Almost all of nature experiences a renewed sense of life once the short days and long nights of wintertime gradually become distant memories. Trees grow their bright green foliage back, flowers bloom, and days mercifully become warmer and longer. Animals come out of hibernation and brumation ready to start fresh, but what about our four-wheeled friends?
If you live in a colder climate, your car has likely been through a rough winter with plenty of road salt and dirty build-up, so it’s best for you to give your car a nice deep clean. Plus, the glorious season of spring comes with the tradition of spring cleaning, so you might as well add a thorough car wash to your to-do list. Make sure you swapped your winter tires out for your three-season rubber, since winter tires are not designed for use in warm temperatures. Driving on winter tires during warmer seasons makes your winter tires wear out much faster, and your vehicle’s road handling will suffer, too.
As we welcome the coming of spring time, do whatever rituals make you feel good. If that means spending a few days digging deep into every dusty crevice of your car’s interior, then do that. If that means letting your car sit out in the rain for free car washes, then do that! There’s no one right answer, but this slideshow compiles the Jalopnik audience’s answers to the question, what’s your most essential spring time car care ritual?
A version of this article originally appeared on Jalopnik.
Local resident Tariq Baig washes away the mud in his car which was caused by a flooding throughout the night June 26, 2006 in the Huntington area of Alexandria, Virginia.Photo: Alex Wong (Getty Images)
Power-washing the underside, wheel wells, inside the bumpers… anywhere gravel, mud, ice-melting chemicals can accumulate. I do this at my buddy’s shop where there’s a pit to stand in so you can really get in all the nooks and crannies.
I’m pretty thorough through the winter. I hit the wand wash place every few weeks. But we get harsh winters and I’m always surprised by what comes off the bottom of the car in April.
Submitted by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy
A Honda Motor Co. representative demonstrates the vacuum cleaner that comes with the 2014 Odyssey minivan during the 2013 New York International Auto Show in New York, U.S.,Photo: Jin Lee/ Bloomberg (Getty Images)
Routine? I’m lucky to have time for a biyearly shop vac of the car (even with one in the garage). We don’t talk about what it looks like under my kid’s car seat.
Submitted by: Maymar
British entertainer Bruce Forsyth as Clayton the chauffeur in ‘The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins’, directed by Graham Stark, 1971.Photo: Graham Stark/Hulton Archive (Getty Images)
Keep the cars waxed. Your other maintenance tasks mentioned are continual.
You live in Arizona where the Sun shines with laser-like intensity, the car’s paint fades and then gets burnt off the car—literally. So many vehicles around town showing off their destroyed paint…WTF is that slovenliness about? So yes, keeping them waxed is my thing. Unlike a lot of car owners, I enjoy washing and waxing them—get some exercise and the way they sparkle afterwards makes the effort worth it.
Submitted by: the1969DodgeChargerFan
Bus maintenance staff at work inflating tyres at a London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) garage, London, UK, 19th June 1941.Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive (Getty Images)
Photo: Mazda
A detail view of a muddy car interior damaged from flood waters on May 18, 2023 in Faenza, Italy. Photo: Emanuele Cremaschi (Getty Images)
Complete detail of the interior and exterior of course, it’s pride of ownership. Last is ceramic topper. Everything else is always up to date.
Submitted by: It’s Time
The logo of Ford during a Classic Cars show Coppa del Gran Sasso dItalia 2022 in Piazza Duomo, L’Aquila, ItalyPhoto: Manuel Romano/NurPhoto (Getty Images)
After the snow, ice, and road salt of a Midwest winter, come spring I just park it outside for the free rainy carwashes.
Submitted by: Paradsecar
A car’s tyre spins on an icy and snow-covered road.Photo: Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa (Getty Images)
My only must is changing from winter snow tires to my all-season summers. Other than that, I just do what it needs when it needs it. I did do CAF and EAF last week on my car and my wifes, but that was more happenstance than spring time maintenance.
Submitted by: Big Block I-4
A delivery worker unloads bottles of Nongfu Spring Co. water from a motorcycle in Shanghai, ChinaPhoto: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg (Getty Images)
I take off the Blizzaks and change out the emergency food and water. I also give it a good clean. Oregon doesn’t use salt so I don’t worry about rust.
Submitted by: Slow Joe Crow
Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway and Torstein Eriksen of Norway compete driving the Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid during day one of the FIA World Rally Championship CroatiaPhoto: Massimo Bettiol (Getty Images)
Most important part? Actually driving it.
All the rest is just the build up. Ya gotta get it out on the road.
Submitted by: Skeffles
An employee operates a forklift truck to transport crates of inventory in the warehouse at the BioTech USA Kft. manufacturing plant in Szada, Hungary,Photo: Akos Stiller/Bloomberg (Getty Images)
Clearing out all the cardboard boxes in the garage that have surrounded it since Christmas. Where does all this crap even come from? I can put the car away nice and neat in an empty garage and by Easter it is surrounded by its own cardboard box fort.
Submitted by: Plant_daily
“Lopez vs Van Bryan” Episode 109 — Pictured: (l-r) Al Madrigal as Oscar, Stephen Tobolowsky as Sam Van BryanPhoto: Nicole Weingart/NBC (Getty Images)
I take my leafblower and blow all the leaves and gunk from the cowl/firewall area between the windshield and engine so the water drains don’t clog. Aside from that just a very thorough wash to get rid of any salt and before that I take it to a nice touchless carwash with underbody spray to get salt off the bottom.
Submitted by: Adam Kelnhofer, Facebook
A young woman with a child watches as a group of men under the open hood of a car as they work on its engine, Chicago, Illinois, 1970s. A can of gasoline and a pile of tools are visible on the road.`Photo: Robert Natkin (Getty Images)
Tire swap,
Cabin filter,
Change fluids if needed,
Removing all the floor mats and cleaning all the nasty brown salt residue off of them,
same with the interior, vacuum, and clean everything out inside.
I want to learn how to decontaminate paint and have the exterior look super clean for summer, also to protect from bugs.
Winter tends to be quite harsh where I live, any way to remove salt of that stupidly fine dirt residue goes a long way.
As for waking up a car from hibernation, check all fluids / filters. change oil / filter. Check rubber components for leaks / wear.
check tires, battery health.
If possible, crank engine with fuel pump off to prime oil pressure, then fire it up
Submitted by: Frank Rosica Facebook
Apprentices at British manufacturer of commercial vehicles Commer washing up a vehicle, UK, 22nd March 1963. Photo: Daily Express/Hulton Archive (Getty Images)
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