoid them
You lost all credibility with me by saying that.
Additionally if you live in an HOA area, there are restrictions which may or may not include what you suggest..... certainly there are "quiet" times which would preclude using any type machinery such as running a pressure washer..... geez.... people who say things like "most people" NONE of us know "MOST" people..... especially Ubuuma.... baahhaaaaa
zmcgovern45
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- Sep 5, 2012
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Good point... My buckets and hose make a lot of noise. Not sure how my neighbors tolerate it.