Washing your car in winter is a must if you live in an area where salt, grit, and deicer chemicals end up on the roads. This stuff can be corrosive if you don’t keep on top of your car care. We’ll walk you through the do’s and don’ts of a winter car wash, including the best wash techniques, when is it too cold to wash your car, how to remove salt to prevent rust and corrosion, and more tips to see you through the colder weather.
If you are looking for an environmentally friendly steam hand car wash perfect for every season, download our Eco Wash Benefit Guide:
How to Wash Your Car in Winter: Do’s and Don’ts
If there is a lot of snow slush and water on the roads, your vehicle can quickly become muddy, leading to a buildup of dirt and grime that’s hard to shift later. Therefore, you may need to rely on car wash services more often in the colder weather. The good news is regular auto detailing should see your car through many winters. Here is a list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to washing car in winter.
Do’s for a Winter Car Wash
Do Choose the Right Day for a Winter Car Wash
If you plan a do it yourself car wash, check the weather first. Pick a day when the temperature is at least in the mid 30s°F (around 2-4°C) or higher. When the temperature starts to climb, use warm (not hot) water to help clean your car efficiently.
What temperature is too cold to wash your car? If the outside temperature is freezing (32°F or 0°C), or even colder, skip the car washing on your driveway or at a self service car wash. When it’s cold like this, the water will turn to ice on your car exterior, causing streaks and ice buildup. Also, ice formation in seals and locks can make it tricky to open car doors.
If you live someplace where the temperatures struggle to get above freezing for days or weeks on end, you could be waiting a while for a good car wash day. However, washing the salt off your car without delay is important to help prevent rust and corrosion. In this instance, seek out a touchless or brushless car wash. Even in the coldest weather, most of them stay open. However, ensure you visit a reputable one that maintains its equipment. See our post on are car washes bad for your car.
Do a Pre-Rinse on Your Car
Gather items from your hand car wash equipment list, including two buckets, one for washing and the other for rinsing or a hose with a spray nozzle. Rinse off the salt, grit and dirt. Focus on the wheel wells and undercarriage where most of the dirt goes. Using a separate bucket (with a grit guard) for rinsing keeps dirt and grit away from your washcloth. This helps prevent scratches on your paintwork.
Do Wash and Rinse Frequently
Start from the top of your car and work your way down. This way, you’ll avoid dirt contaminating areas you’ve already cleaned. Wash in sections, then rinse immediately to stop soapy water freezing on the surface.
Do Wash the Undercarriage
Salt on car surfaces can speed up the rusting process, particularly in parts of the car that are hard to see or reach, like the undercarriage. A trip to a 24 hour car wash might get the worst of the dirt off but won’t clean under your car. So, here’s what to do:
- After the pre-rinse, wash the undercarriage thoroughly.
- Mix car wash soap with water and apply it with a spray bottle or foam cannon.
- Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly with a pressure washer.
- Start from the front and move to the back, ensuring you cover all areas, including wheel wells, suspension components, and the frame.
However, undercarriage cleaning is not the easiest thing to do unless you have a special wash attachment for your pressure washer. Also, you can get a lot of contaminated runoff containing road salt and grease, which isn’t great for the environment. Instead, seek a reputable hand car wash that pays attention to detail. For instance, experience our exterior car steam cleaning using minimal water, so there is no runoff.
Do Dry the Car Quickly
Use high-quality microfiber towels to dry the car exterior thoroughly. This type of towel is highly absorbent and quickly soaks up water without scratching paintwork. Pay attention to areas where water might collect, such as door seals, handles, and mirrors. You could also use an air blower to speed up the process.
Do Invest in Winter Floor Mats
Shop around for winter floor mats to keep salt and snow away from your car’s interior during the winter. These mats are designed to trap salt and melted snow and prevent carpet damage. See our recommendations for useful car wash supplies for winter, below.
Don’ts for Car Washing in Winter
Don’t Skip the Wax or Sealant
If you want to protect your car from road salt and harsh winter weather, get waxing. A good-quality wax is a barrier against salt and debris and should last around 8 weeks. Moreover, you can do frequent touch-ups with a spray wax to see you through to the next proper waxing session. For example, Griot’s Garage Spray-On Wax is quick and easy to apply in the cold, leaving a beautiful, deep shine.
Don’t Ignore Worn Windshield Wipers
Replace worn wiper blades before the start of winter. Effective wipers are essential for clearing snow and ice from your windshield. Worn blades may leave patches of snow or ice that can obstruct your view. Also, you could end up with streaks and smears on your windshield, making it hard to see. This is particularly dangerous in winter when daylight hours are shorter or there’s glare from low winter sun.
Don’t Forget the Antifreeze
Protect your engine from freezing in cold weather. Keep your car topped up with antifreeze throughout the cold winter months. Use the antifreeze your vehicle manufacturer recommends. Common types include ethylene glycol and propylene glycol-based coolants. It is important to flush the cooling system and replace the antifreeze periodically. If you don’t fancy doing this yourself, a professional mechanic will advise how often to do it and will ensure the system is properly flushed and refilled.
Don’t Use the Pressure Washer in Icy Conditions
Even though using a pressure washer is a quick and efficient way to rinse winter dirt and snow from your vehicle, you could end up with sheets of ice on your driveway. A waterless car wash is an option in the winter months. However, some of the cleaning formulas might not effectively clean a buildup of road salt and grime. Therefore, it is wise to schedule a full service car wash at least once over the winter months to keep your vehicle looking good and running smoothly.
Going to a Car Wash With Snow on Car
If you need to wash your car after heavy snowfall, there are a couple of things to bear in mind when you visit a drive through car wash to ensure the process goes smoothly:
- Use a snow brush or a soft broom to remove as much snow as possible from your car, especially from the roof, hood, and trunk. This prevents excessive snow from entering the car wash and ensures a more effective cleaning.
- Ensure all windows, mirrors, and lights are free of snow to allow the car wash sensors to function correctly.
- Opt for a professional hand wash or a laser car wash to avoid potential damage from brushes that might catch on snow or ice chunks.
The same advice applies when you’re going to a car wash with ice on car. Make sure you don’t go through automatic car washes with large ice chunks attached to your car. These can dislodge during the wash and potentially scrape your vehicle.
Useful Car Wash Supplies for Winter
Winter-specific car products can be useful when cleaning your vehicle in harsher weather. You may want to add these to your car wash supplies list:
- Chemical Guys Swift Wipe is a spray-on formula that clean, shines and protects – perfect for a quick clean in winter months when you don’t want to spend time washing your car in the cold.
- Rain-X De-Icer windshield washer fluid effectively melts ice and keeps your windshield streak-free. Moreover, it won’t freeze during sub-zero temperatures (effective to -25°F).
- Adam’s Undercarriage Cleaner fits any pressure washer with a 3/8” quick disconnect fitting to help you clean the under your car after driving on salty winter roads.
- Weather Tech all-weather floor mats are designed to trap water, road salt, and mud. Made from a tough rubber formula, they won’t crack or curl in freezing temperatures.
- P21S 100% carnauba paste wax protects your vehicle’s pain during the cold season and lasts around 6-8 weeks.
Conclusion
Washing your car in winter can be challenging in cold weather. However, it is an essential part of car care. Leaving road salt sitting on your paintwork can lead to rust and corrosion. The key is to plan your car wash days around the weather and pay extra attention to detail. Ensure you regularly clean hard-to-reach areas like the undercarriage and use microfiber cloths to dry your exterior thoroughly. We also recommend adding a protective layer of wax.
The freezing temperatures can also take the fun of washing your car. So, you may prefer to leave the job to the professionals. DetailXPerts has trained teams who specialize in a steam hand car wash, ensuring no water runoff turns to ice on your driveway. Moreover, we protect and enhance your paintwork. Also, we can clean and sanitize your car interior to make it look and smell like new.
For more details on our greener clean, download our Eco Wash Benefit Guide:
