HELP! Sub 32F...need to keep working!

[owendavidj]

Professional mobile detailer. First winter. Pressure washer is frozen. Even if I get that going, is water going to freeze on the car surfaces? I already know washing windows and waxing during rain is next to impossible with the high humidity outside (I have an awning I put up, but doesn't fix humidity). Now dealing with SUV freezing temperatures too? I already brought all my products inside for the night, so they're fine. It has been suggested to me to buy electric heating blankets, one over my pressure washer for 15 min. And going the same with customer cars, just thrusting a heating blanket on it for 15 min before I start working. Any other suggestions? I'm looking at a whole week of dub freezing temps, and I have to keep working to pay the bills!

[owendavidj]

Sorry for all the misspellings, my fingers are cold.

[owendavidj]

Btw, if at all possible, I need a semi permanent fix, preferably under $100. But as this is my livelihood right now, I'll spend more money if needed.
Waterless washes would not be a solution for me,I think the cost would be too high, but also not solve the problem of the paint surfaces themselves bring below freezing...therefore freezing product that touches them.

[h_bomm]

Re: HELP! Sub 32F...need to keep working!

Sorry to hear your troubles, not to rub it in, but here in MN it is going to be BRUTALLY cold this weekend and into next week. I would think the electric blanket sounds well and good and everything, but as soon as you hit it with cold water from the pressure washer, you are going to cool the surface right back down again. How long are you going to be below freezing there? Unfortunately you may have to wait for a warm up or try the waterless wash route, which I see is something you want to avoid.

[larry0071]

It's 12 degrees here, going to be highs in the -5 range next week. You do nothing that requires water outside. Really, you do nothing outside :-) until the weather breaks in March or so.

I'm very sorry to hear your troubles, but before you spend too much energy on fighting a losing battle.... You seriously need to develop a plan B. God speed and good luck.

[owendavidj]

Down here in SC its not a big problem, i guess that's why i didn't really think of it ahead of time. it looks like all next week will be teetering between that 32F line.
I may have to try waterless washing. I wonder if I can do it fast enough to not lose time compared to traditional washing.

Wonder of there is a hot water heater small enough to hook up behind the pressure washer. I'm really grasping at straws.

If I go waterless, how many towels do you usually use on one whole car? I'm thinking if I do 3-5 fill details a day, I'm going to need, 60 more rags to wash waterless?

[owendavidj]

Construction stands with heat lamps? Lol

Does anyone else down here in the south have a solution? Its pretty obvious that if it was 10F outside I'm just shut down. But riding this line between 25-35 there's gotta be a solution.

[owendavidj]

A friend of mine just suggested adding rubbing alcohol to the wash bucket. Also adding alcohol into my hose line via foam cannon attachment. Playing around with rut nubbin amount needed, the alcohol should lower the freezing temperature. What effects do you think a weakly filed alcohol solution mixed in soapy water would have on paint's surface if any?

[larry0071]

I would expect isopropyl alcohol to strip any product from the paint. It's what's in your windshield washer fluid, so you know it doesn't directly harm the paint, but it will harm the coating I would think.

[owendavidj]

This could be good then. I'll be doing full details to all these jobs anyway, so I'll be adding wax anyway.
Thinking about mixing the heat lamp idea along with the alcohol idea. Either way, I'll update this thread and let you guys know if I was successful or not! Thanks guys!

[Bruce Devilbiss]

Re: HELP! Sub 32F...need to keep working!

If you pressure washer is froze, get that thing inside or you can wind up with busted parts on the inside. Most inside part are plastic. plastic and ice do not mix. You should drain the washer and the hose every time you use it to keep from freezing and rust from forming. My son-inlaw borrowed mine, use it, left it sit in a un heated garage and never drained it. Parts can be costly.

[wifpd4]

Re: HELP! Sub 32F...need to keep working!

owendavidj,

When you say you are doing full details, what does that entail? Some, if not most, compounds and waxes will not work very well or even work at all at 32 degrees.

One concern beyond the car, is what's happening on the ground? Is all this water freezing making hazardous conditions for you and more importantly your clients?

Perhaps a bit late, but stop in WalMart and look in their high pressure washer department. There may be a bottle of high pressure washer protectant. Basically an antifreeze to put in the washer to protect it in the future. Of course if an electric washer, just take it in your house. DO NOT do that with a gasoline engine washer.

As my neighbor to the north, h_bomm, has indicated, 32 degrees is a heat wave. We're expecting 20 below this weekend. Finding a heated garage may be a good temporary solution for you. If you can find something heated or even just enclosed and your client drops the car off and you take your client home and pick them up when you're done. You're expending time and money trying to work through this situation, just avoid it and go indoors.

I hope you find a suitable solution and continued success in your business and next winter you'll be prepared for the worst.

[owendavidj]

Update for day 1 here. Not a horrible day. Only been 21F since 9am, currently almost noon and its 30F. Doing work for a dealership contract, so I'm working in a semi secluded area away from people and traffic. Unhooked all hoses last night and got as much water as I could out of my gas powered pressure washer. This morning threw a space heater in the back of the van and had everything pretty toasty within 20 min. All products (washes, compounds, polishes, etc) were kept inside last night. I added 16 oz of 91% alcohol to the wash bucket (1 gallon per car), and this seemed to work for washing. After rinsing I spritzed the car with a mist of alcohol to buy me time while drying. Was able to steam clean, vacuum, and do all other trim work interior of the car (I moved my heater inside the cars while doing this just in case). The paint surfaces still feel too cold to try polishing or waxing, so I'll wait until Monday to try heat lamps warming up the surface of the cars.
I'm glad someone brought up the hazard of water freezing on the ground, as Monday I have some regular appointments at customers house and job, so I think to avoid that I will have to use waterless method. Also by Monday temps will be in teens, so we'll see if this method still works.

[Daniel Kinder]

Re: HELP! Sub 32F...need to keep working!

Hey owen

I search some last night to try to help out alittle bit for your situation, and did find something about a couple mobile detailers that had a heating device that they got from a RV place set up on their water tank to keep the water from freezing. They mentioned that RV's also need this heating device for their storage tank.

Also I've washed and waxed some when water would freeze in lower horizontal panels before I could dry off. When I got to the small sheet of ice I would just knocked it off panel and keep drying, and then would use Meguiars cleaner wax after dried(only product I found that would still produce great results). Since it's best for 2 thin coats of a LSP and it being 32degree's out I would use my first application of cleaner/wax on speed 5 and use as my cleaner and work it a little longer. Next set my speed back down to 3 and apply a second application and would let cure for an hour or so. (would clean up my product and accssories and such and then grab a bite to eat and warm up a bit before removing>remember very, very thin layers.

Hope I've help or at least give some idea's to help your situation out a little and good luck and stay warm buddy

[owendavidj]

Awesome man thanks!