How often should you wash your car in winter? – Jalopnik

Winter brings many welcome things, like the first snowfall of the season, hot chocolate, or an excuse to use your car’s heated seats. Yet precipitation and freezing temperatures are also accompanied by road salt, a necessity to minimize slippery conditions. Depending on where you live, these treatments may be used occasionally or routinely. There are also different formulations, such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride, that vary in cost and effectiveness. However, they all have one thing in common: the ability to accelerate the development of rust (oxidation) on metal. Sodium on fries is good, sodium on your car not so much.

If you do not stay at home, there is no way to prevent your car from coming into contact with road salt. The best thing you can do is keep it clean. This is not to maintain a shiny exterior, which is almost impossible on wet or muddy roads, but to prevent the build-up of residue that can eat away at the body panels and undercarriage. The cleaning frequency depends on the degree of exposure to brine. Wash at least once a month and wash more often if you regularly drive your car on salted roads. There are also unbreakable winter driving rules to keep in mind.

There is no hard and fast rule about removing winter dirt. And yes, you can wash your car too often. However, the answer depends on how often your vehicle is exposed to road salt. In regions where snow and ice-covered roads are not the norm, a monthly visit to the car wash or a visit after a heavy storm is sufficient.

The challenge is determining an effective car wash practice if you live in an area where snow and ice are more common. In other words: contact with road salt is almost an everyday occurrence. Here you want to get into more of a routine than a post-storm response with weekly or biweekly washes. What adds to the complexity of the northern climate and keeping your car clean is the temperature. Washing your car at home is not very practical if the thermometer rarely rises above freezing; the water only makes the driveway more slippery.

The most convenient way to keep your car clean in the cold is to go to a car wash. Ideally, choose a touchless facility without brushes that grind salt and dirt into the paint. You will also need a place with an undercarriage wash facility to access the suspension, exhaust system and brakes. Standard surface cleaning does not clean these hard-to-reach parts. Going through a commercial car wash often also means hot water, which helps break down the dirt, and you have less to worry about when it comes to developing ice that can damage door seals.

If you choose the DIY approach, wash your car when it is at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit outside and ideally in the afternoon (the hottest part of the day). It is more comfortable and the remaining water evaporates rather than freezes. Cleaning under the car can be more challenging, but an undercarriage washer (think wheeled lawn sprinkler) connects to the hose to make the job easier. Jalopnik discovered this undercarriage spray hack if you don’t feel like spending $25 to $50 on another device. Of course, use the right supplies and materials to clean the top: car wash gloves and soap, not old towels and dish soap. Dry with a microfiber cloth.