If you search online for information about how often to wash a car, the answers will be all over the place. It’s not unreasonable, however, to recommend washing your vehicle every couple of weeks, waxing it every six months, and cleaning the interior every few months.
But don’t rest on your laurels during the cold winter months. That’s when detailing is needed most. So, if you live in a part of the U.S. where snow, slush, dirt, and road salt are part of your daily commute during the winter, here are 16 reasons why detailing during that season is vital.
Detect Possible Problems
During the winter, problems can be covered up by frozen snow, slush, and other things. When your car is detailed, you or whoever does the job will notice issues that need addressing. This will provide extra protection so your vehicle is safe during the most difficult driving season.
Clean Up the Ugly
Let’s face it. Winter driving can leave vehicles looking the worse for wear. That’s especially true if your state uses road salt or some other concoction to make the roads driveable in the winter. Unfortunately, the stuff cities use to treat the roads after a snow or ice storm can wreak havoc on your car. It can leave your vehicle looking like it’s never been to a car wash or detailer.
Get Rid of Road Salt
Salt might help keep the roads safer during winter’s inclement weather, but it sucks for your car. It fast-tracks the rusting process. So, if you don’t wash it off your vehicle, the road salt can wreak havoc on the body, suspension, exhaust pipes, and more. Washing your car regularly through the winter will prevent salt from building up and lessening the longevity of your vehicle.
Protect Brakes
It’s always a good idea to get your brakes serviced annually. However, you can extend the longevity of your calipers, sliding pins, and other braking system components through detailing. Doing so will help eliminate the road chemicals that can cause premature wear and tear.
Prevent Ice Build Up
Ice buildup can be a problem during the winter. But by regularly washing your vehicle, you can prevent it from occurring or stop it in its tracks if it has begun. You’ll be safer when your mirrors, windshield, and sunroof are clear and offer optimal visibility.
Preserve Paint
If you want to protect the exterior paint during the winter, one way is to clean or detail your vehicle several times during the cold weather months. Road salt can do a number on the paint and, as was mentioned before, accelerate rust formation. Road salt doesn’t need a lot of time to wreak havoc — especially if there’s already some rust on your car.
Enhance Overall Safety
The last thing you need is dirt and grime to form over your headlights, high beams, fog lights, or brake lights. But that’s exactly what can happen if you’re not diligent in cleaning your car during the winter. Winter weather packs a punch and will jeopardize safety if you’re not careful.
Prevent Damage to the Interior
First off, all-weather mats are essential. They’ll help protect your vehicle from the harmful effects of road salt and whatever else your shoes or boots drag into your car. Detailing the interior is necessary. Otherwise, the inside of your vehicle could be an unmitigated mess come spring.
Protect Resale Value
Whether you have plans to sell your car in the future or not, it makes sense to preserve its resale value. Doing so is a win-win for you. On the one hand, you can command more money when the time comes to sell it. On the other hand, you’ll have a nicer vehicle to drive in — one worth more than it otherwise would be.
Remove Ice That Could Become a Problem
Have you ever seen large chunks of ice break off a moving vehicle and become a flying object? All of us have. And it can be scary and dangerous — especially if it catches drivers off guard. Cleaning your car regularly can identify those issues so that your vehicle doesn’t launch chunks of ice at other motorists.
Improve Fuel Efficiency
Did you know that an extra 100 pounds in your car could lessen your miles per gallon by as much as 2%? That’s one reason to unload your trunk of anything you don’t need. Don’t underestimate the fuel efficiency hit when driving a vehicle covered in snow. That’s one reason to have a tonneau cover on your truck bed in the winter. You pay enough for gas as it is.
Protect Tires
While it’s good news that winter tires are made from rubber compounds that limit any adverse impact of road salt, it’s bad news that you won’t get that protection if your tires are already compromised. Tires with weather cracking can worsen when coming into contact with salt.
Lessen Windshield Wiper Wear
You likely use your windshield wipers a lot during the winter. Who hasn’t had another driver hit a patch of slush that splashed a mix of snow, water, and dirt onto their windshields? Cleaning your vehicle regularly will help rid your windshield of ice, debris, and dirt that can wear down your wiper blades faster than would otherwise be the case.
Safeguard Rubber Seals
Salt is extremely corrosive and can wear down rubber seals over time. That’s why it makes sense to ensure the rubber seals around your windows and doors are kept clean during the winter months when grime, dirt, and salt are abundant.
Keep Sensors Clean
If you have a high-end vehicle with sensors that help with everything from monitoring blindspots to keeping your car centered in its lane, you must keep the sensors operational. They won’t be if they’re covered in snow or ice.
Keep Cameras Clean
Backup cameras in the U.S. became mandatory on new vehicles in 2018. But what good is your backup camera if it’s covered in snow or ice? Getting in the habit of cleaning your car regularly can prevent problems when you need to back out of a tricky spot.
Cleaning and Detailing Aren’t Just for the Spring and Summer
Cleaning your vehicle is a year-round task rather than a seasonal one. But you’ll need to be more vigilant during the winter months when road and driving conditions take a toll on your car.
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