With winter approaching and living in Iowa, it is essentially unavoidable that your car will attract snow slush and dirt. ? Here are some tips to keep your car in tip-top shape during winter.
1. Wash regularly
In the winter it is more important to keep your car clean than other months because of the salt on the roads. The salt on the roads can get into areas of a rock chip or non-painted areas, causing rust. This is a very prevalent issue considering we live in the salt band (an area of the United States that uses a lot of salt on the roads). I would recommend using Optimum No-Rinse for your washing routine.
2. Do not use brushes
Many people decide to brush off their entire car if there is snow on it, instead of using a brush (which will scratch the paint a lot). I recommend using a leaf blower!Many people do not realize that a leaf blower is a very safe, and most of the time easier, alternative to brushing.
3. When entering your vehicle clap those boots
Something that will make cleaning significantly easier is clapping off your shoes prior to entering the car. This will make it easier to clean your interior and carpet the next time you do it.
4. Jambs are very import
Jambs (areas around doors, hoods and trunks) are an oxidation magnet, so it is very important to keep these areas clean. I would recommend using your normal winter wash method on these areas. Make sure to clean under your doors as well because they are often forgotten in the cleaning process.
5. Work in small areas
When cleaning in winter, cars tend to have much more salt and sand, which can easily contaminate a mitt or towel. To combat this, work in much smaller areas of the paint and make sure to use many towels or rinse your mitt very frequently.
While it is very easy to ignore washing your car in the winter, it is very important to prevent rust. Winter has many things to throw at vehicles, so rust is the last thing you want to have to worry about.
