Gekko

How dp you clean SNOW off of car w/o SCRATCHING the paint? Even those with garages must experience this whether at work or the shopping mall etc. What do you use? A broom? Those snow brushes seem like they might scratch the paint?

Guitarman

...But I did live in the Northeast most of my life....If you care about scratches and swirls you DON'T want to use a broom. I would try to use a cotton towel to remove the heavy layer with your arm behind the towel, ( or wrap a cotton towel around the broom bristles and tape it to keep it on ) and then spray a hose over the remains. Not perfect, but a bit safer.

In frigid temps you'll possibly get some ice from doing it that way if you don't dry it fast enough, but that's a better tradeoff than leaving scratches all over the car, and it should melt off in short order.

The idea is to allow the hose to clear the last film of snow by melting it away via flushing, otherwise, any grit in the snow could also scratch the paint as you push it off if you use only a towel.

Any other ideas are welcome, that's my .02.

Technics

I had the same concerns with the snow brush, I did a little test as Guitarman suggested. HERE Try it out.

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I only take off the soft snow off the top.........using a glove. If its like ice under the top layer I just leave it. I just make sure the ice is off the head & tail lights. Before I even try to take the snow off the windows I just let the car run for about 8-10 minutes with the heater up high by then it just comes off easy.

There is about 6 inches of snow on top of my car now that I need to take care of. About once a month during the winter and all the snow / ice is off the car I take it to the shop and let them wash / wax it for me.

I dont have a garage and the last 5 winters I have not had a problem messing up the paint job. I never worry about taking all the snow off it snows to much here to keep it off.

I worry more about that dirty snow being splashed up on my car when a truck is passing by me.

Carpe Diem

Robert,

I'd be very concerned about leaving the ice and snow on the car and then driving around. First, all that grit and ***** that the trucks are kicking up will almost certainingly get under your ice and snow layer. When the car gets warm enough and you brake or accelerate or drive fast, off it slides and I bet it scratches. Also, when it comes off, I feel badly for the guy behind you who maybe takes it in the windshield.

For mine, I use a soft bristled snow brush and gently brush it clean. That hose method sound like a freeze out to me.

George

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I hear what your saying but its so cold here that ice is not easy to take off..... Id rather leave it then mess up the paint. When it does warm up some I do remove it. Im always checking the car before I drive it so far never had a problem with snow/ice flying off my car. example if I was to drive from my house to the 7-11
I check my car again before I drive off. Normally by then I can remove the stuff thats on the hood. The roof and the trunk stays until it warms up. I only drive my VIPcar when I have to I got another car.

A bristled brush will not remove ice........ its good for the snow only.

Gekko

>"For mine, I use a soft bristled snow brush and gently brush it clean."

George - THANKS for the tip. I went to Home Depot and bought a very soft bristled dust brush made by "Quickie" (the kind you use with a dustpan). The bristles are SO MUCH softer than the standard ice-scraper brush:

http://www.quickie.com/Public/Produc...2&ProductId=33

Carpe Diem

Yes and if you keep looking, particularly at hardware stores, you may find a brush that is used to clean old fashioned (cast iron) radiators. This has a slender wooden handle (which is good for taking off deeper snow), has very soft bristles and is about 3 feet long. Great for reaching the roof center with no concerns about scratching the car with your belt buckle.

George