Washing in Sun

[Koko]

Long time reader, first time poster here.

Ive been cleaning and detailing my own car and family member cars for a while now. However, I always find I can NEVER do a good job during the daytime (between noon to 5ish). No matter how hard i try, i always get water spots because it dries too fast. Is there any good advice for cleaning a car thats outside during the day time if there is no shade available?



Ive been thinking of doing a couple of things:

I) buying a RO or DO filter for my hoses

II) Go waterless

III) Just give up trying to do it during the hottest part of the day which gives me no time to do multiple cars in one day.

 

[Dan]

When it's 75 or below, washing in the the sun is no issue, just keep flooding the car. If it's hotter you can cool the car down with lots of water it's cool to the touch. As long as you keep the car wet, you shouldn't have to worry about spots.

 

[pasadena_commut]

When it's 75 or below, washing in the the sun is no issue, just keep flooding the car. If it's hotter you can cool the car down with lots of water it's cool to the touch. As long as you keep the car wet, you shouldn't have to worry about spots.

While it might be possible to wash a car outside on a 100 degree day in LA it is also wildly impractical to do so. Between the very hard water, the very low humidity, the high heat, and heaven forbid, strong Santa Ana winds, one would need to get the car completely dried off once the hosing stopped in about a minute and a half. That's possible if you have a crew of people drying, but not so easy to do by yourself.



More practical to wash the car when it is in the shade and the temperatures aren't that high.

 

[az57chevy]

In AZ it'll get to 120 so I feel your pain. If possible start with car that has been in the shade so at least the metal is cool(er). I have soft water piped from the house to also help. You could try doing only half the car at a time (flip car so one half has some shade too)and use detailer to help moisten the car as you dry with a microfiber.

 

[Toymachine2009]

I also live in vegas where it gets in the 110's and damn my black car as soon as the water touches it in the summer time I see the water fly through the air touch the paint and sizzle and dry haha no that doesnt really happen but pretty darn close. IDK how mobile detailers work in the summer here in vegas. HOW is it possible? I would like to know personally.

 

[imported_advs1]

I also live in vegas where it gets in the 110's and damn my black car as soon as the water touches it in the summer time I see the water fly through the air touch the paint and sizzle and dry haha no that doesnt really happen but pretty darn close. IDK how mobile detailers work in the summer here in vegas. HOW is it possible? I would like to know personally.

They are probably using RO/DI water. I know when it gets hot in SGV(San Gabriel Valley of SoCal) it can climb to 110 easy and I still can knock out a car in the sun. I don't make it a habit and try to use my ez up as much as possible and now that I'm using more and more waterless wash, it's even easier. Hey toymachine, next time you see a mobile detailer in your area, stop and ask them.

 

[Eppursimuove]

Maybe in summer they have quick errect marquee/sunshade things that cover the car? I know other places use them in Summer and some guys use them in rain aswell.

 

[Kean]

I use DI water for rinsing via a CR Spotless system (DIC-20) but I rarely wash any of my cars in the Sun these days (I wash them in my garage). I also have an inline sediment and soft water filter that I use during the wash which helps. The soft water filter is nice since it is rechargeable by simply submerging it in water with sodium tablets overnight or longer. The water in my area is quite "hard".

 

[prestigedetail]

I would suggest maybe investing in a marquee to put up, to shade the car when you wash it. I don't think there is any other way other then to not wash them in a high heat or in direct sunlight.