5 Life-Saving Winter Cleaning Tips for Your Used Car

Sure, the kids get excited when the first snow arrives during winter and a part of you also jumps with enthusiasm as the landscape changes. You go out into your garden, play with snowballs and make a snowman. Life is beautiful for a few moments until you see your car, parked by the street, and completely covered in snow. While the white mound may look pretty from the outside but all that accumulated moisture actually eats into your vehicle and renders it dangerous for driving. And if you don’t clean it soon, you may end up with a car that does not run at all. So, here are 5 life-saving winter cleaning tips for you to restore normalcy in your car. Follow these for safe driving on the road and ensuring your car’s longevity.

Remove the snow and wash your used car

Scrap the snow off your car and wash it preferably with a hose. Avoid doing this dusk or when the sun goes down as the lower temperature of the night will immediately freeze again on the car’s surface and make all your hard work useless. Be sure that you hose every corner of the car, especially the undercarriage where the tough corners can save a bit of snow and salt. Next, take it a step further to mop with some water and baking soda to neutralize any accumulated salt.

Dry the car thoroughly

Unlike the summers where you can just leave the car outside for drying, make sure you take some time to dry your car thoroughly. The same principle of water freezing works here as well as it will do the same damage as the accumulated snow. Use a hairdryer for fast results and let the engine running for a few seconds. These will heat up the car’s metal body which will automatically evaporate any hidden pool of water.

Pay attention to the locks and door handles of your used car

When your car was covered with snow, chances are high that the moisture had surely crept into the lock passage of your door and the corners of its handle. The water can stay there and slowly rust the regions making them inoperable pretty soon. For removing snow from these tough areas, heat your keys with a candle or matchstick for a few seconds and insert it into the lock. Hold it in position as the heat evaporates the moisture. On the locks, apply some hand sanitizer. The alcohol in it will warm up under the sun and have the same evaporating effect.

Dehumidify the windshield and headlights of your used car

The air inside your car is generally humid or filled with moisture. As the snow settles on the car, the outside of your windshield cools down. Owing to this, the water in the air inside settles on the inside of the windshield and creates the foggy effect that you so often see during winters. While driving, this can become a nuisance. Wipe the accumulated water droplets clean, apply a commercial dehumidifier or shaving cream. Clean it transparent and moisture will not settle again. For the headlights, wash the exterior with toothpaste. It forms a layer which also prevents water to condense, keeping the rays clear and strong.

Change your mats if required

Lastly, look inside for any moisture accumulation or damage. The weight of the snow on your car may very easily push some inside through the cracks of the doors and windows and settle on your seats and mats. Over time, damp upholstery will start to smell and create rust on the car’s body from the inside. Use the hair drier to evaporate moisture from your seats. Change the mats into rubber ones that do not absorb water and dries quickly. May be place a towel under your mats as well to absorb any accumulated pool immediately.