When you wash your car, sometimes you have to wonder if you are overdoing it. While you don’t want any dust or grime buildup, some people say that too much washing can ruin the paint. With those concerns in mind, how many times a month should you wash your car?
The most times per month you should wash your car is one. However, if you end up going mudding or bring your car through rough terrain often, this number will likely increase to two or three.
Below, we’ll go through how different environments might impact the number of times you wash your car. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better idea of how much car washing you should do.
What Environments Impact How Much You Wash Your Car?
Typically, there are three types of environmental factors that impact your car wash number:
- Winter conditions
- Temperature conditions
- Living oceanside
All three of them have different impacts on car washing:
How Winter Conditions Impact Your Car Washing Schedule
Winter conditions create two things: temperature fluctuations and salt on the roads. Because we don’t want to repeat ourselves, we’ll focus on road salt. Road salt helps melt the ice on the road, but it can stick to the sides and undercarriage of your car.
This type of salt can cause damage to your paint and undercarriage in the event it sticks around. As a result, you’ll ideally want to get it off sooner rather than later.
However, you won’t set aside time for doing this in certain conditions with scenario two.
Temperature Conditions
The winter and summer months are two extreme temperature conditions to deal with. Winter leads to cold while summer leads to hot (last time I checked).
Still, hot temperatures aren’t super concerning if you are in a shaded area. By keeping your car in the shade and cleaning relatively quickly, you can prevent your car from getting any baked-on chemicals. You’ll likely want to avoid washing with temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
During cold conditions, you’ll likely want to avoid washing during temperatures that go below 35 degrees. At this point, the sun falling will result in temperatures dipping below freezing. Freezing ice to your car can cause more damage to your vehicle than before.
Living Oceanside
Living nearby the ocean can be a breathtaking experience. But if you drive near beaches, you know how the combination of sun and salt air can eat through your car and cause rust.
To avoid this, you’ll want to use a vehicle cover and wax your car at least once a month. Also, be sure to wash ASAP if you like to take your vehicle through the sand.
Final Thoughts
When asking how many times a month you should wash your car, the answer can vary from one to three. However, what might impact your car wash count is ultimately affected by how much you drive it.
If possible, you’ll want to take your car out for fresh air at least once a week. That keeps the engine going and the oil moving, making sure that your vehicle and its finish won’t collect any dust.
For all your car wash needs, please stop by one of our locations. Brock Street Car Wash has you covered for anything you might need to keep a clean car.
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