What brush to use to wash car in winter?

wgilles

wgilles

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I've tried searching and couldn't really find anything that narrowed this down.

As much as I would love to use my wash mit to wash my car in the winter, my hands getting frostbite just isn't very fun! Also, as much as I would like to purchase the Montana boars hair brush and stick it on a pole, I just don't have the income to justify a 70 dollar brush.

Can anyone recommend something to wash my car with in the winter? Is it safe to use a microfiber "mit" on a telescoping pole like you might find at Autozone? Any other insight is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
I'm assuming your vehicle is large?

do you have a garage? Most of us do rinseless washes in the garage.

When there is too much salt to safely do a rinseless I've done all of the following at one time or another then done a rinseless in the garage:

1. touchless wash at a gas station
2. coin op spraydown using their soap and rinse (no brushes or hot wax)
3. sprayed it down in the driveway using my garden hose

this winter hasn't been too bad but I've still managed to do all 3 over the past couple months. If it were colder, I'd be doing number 1 most often b/c I too, don't particularly enjoy freezing my bits off when washing my car.
 
I try and avoid using brushes on the car paint, thats just me though.

We usually get a fair amount of snow in pgh, although this year its been fairly light.

If the car condition is REALLY bad, slush on the sides, drying salt on windows and paint ect, I go to the coin op wand self washes, spray down the worst of it and then go home to DP rinseless wash off any remaining salt. (I hear you on the frostbite, if it is that cold I'll pick the warmest day I'm gonna get in the week and aim for that, although I have bartered to use friend's garages that are heated :D)

If its just salty with no real slush, a quick rinseless wash or, if weather permitting the coin op and then blow dry with a leaf blower, helps keeps the hands from getting wet hehe.

btw where are you located??
 
Last edited:
Tim,
It's actually a smaller car, a 2012 Ford Focus.

Eva,
I'll have to try a rinse-less wash, I've never done one before so it will be an experience to try that out.
 
well then you're in for a treat. Never have there been so many great rinseless and waterless concentrates out there to choose from.

They all work great and can be used for many purposes (clay lube, QD, water softener, rinseless/waterless washing)

I don't even buy QD's anymore. Why bother when I can make my own from a concentrate? Much cheaper by the oz and less products on the shelf (or rather more room for other products on the shelf).

haven't used all these b/c some are really new but I'm sure you can find reviews:

Ultima waterless wash plus
DP rinseless wash and gloss (they have a waterless too)
Optimum no rinse
Blackfire rinseless/waterless
Duragloss rinseless with aquawax
 
embolism said:
well then you're in for a treat. Never have there been so many great rinseless and waterless concentrates out there to choose from.

They all work great and can be used for many purposes (clay lube, QD, water softener, rinseless/waterless washing)

I don't even buy QD's anymore. Why bother when I can make my own from a concentrate? Much cheaper by the oz and less products on the shelf (or rather more room for other products on the shelf).

haven't used all these b/c some are really new but I'm sure you can find reviews:

Ultima waterless wash plus
DP rinseless wash and gloss (they have a waterless too)
Optimum no rinse
Blackfire rinseless/waterless
Duragloss rinseless with aquawax
Click to expand...

Thank you very much. I guess I'm just being "old school" on the rinseless/waterless systems because I can't understand how to get dirt off a car without a rinse, haha. I think I'm just being naive though.
 
Like the others, if it's really dirty, I'll go to the hand held wand wash bay and get the worst off, then do a rinseless in the garage. I use warm water in the buckets. You can also use nitrile gloves to keep your hands from getting wet.

You'll be surprised at the amount of dirt you get off after the car wash, unless yours is a lot better than the one here. If I have the time and ambition, I'll go over it with a quick detatiler after.

I do the windows with glass cleaner instead of the no rinse, just the way I do it.

My garage is semi heated, and almosts never freezes, but small enough I have to move the truck a few times to do. Inconvenient, but better than doing it outside.
 
Sorry, I missed answering your question. I use the same mitt I use in the summer, and a dedicated mitt for the wheels.

I too was a skeptic on no rinse, but tried it and like it.
 
wgilles said:
Thank you very much. I guess I'm just being "old school" on the rinseless/waterless systems because I can't understand how to get dirt off a car without a rinse, haha. I think I'm just being naive though.
Click to expand...


I was really hesitant to use the rinseless/waterless wash systems as well, but after buying a bottle I love it, although it will never completly replace a full regular wash.
 
Thanks for all the help everyone. I looked at some of the different waterless options they have. I'm a big fan of Poorboys products so I think I will try their waterless system and see how I like it.
 
When it's not yet that cold out, like Nov - Dec, (and then again this past week in some unseasonably warm weather) I just put some hot water from the shower in the bucket, add soap, and then top it with cold water from the hose until it's just warm, then use my mit.
 
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