SHOULD YOU WASH YOUR CAR IN WINTER?
SHOULD YOU WASH YOUR CAR IN WINTER?
With the arrival of winter’s frosty mornings, rainy days and dark nights, keeping your car clean can seem like a tall order. However, winter can be tough on cars, with water, road salt and dirt leaving their mark. That’s why you need to get in the habit of cleaning your car regularly in the winter months. With nice automatic car washes you can even avoid getting wet and having to endure the cold.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR CAR CLEAN IN THE WINTER?
MOISTURE MEANS SALT, AND SALT MEANS RUST
On winter roads, your car will encounter things like salt, grit and rotting leaves, which can all stick to your paintwork and cause leave harmful deposits behind. This, in turn, causes the onset of rust, which will eat away at your car’s exposed metalwork if left unchecked. Salt, dirt and moisture deposits are most harmful on your car’s undercarriage, where metal components are less protected. If rust takes hold here, you could face all sorts of mechanical issues down the road, and see the resale value of your car plummet when it comes time to trade it in or sell it on.
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SAFETY
It isn’t just for cosmetic and upkeep purposes that you need to keep your car clean in the winter; there’s a safety element to consider, too. Sun dazzle is more common in winter than it is in summer, because the sun is low during peak driving hours. That’s why it’s so important to keep your windshield clean and free from smears. And it goes without saying that if you park your car outside, make sure you clear the windscreen, roof, and rear window of any snow and ice before driving. Not only can leaving it impair your vision, it could also cause a distraction for other drivers.
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EXTERIOR CAR CLEANING IN THE WINTER
They say that prevention is better than a cure, and this goes for cars too. There’s potential for damage to your paintwork over winter months but if you protect it before the weather gets bad you won’t have as much work to do to keep it clean.
HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR CAR EXTERIOR:
- Have a strong layer of protective wax on your car.
- Rinse off mud and salt snow slush as soon as possible.
- Remove dirt and salt buildup from your undercarriage, wheel arches, door jambs and the spaces beneath the bumpers, bonnet, and boot.
BONUS TIP: Be careful drying your car if you haven’t used soap to wash it. If there are small bits of dirt or grit still on the surface, they can get trapped under a water scraper or drying cloth and cause scratches.
WAXING YOUR CAR IN TIME FOR WINTER
Not only does waxing your car keep your car all clean and shiny, but it also adds a protective layer that helps shield your car from sun exposure and small scratches. If you’ve never waxed your car before, it’s not difficult, and is a great way to make sure your paintwork is protected before winter hits.
INTERIOR CAR CLEANING IN THE WINTER
There are a couple of reasons why it can be hard to keep the inside of your car clean in the winter. Firstly, you’ll probably be using your car a lot more, so dirt, marks and stains will occur more often. Then, there’s the fact that you’ll be bringing muddy shoes, wet dogs and equally soggy children into your car, which can make it really hard to keep things looking fresh and clean.
CLEAN THE CARPETS AND UPHOLSTERY
Over winter, your wet and muddy shoes will have brought a lot of dirt into the car. Even if you have car mats and are very careful, that dirt will work its way into the carpets, creating stains and smells. Rocket Car Wash makes cleaning your floor mats quick and easy with our state of the art mat machine!
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KEEP THE WINDSHIELD SMEAR-FREE
Smears, dirt and fingerprints on the inside of your windows may not seem a big problem, but once the sun hits them on a winter’s morning, when the sun is low in the sky, dangerous dazzle could impact your ability to drive the car safely.
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SO HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOUR WASH YOUR CAR IN WINTER?
We suggest routine visits to a car wash, about every two weeks or whenever the vehicle looks worse for wear due to wintry weather conditions. When roads are wet following a shower, the amount of dirt, debris and salt increases, and this will need to be removed ASAP to prevent it from damaging your car’s paintwork.