What Temperature Is Too Hot to Wash Your Car

Several months back I wrote a blog post on tips for washing your car in cold weather during the winter months. This post received many positive reviews and reactions, which I was happy to run into.

With summer around the corner, I idea information technology might be a good thought to exercise something similar around how to wash a car during summer, and in particular while the dominicus is shining.

Washing a car in direct sunlight and hot weather is something that has been frowned upon by professionals and know-it-alls for years. In a sense, information technology'southward quite funny, because equally soon as I come across the sunday shining on a hot summers twenty-four hours, the first thing that goes through my mind is that I would love to clean my car!

What virtually us regular folks who are non lucky enough to own a garage to shop and wash their auto's in the safe of some shade and hidden abroad from the exterior elements?

Now to clear things up a bit- Can you wash your motorcar in the dominicus? Yep!, you tin absolutely wash your automobile in sunshine and hot weather, but at that place are a few precautions you should take and some all-time practices y'all should follow to make sure you lot end up with the best finish.

I have been washing my automobile during the summer months for as long as I accept been driving, and have never had any disasters. Forth the way, I have picked up some tips which I volition share with you lot in this mail service.

Firstly let us look at the reasons why sunshine and hot weather make information technology a slightly less ideal fourth dimension to detail your vehicle.

Why You "Shouldn't" Wash Your Machine in the Sunshine

At that place are some reasons why washing in loftier temperatures and directly sunlight make it more hard for car detailing.

Water Evaporates Chop-chop In Higher Temperatures

The biggest difficulty you will face while washing your car in direct sunlight/heat is that shampoo balance and rinse water can rapidly dry onto the surface of the paintwork resulting in cruddy water spotting, streaking and drip marks which can oftentimes exist difficult to remove and which can actually damage the paintwork in some instances.

While working your way around the car with your shampoo and launder hand, yous will notice that some panels which were moisture a mere few moments ago, and are now completely dry. The water volition take evaporated just the products (Shampoo or Cream ) will remain on the car's paint. Not adept! These deposits tin can be difficult to remove and can stain the paintwork if not taken care of speedily.

H2o Spotting

Fifty-fifty if you manage to wash your car and remove whatever shampoo or foam before information technology dries, you lot are still faced with the problem of drying the entire car apace before you are left with any h2o spots. If y'all take always washed your car in extremely high temperatures during the summer you volition know how hard it can exist.

You lot would exist surprised merely how rapidly the whole affair can dry out before you have a adventure to towel dry out the car.

If y'all have experienced h2o spots earlier, you will know how much of a pain they can be to remove, and they can tarnish the look of a freshly detailed car.

Lord's day Burn down

It may seem silly to mention this, but I have often spent a few hours cleaning my car in the sunshine and take gotten really desperately burned ( mostly down to my own stupidity ).

I'grand not sure if information technology is something to practice with the sun reflecting off of the car's paintwork or what, but I have managed to get some of the worst burns of my life ( especially on my face ) while cleaning the car in the summer.

If yous are using sunblock, make sure yous have no residuum on your hands before washing your car, as yous volition know from my previous post(here), that sunscreen can be EXTREMELY damaging to the paintwork of a automobile.

Tips For Washing Your Car in the Sunshine and Hot Conditions

Use a Pressure level/Ability Washer

When washing, you should e'er use a pressure washer where possible. This is especially true in hot weather because when you utilize prewash or snow foam to your vehicle, you will need to get it off rapidly and with some power. This reduces the gamble of the prewash product staining your cars paintwork if it dries out besides apace.

Do One Department or Panel At a Time

Although doing i section of the car at a time is best practise regardless of the atmospheric condition, information technology is specially important during hot weather. If h2o from a previous section stays on the motorcar for too long you risk staining the car or having information technology covered in h2o spots.

Do one section at a fourth dimension, first with the roof and launder thoroughly, then before it dries, rinse the shampoo off equally quickly as you can. Repeat this stride for the residuum of the sections of the automobile

Launder In The Shade If Possible

I know this is not ever possible if information technology was there would have been no demand to write this post in the outset place. Notwithstanding, I have institute that if you try to wash the car every bit early as possible in the forenoon, you lot accept the best chance of being able to work in the shade before the sun starts to get high in the sky.

Aside from that, I find that the early forenoon is the most peaceful and enjoyable time to wash my car.

Use a Specialized Shampoo

Believe it or not, there are specially manufactured products which are indeed safer to use during sunshine and hot atmospheric condition. As a general rule of thumb, Yous should pick a machine launder product that has a mild, gentle, PH neutral and wax friendly formula that contains only loftier-quality ingredients, which are preferably natural, at least in office.

One product I put to the test not too long agone was "AngelWax Self Drying Shampoo". This product is specially designed to preclude water spots if the shampoo dries too quickly on your car, and I find it an excellent product for washing in hot conditions.

You lot can check that test out Hither

Use a Quick Detailer or Drying Help Afterward Washing

A quick detailing spray or drying assistance should ideally exist applied to the wet car before actually towelling it dry equally this will further help to reduce h2o spotting and streaking. One drying aid I take used recently was "Afterward Wash" by Chemical guys. I found this to be quite effective in keeping water spots to a minimum on a freshly done car.

Regardless of whether information technology is sunny or not, I have incorporated this into my overall cleaning routine with swell success and has made a much bigger departure to the overall end than I would take imagined.

Detailing You Shouldn't Do In Straight Sunlight

Ok, at present that I have demonstrated that it is indeed possible to wash your automobile in direct sunlight, there are some things I would never recommend doing to your car in sunshine and hot weather. Some of these can cease in disaster for your paintwork, and I have seen it first hand myself.

Never Wax Your Auto in Direct Sunlight

Due to the increase in panel temperature in direct sunlight, I would never recommend y'all try to wax your car in direct sunlight. The wax typically won't behave as intended on the application and it tin quite literally bake onto your cars paintwork making information technology an accented nightmare to remove.

This advice applies to all types of sealants/glazes/coatings.

Some products are more forgiving than others but equally a general rule of thumb, I try to avert information technology. In very high temperatures I tend to lean towards something that can be sprayed on while the automobile is wet and removed instantly similar Gyeon Wetcoat or similar.

Never Smoothen/Chemical compound Your Automobile in Direct Sunlight

Another thing you will never want to do is Automobile or Manus Smooth your car in direct sunlight. This is pretty much due to the same reasons I have mentioned to a higher place in regards to waxing. Polishes and compounds are not designed to be used in direct sunlight and tin end upwards doing more harm than good to your paintwork.

A general rule when polishing your car is to always piece of work indoors/in the shade where possible to achieve the all-time results.

Never Employ Ceramic Coating in Straight Sunlight

Although it should be fairly obvious, you should never attempt to Ceramic Coat a car in direct sunlight. Ceramic Coating tin can exist tricky enough every bit information technology is trying to employ information technology outdoors, you should not consider doing it in sunlight and hot weather.

Although there have been some products released recently which are more beginner-friendly and designed to be applied in your driveway, I would still not recommend trying to apply them in these weather weather.

With these products, yous would ideally work indoors, only at the very to the lowest degree await for a absurd, dry mean solar day and work in the shade for best results.

Summary – Tin you Clean Your Car in The Sun?

Hopefully, this post has helped to clear up a few myths on washing and cleaning your motorcar in the sunshine and hot weather condition. Once you understand some of the tricks and best practices it becomes a lot easier. You just need to adapt your method of cleaning slightly and work with the elements to achieve the best results.

One time you have gained some experience, it becomes pretty obvious the types of detailing work that you should never effort to practise in those atmospheric condition weather condition.

In my opinion, going outside and washing your automobile on those sunny summer days is one of the finer pleasures in life, and you lot certainly should not be put off doing so!

Accept yous got any tips of your own that you would like to share? If so I would love to hear about them in the comment department or over at the DriveDetailed Forum.

Until Next time,

Happy Detailing!

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Darren is the founder of the DriveDetailed blog and is a keen detailing enthusiast living in the rainy south of Ireland. When he is non cleaning his car he is ever researching ways he tin improve his techniques and enjoys testing out new products.

Darren currently drives an Audi TTRS and is a big fan of performance cars.

You tin follow Darren on Instagram @darrenoharacork

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Source: https://drivedetailed.com/tips-for-washing-a-car-in-sunshine-and-hot-weather/

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