By Mahya Kamalvand
Canada is no stranger to winter and snow. Any Canadian driver knows exactly what to expect when winter is coming. For most people, for some unknown reasons, winter is intertwined with canceling all their car wash appointments. Instead, they should be searching for how to wash a car in the winter.
Learning the best ways to wash your vehicle in winter is an unwritten guarantee to expanding its lifespan. In fact, there are two groups of car owners: those who wash their vehicle in winter and extend its lifespan, and those who ignore the vehicle’s cleanliness in the cold weather and double the repairing costs in the spring.
As a professional mobile car detailing company, Shiny is here to inform you why and how you should wash your car in the winter.
Why To Wash Your Car In The Winter
Snow, rain, slush, and hail are inseparable parts of winter in Canada. The combination of winter weather, road salt, and the sand on the streets wreak havoc on your car.
It is apparent that the salt and the sand can pile up on your car and disrupt your vehicle’s mechanism. What awaits you afterwards, if you don’t take immediate action, is rust. And rust is best known to make the cars' enemy list.
You can easily protect your car, though, and that is to wash it regularly even in winter.
How Often Should You Wash Your Car In Winter?
As it was discussed in the article Put Car Care First, it is of utmost importance to consider washing your car part of a regular routine. This regularity regarding washing your vehicle in the winter can differ from one driver to another.
To keep away from any possibilities of corrosion, it’s best to rethink whether you are usually riding on salty roads or not. In that case, it is recommended to make sure you wash your car at least every week, and at length every 2 weeks during the winter times.
If taking your car to a car wash or auto-detailing is too much of a burden, you can call Shiny for its mobile services, or you can learn how to wash your car at home in the winter.
How To Wash Your Car At Home In Winter?
Even after learning how to wash your car in winter, you may find it hard to perform a thorough job alone at home. So, you can always call professionals at Shiny to help you.
First step to washing your car at home during the snowy winter is to find a day that the weather is not freezing cold so that the water does not ice up around your doors and windows.
Of course, if you are suspicious of temperature, you can lower the windows after you are done washing a little bit to wipe the water drops dry before they freeze. You can also start the engine after you are done washing your car to warm up the place until your vehicle completely dries.
What You’ll Need To Wash Your Car At Home In Winter
Water
You will need a hose to provide you with enough water. It is best to pressure water the dust and dirt off your car in the winter with a mildly warm water. You can also use many waterless products on the market to clean the exterior of your car off the dust and the dirt.
Waterless Products
One highly-regarded product is Swift Wipe Waterless Car Wash from Chemical Guys. This product can be sprayed directly on a dirty car and wiped off, removing dirt, dust and salt from the painted surfaces.
Soap And Microfiber Towels
To wash your car at home in the winter, you will need a quality soap to wash off the contaminants. Wash and wax car soap products aren’t a bad idea in the winter due to the fact that they just add another layer of protection and are convenient to apply.
To get help about shopping for the best products, you can check our article Looking For The Best Car Wash Soap. Also, you should never forget about the microfiber towels, which we have already talked about in another article.
How To Wash Your Car’s Exterior In The Winter
The best approach you can pick for cleaning and washing the exterior of your car in winter is to do it section by section.
First, Clean the Exterior Panels
Working in sections, rinse your vehicle with the wand and then dry it off immediately.
Don’t attempt to scrape debris accumulation on the vehicle exterior off with a hard object, especially if you can’t accurately estimate how deep they run in the car paint. Instead, gently foam the region with shampoo.
Clean the Doors and Wipers
As mentioned before, washing around your doors and the wipers thoroughly dry off all seals. Lift the wiper blades up and away from your windshield. Otherwise they stick to the glass.
Leave everything in these positions until you’re done, so any small amounts of water still have time to evaporate.
Clean the Wheels and Undercarriage
The undercarriage of a vehicle is where a lot of the salt, sand, and slush buildup occurs, which leads to rust. The same goes for the wheels. When washing these areas, get into every nook and cranny possible.
How To Wax Your Car In Winter
It is recommended to wax your car for protection in winter. However, when it’s freezing and everything is turning stone cold, you may find it quite challenging how to swiftly apply the wax on your car.
That is why we believe it is best to either wax your car before the winter chills, which will also provide the paint on your car with extra protection. Or else, find yourself a professional auto-detailer and get your car waxed by professionals.
Final Thought
Although washing your car during the cold winter and snowy weather does not seem like the most fun suggestion, we hope that our tips can help you keep your vehicle in its best condition during the cold season. Although car washes aren’t always your first choice, sometimes they’re better than nothing when it comes to washing off dirty snow and salt.
Call Shiny and consider a full detailing package to worry less about the winter, and drive more on the road. We are available in Vancouver, Surrey, and Richmond.
