# what to do during the winter



## Blackmondie (Mar 13, 2011)

How do you all clean your cars during the winter?
I'm wondering how Professional mobile detailers do their business during the rainy and freezing wether...


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## James Bagguley (Jul 13, 2013)

They must be made of stern stuff! 
I was wondering about ONR or something similar to cut down on "refrigeration" time, brrrrrrr


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## Blackmondie (Mar 13, 2011)

I was also looking at ONR, but I thought LowiePete says not to use it when there is roadsalt on the car. so that's out of the question...


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## James Bagguley (Jul 13, 2013)

Damn! I suppose it makes sense though, i suppose we will all end up with frost bite then


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

Blackmondie said:


> I was also looking at ONR, but I thought LowiePete says not to use it when there is roadsalt on the car. so that's out of the question...


You *can* use ONR in winter, just don't try the bucketless wash method if you
have road-salt on the paint. Sections 12 and 13 of the ONR FAQ & Guide will
describe a couple of methods to use, adopt either according to situation.

ONR is absolutely ideal in winter because it's so easy to use and you won't be
creating an ice-rink around you...

Regards,
Steve


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## Twisterboy (Sep 22, 2010)

I tend to do waterless cleaning in the winter (through for some reason I have much preferred to do it over the summer as well) I tend to clean mine more often in the winter at least once a week or every two weeks. If it's been a really bad winter like the last couple of years the car tends to sit filthy for at least a month.

Davy


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## Blackmondie (Mar 13, 2011)

I already clean it weekly, and I would like to keep this up


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## alan1971 (Apr 11, 2013)

Blackmondie said:


> I already clean it weekly, and I would like to keep this up


just wrap up warm and get out there and clean it.
but lets face it, majority of our winters are mild, and well above freezing.


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## wadoryu (Jan 28, 2010)

Pressure washer/hose under blanket. Rinse down normally and a bag of grit for the inevitable ice rink.


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## Kenny Powers (May 29, 2013)

alan1971 said:


> just wrap up warm and get out there and clean it.
> but lets face it, *majority of our winters are mild, and well above freezing*.


You've just tempted fate there!


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## alan1971 (Apr 11, 2013)

wadoryu said:


> Pressure washer/hose under blanket. Rinse down normally and a bag of grit for the inevitable ice rink.


yeh exactly, i always buy a few bags of salt, after washing the car, i just sprinkle a littleover where its wet, it certainly helps.
main thing is keeping your hoses and pressure washer in a warmish place, so it does'nt freeze up inside.


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## s29nta (Mar 9, 2013)

I am out doin mine as close to the normal routine as the weather allows during the winter months:thumb:


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## alan1971 (Apr 11, 2013)

Kenny Powers said:


> You've just tempted fate there!


lol...winter just gone i would say we had about 3 weeks where it was bad, rest was very mild.
bit of topic, but i keep koi in the pond, so im always keeping a eye on the temps in winter.


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

What you can do is use CG HFE; about 2 capfuls in half a bucket. Give the 
paint an ONR pre-spray (32:1). Use a padded MF noodle mitt, the ones with
a strap rather than the hand insertion types, so you gather a fair bit of water 
into it but it doesn't drip everywhere. Only squeeze out enough water so that 
you will dissolve the salt but not flood everywhere.

Gently remove the worst of the dirt, frequently rinsing the mitt out. Then do 
the bucketless ONR wash routine as your final clean-up and drying method. It 
might add about 5 to 10 minutes to your washing time, but it'll be quite safe.

I've just done this as a quick clean-up of 15 year's worth of grime build up on
my R5GTT. It worked a treat.

Regards,
Steve


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## Daveskater (Jan 13, 2012)

Sounds like some manning up needs to be done imo 

Bang some disposable rubber gloves on and then carry on as normal. Sorted.


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## Blackmondie (Mar 13, 2011)

Daveskater said:


> Sounds like some manning up needs to be done imo
> 
> Bang some disposable rubber gloves on and then carry on as normal. Sorted.


I've done the normal wash the last few years, but that's not always a pleasure to do.
I'll try the ONR wash once, but not the bucketless or so, not so keen on that (mostly because I trust myself )


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## CJC (Sep 3, 2011)

Pi** off to another country thats what I would like to do during winter.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

I'm seriously considering getting something like the Nomad portable washer, just for the winter.

Saves getting the hose out and getting nagged by mother that the outside tap will freeze...


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Personally, as long as the salt is rinsed off the body and undercarriage, I don't worry if it doesn't look pretty. As long as it won't corrode it can wait till the better weather for anything too involved.


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## Callummarshall (Oct 19, 2012)

I just wash it normally once or twice a week depending on how dirty it is, change off my summer/show waxes and on to 3/4 coats of hard wearing sealant such as AM seal or FK1000p which lasts me the duration of the winter when applied october time.

The only thing i find is you have to wash the car in the peak of the day so there is less moisture in the air and its easier to wash the car and use products such as quick detailer and glass cleaner. 

Snow/ rain isn't really an issue to me neither bother me ill wash the car regardless :lol::lol:


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

What about just snow foaming with magi foam, will magi foam shift the road salt off the wheels and paint with ease, I often find pressure washing alone does not shift the road salt off and debris, the paint will need a contact wash in the winter.

Still have to do my protection detail yet, but the weather is turning colder by the day.


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

My winter washes normally consist of a good rinse, snow foam and pre wash IE Valet pro citrus pre wash then blow dry. No car can look it's best in the winter months but it's all about keeping as much salt and muck off as possible.

Hope this helps


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## igor0924 (Nov 19, 2011)

In winter i wash mine in a carwash right next to my work. But i bring my products and wash it myself there, they must think that im sort of "car ****ot"... 
In estonia it's a common sight when you spend little bit more time with your car


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## TigerUK (Apr 1, 2012)

yeah. IMO jst take a break in Winter and Jan, you can clean late into novemeber and early february without any problems.

I avoid December and January not because it's cold but because it rains and snows a lot so ta cleaning doesn't really last. Like this weekend, it rained 3 days before saturday, and then it's going to rain next 2-3 days as well. So no point doing any cleaning this weekend.


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## Strongey (Apr 16, 2013)

TigerUK said:


> yeah. IMO jst take a break in Winter and Jan, you can clean late into novemeber and early february without any problems.
> 
> I avoid December and January not because it's cold but because it rains and snows a lot so ta cleaning doesn't really last. Like this weekend, it rained 3 days before saturday, and then it's going to rain next 2-3 days as well. So no point doing any cleaning this weekend.


employ your local approved valeter or detailer - you know they'll do a good job without inducing swirls, you havent had to brave the cold, and you know theyll be glad of the work in the winter months :thumb:


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## Chris Dyson (Feb 29, 2012)

alan1971 said:


> just wrap up warm and get out there and clean it.
> but lets face it, majority of our winters are mild, and well above freezing.


Ditto. More layers (on you not the car) and plenty of hot water in your buckets. A good tip, when it is really cold, is to put a pair of neoprene gloves on over a pair of thin thermal gloves. Keeps your hands warm and the thermal gloves dry.


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

Trip tdi said:


> What about just snow foaming with magi foam, will magi foam shift the road salt off the wheels and paint with ease, I often find pressure washing alone does not shift the road salt off and debris, the paint will need a contact wash in the winter.
> 
> Still have to do my protection detail yet, but the weather is turning colder by the day.


foaming wont remove road salt, a traffic film will also we left behind


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

alan1971 said:


> lol...winter just gone i would say we had about 3 weeks where it was bad, rest was very mild.
> bit of topic, but i keep koi in the pond, so im always keeping a eye on the temps in winter.


I thought this winter was quite bad and certainly long, it may just have been an average one but years before we had mild so made it seem like a bad one.

Either way my gas bills made it look like a bad one last year!


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## andy monty (Dec 29, 2007)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-206474/Big-freeze-way.html

:doublesho :lol:


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## Blackmondie (Mar 13, 2011)

andy monty said:


> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-206474/Big-freeze-way.html
> 
> :doublesho :lol:


damn, I'll prep the car this week then...


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## TigerUK (Apr 1, 2012)

Strongey said:


> employ your local approved valeter or detailer - you know they'll do a good job without inducing swirls, you havent had to brave the cold, and you know theyll be glad of the work in the winter months :thumb:


i would love to be able to hand over to someone else, unfortunatelyv I use zaino and when using zaino you really shouldn't use any other type of waxes on. So I could never give up the car over to valeters in case they use different waxes which I'm sure they will.


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

We just have 40f winters and no salt.


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## djgregory (Apr 2, 2013)

Mirror Finish Details said:


> We just have 40f winters and no salt.


Winter wouldnt be the same without all the rain/snow etc.


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

I use ONR and wear latex gloves over normal winter gloves dor warmth


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## beko1987 (Jul 25, 2010)

I do as little as possible! Haven't done much car cleaning this summer what with having a daughter and all, but starting to think about the winter protection.

Got my stepdads to do tomorrow, will be decon, wheels, wash, clay, wash, dry, SRP or UDS, Black Hole and a few layers of nattys blue, rainx on the windows and lights and trim dressed.

Do roughly this to all 3 cars that I do, then maybe around xmas do a maintanance wash and topup of wax, then probably leave it at that until the snow goes around april!


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

a good foam and pre wash, then rinse and blow dry. sorted.


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## ted11 (Jul 8, 2011)

I carry on with the retorations.


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## VW STEVE. (Mar 18, 2012)

alan1971 said:


> just wrap up warm and get out there and clean it.
> but lets face it, majority of our winters are mild, and well above freezing.


where have you been the last few?. Over here have been terible & def not car cleaning weather :detailer:.


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## iPlod999 (Jun 23, 2012)

Man up and get on with it!


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## Waylander-A4 (May 29, 2013)

Did they find you later with a carrot for a nose and twigs for arms iplod ha ha


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## andy monty (Dec 29, 2007)

car got a Cquartz treatment over summer...

rubber mats are in.....


underseal and cavity wax is done and topped up....


only job to do now is whip off alloys swap to winter steelies and trims with winter tyres,,, (got 2 tyres replaced this afternoon since they were close to 4mm of tread) 

then a weekly foam & rinse along with a chassis wash will do me till spring (with the occasional hand wash if the weather suddenly turns warm)


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