It’s important to wash your car as part of regular care, but how often should you do it? Different people have different ideas, and the answer relies on where you live, the weather, and even the time of year. In order to get to the bottom of it, we’ll look at what experts say about how often you should wash your car and why doing so regularly can make your car last longer and look better.
A good rule of thumb is to do it every two weeks
Most people who know a lot about car care say that washing your car every two weeks is a good basic maintenance routine. With this plan, dirt, grime, bird droppings, and other harmful things won’t have a chance to build up on your car’s paint and damage it. Cleaning the finish often helps protect it from dirt, UV rays, and other natural damage. But in some situations, this regularity may need to be changed. See also.
Wash your car more often if the weather is bad
You’ll need to wash your car more often if you live in a place with extreme weather, like a coastal area with salty air or a place that gets a lot of snow and road salt in the winter. It is well known that road salt can rust and damage cars if it stay on them for too long. Because of this, you should wash your car once a week to keep salt, dirt, and water from damaging it. People who live near the ocean should also wash their clothes more often to get rid of the salt that builds up in the air. See also.
In the winter, you might want to wash your car once a week
During the winter, the weather is often cold, which can damage the outside of your car. Because of the snow, slush, road salt, and freezing weather, your car is exposed to things that can rust, corrosion, and cause other damage. Experts say that you should wash your car once a week or every 10 days during the winter, especially after a snowstorm or when the roads are highly salted. There are many car washes that can handle cold weather with heated rooms and high-pressure water, even if it’s below freezing. See also.
When cars are parked, they don’t need to be washed as often
You don’t have to wash your car as often if it stays in the garage or indoors for long amounts of time. Not being exposed to the weather means that cars don’t get as dirty as cars that are kept outside. Cleaning your car at least once a month is important, even if you keep it in the garage. This will get rid of dust, pollen, and other things that settle on the surface. Washing your car often will also keep it shiny and keep the paint from wearing off over time. See also.
After storms or heavy rain, wash
Even though rain may seem like a good way to clean your car for free, it can make it dirtier. The dirt, chemicals, and acids in rainwater can damage the paint on your car. Giving your car a good wash after a storm or heavy rain is a good idea to get rid of any dirt or grime that the water may have left behind. Rain can also mix with dirt and dust on your car, leaving water spots and lines that look bad. See also.
For a better clean, wash by hand
Automatic car washes are handy and can be used often, but they might not always give your car the deep clean it needs. For a better clean, you should wash your car by hand once a month or every couple of months. You can focus on hard-to-reach places like the wheels, chassis, and cracks that automatic washers might miss when you wash by hand. It also gives you a chance to look over your car for chips, scratches, or places that need fixing. See also.
Twice a year, clean and wax your car
For the best car care, you should clean your car at least twice a year. Detailing is more than just washing your car; it also includes waxing, shining, and cleaning the inside and outside of your car. When you wax your car after washing it, you add a barrier that protects the paint from UV rays, dirt, and small scratches. Polishing brings back the shine of the car and gets rid of small flaws in the paint. By detailing your car every six months as part of your regular car care practice, you’ll keep it looking good and protect its value. See also.
After long trips, wash your car
Your car probably has a lot of dust, dirt, bugs, and maybe even tar or bird droppings on it after a long trip. If you leave these things on your car’s paint for too long, they can damage it. If you wash your car as soon as you get back from a long trip, it will stay in good shape and look great. The front grille and glass are especially important to clean because that’s where bugs and other things tend to gather. See also.
Keep the undercarriage in mind
When people wash their cars, they often forget to clean the underside, but this is an area that gets a lot of dirt, salt, and grime. Experts say that you should pay extra attention to the undercarriage, especially in the winter when road salt can build up and cause rust. There are automatic car washes that clean the underbelly as part of their service. If you wash your car at home, you should also hose off the bottom of it. See also.
Conclusion
As a general rule, you should wash your car every two weeks. However, you should change your washing schedule depending on where you live, the weather, and the time of year. Not only do regular car washes make your car look better, they also protect the paint and keep bugs, salt, and dirt from damaging it. By washing your car regularly, you can keep the outside looking like it just came from the dealership for longer. See also.
