Winter is here, and even in beautiful British Columbia, that means wet, snowy, and icy driving conditions are in store. At this time of year, a vehicle’s auto detailing means much more than just keeping cars looking their best—it’s about protecting vehicle owners from the safety risks that come from winter wear and tear.
If you like working with your hands and fine-tuning vehicles to peak condition, auto detailing might be your career calling. You can make a living keeping cars in your community running well and looking great.
There’s a lot to learn about auto detailing and you can get all the information you need under your belt at an auto service training facility like ATC. To start you off, read on for a quick guide to how auto detailing pros protect cars throughout the winter.
1. Auto Detailing Experts Recommend Regular, Professional Car Washes
“It’s best to remove salt from your vehicle as soon as possible,” explains, Scott Race, owner of the Incredibly Detailed automotive services chain. “Salt is notorious for prematurely degrading and damaging waxes and sealants.”
When you work in auto detailing, it will be your job to inform clients of their best car washing options for winter. You’ll learn not to recommend clients wash their cars on their own at home, especially in freezing temperatures, as it increases risks of their door jambs and locks freezing. They may also create damaging hard water surface spots that end up more difficult to remove than snow or ice ever would be.
Instead, an auto garage will likely offer a touchless wash or a wand wash, which thoroughly cleans salt and grit out from around wheel wells, jambs, and other crevices.
2. Auto Detailing Pros Use Wax For To Better Protect Vehicles
Professional wax jobs are a mainstay of any auto detailing career, and for good reason. Car wax is formulated to protect a vehicle’s finish from the damaging salt and road grime that mixes with snow and kicks up onto it every time the car starts rolling.
Auto detailing pros use spray waxes or sealants after they wash salt and snow off vehicles to help refortify the wax or sealant previously applied. This guards the surface of the vehicle against the corrosion and permanent damage that can be caused throughout the winter season.
3. Windshield Care: Essential Auto Detailing for Winter Safety
During your professional auto detailing training, you’ll learn the importance of maintaining strong, clean windshield glass. In winter, when windshields are most vulnerable to harsh conditions, professionals turn to water and ice repellants that act similar to sealants by keeping grime off the surface of the glass.
These repellants:
- bead water so it rolls off the windshield glass
- help push snow, grit and grime off the glass
- improve visibility in night or daytime driving
While ice scrapers are made for safely removing ice and snow from windows, a professionally-applied repellant will help you give your clients an even clearer view of the road ahead.
4. Treating Tires for Road Salt, Ice, and Snow Conditions
Just as there are protective waxes for car paint and windows, professionals use specialized waxes on vehicle’s wheels in the winter as well.
Protective tire waxes like ‘Detailer’s Wheel Glaze’ and ‘Detailer’s Wheel Coating’ prevent brake dust adhesion year-round and repel snow and ice from adhering to the treads. They’re nano-based ceramic glass coating that keep wheels secure from December to March, when salt buildup can create lasting damage.
These products and auto detailing strategies help keep cities running throughout the winter, vehicle by vehicle.
Are you interested in pursuing auto detailing training?
Visit Automotive Training Centres to learn more about getting started.
