Washing with hot water

D

docrice

New member
Not sure if this has been discussed in the past, but are there any issues using something like hot (but not necessarily boiling) water to help dissolve some minor streaks of slush and mud on the paint as a first step before regular washing? I figure I can heat up some water in the microwave and pour it over really dirty areas to break down lightly-caked on deposits. I wonder if there would be any gotchas in this plan though.
 
docrice said:
Not sure if this has been discussed in the past, but are there any issues using something like hot (but not necessarily boiling) water to help dissolve some minor streaks of slush and mud on the paint as a first step before regular washing? I figure I can heat up some water in the microwave and pour it over really dirty areas to break down lightly-caked on deposits. I wonder if there would be any gotchas in this plan though.
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Never done that. But I do use house warm/hotish water in my wash and rinse buckets in the summer and winter.



I don't see hot water causing any problems, so it's worth a shot. Try it out and report back sir.
 
docrice said:
Not sure if this has been discussed in the past, but are there any issues using something like hot (but not necessarily boiling) water to help dissolve some minor streaks of slush and mud on the paint as a first step before regular washing? I figure I can heat up some water in the microwave and pour it over really dirty areas to break down lightly-caked on deposits. I wonder if there would be any gotchas in this plan though.
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I would not do it unless you are trying to remove a carnuba wax. A sealant might stay on better but I think the hot water would remove the wax of any type.
 
Hot water is great to have, but not a must for any detailing operation. OTOH, water temp can be critical in the car wash industry, especially for operators that offer touch-less options. It, along with dwell time/chemical, can really be effective for removing oily road film in winter months.
 
Hot/Warm water in the buckets all year long here too. :bigups You can try a spray bottle with some warm water and car wash soap to pretreat any really bad areas. That way they will be softened up or will have run off by the time you get to them.
 
hot makes a big difference to the cleaning ability of many products. Hot application and hot rinse are ideal.



If using caustic products you should be aware that when hot they can potentially cause even more issues so would only use hot with safe cleaners etc.
 
I use my condo's car wash which is a hassle but I understand your concern since the water hose I use would for some reason alternate between hot and cold water. Its unpredictable.



So that's why I avoided all car washes that are dependent on temperature. Eg. I try to avoid Cold water formula washes.



Thus far, I have not seen at problems when using hot water but I do avoid mixing.



eg. If the car is very cold and then you put on very hot water I've seen some temporary warping on the bumpers. Vice-versa, a hot car and then spray it with cold water might cause damage to rotors.
 
Hot water is really a necessity here in the winter, really gets rid of the road salt, but be very careful of the pressure you use as the salt can be very hard, which can mean scratches.
 
A good car wash operator will modify their washes cleaning ability/formula whenever there is a change in weather conditions. The hardest condition to attempt to clean a vehicle (touchless mostly) is during warmer temps right after a rain/snow storm during very cold weather. The road oils/film is very difficult to remove and almost bonds to the vehicle. That's when you need very hot water and a high concentration of cleaners (alkaline & acidic) As far as road salt, it's actually the second easiest thing to clean after dust. Cleaning(with high pressure water) salt and/or even dirt won't hurt your finish either.
 
David Fermani said:
Cleaning(with high pressure water) salt and/or even dirt won't hurt your finish either.
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Interesting.......how does a a high concentration of cleaners (alkaline & acidic) affect a durable sealant?
 
citizen arcane said:
Interesting.......how does a a high concentration of cleaners (alkaline & acidic) affect a durable sealant?
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I can reap havoc on them. Most Car Washes care about "cleaning", not protecting a vehicle. If want your car to bead water, spend the extra $1 and get the Hot Wax. :laugh:
 
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