Master A Safe Winter Car Wash

MASTER A SAFE WINTER CAR WASH

WHAT IS THE WINTER THREAT?

Winter grime is stubborn and notoriously difficult to tackle. With extra salt on the roads and an increase in mud and soot, your car accumulates filth incredibly quickly. Being able to tackle dirt as often as possible is critical to prevent any long term damages to your vehicle’s paintwork and exterior trim. While it’s important to regularly remove this soiled dirt, you don’t want to be standing outside washing your car until your hands freeze over. As professionals, here is your quick but effective guide to a safe car wash over the winter season.

Step 1: Start with the wheels

Regardless of the season, you should always start with your wheels. While you might not encounter heavy mud or road salt on every journey, your wheels are subjected to high-temperature brake dust every single day. In winter, this caustic dust mixes with road salt to create a corrosive paste that can quickly “pit” and damage your wheels. Power Maxed Alloy Wheel Stain & Mark tackles this stubborn buildup without the need for aggressive manual scrubbing.

Application:

Spray the cleaner liberally onto cool wheels.
Agitate the product with a dedicated wheel brush to reach all the nooks and crannies
Rinse the product off thoroughly. Never allow the product to dry on the surface (we recommend working one wheel at a time).

Power Maxed Alloy Wheel cleaner is a non-acidic alternative and can be used and applied the same way.

Step 2: The Pre Wash

The golden rule in the world of detailing is to never touch the paintwork before a pre-wash for a safe car wash. Touching the paint while it is covered in loose grit and salt acts like sandpaper, leading to scratches or permanent paint damage. The goal is a “touchless wash” where you remove as much as possible before you ever lay a finger on the paint. Over winter, a stronger pre-wash may be required to remove the heavy grime. Power Maxed Traffic Film Remover is engineered to be tough on dirt yet safe on your paint, making it ideal for heavily soiled cars.

Application:

Spray the product over the surface of your car or apply using a lancer
Let the product dwell for 1-2 minutes, never letting the product dry
Rinse the product off thoroughly

Power Maxed Platinum Snow Foam is pH-neutral and much gentler on your vehicle’s surface. This is ideal if your car isn’t heavily caked in mud and road dirt.

Application:

Apply through a foam lacer or foam bottle onto the entire car
Allow to dwell for approximately 2 minutes
Rinse the product off thoroughly

Step 3: The contact wash

After removing the loose grit, it is safe to touch the paintwork. You may think that if the majority of the dirt is gone, a contact wash is not needed, and you can move straight to drying. However, even if your car looks shinier, it still holds a lot of static film that can cause scratches when drying. To make your contact wash safe, we recommend the two-bucket method.

The setup:

Bucket 1: Warm water mixed with a high-quality shampoo like Power Maxed Shampoo & Ultra Wax
Bucket 2: Clean water
Both including grit guards

Power Maxed Shampoo & Ultra Wax is a high foam, lightly wax-infused shampoo to increase lubricity when using a mitt, ultimately making it easy to lift dirt, prevent damage and leave a glossy, protected finish

Application:

Dilute at 250:1 (approximately 60ml of product in a 15L bucket)
Work from the top of the car downwards.
After every panel rinse the mitt in the plain water scrubbing it on the grit guard.Repeating until the entire vehicle is done.
Rinse all product off thoroughly, never letting it dry.

Step 4: Drying for a perfect wash

We always recommend drying your car using a dedicated drying towel, regardless of the season. Improper drying (or leaving the vehicle to air dry) can create water spots, increase streaks and even rust formation in hidden gaps. After putting in the effort to protect your car, ensure it looks its best. Using a high-quality drying towel like Power Maxed Giant Drying Towel or Power Maxed Deluxe Drying Towel, you can clean your car quickly and streak-free.

Ready to tackle the winter roads? Head over to our Exterior Cleaning Section to get your winter wash essentials