Winter Washing.. The Power Of Ten........

[CharlieFarlie]

Please do not remove to the detailing section I do not go on there ... Thanks.

On this and a couple of other forums I visit we have spoken about winter washing of our cars..

Many of you know how I like my cars to be clean but I don't touch my car with a mitt or sponge when the council starts chucking salt about through to early spring....

I choose to foam and wash off with a decent power washer..

My Rav4 Is the daily driver so gets all the muck chucked at it especially now we live down a country lane..

This thread is about upping the game of winter washing.. Making it easier to do but still getting a really good class finish and one that is as close to a full two bucket wash and dry with a towel.. But bearing in mind the cars get filthy the first time we drive more than half a mile

Since moving in one of the jobs I have done is plumb in both Hot And Cold taps to the front of the garage with Warm/Hot washing in mind... And wow does it work...

Bear in mind the car had not been washed for over two weeks and as absolutely minging !!!

I set up the washer and turned on just the hot tap until hot was through the system. The on with the cold so the water was not to hot.. I would say 40 degrees..

I then foamed the car once. This was done with Autobrite "Magifoam" which is a high quality and extremely good foam but not exactly cheap.. I buy in bulk of 25 litres and pay just over 70 quid delivered..

I allowed the foam to dwell on the car for 7 or eight minutes the power washed off the whole car. The wheels and under the arches... And that's it NO contact other than the water was made at all

The results were amazing.. Wheels clean and bright ! No wheel cleaner was used and the bodywork is spotless with none of the usual film powerwashing alone usually leaves..... I can wipe my finger along the lowers of the car and no residue sticks...

All this down to one key element.. Warm/Hot water....

[GreyRacer]

Very nice I could do with plumbing in my hot.

I use Actimousse from Autosmart in 25 lt drums at £46 trade. Does 50 RAV washes or 70 Celica washes.

[Mistermena]

I use my Nilfisk and a Snow Foam lance from autobright and there products! Smells of 🍌🍌🍌 Almost eat the car the other week when I did it!🍴

[three5]

Hi Charlie,

have you any information on what temperature a normal ( plastic pump ) domestic pressure washer will stand? The idea of warm washing sounds great as it reduces the risk of frostbite ( having spent last Saturday morning with the shredder going on some wet hedge trimmings, I'm feeling a bit sensitive to it! )

Your pressure washer looks like a semi-industrial model with a metal pump, rather like my Nilfisk.

[CharlieFarlie]

My washer has no plastic parts on the inside .. It's a German one made by. Kranzle..

It's rated at 60 degrees but you very likely won't have water that hot on your domestic supply more like 45 ish.. It's a bit hard to be precise but it's running cold into the machine at the same time..

The water coming out the lance is warm rather than hot .. Very hot water could be damaging...

[voyager t180]

Good plumbing skills on show there Charlie.

I usually give mine a coat of hard Shell polish for winter protection,but you don't mention it,am I wasting my time?

I can't see why you would ever sell such a fine example of Toyotas flagship and IMO,best ,Rav4 ?

For the same money what similar specked car could ever match it .

[dave.m]

Charlie, is the foam bottle the type that comes with the washer ? Or did you buy from foam company ?

[CharlieFarlie]

Charlie, is the foam bottle the type that comes with the washer ? Or did you buy from foam company ?

This is the foam lance I use.. You can get same lances on eBay for not a lot of money.. All these lances are exactly the same and must be made in the same place. They have different shaped bottles and diffetent labels but trust me they are the same.

See link.

http://www.autobritedirect.co.uk/index.php/exterior-cleaning/autobrite-direct-snow-foam-lance.html

Same lance only far cheaper

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAVOR-NILFISK-SNOW-FOAM-LANCE-1L-LTR-BOTTLE-KEW-ALTO-LAVORWASH-A-R-COMPATIBLE-/221310889061?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&var=&hash=item3387282c65

You will need to get the right connection for your machine but if you let me know I will look one up for you...

[CharlieFarlie]

Good plumbing skills on show there Charlie.

I usually give mine a coat of hard shell polish for winter protection,but you don't mention it,am I wasting my time?

I can't see why you would ever sell such a fine example of Toyotas flagship and IMO,best ,Rav4 ?

For the same money what similar specked car could ever match it .

Paul My car is waxed with Colinite 476S as its a very very good long lasting and durable wax.. Wheels are treated with the same...

My car is in absolutely brilliant condition despite being over 7 years old and having near 78.000 miles but I just want a nice late white automatic....

What could I get for the same money ? Errrr nout mate.. The figures Im being offered in PX are truly eye watering. It makes no difference that it has been maintained so well with all the expensive things like exhaust brakes ect ect having been done this year or that it has just about every extra on it....But thats another topic eh ...............

[Big Kev]

Aw Charlie......FFS min.......ah was happy until ah read about hot watter added to the equation.....lol.

Because there are only two of us, we have tons of HOT left after two morning showers ( and since washing machine and dishwasher are now COLD FILL, there is plenty left, so may look at a wee plumby job.........)

Totally agree with Charlie on the foam wash and rinse in winter, especially after the Cooncil have scattered those brown bloody marbles on the road and call it grit......it only rhymes with grit.

The cold foaming and rinse WILL NEVER remove the grime Charlie's warm set up obviously does, but that is what I attribute the totally swirl and scratch free finish on my car........in winter, DO NOT TOUCH WASH IT, and I worked that oot for myself.

Dave m........do careful search of foamy attachments on t'bay.........same thing selling for up to £12.00 differential fgs. Need input, just shout........or get wan from yer Kurcher pal.

Edit......overlapped with Mr. Hotwash above.....!!

[voyager t180]

I'm a convert.

One of them foamy tachy thingys top of my Chrissy pres list now

[silly sausage]

I have an ancient Clarke hot pressure washer, it could wake the dead it makes such a noise, it will be a sad day when it expires.

[CharlieFarlie]

I have an ancient Clarke hot pressure washer, it could wake the dead it makes such a noise, it will be a sad day when it expires.

Nahhhh.. You can just go and buy a nice new shiny Kranzle hot washer...... AND you might get change out of 3 grand !!!

[Hoovie]

So for the next 6 months, it is foam wash on, pressure wash off, no 2BM & mitt?

I like the sound of that ;)

(Although I have promised myself to do a full MOP of my new (new?! ) Transporter before too long!)

[silly sausage]

I have an ancient Clarke hot pressure washer, it could wake the dead it makes such a noise, it will be a sad day when it expires.

Nahhhh.. You can just go and buy a nice new shiny Kranzle hot washer...... AND you might get change out of 3 grand !!!

Enough change for skull reconstruction when Mrs Denshaw sees the invoice ?

[CharlieFarlie]

Agh but a man can't have to many toys. !!!!

[firemac]

Good plumbing skills on show there Charlie.

I usually give mine a coat of hard shell polish for winter protection,but you don't mention it,am I wasting my time?

I can't see why you would ever sell such a fine example of Toyotas flagship and IMO,best ,Rav4 ?

For the same money what similar specked car could ever match it .

Paul My car is waxed with Colinite 476S as its a very very good long lasting and durable wax.. Wheels are treated with the same...

My car is in absolutely brilliant condition despite being over 7 years old and having near 78.000 miles but I just want a nice late white automatic....

What could I get for the same money ? Errrr nout mate.. The figures Im being offered in PX are truly eye watering. It makes no difference that it has been maintained so well with all the expensive things like exhaust brakes ect ect having been done this year or that it has just about every extra on it....But thats another topic eh ...............

I sympathise, Charlie. I try to keep my cars in best condition - they want for nothing (although I couldn't hope to match your bodywork maintemance; I'm afraid Autoglym & elbow grease is my limit). Nevertheless, at the end of the day, to the motor trade they are just £notes that serve no purpose other than being another means of exchange. Personally I've never achieved a px that I was happy with through the trade but you tend to put it down to experience & move on consoled with a new set of wheels to play with.

The only way you can get anything near true value is if you happen upon a buyer with similar petrolhead tendencies who can appreciate a vehicle that has been cherished. This only happened to me once (and that was selling a bike, not a car!).

[Red Yaris 54]

"This thread is about upping the game of winter washing.. Making it easier to do but still getting a really good class finish and one that is as close to a full two bucket wash and dry with a towel.."

SO WHY DOES IT APPEAR WITHIN THE RAV FORUMS WHEN IT IS CLEARLY NOT SPECIFIC TO RAV?

I know that the OP does not visit other sections on the Toyota Owners Club Forum, however that is no excuse for preventing the complete membership have full access to the very interesting and informative thread by restricting it to the RAV forum.

As a Moderator my job is complex enough in keeping the forums tidy by showing new users the error of their ways when they accidentally misplace their posts in the wrong forum sections

As a Moderator I find it incomprehensible that such a helpful and informative thread can be deliberately placed in the WRONG FORUM by an established TOC member

The topic should be moved to the detailing section

If this is done then it will allow greater access to the topic by all TOC members and also allow for correct use of the search engine for all users in the future

There is absolutely no excuse for laziness shown by deliberately posting Non RAV specific topics in the RAV forum

Please try to use the forum correctly and observe etiquette :)

[CharlieFarlie]

Me lazy ? I've been called some things......

I contribute to this forum I hope for one main reason... I have some good friends here quite a few that I have met in person....

Many of those have helped me in many ways.. Quite considerably in fact... I like to think I have or will return those favors..

Now Mr Yaris while I appreciate a moderators job is not always an easy one you really should step back and consider that part of your job is to ENCOURAGE members to post.. A website such as this needs footfall after all..

The only times I have seen you here on the Rav section of TOC has been to criticize.

This section has its Moderator. That Moderator is Don.. Because of the respect we have for Don few if any of us step out of line... Well except for me that is... So why do we need another Moderator who keeps hissing everyone off...

We are perhaps unique on this section in so much as we are regular posters.. Perhaps we can be a little insular in that I/Some of us have no interest in other parts of the forum and choose to speak only to our mates ....

I am 100% with Kevin.... You ban Him and I will never post here again.. Period......

Kev why not remove your comments mate.. I will take responsibility as I'm the lazy git that posted in the wrong section

[Big Kev]

Nah.....thanks anyway Charlie....time to put head above parapet..........

[Mistermena]

Same here! Kev goes! Then you can kiss my ubiknal goodbye an all! 👊

Charlie should be able to post this topic on this section of the forum! After all... He spent considerable time and effort in posting on this and many other subjects that are informative and salient to a lot of members...

LAZY?!!!... What a joke

[CharlieFarlie]

Heads Kevin Heads.......... No way will I ever post here if that .....Errrrr bloke starts banning people !

I cannot recall one person other than me who has ever been ticked off on this forum since I joined nearly three years ago.. Quite some achievement for its membership.. Yet here we are getting a dressing down.. Well I am for being lazy... I will admit to taking exception to that...

Why on earth if a post is of so much interest and value could it not be copied and pasted by the Moderator and copied into the detailing section ? Is there any real need to stir up so much bad feeling ?

I think a rest from me is in order from the forum. I just cant see myself posting either good or bad posts if I'm going to cause such ill feeling and be the catylist of a well respected member like BK getting banned...

A moderators job is twofold Mr Yaris.. To pinpoint troublesome members and stop trouble from escalating... AND to encourage members to post and converse..

Are you really the man for the job ?

[voyager t180]

How about one of our great British compromises.

i.e. leave the original post in the Rav section,but also repeat it in whatever other section it's deemed it should be in.

I with many others on here never view topics in other sections 'cos I never stray far from the warm, friendly Rav4 fireside.

Tbf nobody's actually mentioned folks being banned from the forum,which would be ridiculous.

Other car makes have their separate forums,I'm thinking specifically of VW golf R32 ,so why not Rav4 ?

Is it possible?

How about one of our great British compromises.

i.e. leave the original post in the Rav section,but also repeat it in whatever other section it's deemed it should be in.

I with many others on here never view topics in other sections 'cos I never stray far from the warm, friendly Rav4 fireside.

Tbf nobody's actually mentioned folks being banned from the forum,which would be ridiculous.

Other car makes have their separate forums,I'm thinking specifically of VW golf R32 ,so why not Rav4 ?

Is it possible?

[FROSTYBALLS]

I think that Toyota Owners Club would be a far poorer place without the Rav4 club, and it's current crop of very active contributors.

[Red Yaris 54]

I think that Toyota Owners Club would be a far poorer place without the Rav4 club, and it's current crop of very active contributors.

I totally agree.......However it must be recognized that the RAV section is only one part of the entire Toyota Owners Club Forum

It seems that the other sections of Toyota Owners Club manage to post their Topics within the correct forums.....Then why not the RAV group?

Banning........That has not been raised by any TOC Moderator and at the moment is out of context with this topic

Please read my reference to LAZYNESS not as a personal attack on The OP but more of a comment on the fact it would have been as easy for him to post the topic in the correct forum in the first place so that it could benefit ALL MEMBERS......After all one of the Moderators tasks is to ensure that relevant posts are seen by the wider community :)

Please also try to avoid personal comments about the TOC Moderating team as such comments can be seen to contravene TOC T's & C's

It is always easy to "Jump on the bandwagon" of moderator team criticism.........such negative post may be removed.