Episode 13#: The Truth About Winter Grime

Once the clocks go back, the roads turn wet, grey and gritty. And that's usually when most people stop washing their car until spring.

We get it. It's dark by half four, it's freezing, and it'll only be dirty again by the time you get to work.

But winter is when your paintwork takes the most punishment. Leaving it until March is the most expensive way to save yourself a wet Saturday.

It's Not Just Mud...

Winter road spray is a mix of water, mud and diesel residue. From the first frost, add road salt.

The gritters are doing an important job. But salt and moisture sitting on metal speeds up corrosion. Arches, sills, exhausts, brake parts. All the bits that sit closest to the road.

Then there's traffic film. That grey haze on your paintwork is gritty. Wipe it with a dry cloth, or drag a cheap brush over it, and you're rubbing grit into the clear coat. That's how swirl marks happen.

"What's The Point? It'll Only Get Dirty Again..."

It will. That's not really the point.

Washing in winter isn't about the car looking spotless on a Tuesday. It's about not letting salt and grime sit on it for weeks at a time.

Same story as bug splats in summer. The longer it's left, the more work it takes to put right.

The Bits You Don't See

Most people judge a clean car by the bonnet and the doors. Winter does its damage somewhere else.

Wheel arches collect salt. Door and boot shuts hold dirty water. Brake dust and road grime bake onto your wheels. None of it gets touched by a quick hose-down, and the drive-through car wash won't reach it either. (We covered that one in Episode #8.)

That's why arches, wheels and door shuts are part of every clean we do. Not the glamorous bit… but probably the most important bit in winter.

Protection Does The Heavy Lifting

A good wax or ceramic coating won't make your car invincible. It still needs washing.

What it does is give salt and grime less to grip onto. Dirt sits on top of the protection instead of the paint, and it comes off far easier when it's washed.

If you've been thinking about protection, now's the time. We'd much rather get it on before the worst of the weather than after.

Little And Often

You don't need to stand on a freezing driveway every weekend. A proper clean every 4 to 6 weeks keeps on top of it.

In between, a few simple habits help:

• Rinse the arches and sills if you've been on gritted roads

• Never dry-wipe a dirty car

• Use a proper wash mitt, not a sponge or a brush

Or leave the cold, wet bit to us. That's sort of the job.

Final Thoughts

Nobody's going to stop you in January to compliment your paintwork. We know that.

But come spring, the cars that were looked after through winter are the easy ones. The ones that weren't usually need a lot more than a wash.

A wet Saturday now, or a machine polish in March.

Your call.