Cold weather soap, Optimum Car Wash gels

DRamsey

DRamsey

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I had salt and crud all over my car, and even though it didn't get as warm as forecasted today, I decided to wash my car. It was 35 degrees and when I pulled out my chemicals, my Optimum Car Wash had turned to blue gel. I put it in some heated water and after a while it turned more or less back to normal. Does anybody have a go to cold weather soap?
 
In the cold I usually use a rinseless wash and fill my bucket or buckets (depending on what method I choose) with warm water.
 
I determined the car was too dirty for rinseless, I could have been wrong.
 
Whatever bulk detergent the touch less car wash uses is what I use below 40F, or below 50F is too dirty for waterless or rinseless.
 
I'm a little confused. Are you saying your soap turned to gel after you added it to your wash bucket or before? Sounds like you just need to store your soap indoors.

I washed my car with Optimum car wash a few weeks ago when it was in the low 40s here with no problems. I used hot water in both my buckets which helps also.
 
dpk20x said:
I'm a little confused. Are you saying your soap turned to gel after you added it to your wash bucket or before? Sounds like you just need to store your soap indoors.

I washed my car with Optimum car wash a few weeks ago when it was in the low 40s here with no problems. I used hot water in both my buckets which helps also.
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x2 on this. Low 40's = hot water in the bucket combined with car shampoo stored indoors. No problems whatsoever! :xyxthumbs:
 
OCW does not like cold. I had it outside in the garage when it got really cold a few weeks ago and it got very thick. Put it inside and a few hours later it went back to normal.
I left my duragloss car wash in the garage right next to it with no effects.
 
I try not to bring much of my detail related supplies into the house, I really don't want my wife to see how much money I've spent. If she knew the extent of it, there'd be more shoes in the closet. Hahahahaha.
 
DRamsey said:
I try not to bring much of my detail related supplies into the house, I really don't want my wife to see how much money I've spent. If she knew the extent of it, there'd be more shoes in the closet. Hahahahaha.
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Quoted for truth. LOL.

And yes optimum car wash soap is very particular about a the cold. I wonder what exactly is in it that doesn't function well below 40 or so degrees, and to what extent does that effect it's intended use?
 
Here's what mine looked like when it got cold. Kind of a marble finish
hyhepata.jpg
 
I mix my no-rinse car wash in warm water in the winter anyway, just as a matter of personal comfort. If it were so cold I had to worry about it freezing on the car, I would probably defer washing, although it wouldn't hurt if it did. I have had product freeze a little on the car when a cold front rolled in at the end of a wash session. It was no big deal.

I like no-rinse so much I go to the coin-op car wash and knock off the dirt with plain water and then drive it home and no-rinse. I am of the school that you want to rinse off the undercarriage in the wintertime anyway, although I know that's controversial with a few people.
 
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