Best Practices for Washing your Vehicle This Winter in the Quad Cities

With this warmer weather we're experiencing right now, its inevitable that you are feeling the urge to wash your car.  I have seen a bunch of cars driving around the Quad Cities lately that are white with salt and grime, mine included.  That got me thinking, when is really the best time to give your vehicle a bath during the winter? How often should you wash? Obviously I know it's not advised to wash when the temperature gets below freezing, but are there other best practices to follow when it comes to caring for your car during these "cold-ish" months?

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1. It is widely recommended to wash your car in the early morning or late afternoon hours to avoid direct sunlight.  This can help keep the sun from drying soap and other cleaning products onto your car before you get a chance to rinse them off.
2. If you're living through a midwest winter, it's important to wash your car every couple of weeks.  Familyhandyman.com reports a good rule of thumb is if the roads look white with salt, you should wash once a week.
3. It is also important to pay close attention to the undercarriage and around the wheels of the car when washing.  This can help prevent premature rusting of your vehicle.
4. You might think it is better to wash your car indoors, but that might not be the case.  Washing indoors will give the snow a chance to melt and make the salt reactive and therefore more corrosive.  If left outside, the snow stays frozen and not as harmful to your vehicle.
5. NEVER use hot water to wash or de-ice a car.  It could potentially crack your windshield.

These are just a few tips to keep in mind when you do finally decide to give your baby a bath.  Lastly, watch out for dumb drivers pulling in and out of the car wash.  I swear they never look where they're going!