Quick Tips For Washing Your Car During Winter

With the nights drawing in faster, here's our quick tips for washing your car during the colder months.

1) Interior

It's good to start inside your car before everything gets a bit wet from the wash process. If needed, give your carpets a good hoover, clear any clutter, treat your trim to some all purpose cleaner and/or dressing before spraying some of your favourite air freshener.

2) Wheels

Installing a ceramic coating on your wheels will dramatically cut down the amount of time you need to spend cleaning them. Our Gtechniq Wheels Kit will give you up to two-years worth of protection from brake dust and the elements.

When it comes to cleaning, rinse each wheel first then follow with a wheel cleaner. Allow to dwell, then agitate with a brush. Using a dedicated wheel bucket, wheel shampoo and wheel mitt, finish the rest of the wheel and rinse.

Always keep these items separate from the ones you wash your paint with, this will avoid cross-contamination of metallic brake dust particles and alike.

3) Pre-Wash

Rinse with a pressure washer (if you're able to) and then either use a Spray-On pre-wash, or your favourite snow foam and lance. Allow to dwell for 5-mins and rinse. This will remove initial contaminants from the road. Remember to include areas such as wheel arches and pay attention to the rear of your car as this is where dirt accumulates more.

If you've previously installed a ceramic coating or polymer sealant, your pre-wash stage will be made easier and faster. Spray-sealants after your maintenance washes will also help in a similar way.

4) Two-Bucket Hand Wash

Now you've removed most of the contaminants, contact washing has been made far safer. As above, if you've got a coating installed on your paint and glass, your hand wash will be made even easier as your wash mitt or pad will simply glide over panels, bumpers and glass. Wash and rinse your car from top to bottom - the lower panels will always be dirtier, treat those last.

If you're new to detailing, you should have one bucket with a Grit Guard or Cyclone inside and your shampoo mixture, as well as one for rinsing your wash mitt or pad after each pass, also with a Grit Guard or Cyclone inside. This reduces the chance of installing fine scratches and swirls into your paintwork.

5) Drying

If you have a coating installed on your paint and glass, use an open-ended hose to remove the majority of your hand-wash rinse water. This will cut down the amount of time you need to spend drying your car.

A plush microfiber drying towel will offer the best paintwork care when drying. You may also wish to use a smaller-pile towel to dry door shuts and other areas.

6) Finishing

If you've got some daylight left, consider finishing the process with a top-up of your favourite maintenance spray sealant. This will further save you time when you come round to washing your car again. Use tyre dressing to add some 'pop' to the overall look of the car, it'll also protect the tyre walls.

We hope these steps help, but if you need further advice with technique or choice of products, please do contact us, we're here to help.

The Clean + Shiny Team.

AutumnCar careDetailingHampshireWashingWinter