During the winter, you might not be as motivated to wash your car. Not only do you want to spend as little time outside in the cold weather as possible, but you might not see the point of washing your car, especially if you live in an area where it snows or rains regularly during the winter. How frustrating can it be to wash your car only to have it covered with snow the very next day, after all? However, it’s actually a bad idea to go through the winter without washing your car. The following are four reasons why it’s important that you wash your car in the winter:
1. The roads are treated with salt
During the winter season, cities will generally lay down salt on the roads. This helps to melt existing ice and prevent falling snow and water from freezing, thereby keeping the roads safer to drive on. Salt also helps provide more traction for vehicles so people are less likely to spin out while driving in icy conditions. However, the chemicals used in road salt are incredibly corrosive. As you drive through it, the salt will collect on your vehicle. If you don’t wash the salt off regularly, it will begin to eat away at your vehicle, causing rust and other serious damage. Rustproofing and undercoating your vehicle can protect it from corrosion and rust. Your vehicle’s underbody is extremely vulnerable to the corrosive effects of road salt. Keeping your vehicle clean will definitely help, but without some sort of protection, the bottom of your vehicle can still rust and corrode, leading to part failure.
2. There’s more moisture in the air than usual
When it snows, it means that there’s a ton of moisture in the air. Your vehicle is susceptible to potential moisture damage, especially if you park your car outside. This is because moisture can buildup and damage the paint on your vehicle. If it gets particularly bad, it can lead to rust. Cleaning your paint along with the undercarriage of your vehicle will help prevent damage caused by moisture buildup.
3. The roads are less visible during the winter
One of the reasons it’s so much more dangerous to drive during the winter season than any other time of the year is because visibility becomes so much worse. Not only can snowfall make it very difficult to see very far in front of you, but snow-covered roads can reflect light, which can make it more difficult to see oncoming traffic. Additionally, dirt, grime, and salt, have a tendency to build up on your vehicle’s windows and side view mirrors, thereby obscuring your view even more. You need to wash your car regularly to keep your windows clear.
4. Your tires experience more wear and tear in the winter
Your tires take on an even more important role during the winter. The safety of everyone in your vehicle will depend greatly on your tires’ ability to retain a grip on the roads your drive on. Not only will roads be more slippery, but the salt and sand laid down to help make the roads safer will cause severe wear and tear on your tires over time. By washing your tires regularly throughout winter, you’ll help prevent such damage from occurring, thereby helping your tires retain their grip.
Taking care of your car is important not only because you want to make sure it stays in good shape, thereby retaining its future resale value (and preventing costly repairs), but doing so will help to prevent potential safety issues from developing as well. This is especially important during the winter when road conditions are at their worst, which is why you need to make sure to wash your car during the winter season. For information on how you can protect your vehicle from the corrosive effects of winter driving, contact us at Z-One in Toledo, OH, today.
