What do mobile detailers do in the winter?

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Joshua Centanni

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How do you go about doing mobile detailing in the winter? Particularly if you are located in a large city where people don't have personal garages for you to work in.

I'm curious to hear your input.
 
Down here in Florida, we typically just put on a jacket and deal with the cool weather, but we never have freezing temps. ONR helps make life easier along with a good space heater and a closed side canopy. Even on a 40 degree day I can get my canopy up to 65 or so inside.
 
As is always brought up...I work my ass off in the freezing cold. Just takes a lot longer to wash a car than normal since I have stop once I loose feeling to one of my hands and go stand by a heater. I think the worse I have washed a car in was when it was a high of 28 and over cast.
 
i usually do a quick spray down of the car make sure i get all/most of the heavy dirt off then wash it with ONR with HOT! water in 2 buckets! then change buckets if the water gets cold again! lol... i know its a PITA but it keeps my hands and me warm! lol:buffing:
 
JonMiles said:
Down here in Florida, we typically just put on a jacket and deal with the cool weather, but we never have freezing temps. ONR helps make life easier along with a good space heater and a closed side canopy. Even on a 40 degree day I can get my canopy up to 65 or so inside.
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Nice. The space heater is a great idea - I hadn't thought of that before.

Mirror Detailing said:
As is always brought up...I work my ass off in the freezing cold. Just takes a lot longer to wash a car than normal since I have stop once I loose feeling to one of my hands and go stand by a heater. I think the worse I have washed a car in was when it was a high of 28 and over cast.
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It's good to know that winter washing can be done, the temperatures you're talking about is what I'm used to seeing.

350z00m said:
i usually do a quick spray down of the car make sure i get all/most of the heavy dirt off then wash it with ONR with HOT! water in 2 buckets! then change buckets if the water gets cold again! lol... i know its a PITA but it keeps my hands and me warm! lol:buffing:
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I'd be the hot water helps a lot!

What about compounding, polishing, sealing and waxing? Have you done any of those in the lower temperatures? How did that work out? Are these even possible when it's below 32 degrees?
 
i would get all the poishing /compounding done before it get THAT cold....and when it does get too cold for polishing all u have to do is routine washes in the winter... :dblthumb2:
 
I know a lot of you guys are mobile. But do you ever consider having your customers come to you, where you can pull the car into your garage (assuming you have a garage)? I'm not sure I'd be taking on any work in the winter unless they had a garage to at least dry the car off in.

Do you have any problems with using people's water in that kind of weather? I usually take my hose off the spigot when temperatures start falling below freezing, which is actually coming very soon here in northeast Indiana. I'm guessing some of you have run into issues with frozen water lines?

Mark
 
thing about the garage is I would want some room and a lot of lighting. I dont detail in the winter. this right now is the latest I have detailed into the year, but it is not my complete income.
 
What do mobile detailers do in the winter?

Try to stay warm ........ :dblthumb2:
 
Here in New England it's tough to do any detailing in the winter unless you have your own garage/shop. Mobile detailing is basically impossible since the temps through the winter are typically below freezing.
 
Offer "Gift Certificates" for people to purchase for your services and give for Christmas Gifts. This can help you to get income during slow months...

Branch out and offer other services, tinting windows, headlight restoration, clear bras, paintless dent repair, odor removal etc.


:)
 
I believe most of them plow snow! :D

Unless they also have a fixed location, mobile detailing (outside anyway) stops in sub-zero temps. Heck even the local coin-opp washes close up shop around here when it gets real cold.
 
My Nomad Pressure Washer,with ONR in it. A bucket and my space heater. I try to work inside customers garages!
 
Do you have any problems with using people's water in that kind of weather? I usually take my hose off the spigot when temperatures start falling below freezing, which is actually coming very soon here in northeast Indiana. I'm guessing some of you have run into issues with frozen water lines?
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Same here in Central Indiana. Last winter I ran a hose to my washing machine hot water line, my entry door to the house in the garage had to stay cracked open but I used a towel so the cold air wouldnt get in as easy.

I once washed my old truck when it was new in 10 degree weather (it was covered in salt and I couldnt take it anymore) with hot water that was a fun experience. Basically had a block of ice until the sun came out to dethaw it.
 
BobbyG shouldn't that be drink beer, stay warm and watch fooball.:cheers:
 
They go crazy, Im tring to find away to keep my water tank form freezing . I cant afford to drain it every night . Need to detail cars going through withdraw
 
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