The Risks & Rewards of Winter Car Washes

Winter months in Lancaster, PA – you are likely all too familiar with the cold, snowy and icy days that often happen from November to March. With the cold weather, it can be tempting to forgo important car maintenance during these months, like keeping your car clean inside and out.

You may think of going to a car wash as more of a summertime activity. However it is incredibly important to keep your car in tip-top shape during the winter months. When slush, ice, road salt, and sometimes snow cover the roads, you want to take the best steps to keep yourself and your family safe – and a big part of that is keeping your car well-maintained and clean.

Staying on top of car washing does not need to be a hassle – it can be quite the opposite. At Sundance Car Wash, we have multiple locations, ready to serve you year-round, rain or shine or snow. Before you visit one of our locations, it’s good to be aware of the best ways to keep up on car washing and maintenance in the winter.

 

 

Why Is It Important To Wash Your Car During Winter?

It is always a good idea to keep your car as clean as possible, regardless of the time of year. It feels better to drive around in a car that looks fresh and shining on the road, rather than driving a car that looks beaten down by the weather. But in winter, especially in Lancaster County, when roads tend to be more dangerous and weather conditions more unpredictable, keeping your vehicle clean and in excellent condition should be even more of a priority. Having a clean car is as important for safety as it is for wanting a nice-looking vehicle. Plus, your car tends to become dirtier in the winter, driving through snow, ice, salt, and slush, and your boots will track all of the same elements into the floor of your car as well.

There are also practical reasons for maintaining your car’s cleanliness. It is important to know that cleaning your car in winter can:

• Deter rust from building. Road salt and the other ice-melting chemicals used to keep roads safe in the winter can cause rust and corrosion on your vehicle, according to Erie Insurance. The fuel lines and brakes in your vehicle are most susceptible to this damage. But if you keep your car clean, this rust and corrosion won’t build up and damage to your vehicle. The salt used on roads in the winter includes a mix of rust-causing concoctions, including magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, and calcium magnesium acetate. Many of these chemicals are salt-based, and some are liquid and others are solid, but they are a recipe for rust on your vehicle. And fixing rust can cost a lot of money. According to Firestone, rust damage costs motorists about $3 billion each year. So save yourself time and expense by keeping your car clean during winter at Sundance Car Wash.
• Keep tires in good condition. We all know how important it is to have good tires – especially when you’re traveling on snowy or icy roads in the winter. When you visit Sundance Car Wash, we’ll make sure to clean your car’s tires which will help them be in their best shape to face the winter roads. You can also consider investing in winter tires – as long as you stay committed to keeping them clean.
• Remove damaging salt and grit from undercarriage of vehicle. Those hard-to-reach places on your car, such as the undercarriage, will be the most vulnerable places to salt and grime on the road. It is easier and quicker to bring your car into one of our locations, instead of trying to get under your vehicle in the cold months at home with a hose. Sundance Car Wash thoroughly cleans the undercarriage of your vehicle with ease.
• Keep your garage cleaner. Cleaning out your garage may or may not be a chore you choose to pursue over the winter, but either way, bringing a clean car home after winter driving means you won’t have a mess of salt and slush in your garage.
• Improve the overall look and shine of your vehicle. Winter can be a bleak season, but it doesn’t help to have a bleak looking vehicle to drive. It’s so much easier for cars to lose their shine in the winter months, which is why it’ll feel extra good when you stay on top of a good car wash and waxing schedule.
• Improve visibility when you’re driving. Good visibility when you’re driving is always critical, but when traveling with the risk of a snowstorm or sleet, you want to make sure your windshield and wipers are prepared. We clean your windshield and wipers meticulously so you can travel with clarity and peace of mind.

 

 

How Often Should I Wash My Car?

Throughout the spring, summer and fall, three to five times a month is typically the ideal frequency for washing your car. However, this depends on other factors as well, including how often you drive. If you are consistently commuting for hours every day, you may want to wash your car more often than that. And if you are preparing for a road trip, it is usually a good idea to visit Sundance Car Wash before you head out of town.

The ideal frequency in the wintertime is the same frequency as other seasons, three to five times a month; however, you may need to wash it more frequently after driving in snow or during stormy weather. Pay attention to how dirty your car is, knowing that its more likely to be vulnerable in the winter months.

 

 

Advice For Washing Your Car In Winter Months

Here are some tips for what to do and not to do when keeping your car clean in the colder months:

• If you park your car outside, be sure to wash it in the morning or midday, so temperatures are warmer and your car dries before freezing overnight temperatures.
• Make sure your vehicle has time to thoroughly dry after taking it to the car wash. Salt and other dirt on the road is more likely to stick to a wet car. To dry your car quickly, you can rub a microfiber cloth over your car to make sure all of the moisture is gone.
• In winter, you may hear about a “waterless wash,” which is a spray-on, wipe-off cleaning solution. But it’s best to skip this in the winter. These products are not nearly as effective as getting a real car wash and will not be able to clean deeper than the surface level. In winter, you want to stick with a traditional car wash like ours at Sundance Car Wash.
• Add a protective layer of wax to your car. Have you considered waxing your car but have never made it a priority? Winter can be a great time to finally wax your car, as it adds a protective layer that serves as a great preventative measure against the salt and slush on the roads in the winter. Wax is a resilient product that does not degrade quickly, which allows it to withstand whatever the winter roads throw at your vehicle. Our platinum soft brush and touch free washes both have a wax feature included, helping to prevent dirt from sticking to your car, keeping your car cleaner for longer.
• Don’t forget about your wipers! As mentioned above, having good visibility on the road is especially important when the weather is unpredictable. A visit to Sundance Car Wash will ensure your windows are clean to help your wipers do their job.
• If water does happen to get into your door and freezes your locks, don’t panic or start pulling hard on the handle. Instead, remote start your car, if possible, and let it warm up. You can also use a de-icing fluid that can fit in cracks and help prevent moisture from causing future freezes.

 

 

Heading into colder weather, it is important to keep your car clean, especially during the winter months. Now that you know the dos and don’ts of winter car washing for optimal results, Sundance Car Wash can steer you and your car in the right direction when it comes to winter car washing. Sundance Car Wash has five different locations, so you can find a convenient one for you: Blue Ball (4213 Division Hwy Blue Ball 17506) Lititz Pike (234 Lititz Pike Lancaster 17601) Lincoln Hwy East (1728 Lincoln Hwy East Lancaster 17602) Leola (118 West Main St. Leola 17540) and Columbia Ave (2154 Columbia Ave Lancaster 17603).

Call 717-355-7118 or visit a Sundance Car Wash location today to learn how we can help you keep your car fresh and clean all year round!

TL;DR – It’s important to keep your car clean during the winter, but car washes need to be done right.

It’s important to keep your car clean during winter months, as salt, snow, ice, and more can build up and cause issues. Visit a Sundance Car Wash location for a thorough winter weather car cleaning to prevent damage from corrosive salt and chemicals, and to keep your car driving safely in bad weather.