MINI COOPER :: North American Motoring - Fellow detailing OCD'ers in the heat-when do you detail?

MDK · #1 07-19-2007, 12:10 PM

I have the fortune of living in the south east however; this time of year equals heat, even more humidity and frequent thunder storms. I often find myself detailing at 9-10 pm and unfortunatly find missed areas the next day. Even when I start at 7pm after the cars been in the garage for 1 1/2 hours the surface is still pretty hot and when I get to the hydro and/or wheels it's dark and shadowy under the garage light. When are you guys doing your work. I haven't tried early Saturday yet due to rain or other commitments but I think I'd have to start at 6:30 or 7am to beat the building heat and raising sun.

I know nothing can be done about the rain but it sure sucks to get rain spots 2 day after you spent 3-4 hours on a vac/interior/wash/hydro/wheelshield/clarity/nero (is that everything?) job.:impatient

kenchan · #2 07-19-2007, 12:13 PM

in the summer, i do my detailing in the garage with a fan running.

drink lots of water.

Calogero · #3 07-19-2007, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

in the summer, i do my detailing in the garage with a fan running.

drink lots of water.

water. very important. keep a spare towel to keep the sweat off the car when polishing. can get bad depending on heat.

i don't have a fan, but imagine and A/C cooled garage.

UsCoops · #4 07-19-2007, 09:52 PM

I was worried about washing in AZ with summer coming on... tried the night thing, but you do miss spots that way. And believe me, you just can't keep up with the water drying if done in the sun here.

So out of desperation I tried the (drainless) garage. It turns out there's just enough slope toward the street (building codes, ya know

) to let most of the water out to the street. I just park as close as I can to the entrance and always have the hose pointed out of the garage when I rinse... Oh yeah, and fans

- it's been working like a charm

!

LynnEl · #5 07-19-2007, 12:20 PM

I'm disappointed, kenchan. I thought you would get up at 2:00 AM to do it.

kenchan · #6 07-19-2007, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LynnEl

I'm disappointed, kenchan. I thought you would get up at 2:00 AM to do it.

no, im usually passed out from the previous day detailing over 10hrs straight.

(well, give and take an hr for lunch and supper).

LynnEl · #7 07-19-2007, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

no, im usually passed out from the previous day detailing over 10hrs straight.

(well, give and take an hr for lunch and supper).

Well, in that case....

MDK · #8 07-19-2007, 12:23 PM

I've thought about the garage but I have no drain so the washing would have to be outside-I guess the hydro,etc could be moved inside. I also have to clean out and organize the garage which has also been put off untill it cools down but I'm getting restless so maybe I'll tackle that after I get back from vacation next week.

kenchan · #9 07-19-2007, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDK

I've thought about the garage but I have no drain so the washing would have to be outside-I guess the hydro,etc could be moved inside. I also have to clean out and organize the garage which has also been put off untill it cools down but I'm getting restless so maybe I'll tackle that after I get back from vacation next week.

oh, i thought you were talking about DETAILING, not CAR WASHING.

car washing, i just do it in the middle of the day with the sun banging
on the paint.

panels are hot but the water is cold and with Hydro,
no issue with water spots as long as you wipe off a section at a time.

only takes me 15-20min with this technique, only 12min with the usual
in-the-shade (or cloudy day) technique.

just keep yourself hydrated.

MrsTune · #10 07-19-2007, 06:30 PM

I wash outside in the later afternoon or earlier in the morning, then drive into the garage to dry/Hydro/Slick off.

MDK · #11 07-19-2007, 12:24 PM

..oh yea, 2AM wouldn't work because of the dew fall at that time of night.

MiniMaybee · #12 07-19-2007, 12:32 PM

I've got a garage, but no drain so since I usually get up about 5:00 AM that is when I wash and clay outside. Once that is done I pull her into the garage to finish. If it is my MINI then I'm done by 7 or 8 PM. If it is an SUPig, I'll be till 12-2 AM.
An advantage of living here in Denver is the lack of humidity so in the shade it is usually about 10-15 degrees cooler then in the sun and night time cools right off.

thulchatt · #13 07-19-2007, 03:32 PM

I wash early, as the sun is coming up.
If I am detailing also then I move into the garage.
Sure it is hot and humid, but that is just life.

JDR · #14 07-19-2007, 03:52 PM

Don't detail in August in the south

. I would polish and wax a bit earlier in the summer so that you don't have to worry about the weirdness of detailing in 100 F with 95% humidity...

But early morning or in the evening if you must.

And keep hydrated like others mentioned or you run the risk of looking like this

kenchan · #15 07-19-2007, 03:50 PM

i dont plan on doing this to my garage, but ive seen places where
they put these 2 plastic strips on the floor on both sides of the car
and just use a large squeegee to remove the water from their
drain-less garage after a wash.

moodylewdd · #16 07-19-2007, 04:08 PM

I have a nice big garage that I have never been able to use. My husband has it full of wings and other airplane related things.

I wait until around 7-8pm, and wash/detail the car under the trees in our driveway. We live in a high desert, so we dont get much rain until the 'other ' seasons. The thing that gets us is the dust (from wind and farmers), and billions of bugs (Snake river really close).

MLPearson79 · #17 07-19-2007, 05:08 PM

I also usually wait until 6 or 7pm if it's been hot or sunny all day and I HAVE to get it done. Otherwise I wait for a day where the fog hangs in a little later in the day.

MINIFVR · #18 07-19-2007, 05:34 PM

+1

I usually start earlier, around 5 or 6 though. I like to try to spend time with the fam around 8 or 9, so a minor detail could be accomplished by then. The full-on detail obviously takes longer, then I wait for a nice day.
I find that if your car has been Epic'd and/or Hydro'd most of the water sheets right off! So the sun isn't such a problem anyways... I always clay in the garage.

CR&PW&JB · #19 07-19-2007, 05:49 PM

I'm an early riser anyway so it doesn't bother me to start my weekly detailing at 6:30 in the morning on Saturday or Sunday. The sun is just coming up, it's not TOO hot yet (although it can be very humid), and the birds keep me company.

After the wash, I pull them into the garage to dry, polish, vacuum, etc.

Get into that routine and it's a breeze.

MLPearson79 · #20 07-19-2007, 06:49 PM

Speaking of...it's about that time of night!

*heads out to the driveway*

MDK · #21 07-20-2007, 06:30 AM

Looks like everyone's in the same boat here, I was just wondering if I was missing out on a better idea. I guess I could get some additional lighting to help or just get the wash done quicker and so the rest in the garage. This will be good to get me to finish re-organizing the garage so I'll have room to move around. I am planning to get a shed soon so I can relocate all the yard stuff which will free up a lot of room.

kenchan · #22 07-20-2007, 06:35 AM

^^ yep, bottom line, there is no real "easy" way.

you can however improve your efficiency by adding a lot of lighting
in the garage as you said.

my garage has a lot of lighting, but
all flourescent so power consumption is not that bad.

LynnEl · #23 07-20-2007, 07:03 AM

Has anyone tried bringing the MINI into the living room/family room through the sliding door?

SweetPepper · #24 07-20-2007, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LynnEl

Has anyone tried bringing the MINI into the living room/family room through the sliding door?

I bet it would fit!

LynnEl · #25 07-20-2007, 07:59 AM

It would fit in mine. The problem at my house is, I'd have to go up a few stairs on the deck. Plus, my wife might get a tad annoyed.