We know it’s only October, but winter is just around the corner and from what we’ve heard we might be in for a doozy! There is no better time to get prepared to keep your car in tip top shape during the winter months than now. Make a mental note of these five ways to keep your car clean and tidy for when you’ll need them shortly!

1. Invest in some good rubber floor mats. 

Most vehicles come with standard carpet floor mats that can be a nightmare in the rain or even worse in the slush and snow. The salt in the moisture from outdoors will cause awful stains on the carpet and can soak through and cause rust and corrosion on the floor of your vehicle. To avoid these headaches, grab yourself a set of rubber floor mats. These will cover your carpet protecting your vehicle from any moisture damage.

2. Swap your rims. 

If you can, it’s always a good idea to switch to steel or alloy wheels for the winter when you put your winter tires on. The steel or alloy will be far more durable against the elements and won’t leave you with corrosion or rust come the spring. Consider spraying your rims with a spray on protector to give them some additional durability during the dirty driving months.

3. Wash and wash some more. 

It seems counteractive to wash your vehicle in the winter, but it really isn’t. If you want to increase the longevity of your car while keeping it in tip top shape, washing at least every 10 days is essential. Use fresh water and a high-pressure hose to remove as much of the salt from your vehicles surface as possible. If you own a pressure washer and plan to wash at home, adding baking soda to your water will help to dissolve dry salt. If you need to scrub your vehicle be sure to use a proper wash mitt to avoid leaving scratch marks behind and always wash the undercarriage of your vehicle to remove any salt and chunks of ice. Salt can cause a serious corrosion and rust problem if left too long.

4. Dry your vehicle. 

Once your vehicle has been washed and rinsed, drying is necessary. Leave the doors open slightly so any trapped water can dry out. If you avoid letting these areas dry, you could find your doors frozen solid. Applying wax is another practice to consider adding in the winter. Wax acts as a seal on all surfaces of your vehicle.

5. Take caution when driving. 

When you’re driving in the winter, try to avoid very deep snow and deep puddles if possible. The depth of the snow or water, can exposure the undercarriage to far more salt than normal and could leave you with corrosion. To make matters worse, the undercarriage can be extremely hard to wash so avoiding this as much as possible is beneficial