Should You Wash Your Car During Winter?

Do you wash your car much during Wyoming winters?

If so, how often?

There are safety reasons for washing your car in winter that you might not have thought of. I'll explain that later in the article.

At some point, almost every car on Wyoming roads looks the same because we have all been driving through the same slush.

I asked around and got different answers.

Some wait until winter is over. Why bother, they figure.

CAREFUL! Washing your car in the winter can scratch your paint and glass. Watch the video below to see how to NOT do that.

Some vehicles look better when dirty, like jeeps and pickup trucks.

A few I spoke with wash their cars more often because they are afraid that what is put on the roads by WYDOT will corrode the body and damage axles and wheels.

I'll wait until I'm sure the roads are clear and there won't be snow for a while.

But there is one other reason to wash your car during winter.

Safety. 

Ice can build up in your wheels and breaks. You'll want to keep that area clean.

Some years ago I felt a heavy shimmy while driving home.

I pulled into a mechanic shop and asked them to have a look.

They put the car up on a lift.

That was all they needed to see.

"Take your car over to the wash," the mechanic said, pointing to the car wash which was right next door."

He pointed to big clumps of ice that had built up underneath.

"You have a shimmy because all of that ice has you out of balance.

Be sure to tell them to give you the undercarriage blaster."

A quick run through the car wash, with the undercarriage blaster, and sure enough my car was driving smoothly and easily down the road again.