Spring has sprung, the birds are singing, and the sun is finally putting in an appearance. But the chances are your car is still feeling (and showing) the effects of winter.
With warm weather (hopefully) just around the corner, now’s the time to give your car a good spring clean. There are plenty of good reasons to – here are seven of the best.
It’s been attacked from below
During the winter, authorities spread salt on the roads to combat ice in freezing temperatures. That’s fine for us, but not so great for our cars. The salt dissolves in the moisture on the road and is flicked up by the tyres as we drive over it. This coats the lower parts of the bodywork, inside the wheel arches, and the area underneath your car with salt. The salt goes to work on metal, targeting any areas of weakness.
It’s been attacked from above
Rain is more corrosive than ordinary water. As it falls from the sky, particularly in urban and industrial areas, it collects pollutants from the atmosphere. When rain lands on your car, these pollutants – frequently acid-based – lie on the paintwork. You need to wash off the acid rain residue before it eats into your car’s protective clear coat, which keeps the paint looking nice and shiny.
A clean car is a safer car
Your car will have been covered with dirt and moisture during the winter. As well as sticking to the paintwork, the glass will be coated too. And that makes it difficult to see out, especially when the sun is low in the sky. Wash your car, clean the glass inside and out, and you’ll be able to see hazards sooner when you’re out on the road.
Find damage before it’s a problem
When your car’s dirty, damage is much harder to spot. Chips on the edge of the windscreen, bodywork dents or other paintwork damage could be hiding beneath the grime. The earlier you find these imperfections, the better. A windscreen chip outside the area swept by the wipers can be repaired, but a crack can’t. And it’s much easier to have paintwork chips or other bodywork damage fixed before rust sets in.
Wash your car before the sun comes out
Heat can accelerate the damage winter conditions can do to your car. That’s why it’s a good idea to do a spring car wash to clean the contamination off before the weather starts to warm up.
It’s better to do it yourself
If there’s one annual car wash you do yourself, make it this one. There are a couple of reasons why. First, it gives you a good look at your car so you can spot any hidden damage. You’ll also be able to give it a proper clean and get into all the nooks and crannies that a paid car washer may not bother with.
It’s a good workout!
After all the rain we’ve had this winter, it’s good to make the most of the better weather and get outside. And a spring car wash is a great all-round work out. You’re stretching to reach up onto the roof. You need to bend and squat to wash the parts lower down and the wheels. And whether you’re washing or drying, your arms are getting good exercise. Feel those bulging biceps at the end, as you reflect on a job well done.
THIS POST WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON 5 MARCH 2019
very funny love it, if they think ime rich they need help
are the waterless polish cleaners good to use
I use the waterless polish cleaners all the time. If it’s good enough for rally drivers it’s good enough for me. Why wash with water then have to go over it again with polish.when the waterless polish cleaner does both. My car looks brand new when I’ve finished. Jack Haynes Manchester May 26 2019
I use a waterless cleaner on a regular basis, if you are fit enough you can also benefit from the workout I’m usually knackered after the cleaning session. The one good thing is that you can use it on all parts of the car, no need for extra item such as glass cleaner, tyre dressing or metal polish and waxes. Waterless wash does it all give it a try.
good to give a reminder from time to time, thank you.
Unfortunately some of us are physically unable to undertake this task ourselves. I find that the next best way is to use a hand-car-wash where you are familiar with the staff, and have taken the trouble to get to know them. People always work better for a friend, and friendliness cast nothing.
Can’t argue with that a all good coments
cheers for the information
Have done it .And it works
lovely piece of advise to care about the car what it went through in winter, worth reading your tips on good care. thank you
Makes total sense. Anyway, as with most things clean tidy car, clean tidy mind.
Always clean the wiper blades with a cloth if they have not been used due to dry weather. It will prevent the windscreen from being scratched, because dust builds up where the wipers sit on the windscreen. Once such an event cost me a new screen. A piece of grit stuck to the wiper on the drivers side. It scratched the wind screen. The screen was an MOT failure.
Very good information
Thanks Green Flag, good advice.
Colin P
Lots of really useful information thank you
cleaned inside all the wheel arches and was shocked by the amount of dirt /leaves that was left on the drive
Washing keeps the car bodywork looking good but it also gives an opportunity for close inspection of the lights and tyres. Check the tracking. Badly aligned wheels cause excessive tyre wear. Worn tyres and faulty lights are endorsable offences. A simple inspection can save a lot of money .
Thank you for the reminder as I’d forgotten over the last couple of years.
I find the do-it-yourself car washes which have a jet lance and brush good. Using the jet lance for getting up around the wheel arches and underneath the car to wash the salt off (in either initial wash or particularly final rinse mode).
A Jet petrol station near-ish to me has one of these machines. Just not so good for a work-out though.
More common sense from Green Flag. Thanks
Supporting the Drive left campaign on the Motor way seems odd Where else would you go if you break down and have to stop ? I personally think these motorways are highly dangerous and the idea that they will be well monitored by cameras is still open to doubt.
Get down and dirty
I wash mine 2 times a week think I’m obsessed
All good stuff – I think I’ll go and do mine now!!