Winter washing, when is it too cold?

[Fusss]

At what point is it just too cold to wash your car?

Is anything over freezing ok still?

[Chubbyross]

Fusss said:

At what point is it just too cold to wash your car?

Is anything over freezing ok still?

Simple answer: yes. I have one of my cars a full paint correction, including decontamination wash, when it was about 1 or 2 degrees over zero. Waxes get a bit iffy when it’s cold but washing a car can be done as long as the water is still liquid.

[Johnnytheboy]

It may have been a peculiarity of GRP bodywork, but I remember trying to wash my father's RS200 on a very cold day, and just covering it in a layer of ice instead.

[Fusss]

Wash and wax done, no problem

Now snowing haha

[Smint]

Did my daily this morning, don't like letting grime get ingrained in the alloys and a rinse off of any salt that's landed on the brakes is always worth doing.
13 years old and in better condition than most 10 years newer.

[vikingaero]

Fusss said:

At what point is it just too cold to wash your car?

Is anything over freezing ok still?

Use a couple of boiled kettles in the wash bucket. It staves off the ice long enough to allow a wash and stops your hand forming into an iced claw. Then rinse with a hose or jetwash. I find that the first panel to form ice is normally the roof with its large surface area to freeze. When that happens, I stop dragging the wash mitt over it and just resort to a simple spray down to dilute the salt and rinse off as much muck as possible.

[Pistonheader101]

Would wait for warmer temps. Double digits is best

[Dr Nookie]

I’d be worried it would just stay wet in all the hard to reach places and particularly underneath.
If I wash mine in cold weather, actually almost regardless , I always drive abound the block to shake out any trapped water and get it warm to help dry.

[MattyD803]

I've washed both of mine in quite low temps (using slightly warmer than usual water to keep things bareable).....but do keep an eye on the evening/overnight forecast.....for those whose cars live outside, i'm not convinced you want to be forcing water into all the nooks an crannies before a deep freeze over night.....especially if an area of the driveway will become an ice rink!

[Chubbyross]

Dr Nookie said:

I’d be worried it would just stay wet in all the hard to reach places and particularly underneath.
If I wash mine in cold weather, actually almost regardless , I always drive abound the block to shake out any trapped water and get it warm to help dry.

This is what I tend to do if the car’s had a full wash. It also clears the disks of oxidisation too.

[Smint]

During winter after several weeks of salting so probably 3 or so times i run my 4x4 in particular through a long local ford, give the underside a decent swill off, come April our cars all get a full underbody wash down and then underneath for inspection of and top up of rustproofing, then its time to service the brakes properly.

[Pica-Pica]

As long as the water running off will not stay and freeze on the ground, and become slippery, then that is OK.