Winter Car Washing Options

[DMLou]

While it looks like my Model 3 won't be delivered until after the worst of this winter, I still want to know what people do when they need to wash road salt and related grime off their cars in the middle of a freezing cold winter.

With previous cars, I'd just take it to the local touchless car wash, but I hear that Tesla's paint may be a bit too delicate for that.

Any suggestions?

 

[badiban]

While it looks like my Model 3 won't be delivered until after the worst of this winter, I still want to know what people do when they need to wash road salt and related grime off their cars in the middle of a freezing cold winter.

With previous cars, I'd just take it to the local touchless car wash, but I hear that Tesla's paint may be a bit too delicate for that.

Any suggestions?

Isn't touchless the recommended method of washing the car if using an automatic wash? From page 162 in the owner's manual:

 

[DMLou]

I did notice that, although I've heard rumors that even that may be a bit much. Still, there are plenty of touchless washes near where I live.

 

[Chisale]

I wash mine all the time at touchless car washes. The kind where the arms do a 360 around your car while you sit in one place. And have never had one bit of problems with damage. It might not wash it quite as well as the touch ones, but for taking off salt and road grime and most of the dirt, it is fine.

 

[joebruin77]

There are lots of previous posts on this subject, so you might try searching "winter wash" on the TMC website

The problem with many of the touchless commercial washes is that, to compensate for not making contact with the paint, they use very high Ph soaps. There are two problems with this. 1) These high Ph soaps easily strip your car wax or sealant. So your car may come out of the wash with the paint unprotected because your sealant or wax has been completely removed. 2) Even with the high Ph soaps, they still don't get the car as clean as a contact wash. I am not recommending a commercial contact wash. I think the best option is to wash it yourself with a waterless wash or rinseless wash.

Here is a helpful video from Larry at Ammo NYC. Frothe is his company's waterless wash, but there are many quality waterless wash products on the market such as Mckees 37 Waterless Wash On The Go or Meguiar's D115 Express Wash and Wax.

 

[Thp3]

Winter is not real bad for washing the car. And it looks so nice compared to the other cars on the road, that I’m motivated to wash more than my other cars ever were washed.

Here are two previous posts of mine on the topic.

At car wash, how do you avoid charge port opening?

Car Care, exterior and interior and PPF

 

[Mr.Chipperson]

There are lots of previous posts on this subject, so you might try searching "winter wash" on the TMC website

The problem with many of the touchless commercial washes is that, to compensate for not making contact with the paint, they use very high Ph soaps. There are two problems with this. 1) These high Ph soaps easily strip your car wax or sealant. So your car may come out of the wash with the paint unprotected because your sealant or wax has been completely removed. 2) Even with the high Ph soaps, they still don't get the car as clean as a contact wash. I am not recommending a commercial contact wash. I think the best option is to wash it yourself with a waterless wash or rinseless wash.

Here is a helpful video from Larry at Ammo NYC. Frothe is his company's waterless wash, but there are many quality waterless wash products on the market such as Mckees 37 Waterless Wash On The Go or Meguiar's D115 Express Wash and Wax.

If true, what is the solution for removing salt from underneath the car in the winter?

 

[Gsxr150]

x2 for touchless!

 

[Gsxr150]

If true, what is the solution for removing salt from underneath the car in the winter?

The good ones have a high pressure under car spray as you drive in...if you wash on a regular basis it will help keep it "somewhat" clean. I have an unlimited car wash package, myself.

 

[joebruin77]

If true, what is the solution for removing salt from underneath the car in the winter?

I don’t have any personal experience since I don’t live in a cold area that uses road salt. But my college buddy lives in the Northeast. He places one of those lawn sprinklers attached to a hose in the center of his driveway. He then drives his car back and forth over the sprinkler until the entire undercarriage is rinsed off.

 

[joebruin77]

I referenced a video put out by Larry with AmmoNYC in my Feb 18, 2020 earlier in this post. Here is a post from a professional detailer in which he talks about washing off salt using one of AmmoNYC's products called Boost. You add Boost to your wash medium (either traditional soap or waterless wash). Boost neutralizes salt and leaves behind antirust protection. Here is the blog post:


"For those of us in the Northeast winter is not our friend....Out of the many I have used there is one that is a MUST HAVE for anyone that doesn't want to watch their car rust away and that is AMMO Boost.

AMMO Boost is a Hard water and salt neutralizer which helps prevent water spots on your car and helps to remove the salt from your car prior to hand washing if you're foaming it on. The big plus with Boost is that it is a rust inhibitor and I can honestly say it works. Compared to last winter where I watched the rust appear and get worse without using boost, this year there has been almost no change at all with how much rust the car has.

Boost is a soap additive, primarily designed for winter use but I use it all year. I usually spray it on the frame and undercarriage with bottle each wash and then add it to my soap bucket and wash the car as normal and it has made a big difference with destroying salt and helping to slow rust.

Attached will be a link to Boost and Larry Kosilla's video on Boost. AMMO NYC may be expensive but after meeting and talking to Larry the premium is worth it, at least to me. These are incredible products and Boost is a MUST!

AMMO BOOST WINTER WASH - AMMO AUTO CARE INC. - AMMO Website Link

- AMMO Boost Video (Better explanation and science experiment!!)"

 

[joebruin77]

If true, what is the solution for removing salt from underneath the car in the winter?

Brian from Apex Detail just released a new video showcasing Eastwood Road Salt/Brine Neutralizer. It is a concentrate and a gallon bottle makes 21 gallons of solution.

On a side note, at the 6:00 mark in the video, he uses a Ryobi Under Carriage attachment for his pressure washer that looks like a perfect tool to wash the undercarriage of a car: