Outdoor detailing for those that hate the outdoors

mightypudge

mightypudge

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</rant>

Good morning, AGO! I took the day off from work and had the morning to myself, so I figured it might be nice to give the GTI a waterless washing before it got too hot outside. I was wrong.

The first thing that hit me the second I walked out the front door was the humidity; like pea soup, but worse. I didn't know 78 degrees could feel so disgusting and uncomfortable. I was sweating before picking up my first microfiber towel. But I was determined to make the best of it, so I carried on. Within seconds of finishing my first panel, every living insect in a quarter mile radius seemed to convene on my general location. I am allergic to bee stings, so when four or five of those suckers start buzzing me, I tend to get antsy. Mosquitos are another big problem around here, and the problem seems to worsen in high humidity. Not to mention, they seem fully resistant to whatever repellent I wear. The final straw was the fallout from the flying pests. I believe there are a few thousand birds nesting nearby. They seem to take a direct route over my car as they fly to and from their perches, dropping detritus and berry-colored acid bombs in the process.

Pardon my flair for the melodramatic. I truly do hate the outdoors and always have, even as a child, so I tend to exaggerate. One of these days I will win the lottery and, with the proceeds, buy a house with an enormous air-conditioned garage.

I don't think I have a question, just venting I suppose. If anyone has any stories of the outdoors they'd like to share, or advice for those of us that hate nature, feel free to share.

</end rant>
 
mightypudge said:
</rant>

Good morning, AGO! I took the day off from work and had the morning to myself, so I figured it might be nice to give the GTI a waterless washing before it got too hot outside. I was wrong.

The first thing that hit me the second I walked out the front door was the humidity; like pea soup, but worse. I didn't know 78 degrees could feel so disgusting and uncomfortable. I was sweating before picking up my first microfiber towel. But I was determined to make the best of it, so I carried on. Within seconds of finishing my first panel, every living insect in a quarter mile radius seemed to convene on my general location. I am allergic to bee stings, so when four or five of those suckers start buzzing me, I tend to get antsy. Mosquitos are another big problem around here, and the problem seems to worsen in high humidity. Not to mention, they seem fully resistant to whatever repellent I wear. The final straw was the fallout from the flying pests. I believe there are a few thousand birds nesting nearby. They seem to take a direct route over my car as they fly to and from their perches, dropping detritus and berry-colored acid bombs in the process.

Pardon my flair for the melodramatic. I truly do hate the outdoors and always have, even as a child, so I tend to exaggerate. One of these days I will win the lottery and, with the proceeds, buy a house with an enormous air-conditioned garage.

I don't think I have a question, just venting I suppose. If anyone has any stories of the outdoors they'd like to share, or advice for those of us that hate nature, feel free to share.

</end rant>
Click to expand...

I'm a real believer in "to each his own", and would never criticize anyone for a lack of love for the outdoors. Even my fondness only goes so far - I have been very active with the Boy Scouts for many years, but only go on a couple campouts per year, and that is because I can't stand sleeping on the ground. I only go when setting up a hammock is an option.

But I do feel badly that you don't enjoy being outside. All of those irritations are real, for sure, but to me, they can't compare to the smell of fresh air, the sun shining on my face, the chirping of the bomb - producers, a deer occasionally wondering by. These experiences are spectacular to me, and well worth putting up with the things you mention.

Again, to each his own, but for me, when it's time to move my work indoors fulltime in the late fall, I long to open the garage door back up again and get back to being outside.
 
I am with you MP, I really don't care for the outdoors either. I don't like the heat or sunlight, probably why I have worked 3rd shift for so many years. I only go out to do what I have to do to maintain my property. When it comes to detailing I usually go out on friday nights when the sun is about to go down, wash and get it back in the garage and finish up. Interior work usually happens on sunday mornings, I start around 4am.

I even quit golf a few years ago because of the sun,heat,humidity,bugs. I like the game, but when I need my golf fix I go to a driving range (more of a practice facility) that is open late and has lights. Go there smack a bucket of balls off, they have a couple putting greens with enough room to play with the wedges. This is why I am a bowler, its indoors and climate controlled, plus I have never lost a ball at the alley!
 
"Even quit golf"? Now that's blasphemous!

I would like to reduce the number of balls I lose. But hitting those bowling balls with a golf club hurts!
 
That does sound pretty miserable and I do not miss the humidity and bugs. Out in AZ here, we have the extreme heat, but I really enjoy getting up when the sun comes up and detailing. I'm a weekend detailer and I'm sitting here at my full time job (software developer) and can't wait to get back out there tomorrow morning. I have no bugs or humidity to deal with, but it will most likely be 90*+ when I start at 5:30am. I'm hoping to knock out the F-150 that I have scheduled in around 4-5 hours, collect my $200, and enjoy the rest of the day in the A/C in doors.
 
I'm with you as it pertains to the heat, humidity and bugs....I hate the summer....I barely go outside. If I'm washing a car, I start at 0600 and get it inside before I run out of shade.
 
Same. I am out the door at 6AM Saturday morning. Get the Xterra clean and done. You can not do a proper wash with the sun beating down and oppressive temps. Neighbors probably think I am nuts. LOL //
 
Same here as Pro 4x, early morning for real car washes, or on weekdays, occasionally at night, before the sun is fully down. Otherwise it’s quick waterless or Rinseless in my small 1 car garage.
 
When I lived in southern NM for 14 years, I should've been a Shaman, just going to any drought stricken area with a can-bottle of Wax in hand, whip it out, start putting it on my vehicle, and guaranteed, within 24 hours, and more commonly within 8-12, the rains would come. 97.9% of the time.

The other 2.1%, it would be high winds accompanied by nasty dusts of various sorts, often white outs.

At least in NM I had a carport. Here I have zero so far for any protection, been searching for 10 months for a home-property to buy, and have not had any luck.

I've been wanting to re-coat my truck with CQuartz, have the product on hand, and it seems when I might eventually get the chance to do a full de-con, polish, etc and coat, the product will be a crystal hard slug in the bottle.

Been hot here in the Midwest this past month, brutal and yeah, the humidity makes you soaked and miserable. So much sweat running into my eyes, I'm half blind for 2 days after.
 
mightypudge said:
I truly do hate the outdoors and
always have, even as a child...

If anyone has any stories of the outdoors
they'd like to share, or advice for those
of us that hate nature, feel free to share.
Click to expand...
•IMHO:
-Rollicking outdoors in the Sunshine
is a very healthy activity,

•Vitamin D is needed by humans so the
body can effectively absorb Calcium.

-Calcium helps to build and maintain the
bones in humans.

-Humans get ~90% of their Vitamin D
requirement from exposure to Sunshine.


Bob
 
Look forward to the"I hate winter,snow and salt" rant soon
 
I'm in the early morning/late evening camp as far as washing/detailing.

Otherwise, I love the outdoors. I've worked outside my whole life, and love getting out on the boat fishing, or putzing around in the yard with my dogs.
 
I love working outside. Part of the reason I do this with my boy. But it was 105* today and I was pretty glad when we wrapped it up at 4.
 
MarkD51 said:
When I lived in southern NM for 14 years, I should've been a Shaman, just going to any drought stricken area with a can-bottle of Wax in hand, whip it out, start putting it on my vehicle, and guaranteed, within 24 hours, and more commonly within 8-12, the rains would come. 97.9% of the time.

The other 2.1%, it would be high winds accompanied by nasty dusts of various sorts, often white outs.

At least in NM I had a carport. Here I have zero so far for any protection, been searching for 10 months for a home-property to buy, and have not had any luck.

I've been wanting to re-coat my truck with CQuartz, have the product on hand, and it seems when I might eventually get the chance to do a full de-con, polish, etc and coat, the product will be a crystal hard slug in the bottle.

Been hot here in the Midwest this past month, brutal and yeah, the humidity makes you soaked and miserable. So much sweat running into my eyes, I'm half blind for 2 days after.
Click to expand...

Yup! Pretty well describes the wx in Southern MN.

Bill
 
I am not a big fan of the hazy, hot and humid days of summer either. I spent the week at my corporate office in Chesapeake, VA and I brought along my rinseless washing gear along with some cleaning supplies and towels. The air was so heavy with humidity that I couldn't even breathe outside. We can also have hot and humid days in southern New England and to cope with that during a detailing session here are some things that I do.
If possible, work at dawn or at dusk. If that is not possible, then:
Set up a 10 x 15 pop up to provide some instant shade.
Wear a wicking material t shirt to help keep dry.
Spray bug repellent and sun screen all over. You will smell like kerosene but nothing will come near you.
Wear a hat to cover the bald spot on top of your head.
Keep a sweat towel handy.
Use the sports cooling towel and wrap it around your neck.
Stay hydrated with water and Gatorade. (No beers, no scotch, no grappa)
Run cold water over your wrists once in a while.
 
I love being outdoors! Summer and Spring are my favorite! IMO,it does you some good to sweat out some of the stuff we put in our bodies these days. I work in heat so I am used to it though. I did some claying and polishing on my wife's G8 Thursday evening,and there wasn't a dry thread on me when I finished.

Only thing about the outdoors is the possibility of other people being outside. That's why I love Summer the most. In the Fall,all the old and nosy folks will be out and about. Just my personal experience.
 
UncleDavy said:
I am not a big fan of the hazy, hot and humid days of summer either. I spent the week at my corporate office in Chesapeake, VA and I brought along my rinseless washing gear along with some cleaning supplies and towels. The air was so heavy with humidity that I couldn't even breathe outside. We can also have hot and humid days in southern New England and to cope with that during a detailing session here are some things that I do.
If possible, work at dawn or at dusk. If that is not possible, then:
Set up a 10 x 15 pop up to provide some instant shade.
Wear a wicking material t shirt to help keep dry.
Spray bug repellent and sun screen all over. You will smell like kerosene but nothing will come near you.
Wear a hat to cover the bald spot on top of your head.
Keep a sweat towel handy.
Use the sports cooling towel and wrap it around your neck.
Stay hydrated with water and Gatorade. (No beers, no scotch, no grappa)
Run cold water over your wrists once in a while.
Click to expand...

You might want to try replacing the sweat towel with a tube sports cooling towel. You put one end of the tube over your head and flip the rest of the towel back over your head. When the towel stops cooling, take it off, snap the other end of the tube and replace on head. Nothing I have ever done has made as big of an impact on my ability to work in heat as this has.
 
ducksfan said:
You might want to try replacing the sweat towel with a tube sports cooling towel. You put one end of the tube over your head and flip the rest of the towel back over your head. When the towel stops cooling, take it off, snap the other end of the tube and replace on head. Nothing I have ever done has made as big of an impact on my ability to work in heat as this has.
Click to expand...

I do use the sports cooling towel but I usually wrap it around my neck. Putting it on top of my head may be a better option.
 
UncleDavy said:
I do use the sports cooling towel but I usually wrap it around my neck. Putting it on top of my head may be a better option.
Click to expand...

Yeah, try the tube though. Much easier to use on your head and very easy to switch end to end. You could probably use the tube on your head and towel on your neck. I actually have a shirt made of the same material, but haven’t tried it out yet. I don’t know how effective it will be since you can’t snap it.
 
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