08/15/2022
🌧 Is rain a free car wash?🌧
Due to the weather recently I have heard that rain is a “free car wash”, is it?
Well, kinda but not really.
While rain may remove some surface dust or dirt, it still leaves behind a lot that would be removed by contact wash, and even more that would be removed with clay or paint decontamination.
Water left on the surface of your vehicle may also leave water spots. Water spots are formed whenever hard water is left to dry on the surface of your vehicle.
But rain falls naturally as soft water, so how could it leave water spots? Rain water will encapsulate the surface contaminants left behind on your car, then dry and leave unpleasant water spots.
Are water spots preventable?
Water spots are often inevitable, but there are a few ways to better manage them. The first being regular exterior maintenance. That being proper contact washes and paint decontamination between coating/sealant/wax applications. This will reduce the surface contaminants necessary for water spots to form from rain water.
It is also very important to dry your vehicle after washing, because unfiltered hose water is usually hard water that will leave water spots if left to dry itself.
The next preventive action to take would be the paint protection itself. While they won’t completely prevent water spots, they will greatly reduce their likelihood and make them much easier to remove if they do happen to form.
So, rain will wash away some loose dirt but will ultimately leave behind hard to remove spots if left uncared for, I personally wouldn’t consider that a very good wash!
Message for a free quote and book a detail with me to be sure your car is properly cared for and protected from the elements!