Did you know that the average person washes their car about 13 times a year?
Depending on how you currently care for your car, this may sound like a lot or not enough.
In this month’s post I will explain how often you should actually be washing your car AND why it doesn’t matter what protection you apply!
When it comes to protecting your car’s paint, the factory clear-coat is the best at blocking harmful UV rays and oxidation. This means keeping your car and its clear-coat clean and protected is the best option for a long-lasting and great-looking paint job.
Many people understand that they should be waxing their car - even if they actually don’t do it.
But why?
It’s not that the wax is providing any more protection than the clear-coat we discussed, but it makes it much easier to keep it clean!
Nowadays there are many options for car protection besides an old-school carnauba wax: synthetic paste/liquid waxes, sealants, and more recently ceramic coatings.
No matter your choice of protection, it does not change how often you should be washing your car!
It only changes how often you need to reapply your protection. Most carnauba waxes will only last 1-2 months, while sealants can last 3-6 months, and ceramic coatings can last for years!
Now the big question is… How often should you wash your car?
Every 2-4 weeks is an acceptable time frame for keeping your car and its clear-coat clean. Depending upon on how often you drive, dirty conditions, and the area you live in can all play a role in whether you should wash more or less often. Also, this applies to general dirt and grime - any spot cleaning for bird droppings and bug guts should be cleaned ASAP to prevent any permanent damage to the car paint!
The most important thing to remember is to keep your paint protected after washing - no matter what protection you choose.