Washing a car at -1

[Lee]

As I opened the blinds in the bedroom this morning at 7.30 I couldn't help but notice the guy who lives opposite me was washing his car!!! WTF. My car was iced over still so surely he's risking doing some damage?

The guy obviously has OCD as he washes it most days. It's a silver Zafira so never really looks dirty.

 

[Graham Gooch]

Nutter.

 

[-Leigh-]

Can't see him doing any damage, just fooking mad.

 

[kully]

defo a nutter

 

[Lee]

I'd expect it to freeze over pretty much straight away too. He was using warm water as I could see the steam rising.

 

[Ben.]

crazy! might be acceptable if it wasnt a zafira

 

[Nigel]

I've washed my car early in the morning before at about -3. After a few minutes the water around the car had started to freeze and it was like an ice rink. I haven't done it again since, rather it stays dirty.

 

[kully]

then again aint you said before that guy isn't normal anyway

 

[Lee]

I've washed my car early in the morning before at about -3. After a few minutes the water around the car had started to freeze and it was like an ice rink. I haven't done it again since, rather it stays dirty.

I did mine on my parents drive last winter and by the time I'd finished I had to hold onto the car to stop me sliding over on the ice!

 

[Nigel]

It's not fun and I learnt my lesson. Lol.

 

[The Hoff]

I washed, clayed, udm'd mine yesterday and by the time I'd finished it was 4:30pm and my roof had frozen over.

Got to go back out today and put some EGP on it, otherwise the whole thing was fking pointless. Although claying it was soooo good, spotless now

 

[DebV6]

I washed my last car once when it was frezzing outside, the water just froze on the car, never again!

 

[Monkey_beast_182]

It's all because hot water freezes more quickly than water at a lower temperature - thermal conductivity and termperature gradients - oh the joys of degree level physics!

 

[Brand86]

When I was working at a dealership we had to stand outside for most of the 8 hour day...and change buckets as and when they froze over!

The only plus side was that it got dark earlier so we finished early, but my hands were so cold it was untrue. Thinking about it, I hated that job!!

 

[MarkCup]

It wasn't ice that got me the one time I washed it by hand when it was 9 days old and 0 degrees outside, it was the painful hands from doing the wheels.

Seriously old thread dig-up here...

 

[RichRSi]

When I was working at a dealership we had to stand outside for most of the 8 hour day...and change buckets as and when they froze over!

The only plus side was that it got dark earlier so we finished early, but my hands were so cold it was untrue. Thinking about it, I hated that job!!

Washing cars (outside) in winter is no fun.

I did the same job many years ago, I used to have to run the pressure washer with the tap switched off for a couple of secs every evening so the water didnt freeze and expand, busting the pump. Even a wrung out sponge would be a solid lump in the morning!
I got talght the 'proper' way to thoughrally wring out a shammy by my collegue, an ex convict, something he learned inside so that you didnt get your feet wet.

The air running up the vacume hose was so cold it'd make the metal pipe feel white hot in my hand, wahing hands afterwards was a 'mare (if you've ever ran your hand under a hot tap that is so hot it actually feels cold and messes with your sense of temperature).
My tip to valeters (or window cleaners) is to use cold water to wash the car, you wont feel the wind chill so bad after a while where as if you have hot hands as they are drying off you will.