Caring for Your Car During the Winter

Colorado is known for having snowy winters. Here in Loveland, we’ve already seen a couple of snowstorms, and they’re not going to slow down anytime soon. While the chances of keeping your car squeaky clean through the winter is pretty unlikely, you are going to want to do some routine maintenance to avoid any damage to your car. Keep reading for a few of the things that you can do to care for your car during the winter.

Vacuum the Inside

The amount of dirt, mud, and sidewalk salt that will make their way into your car is pretty crazy. While it may seem harmless and inevitable, it can damage the carpets in your car. Even with the floor mats that catch a lot of this mess, it’s good to vacuum the interior of your car regularly. Not only will this keep mud from staining the carpets in your car, but it will leave the interior of your car looking great.

Wash Off the Salt 

With every snow storm comes the sidewalk salt that prevents slips. Though sidewalk salt is known for doing a world of good when the roads are icy, it’s not particularly good for your vehicle. Sidewalk salt can be extremely harsh on the exterior of your car, which is why you want to rinse it off instead of letting it build up on the outside of your car. Even though a car wash may not leave your car looking squeaky clean for long, it will get the sidewalk salt off and minimize the chances of damage. 

In regards to washing your car during the winter, it’s definitely worth washing it after some of those nastier storms. Choose a high-pressure wash that can get into some of those tough-to-reach spots and remove the dirt and salt from those areas as well.

Add a Protective Coat

After you’ve had your car washed and you’ve gotten all of the winter grime off of your car, it’s good to invest in a protective coat. Putting a protective coat of polymer wax on the exterior of your car can help create a barrier between the snow, sleet, sidewalk salt, and grime of the winter and the paint of your vehicle. By doing so after you’ve washed your car, you decrease the chances of having to worry about chipped paint or discoloration come spring. 

Replace Your Windshield Wiper

Something you can guarantee will be heavily used during this time of year are the windshield wipers. That is why we are suggesting you check your windshield wipers regularly and make sure that they don’t need to be replaced. There’s nothing more frustrating or dangerous than losing a windshield wiper while driving in the snow. Aside from your wipers, make sure that you’re also checking for windshield wiper fluid. With the low temperatures, find a bottle that accounts for the weather and won’t freeze up when it sprays. It’s also good to carry a bottle of this in your car in case you run out while out and about. 

Check Your Tire Pressure

Tires are one of the parts of a car that we rely on the most. With that being said, they can be affected by the lower temperatures that winter brings. For that reason, we suggest checking your tire pressure regularly. Tires can lose up to a pound of air with every dten-degree drop, leaving them underinflated. Under these circumstances, the last thing that you want to do is drive. Checking your tire pressure on a weekly basis can help ensure you catch any low tires before you head out on the road.

If you don’t already have one in your car, add a tire gauge to your glove compartment so you are able to check quickly and easily. 

Stop by Speedy Sparkle Car Wash Today

Even though the exterior of your car won’t stay sparkling clean this winter, there are many things that need to be done routinely to keep your car looking its best. Speedy Sparkle Car Wash in Loveland offers both car wash and interior detailing services so that you can keep your car looking its best. Stop by Speedy Sparkle Car Wash in Loveland and get a high-quality car wash that keeps your car looking its best, even through the winter!