Cleaning your vehicle properly is one of the most important things you can do to keep your vehicle running smoothly. This is even more important if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle that you enjoy driving off-road, as off-roading puts your vehicle through much more abuse than the average vehicle that's just used for getting around town.
Whether you have a Subaru Outback Wilderness that you like to clean yourself or you have a Subaru Forester Wilderness that you prefer to take to a Subaru service center, it's important to properly clean and care for your vehicle. Read on to learn some key tips to ensure your Subaru will get you home safely each time you hit the trail.
How To Clean Your Four-Wheel Drive After a Muddy Session
Here are the steps you can take to clean your Subaru after off-roading:
Pressure Wash Your Vehicle
Cleaning your vehicle can be a daunting task, especially after driving through mud. You have to clean it immediately before the mud dries up. To speed up the process, you can use a power washer, which uses a high-pressure water spray to blast away materials and dirt on your vehicle.
Consider investing in a good power washer so you can get the job done yourself. However, this can make a mess in your driveway, which means you may have to spend more time cleaning that up as well. If you prefer to pressure wash the vehicle yourself, make sure to get U-attachments so you can easily reach and clean your vehicle's undercarriage.
If you don't want to clean your vehicle yourself, you can take it to a car wash and have them take care of the mess. Many car washes today use warm water to rinse off the mud, which makes removing it quick and easy.
Clean the Brakes and Suspension Components
If you clean the vehicle yourself, make sure to clean the brakes and suspension components so they are free of dust and mud. Sand and dirt can damage these parts over time, which can cost you a lot of money in repairs and service and also damage their functionality.
Wash Your Vehicle's Undercarriage
Your vehicle's undercarriage is likely to get the worst of the mud, so it's important to clean it thoroughly every time you go off-roading. To easily wash your vehicle's undercarriage, consider purchasing a cheap, rotating sprinkler head and hooking it up to your hose. You can then slide it under your vehicle and turn the water on. Then, walk away for about 15 minutes, and let it do the majority of the work for you. This makes it much faster and more efficient for you to take care of the remaining dust or sand with a hose.
Wash Your Vehicle With the Right Type of Products
Once your vehicle is sand- or dirt-free, get to work with the sponge and soap. Make sure you're using the right soap. Never use dish soap, as this can damage your car's paint. Instead, use a car shampoo that's been specially formulated for your Subaru — you can always shop at our Subaru parts store or ask our specialists for advice.
Apply a Coat of Quality Wax
After washing your vehicle, apply wax to protect its paint from damaging ultraviolet rays, moisture, and small scratches. The wax also makes it much easier to wash your vehicle the next time around, especially if you're going on an off-road adventure and know you're going to get mud on your vehicle's body. Make sure to dry the vehicle first before applying wax. If you don't know which wax is best for your car, consider asking our parts specialists.
Give Your Tires a Good Scrub
When cleaning your vehicle, make sure to scrub your tires well to remove the mud. Mud acts a lot like oil on flat surfaces. It's slippery and can cause your tires to lose traction, making driving unsafe. To clean them, you can use a pressure washer with warm water, then simply go over your tires with a tire brush to make sure you get all the grime and dirt from the grooves. Also, make sure to clean the rims properly so that they have that shine you love so much.
Why Choose Apple Subaru for Your Car Washing and Routine Maintenance Needs?
At Apple Subaru, our state-of-the-art car service center offers more than just the latest equipment. The technicians who work at our dealership are certified and trained to work on many different Subaru models. This means you can count on your vehicle getting high-quality care when you bring it to us. Here are some of the routine services we offer:
- Auto detailing.
- Tire care (including tire balances, rotations, and wheel alignment).
- Wiper blade replacements.
- Brake flushes, adjustments, and cleaning.
- Filter changes (such as engine air, cabin air, and oil filters).
- Fluid changes (such as brake, coolant, and oil.).
- Routine service appointments.
These are just some of the services we're equipped to provide drivers in York, Pennsylvania. When you bring your car in for important auto services, you can expect our Subaru technicians to pay close attention to detail to help minimize the chances of more costly repairs being needed down the line.
Schedule an Auto Service Today at Apple Subaru
At Apple Subaru, we offer quality vehicle service, maintenance, and repair. Our Subaru-certified technicians are standing by to help keep you on the road for miles to come. We aren't the only dealership in York that offers auto services, but the experience we offer will surely keep you coming back to us every time your vehicle needs a repair or is due for maintenance.
Our experienced technicians adhere to strict quality standards, and we use premium, genuine Subaru parts on your vehicle, regardless of if you came into our service center for a brake repair or battery service. We also have in-house parts, collision, and tire centers that will work together to get your car looking and performing like brand new. What are you waiting for? Contact us today, or visit our dealership at 1202 Loucks Road, York, Pennsylvania, so we can schedule a service appointment.
Image by Louis Droege is licensed with Unsplash License
