Washing a car when it's below freezing

[kygman]

All the talk about keeping the doors from freezing, I never had any trouble. Drive through the automatic car wash, drive slow through the blower, then use the real blow dryer. Go out on the road at 55 or 60 for a few miles. Everything is dry and doors open fine. Only time I've had trouble with doors (I'm another one who has nothing to park the car under) I do like Mitch said with the warm water. Opens them up in no time.

[Mugatu]

At least here in the Pittsburgh area, automatic car washes do a KILLING in the winter. And they are on every street corner. There are always long lines at the first hint of sunshine. The many "Laser Wash" car washes in this area have enclosed touchless wash bays where the doors open just so the cars can get in and out, so it stays warm inside.

I had the same issue last Saturday with what appeared to be an entire flock of birds having diarrhea all over my car. It was a 16 degree day so hand washing was out of the question, so I spent my $8 and went through the local Laser Wash. Bird poop all gone! But of course, the clean car didnt last long as it snowed that night and now my car is a nice shade of gray from the salt spray on the roads. But no bird poop at least. lol

[M3 Mitch]

One other thought would be to get yourself a good car-washing brush, and mix up some windshield-wash fluid and water in a bucket, use this to get the bird crap off, just wash the place with the bird crap, not the whole car.

This is definitely a halfway measure way to do this, not that good for the paint, but probably better than leaving the crap in place.

Keep the bucket of suds and the brush handy. This would work well if you have a garage, less well if you have at least a house with off-street parking, probably would not be practical at all with an apartment.