Battling Salt and Road Grime in The North Eastern US

Irishwoodchuck

Irishwoodchuck

New member
Joined
Oct 6, 2013
Messages
158
Reaction score
0
Does anyone have any tricks for battling against the elements? I don't have access to a garage and wash my car when it is warm enough to get it in above freezing that is. But the rest of the time I use a waterless wash and a detail spray. The salt really is disgusting up here and its a slushy mess any tricks?

Products Wash:
Duragloss

Waterless:
Pinnacle Waterless wash
 
$9 touch-less car wash with blow dry. Hopefully a strong coating or sealant on paint and windows before winter hits, will help stuff slide off when it warms or rains or when washed.

Since its warming this weekend, use a touchless wash first then take it home and try waterless wash. Follow up with a spray sealant.
 
1. Apply a coating.

2. Foam with Auto Finesse Avalanche. This is the only product I've seen recommended for this by manufacturer.

qujyta3a.jpg
 
Tue
37°21°
Wed
30°27°
Thu
41°25°
Fri
37°25°
Sat
36°25°

Looks Like its not going to be a warm wash Tuesday Im going to do a full wash though. My hand might go numb LOL
 
+1 for auto finesse avalanche snow foam, used it the other day on wife's vehicle and it cut thru the salt and road grime with ease...
 
weekendwarrior said:
$9 touch-less car wash with blow dry. Hopefully a strong coating or sealant on paint and windows before winter hits, will help stuff slide off when it warms or rains or when washed.

Since its warming this weekend, use a touchless wash first then take it home and try waterless wash. Follow up with a spray sealant.
Click to expand...

No touch less washes in my area.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
 
well then go to a self serve and just power wash as much of the crap off as you can then go home and do a waterless or rinseless.
 
dcjredline said:
well then go to a self serve and just power wash as much of the crap off as you can then go home and do a waterless or rinseless.
Click to expand...

:iagree:

This is the best way to go. I go through a touch-less wash, but the results aren't much different. I like the touch less wash as the one in my area has an underbody spray.
 
Today was great. Got up to 60 sumthing. Did a full handwash and threw o a fresh coat of megs nuba paste wax
 
Touch-less or coin op is what I do, followed by a waterless wash. The touchless/coin op will knock most of it off leaving a thin layer of grit or dirt underneath which can be safely wiped off with a fluffy microfiber towel and a good, slick waterless wash solution.

I prefer the coin op (high pressure rinse followed by spot-free rinse) over the touchless because I am concerned that the strong detergents used in the touchless (If touchless washing got cars clean than nobody on autogeek would advocate even a two bucket method as it would involve unnecessarily touching the car) washes. They use hardcore detergents to try and get it clean, but if APC or other degreasers can strip wax and sealants, then I'd be concerned about the detergents used in a touchless doing the same. (Coatings are an exception here as nothing can be sprayed on them to remove them. If it won't harm the clear, it won't harm a coating). But when it's below freezing, the blow dry is crucial and standing out spraying the car down can be miserable.

I also do a waterless wash at the end of every day when the roads are particularly bad. A lot of work; yes. But I find if I keep up with it and don't let anything build up, then I can negate the coin-op/touchless option. That's if it's just a thin layer of film and grit. Large chunks of grit (like salt) or stuck on snow/ice and other gunk MUST be sprayed off first. The pieces are far too large to get safely trapped up into a microfiber towels 'fingers' and thus WILL scratch the paint.
 
One thing I find is if your car is black or dark, and you pressure rinse it at the Pay-N-Spray, and THEN drive it home wet to wash it, you will likely get water spots. Maybe I'm just picky, or my water is too hard (200 ppm), but I did that once - no more.
 
dcjredline said:
well then go to a self serve and just power wash as much of the crap off as you can then go home and do a waterless or rinseless.
Click to expand...

This is probably the best way during cold crappy weather. So another vote for this.

No matter what; you're always going to be battling winter weather and your car will never be as clean as it can be during the summer.

Buuuuut having protection on the paint, glass, runners, plastics, metals, etc..will make everything much much easier.
 
Bkazzle said:
This is probably the best way during cold crappy weather. So another vote for this.

No matter what; you're always going to be battling winter weather and your car will never be as clean as it can be during the summer.

Buuuuut having protection on the paint, glass, runners, plastics, metals, etc..will make everything much much easier.
Click to expand...

+10000. I took delivery of my new car as a mean winter storm blew in. Did not let the dealership touch it. So for several days, I was doing the coin-op, then waterless wash method. So much work and everything stuck to the car.

Finally got a chance to polish, seal, and wax. Now, nothing really sticks to it (the salt and suck) and it wipes down and cleans up soooo easy. Makes an enormous difference.

swanicyouth said:
One thing I find is if your car is black or dark, and you pressure rinse it at the Pay-N-Spray, and THEN drive it home wet to wash it, you will likely get water spots. Maybe I'm just picky, or my water is too hard (200 ppm), but I did that once - no more.
Click to expand...

Some have a 'spot free rinse' option. Essentially it's filtered, softened DI/RO water. Spray the car down liberally with that stuff, and you should be good to go. You could also do the waterless wash in the wash bay- most places won't mind as they don't get a lot of business in the winter.
 
Still have room for taxpayers here in S. Florida if that solves your problem.
 
Romans5.8 said:
+10000. I took delivery of my new car as a mean winter storm blew in. Did not let the dealership touch it. So for several days, I was doing the coin-op, then waterless wash method. So much work and everything stuck to the car.

Finally got a chance to polish, seal, and wax. Now, nothing really sticks to it (the salt and suck) and it wipes down and cleans up soooo easy. Makes an enormous difference.



Some have a 'spot free rinse' option. Essentially it's filtered, softened DI/RO water. Spray the car down liberally with that stuff, and you should be good to go. You could also do the waterless wash in the wash bay- most places won't mind as they don't get a lot of business in the winter.
Click to expand...

Yeah, mine has the spot free rinse. I have no faith that water is any different than the regular water. Dunno. I can't see it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top