Why you should wash your car and how often you should do it

Most of us are time poor or just don’t like washing our car. However your car is often your biggest asset outside of your home, if you're lucky enough to own one and washing it regularly is one of the best ways to protect it, keep it looking good and maintain its value. 

Washing your car may seem like a chore but once you start it can also be quite a rewarding activity. You get out in the sun and fresh air and once your car is all clean and shiny it gives you a great sense of achievement. Grab a cuppa, the kids and make it fun.

But is it really something you need to do and how does it help your car ?  

Safety

Washing the car and in particular the lights, the windows and also the cameras and electronic aids on new cars is very important.
Clean windows is an obvious but often overlooked issue. For example your windows may seem clean but if you ever drive into the sun glare, your so called clean windows reflect the glare and you can hardly see through them. This effect is the same on your cameras and electronic aids - they can no longer see effectively either and could impact your safety aids and your adaptive cruise control.  

Protects the paint

Dirt, pollution, UV exposure, bird droppings and acidic contaminants slowly damage clear coat and paint. Once the clear coat deteriorates, fading and oxidation start. Cars surfaces are made up of a number of layers of paint and protective coatings to protect the vehicle from rust and discoluoration.
The final layer and the most important layer is the clear coat. If the clear coat is damaged or breached then the paintwork is compromised and will fade and potentially become porous and lead to rust in your panels. 

Prevents rust

Keeping your car clean, not just the surface paintwork is important.
Making sure that moisture and any dirt trapped in areas such as wheel arches, door seals, undercarriage, tailgate edges is cleaned as this will  eventually start corrosion. This is particularly important if you drive an older vehicle, live near the ocean or in wet muddy environments.  

Keeps trim and seals healthier

Dust and grime dry out and fade rubber seals and plastic trims over time. Leading to leaks, rust and dust ingress. 

Helps resale value

Consistent washing and occasional waxing/detailing keeps your car looking attractive and helps maintain value.

So how often should I wash my car ?

Well that depends on where you live, how you use your car and where it is parked. 

There is a couple of non negotiables if you want to maintain your paintwork - clean your car immediately if any of the these things are on your car: 

- Bird droppings
- Bat droppings
- Tree sap
- Road salt or beach driving
- Heavy bug splatter

Any of these substances can damage your top coat in a surprisingly quick time and leave permanent stains on your paintwork - effectively devaluing your car overnight. 

For most people washing their car once every two to three weeks is enough as long as it's garaged and not driven in the mud or you live near the coast. 

Otherwise a quick, but careful wash once a week is recommended (see our upcoming How to Wash your car properly article). And then every three to six months (and definitely at least once a year) a good wax, detail  and polish is recommended. 

Here at Big Hands we recommend that you:

- Avoid automatic brush washes if you care about paint scratches - they can do more damage than good.
- Wash in shade if possible.
- Don’t leave bird droppings sitting for days - they can etch a clear coat surprisingly fast.
- Use quality cleaning Big Hands mitts and Microfibre drying towels - not the closet worn out t-shirt 
- We believe our Whiskey Sour Window Shine is second to non for window clean.  Give that a try.
- Use a quality balanced car wash such as our Big Hands Zi-400 Ultra,  never dishwashing liquid 🙂. Have fun. We are so lucky to have a car. Enjoy looking after it.

Make sure you check out all our products here. Every product is developed by our chemists and designed to be highly effective but easy to use.