Comprehensive car detailing guide: Seasonal care tips

Regular car detailing can help extend the life and retain the value of a car, maintaining its exterior and interior appeal, which a basic wash cannot achieve. Different weather conditions can have varying adverse effects on your vehicle, which can be solved by detailing your car at the right intervals. A good car detail can help your vehicle tackle hot summers, cold winters or even the moisture from the monsoon.

We explain the challenges summer, monsoon, and winter can create for your car and how to manage them each season.

Summer car detailing tips

Summers can wreak havoc on your car, be it the exterior or interior of your car. Here’s how you can take care of your car in summer.

Exterior care during the summer

Protecting paint from UV rays

Everyone prefers to travel by car in the summer to stay cool and comfortable. However, the car’s paint needs to be protected from the intense UV radiation from the sun. You can save your paint from fading with a paint protection coating such as waxing, teflon coating, ceramic coating, etc. You can also opt for paint protection films to get the highest possible protection from the extreme heat of summer. Paint protection coating can also enhance your car's appearance. This comprehensive article on Teflon coating vs ceramic coating for your car will help you understand which is the best detailing service for your vehicle.

Inspection of tyre pressures

During the summer, the hot weather causes the tyre pressure to increase as the air expands under hot conditions. Regularly check the car’s tyre pressure and keep it at the recommended pressure advised by the manufacturer. Ignoring the tyre pressure, or over inflating your tyres increases the risk of tyre blowouts.

Interior care during the summer

Similar to the exterior,a car’s interior is also vulnerable to direct sunlight. Also, the car’s AC becomes less effective in extremely hot weather.

Preventing sun damage to the interiors

When the car is parked under direct sunlight, the plastic parts, upholstery, and seat materials can fade. Apart from fading, the materials become brittle and can crack over time. Once the car interior deteriorates, it becomes expensive to repair. To avoid overexposure to UV rays, apply coats of UV protectant to your car’s interior surfaces.

Using glass tinting to block sunlight

Car window tinting can be helpful in blocking sunlight up to a certain level. Since completely dark window tinting is illegal in India, it is best to opt for 50% window tint for windows and 30% tint for windshields. This can easily reduce the intensity of sunlight entering the car interior.

FourDoor's summer care package will be a helpful addition to your car during the summer. It will protect your vehicle from the harshness of summer heat and keep up the reliability for long time.

Monsoon car detailing tips

During the monsoon, your car may deal with wet roads and moisture. Rains can directly affect your car’s exterior and interior, thus requiring special attention through detailing.

Exterior car detailing during monsoon

Here are some easy ways to tackle the rains during monsoon.

Paint protection against mud and water stains

Mud and water stains are common during monsoon season. Rainwater leaves white stains on the painted surface, while mud from the roads gets stuck on the body panels of the car. You can avoid permanent damage from water and mud stains by regularly washing the vehicle. A coat of automotive wax can create a water-repellent or hydrophobic layer on the painted surface, which prevents water from leaving stains on the paint.

Ceramic coating

If you want enhanced paint protection during the monsoon, it is best to opt for ceramic coating. Ceramic coating creates a water-repelling and hard protective layer that protects the paint from water stains, minor scratches and enhances the paint gloss.

Underbody anti-rust coating

It is inevitable to avoid wet roads during the monsoon season, which causes the car's underbody to constantly come in contact with water and moisture. Your car’s underbody can corrode over time, especially in coastal regions and regions with heavy rainfall. You can prevent underbody corrosion by opting for an anti-rust rubber coating treatment from a professional detailer. This is crucial for older cars as their anti-rust treatment slowly becomes ineffective.

Protecting the exhaust system during rains

Your car’s exhaust system is an essential component that runs from the exhaust manifold to the muffler and tailpipe. It is more prone to rusting and corrosion and thus requires additional attention. To prevent muffler corrosion,opting for anti-rust silencer coating from FourDoor.

FourDoor also offers a dedicated monsoon car care package that has been designed to protect your car during the rainy season.

Interior car care during monsoon

Excessive moisture in the car’s cabin can lead to mould and foul smell in the interior during the monsoon. Here are some ways to keep the interior fresh.

Use waterproof floor mats

You must use waterproof floor mats to keep your car’s carpet dry. These mats are easier to clean and avoid mould growth.

Countering moisture and mould growth

Excess moisture during the rainy season can lead to mould and mildew growth inside your car. This can lead to a foul and harmful odour in the  interior. You can prevent mould by using dehumidifiers inside the cabin and ventilating your car frequently.

Windshield and wiper care

Wipers are crucial for clear visibility during rains. A worn-out set of wiper blades can become ineffective or scratch the windshield. Hence, it is crucial to check and replace the wiper blades if needed before monsoon.

Complete information and detailed car maintenance during monsoon season can be found in this article.

Winter car detailing tips

In India, winters do not affect cars as much as summer and monsoons. However, your vehicle would require attention in mountainous regions where snowfall is frequent.

Exterior protection

Follow these essential methods to ensure your car is safe during winter.

Winter windshield fluid and wiper

The regular windshield washer fluid can freeze in extremely cold temperatures. It is best to replace your windshield washer fluid with winter-specific fluid. Also, ensure that the wiper blades are in the best condition to wipe snow from the windshield.

Interior comfort during winter

Interior detailing is crucial as freshness and visibility are of top priority.

Waterproof rubber mats for snow and slush

Waterproof rubber mats are needed to beat the snow and slush, which accumulates due to entering and exiting the car. These rubber mats can be easily cleaned and will protect the carpet from dampness.

Prevent window fogging

The temperature difference inside and outside the car causes windows to fog up during winter. Ensure that your car’s defogger is working correctly, or you can also use anti-fog spray on all the glasses to avoid fog build-up.

Year-round car detailing essentials

Car detailing is important as it not only keeps it clean but also enhances its appeal and preserves its value.

• Regular washing at least once a month
• Deep car detailing at least once in three months
• Waxing once in six months
• Underbody anti-rust coating once a year or two based on your car’s age
• Silence anti-rust coating once in a year

Conclusion

Car detailing is essential to ensure it remains appealing for a long time. However, adapting to seasonal changes is even more crucial to prevent damage to the car’s paint or interior. Stick to specific detailing tasks in each weather condition for smooth and safe running and an enhanced driving experience in any weather.

FAQs

Q. How to take care of a car in monsoon?  

You can take care of your car in the monsoon by regularly washing and applying a protective wax or paint sealant coating. Ensure car tyres have the correct pressure and enough tread depth for superior grip on wet roads. Inspect the wipers to ensure they’re in good condition. Install waterproof floor mats and dehumidifiers to prevent dampness inside the cabin.

Q. How to avoid fungus in a car, during the rainy season?  

You can avoid fungus and mould growth in the rainy season by following these methods.

• Use waterproof floor mats and clean them regularly
• Install a dehumidifier inside the cabin to absorb moisture from the air
• Dry clean the interior during every washing
• Properly ventilate the car after a wash

Q. How to maintain a car in the rain?  

Follow this checklist for car maintenance in the rainy season:

• Regular washing of exterior and dry cleaning of interior
• Ensure correct tyre pressure
• Inspect for sufficient tread depth
• Check the condition of windshield wiper blades
• Ensure the brakes are functioning properly
• Inspect all the lights and indicators

Q. How do you take care of your car in the summer?  

Follow the methods to take care of your car in the summer

• Do regular washing to prevent the settling of pollution and contaminants
• Opt for deep interior detailing to keep the cabin fresh
• Apply wax coating or other paint protection like ceramic coating to protect the paint
• Use up to 30% windshield tint and up to 50% window tint to reduce the intensity of sunlight inside the cabin
• Check tyre pressures and avoid overinflation
• Coat interior surfaces with anti-UV spray for longevity
• Inspect radiator coolant level to prevent engine overheating

Q. How to protect a car from summer heat?  

Follow the methods to take care of your car in the summer

• Park your car in a shaded or covered parking
• Use car cover if parked under direct sunlight
• Apply wax coating or other paint protection coatings like ceramic coating to protect the paint
• Use up to 30% windshield tint and up to 50% window tint to reduce the intensity of sunlight inside the cabin
• Check tyre pressure and avoid overinflation by reducing tyre pressure
• Coat interior surfaces with anti-UV spray for longevity
• Inspect radiator coolant level to prevent engine overheating
• Ensure brakes are in perfect working order to avoid fading under extreme temperature

Q. How do you wash your car in the summer?

First, park your car on a flat surface and engage the parking brake. Then, rinse the car with water. Apply gentle soap or shampoo mixed with water to the entire exterior. Quickly rinse the car thoroughly before the soap dries. After washing, apply a coat of wax or paint sealant to protect the paint from UV rays. Always wash the car early in the morning or the evening, as the afternoon sun’s heat can cause soap or water stains.