Chilly winter air and shorter days mean it’s the perfect time to get serious about your seasonal car maintenance. Whilst you’re swapping out your wardrobe or checking your home’s heating before winter rolls in you should also take the chance to give your vehicle a little TLC before winter really sets in.
We’ve put together a winter car detailing checklist that is designed to help protect your vehicle’s appearance and save you money in the long run by preventing damage from frost, grime and excess moisture.
Here’s how you can prepare your car for winter with our awesome proactive car protection tips.
Work Outside to Inside
It’s sensible to begin your winter car care with a thorough exterior wash. Falling leaves, tree sap, bird droppings and extra moisture can all cause serious problems for your paintwork, so it’s important that you use a pH balanced shampoo. This specialist shampoo will help to lift the layers of dirt without damaging your car’s protective layers.
The wheel arches and undercarriage of your vehicle will be where you find the most excess debris and moisture. Give them a really thorough clean as these issues can lead to corrosion if left unchecked.
Apply Paint Protection
We always tell our customers that the best way to keep your vehicle looking great over autumn and winter is by investing in high quality paint protection.
Once you’ve cleaned and dried your car, you need to move on to the next step in our autumn car detailing checklist. Applying thin layers of wax or a specialist coating like ceramic paint protection can help to prevent grime, salt and even frost from bonding to your vehicle’s exterior this winter.
Our ceramic coatings are a more premium option, but the hydrophobic layer they create is invaluable to keeping your car cleaner and reducing the risk of paint damage from winter road conditions.
Moving Indoors
Don’t forget about interior car care! Just because the majority of the bad weather is happening outside of your vehicle doesn’t mean you should forget about your car’s interior.
Muddy boots, extra clothing and overall damp conditions can easily cause problems inside your car and even lead to more wear and tear than you would expect.
To tackle your car’s interior, start by giving it a thorough vacuum. Clean both the carpets and the seats before using a gentle upholstery cleaner on those areas too. Don’t forget about any fabrics on the dashboards or doors either.
Then you can move on to giving the interior plastics a wipe down with a UV protective interior cleaner to prevent cracking or fading. If you really want to prepare your car for winter, then you should apply a fabric or leather protector to prevent any damage from moisture or even stains from forming.
If you know you’ll be dealing with plenty of water or mud, why not invest in some easy to clean rubber matting to keep your vehicle a little bit cleaner through the autumn and winter months?
Seeing Things Clearly
It’s really important that you take care of your mirrors and glass during your seasonal car maintenance checks. Streak free glass cleaner becomes your best friend with the low, winter sunlight coming in on your morning commute.
Don’t forget to finish your glass and mirror care with a water repellent treatment so rain beads off nicely and quickly. This extra step can also prevent frost from sticking as easily, which makes early mornings a whole lot easier!
Check Your Tyres
Nothing is worse than being stranded in poor weather because of a flat tyre. Check your tyres before autumn and once more before winter really kicks in. It’s so important to keep an eye on your tread depth and tyre pressure as cold temperatures can cause your tyre pressures to drop, which can reduce grip and even increase wear.
Don’t forget to keep your wheels nice and clean with a decent tyre dressing. Black tyres really are the icing on the cake for a really clean car.
Call the Professionals
If you don’t fancy tackling the pre-winter car care yourself then why not give us a call? Here at Australia’s Detailing Group, we’ve got all the tools of the trade to do a thorough job keeping your car clean and safe for another chilly season.
We’ve also got extras like ceramic coatings and fabric protectants to help seal in all our hard work keeping your car looking fresher for longer.
So what are you waiting for? Give us a call and get your vehicle booked in today!