I’ve always been a car enthusiast. As a young boy, I’d help my father wash the family car on the weekends, which spurred my passion for car detailing. Years in the industry (based in Hampshire and West Sussex) have equipped me with a hefty knowledge bank of car care tips. I want to use this blog to share those with you. As the coldest months of the year approach, I thought it would be a good time to share my top five winter car care tips.
Black River Details Winter Car Care Tips
Winter Car Care Tip #1 Keep it Clean:
Wash your car regularly to prevent a heavy build-up of grime and road salt. The longer you leave it, the more effort it’s going to take to clean it.
To make the wash as effortless as possible be sure to properly pre-wash your vehicle. Use an APC (All Purpose Cleaner) like “Gyeon Bug and Grime Remover” or “Bilt Hamber Surfex HD”. These products will dissolve the film of salt and road grime. This, in turn, reduces the risk of scratching when it comes to the contact washing with the two bucket method.
Also remember to use two separate wash mitts, one for the upper part of the vehicle and one for the lower part.
Also, fill your buckets up with warm water to make it easier on your hands.
Winter Car Care Tip #2 Take Care of Yourself:
Make sure to wear suitable clothing when detailing your car this winter. If you’re not wearing the right cold-weather kit, you’re going to be uncomfortable, and that’s going to make you rush and possibly cause harm to your paintwork.
Wear proper waterproof shoes, warm clothing and gloves.
Winter Car Care Tip #3 Get Your Car Ceramic Coated:
With the amount of dirt on the roads during the winter, your car can get caked in dirt in minutes. To make life easier and to massively reduce the risk of scratching the paint get the car coated with products like “GTechniq Crystal Serum” or “Kamikaze Collection Miyabi Coat”. These coatings have a self-cleaning effect that will keep the car cleaner for longer and make washing far easier since the dirt won’t stick to the car like it would on a non-coated car.
Winter Car Care Tip #4 How to Remove Salt Stains From Carpeted Floor Mats:
Getting salt stains on your floor mats is very common in the winter, thankfully it’s an easy thing to fix.
- In a spray bottle mix a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar spray this on the salt stain then work it in with a brush
- Using a clean dry microfiber towel dry the area
- Next spray the mat down with a fabric cleaner like “AMMO Shag” or “GTechniq I2 TriClean” (this will remove the vinegar smell) work it in with a brush or microfiber towel then dry the area with a clean, dry microfiber.
- Leave the mat to dry overnight outside the car.
Winter Car Care Tip #5 Use Cold Water to De-Ice Your Vehicle:
When you come out in the morning to see your windows and windshield all frozen over all you have to do is pour cold water over them to de-ice them. Don’t use boiling water as this will most likely crack the glass and don’t use warm water since it freezes faster than cold water due to the Mpemba effect. Cold water is still warmer than ice so it’ll do the trick and you don’t have to go out spending money on cans of de-icer