Winter is now upon us, which means muddy, slushy roads will be around every corner in the UK – especially outside of the cities.
If you’re big on keeping your car clean during winter, it can seem like a goliath task, with the car seemingly accruing dirt twice as quickly as it does in warmer seasons.
And what’s worse, winter seems to be when more permanent damage, like scratches or stains can occur more easily.
So, not only is it equally important to keep on top of a car’s cleanliness in winter, it’s actually more so.
And while that will involve regular runs to a trusted car wash there are also some preparatory things that you should consider doing now if you haven’t already.
Get yourself some rubber mats
The dirtiest place in your car is often the foot mats, and that is especially the case during the depths of winter.
Winter is the best time to swap out your mats for some rubber alternatives, which will be much easier to clean, keeping your car muck free.
If you live somewhere that isn’t particularly well paved this is an absolute must, as muck mats can start to cause a less-than pleasant smell. The situation can worsen when winter is accompanied by rain showers keeping in view the unpredictable UK weather! For this purpose, high-quality rubber mats should be your go-to!
Don’t risk it with a CD cover
With winter comes the dreaded scraping of the windshield, however with scraping comes the potential of scratching.
There are less and less cars that have CD players in the first place, but if yours does, make sure they are used for holding your CDs and that alone.
Yes, getting up extra early to de-ice the windshield is a pain, but it is 100% a better alternative to a new windshield, which could cost you several hundred pounds.
Cover the car when it’s not in use
You could also avoid the process of deicing entirely by covering your car when you get home.
While you will still get a bit of frost here and there, covering your car will cut down the chance of frozen up snowfall impacting your paintwork.
It’ll also mean your window wipers are a little less likely to freeze up.
Treat your car to some waxing
If you have already invested in paintwork for your car, it’s crucial to protect it. You can do that by getting some ceramic coating or a high-quality wax before for your hair.
This creates a barrier against salt and grime, making your car easier to clean and reducing the risk of paintwork damage.
Similarly, you can also get a water-repellent coating to reduce ice build-up on the windshield.
Finally, don’t avoid the car was because ‘it’ll get dirty anyway’
Yes, the car will get dirty again soon, but keeping it clean and avoiding long term salt, grit and mud build up is crucial.
Find a nearby carwash and work regular washing into your routine. If possible, visit a car wash that offers underbody cleaning to remove salt and debris that can lead to rust.
Hopefully this helps keep your car clean and free of scratches of chips, which in the long term will prove a huge money-saver!