Road Grime

Keeping the car clean all winter feels like an uphill battle, but it’s one worth fighting.

“The most important thing to do in the winter is wash your car frequently,” said Ron Fausnight, group technical manager of chemicals and appearance products for ITW Global Brands, which produces Rain-X and Black Magic products. “Removing the dirt and grime regularly will make your car look better and prevent corrosion from harsh salt and sand, or other roadway filth.”

Fausnight recommends spraying the underside of the car as well. Rinsing the undercarriage and around the axles removes salt or sand spread on roadways by winter highway crews.

Headlights suffer during winter as well. Dirt coats the lenses, cutting the beam’s brightness and limiting visibility.

“Washing the lenses works in many cases, but sometimes it isn’t enough,” Fausnight said. “Plastic lens covers can become dull or yellow over time, so consider a polishing kit or replacement to restore them to their original lens clarity.”

Fausnight had these suggestions for maintaining the look of your car this winter:

• Wash your car frequently. Don’t forget to wash the undercarriage. Removing winter road grime from the underside prevents damage from corrosive salt, sand and other road debris.
• Clean those tires and wheels: Brake dust is highly corrosive and will irreparably damage a wheel’s finish over time.
• Clean the glass, inside and out: Using glass cleaner prevents streaks on the exterior while cutting oily film that builds up on the inside. An anti-fog spray applied to the inside of the windshield helps as well.
• Consider a water-repellent: Chemicals designed help water bead on exterior glass can improve visibility.
• Clean or replace floor mats. Keeping your floor mats dry prevents mildew from forming and smelling up the interior of your car. If shoes or boots have made the floor mats wet or damp, remove them and bring them inside to dry overnight.