Indoor Home Carwashing?
 

I finally cleaned out my garage so I could fit my 8 in without fear of something falling on top of it...

I live in Minnesota and I like to wash and wax about every 2-3 weeks (or more) the problem is when the winter comes I am screwed on a place to hand wash and hand wax...so I was thinking...if I cleaned the garage even more, repaint the inside with some sort of waterproof sealant, added a drain into the floor could I wash the car inside, or am I crazy?

Just for info I have a one car garage, concrete slab floors, sheetrocked walls and a painted wood garage door. The garage is insulated except for the garage door (I could insulate it if needed, even add an overhead heater to keep the water from freezing when the temp is close to zero F, or even below zero).

Also I want to clean the underside of the car to keep the road salt from eating away...I already have a snaking sprayer attachment...how do you clean the undercarriage safetly and effectively.

MY 1 SUGGESTION, Buy a 97 ford taurus for 2 grand
Hell i have a ford taurus for that very reason and i live in jersey. The roads by me dont get plowed cuz teh governor is a theif. They only get sanded and iced. so every1;s car = poo after 1 week of snow. FOLLOW MY ADVICE GARAGE THAT 8 buy a taurus.

I'm buying a new set of rims and my factory ones will be fitted with snow tires but I spend all my money on the 8...cant afford another car and another insurance payment, I'm a daily driver...one day I'll be able to afford an 8 and a snowmobile to get to work ;)

lol a snow mobile would be very fun. but ok good luck

I drive mine year round with snow tires ... but if you want to put in a garage, here's some pics of mine.

It's 16 x 26 with my old brick exterior on one wall and steel sidding on the others. Drain in the floor with hose bib and mud sink. Added heating unit later that in 20 degree weather can raise the temp up to about 65.


http://www.prowleronline.com/ubb/ima...aly0812021.JPG

http://www.prowleronline.com/ubb/ima...aly0812022.JPG

http://www.prowleronline.com/ubb/ima...ly-1-9-3-3.jpg

Good luck whatever path you choose.

There's some hose-less washing stuff called Protect All Quick and Easy Wash that lots of pro detailers use. You put some in a bucket of water and just wash the car without using a hose. You wash one panel at a time and dry it, then move to the next panel. Just use a sheepskin wash mitt and a couple waffle weave towels for drying.

I've not tried it, and yes it sounds scary, but people swear that it doesn't scratch the car any more than regular hand washing with a hose. Lots of people even do it year round, even when it's nice.

It's up to you, but I just thought I'd bring it to your attention.

Nice sign! What is the floor covering? Is it the pads or a coating? Lastly do you need a drain or can you use the normal frontward slope? Obviously, you can't just let the water run down the driveway in 20 degree temps, but can you channel it out the garage on one side and into the grass.

Flooring is epoxy paint with sand added for texture. Still very slippery when wet. Didn't consider channel since I was able to put in drain. What I heard before I built it was that a drain would not be apporved. But my builder didn't seem to have any issues. I also added four quartz lights to corners for improved lighting. And the opening is 8 foot.

See http://www.autopia.org/forums/showth...threadid=32078 for a quick and easy wash tutorial.

WHealy...that setup is almost exactly the kind of setup I was hoping to do (well, my setup didn't seem as nice and clean as yours but maybe I can copy you and my will look spiffy)...I'm printing out this thread and going to the hardware store, hopefully this weekend

thanks for the help...any other suggestions I'm open to anything

oh and WHealy I'll probably have to ask you a few questions about the heater when I get there...and if you could show me a pic of the garage door from the inside (if you did any mods to allow for washing...that would be great)

You can build a deck to drive up on and then collect the water that runs off of it.. that way you can direct the water out side and into your street gutter or on your lawn.
Very easy to make a sub floor that you can drive on and make waterproof. with a slope and a Drain in it..

Other than that you will have to cut into your concrete floor and put in a drain.. Also not that big of a deal ..Unless you find a hidden water, Gas, or Elect hiding in the slab.. (bummer happened inside my house :( .. )

sub-floor...great idea (especially in an old house like mine, built in 1930)

Im interested in seeing what you come up with True. It doesnt get as cold here in alabama but I still dont want to be washing the car in 30 degree weather outside.

yes.. your making a basic Shower pan in your garage on a larger scale.

I put in an epoxy floor and a drain. I also have hot and cold water. I will be installing a heater so I can work in the winter. With two black cars I ALWAYS wash them in the garage.

nice

If any of you every put a new floor in look into a heated floor. You run hot water through hoses in the cemente. Lay on the floor and you get warmer! My dad did this and the expoxy floor to his new shop. Two best things you can every do!

thanks for the suggestion but my indoor car wash is on hold since the springs and some other parts came apart on my garage door and I couldn't open it...now I have to drop a few hundred or more to fix it

hopefully I'll prep the garage before winter but I'm not holding my breath

good luck bro.. IF i were closer i would come over and help you fix it up ..

thanks thew...yah driving from cali would be a bear