Washing the car during winter: watch out for road salt on the paintwork

In the colder countries, a lot of road salt is spread in the winter. This salt is very harmful to the car’s paintwork. If there is minor damage such as scratches or stone chips on the paint, it can have unpleasant consequences. The salt comes into contact with the unprotected metal, resulting in rust. If you get to it in time, most rust can be removed with Iron Wash. Therefore, wash the car regularly in the winter. For example, in a carwash or wash bay.

Washing the car during spring: pollens and Sahara sand from the east

In spring, especially during or after a period of sunny and dry weather, there is a lot of pollen in the air here in The Netherlands. Especially if there is a strong east wind, pollen-laden winds can easily blow in from central and eastern Europe. Here many trees grow such as pines, which bloom later than in Western Europe.

Furthermore, a dry easterly wind blows a lot of pollen up from the ground. This (often yellow) pollen descends on cars and when it starts raining will often limit the visibility of the driver. Therefore, it is important to wash the car well if it is contaminated by pollens. Wind from the south can also carry Sahara sand to Europe. This sand can be seen on the car as a red glow.

Washing the car during summer: insects, tree resin and uv radiation

In the summer, the paintwork of the car can be full of insects. If these are not removed quickly and properly, they burn into the clear coat of the car. There will then be a kind of scar in the paintwork. This scar can only be removed by polishing the paint. So it is important to wash those insects off the car as soon as possible. This is a quick and easy done with Cartec Insect Cleaner (see picture).

It also happens regularly that tree resin or honeydew is on the paint of cars. For example, if the car has been parked under a tree a lot. If it is on the windows of the car, it can affect visibility of the driver. This contamination is often very stuck to the car, but is easy to remove with All Purpose Cleaner.

In addition, there is a lot of UV radiation in the summer. This radiation is strong enough to penetrate the paint layer. This can cause the paint to dry out and eventually the paint can crack. If the car has a good wax or coating, it is better protected from these harmful UV rays. Also, don’t leave bird droppings on the car’s paint for a day longer. This burns into the paint faster when the sun shines.

Washing the car during autumn: mud can damage the car paint

There is more mud on the road during autumn because most of the time it’s raining more and the leaves are falling. This mud can cause damage to the paintwork because it has an abrasive effect. This can easily cause light scratches in the clear coat. First remove the worst mud and only then wash the car with a microfiber glove, sponge or in the car wash. In this blog, we explain exactly how to do this best by hand.

Safety, another reason to wash the car

With a clean car, you are not only thinking of yourself, but also of others. The car is more visible to other traffic. The lighting of the car gives more light output and does not give a diffused light image. Because a clean and shiny car has more reflection, it is noticed more quickly by other people on the road. In addition, modern cars contain more and more cameras and sensors. When these are dirty, they work less well or not at all. This can lead to dangerous situations if they are relied upon.

In short, plenty of reasons to wash and maintain your car properly all year round. Want to work on the inside of the car as well? Read here how!