Is rain a substitute for a car wash?
Theres a running joke that on any given day you get your car washedsometimes as soon as you pull out of your garage or car-wash placeit almost always rains. There goes your time, money, and effort down the drain, and youre left asking why you even bothered. Straight answer: No. And if youve been relying on thunderstorms to clean your car, its time to kick the habit. A heavy downpour will wash off dirt, leaves, and other loose bits stuck on your car. But it also leaves a number of harmful contaminants on the surfaceminerals, chemicals, and other impurities drawn from the atmosphere. Left to dry, these impurities leave water spots on the surface and can cause permanent damage to the paint job. Continue reading below   Rain also cant do anything about the gunk stuck on your cars underside and crevicesand when you drive through muddy puddles on the road, you get more muck splattered onto your ride, which means more water spots and more potential for rusting down the line. Continue reading below  Recommended Videos  Seeing as theres really nothing we can do about the weather, the best way to keep your car clean during the rainy season is to wash it properlyand not with recycled rainwater for reasons weve just discussedwhen the weather forecast is favorable. If you have the time and space, its not a bad idea to just do this at home so you dont have to take your chances with a thunderstorm on the way back from a car wash. If you already have water spots to deal with, check out our tip sheet on how to remove them. Continue reading below   Then, after the car is completely dry, apply a layer of good-quality wax for extra protection against the elements. That way, any contaminants from the rain will sit on the wax layer and not the clear coat of the paint job itself. Spray-on waxes also work in a pinch if youre in a rush or trying to stretch the time between full-on wax jobs. It depends on how much muck gets on the surface. If your car has been waxed, you can likely get away with a thorough rinse and a wipe-down with a clean microfiber cloth. See, its worth bothering with a proper wash and wax, after all. See Also  Top Gear Philippines is now on Quento! Click to download the app and enjoy more articles and videos from Top Gear Philippines and your favorite websites.