Most travel enthusiasts agree that going on a road trip is the perfect way to ignite the thrilling sense of adventure and change of scenery.
Some people often argue that washing your car before a trip is a waste of time since the car will still get dirty, but are there benefits associated with washing your vehicle beforehand?
So, Should You Wash Your Car Before A Road Trip?
Yes, washing your car before a road trip effectively enhances visibility, limits dirt accumulation, and prevents interior odors. Generally, washing your vehicle prior to your trip ensures you have a clean and comfortable experience.
Five Reasons to Wash Your Car before Taking a Road Trip
1. Enhances Visibility
Visibility is one of the essential driving aspects, especially when embarking on long road trips.
Thus, it should be properly planned before the road trip.
Dusty and foggy windows can greatly hinder driving visibility, which can negatively impact your overall travel experience.
2. Protects Your Car’s Inside And Out
Some factors that can damage your car include;
- debris
- unattended liquid spills
- and dirt
..that can build up on your vehicle’s surface and potentially destroy the paint.
3. Optimizes Comfort
Generally, a clean environment gives you peace of mind and ensures a more comfortable ride.
Unattended crumbs spilled liquids, and other leftovers can damage your car’s interior.
Cleaning your vehicle before embarking on a road trip helps eliminate these liquid spills or crumbs, which, if left unattended for a long time, can lead to odors in the car’s interior.
After thoroughly cleaning your vehicle’s interior, you should consider buying an air freshener for the car to maintain a fresh and clean interior environment.
4. Maintains Good Hygiene
Washing your car before your road trip is crucial in maintaining good health.
Foul odors and dust buildup in your car’s interior can cause nausea and other health complications that may affect your overall health.
Cleaning your vehicle beforehand is very effective in minimizing dust buildup, getting rid of foul smells, and protecting your health.
5. Future Maintenance
Cleaning your vehicle before the road trip significantly reduces your car’s future maintenance requirements.
If you fail to clean your vehicle before, you will create more grime and dirt buildup, which may require much more thorough maintenance work in the future to get rid of them completely.
The Do’s And Don’ts Of Washing Your Car Before A Road Trip
Cleaning your vehicle can sometimes prove to be a lot of work, but it is not as bad as having your road trip ruined by preventable factors.
Additionally, you should be mindful of the environment while preparing your car for your adventure.
As per Capitolshine, below are some essential guidelines that need to be followed when cleaning your car before a road trip:
The Do’s
- Clean using pressure washers instead of a simple hose or water from a bucket. This will effectively eliminate dirt and debris quickly and prevent damage to the car’s exterior.
- Use only professional cleaning products for car cleaning. This is because general cleaning products can damage your car’s paint due to their elevated acidity levels.
- Use a microfiber drying towel instead of the abrasive polyester and cotton, which can leave some traces.
- Take your vehicle to the local car wash. This option helps prevent environmental pollution and save on water.
- Wash your car at least once weekly to prevent debris accumulation and ensure your vehicle’s paint job is more durable.
The Don’ts
- Don’t use the same tools and other materials to clean the tires and other parts of the vehicle. This is because they’ll amass dirt and debris, making your car dirty again.
- Don’t let your car air-dry; instead, use a soft microfiber cloth or tunnel dryer, which helps make the vehicle’s pain appear shiny.
- Don’t forget to clean your car’s trunk and hood, which often becomes dirty.
- Don’t clean your car immediately after getting back from a long trip. This is because washing a hot vehicle can lead to the damage of some of its parts. It also leads to soap deposits and streak marks on the car’s surface.
Five Tips To Keep Your Car Clean Before A Road Trip
If you plan to stay in one vehicle for an extended period, you will undoubtedly want it to be clean.
That said, below are some tips to help keep your car sparkling clean on-road adventures:
1. Clean The Vehicle Inside and Out
Nothing is worse than embarking on a road trip in a smelly and grimy vehicle; thus, cleaning your car’s interior should be among your priorities as you plan your road trip.
While cleaning the interior, make sure to clean the floor mats, dashboard controls, seats, and storage areas.
Moreover, remember to clean your car’s exterior before you embark on your journey.
2. Tidy Up
This is very effective in ensuring your car remains clean throughout the trip.
For example, when you stop to fuel your car, you can use baby wipes to clean the dashboard and other surfaces.
You can use these pitstops to get rid of the trash inside your vehicle.
3. Organize
While organizing your vehicle’s interior, focus on the frequently-used storage area and check if they are in good condition.
You can become more organized by designating a specific bag or bin for trash to clear the trash found in the car.
4. Waterless Washing
Waterless washing is effective if you are in a location with no access to water.
Here, you will need to get yourself a good microfiber towel to clean the dusty surfaces.
5. Smart Parking
One of the main concerns when traveling is looking for a place to park your car.
Fortunately, there are places you can park your car and also wash it as you continue with your adventure.
Final Verdict
Clean your car BEFORE a road trip AND DON’T clean it after you get back (at least not immediately).
According to Wetzonecarwash, cleaning your car is easy and consumes less time.
If you drive on dusty roads, you can make some quick stops and clean some of the dusty surfaces.
That said, you should follow the above-listed cleaning guidelines to make sure your vehicle stays clean on your road trips.
References
https://www.capitolshine.com/blog/clean-car-before-travel-traveling