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Washing Your Car to Improve Its Lifespan


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Washing Your Car to Improve Its Lifespan

When I bought my first car, my father gave me an important piece of advice. He told me to wash the vehicle every week in order to keep it safe from rust and other damage. I thought that it was a valuable tip, so I followed his instructions to the letter of the law. Now 20 years later, my car still looks nice, while a lot of my friends' cars look like they were pulled out of a lake at some point. This blog is all about washing your car and getting it detailed to improve its lifespan and to keep it looking incredible.

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Five Mistakes To Avoid When You Use Automatic Car Washes

Automatic car washes are very convenient and fast ways to get your car exterior looking clean and shiny again. However, you need to take care when you use them to avoid some potentially costly mistakes.

The following are five mistakes to avoid when you use an automatic car wash to clean your vehicle's exterior:

1. Relying solely on an automatic car wash to keep your vehicle exterior looking good

While an automatic car wash is an effective means of keeping your vehicle clean, you shouldn't rely solely on automatic washes to keep your vehicle looking good.

You need to occasionally perform visual inspections of your vehicle's exterior to keep your eye out for any developing blemishes. Chips or dents in your paint can allow rust to take root in your vehicle's body and spread. Inspect for blemishes and have them patched up.

If you want to keep your vehicle in the best possible shape, you might also want to occasionally wax your vehicle to provide a layer of protection against UV rays and road debris.

2. Neglecting to have your vehicle undergo an undercarriage cleaning

An undercarriage cleaning is a good idea because it minimizes the chances that rust will develop on your undercarriage. Undercarriage cleaning clears away dirt and mud that can build up over time on the bottom of your vehicle. 

3. Neglecting to have your vehicle undergo a wheel and tire cleaning

A lot of automatic car washes will give you the option to have a wheel and tire cleaning in addition to an undercarriage cleaning.

Wheel and tire cleanings are important because they help to clear away brake dust. Brake dust will naturally accumulate over time around wheels and tires, but it can be cleaned off during a car wash to ensure that it won't cause brake pad adhesion issues or wheel damage. 

4. Not using the brushless car wash

The best automatic car wash method is a brushless wash. A brushless car wash will eliminate the chances that there will be any damage to your vehicle's finish.

Brushless automatic car washes are gentle on your finish while providing a very thorough cleaning. 

5. Leaving a window cracked open

This may sound like a no-brainer, but it's surprisingly easy to accidentally leave a window cracked open when driving through an automatic car wash. Even the slightest opening can allow a large quantity of water into your vehicle's interior.

Always take some time before you go through the car wash to do a quick inspection and make sure your vehicle is ready.