Storing a Car for the Winter - 3 Levels of Successful Prep

Storing a Car for the Winter – 3 Levels of Successful Preparation

Do you own a vehicle that’s just not meant for those snowy season roads? Well, it’s about that time for its winter hibernation, so let’s talk long term storage prep and protection when storing a car for the winter.

Many who are storing a car for the winter often cover it up in their current condition and get it fully detailed when it warms back up. Why let dirt, grime, and contaminants sit on your beautiful ride for months? Why not get it fully prepped and secure it up for winter, so it’ll be ready right when spring season begins. When you want to take it back out on the open road the most it will need is a contactless wash, if even that.

Storing a Car for the Winter

Prepping Your Car for Winter Step by Step

Ultra Foaming Wash | Foam Cleanser - Spraying Foam into bucket

how to clean wheels and tires 3 MaxShine Wheel and Tire Cleaner

Storing a Car for the Winter

Basic Level
Detailed Wash

A must for any storage prep

Get out your car wash bucket and even your foam cannon because your wonderful ride is getting a thorough exterior detail. If you’re sticking with the basic level prep, use a pH neutral car wash soap, this will keep your current wax, sealant, or coating intact.

Fully degrease and decontaminate your wheel rims and tires, making sure to clean every detail. Need more than soap to clear away tough grime? Try Wheel and Tire Cleaner, it safely breaks down caked on dirt.

Finally, make sure your car is thoroughly dry, you don’t want any hard water minerals lingering on the surface for months. The Tank microfiber towel and Mini Handheld Dryer make the perfect drying duo. Quickly soak up water with the highly absorbent microfiber and blow away any remaining drops from small areas and crevices.

Storing a Car for the Winter

Intermediate Level
Chemical or Contact Decontamination

Ideal to remove any summer contamination

Exposing any car to the elements can cause contaminants to embed in your paint. After a detailed wash, removing these particles with clay bar or synthetic clay products will bring back the smoothness and shine. Make sure to use proper lubrication for clay bars to not induce marring onto the surface. If there aren’t many larger particles in your paint, a quick chemical decontamination with FeX Iron Remover will remove surface level remnants; just spray, wait for purple, then rinse and dry.

MaxShine FeX Iron Remover and Wheel Cleaner in paint

MaxShine AIO All In One Polish and Protect - wiping

MaxShine M8S V2 Dual Action Polisher for Car Detailing, dirty pad , Dont's polishing

Storing a Car for the Winter

Expert Level
Paint Enhancement & Protection

Remove any minor swirling and insure protection with wax or sealant

Complete the basic and intermediate level detailing steps to properly prepare to take your polisher to your paint. A quicker one-step enhancement with AIO Polish and AIO Pads will polish out minor imperfections and swirling to heighten its level of shine. What’s great about All-in-One Polish is it includes a sealant, so you’re adding a protective coating while you polish. If you prefer, a 2^nd pass with your preferred wax or sealant can be added for a thick layer of paint protection.

Storing a Car for the Winter

Restorative Level
Paint Correction & Protection

Maybe you’ve got a few more swirls than expected and want your ride at its best next season.

Just like with the expert level paint enhancement, a full wash and clay are needed to prepare the car’s surface for paint correction. A full multi-step correction with cutting compound and polish, will restore shine and gloss to a higher degree than an enhancement, though it will take more steps and time.

All steps of cutting, polishing, and a finishing coat of protection are needed to rejuvenate your ride and keep it immaculate for the warm season. Go for stronger and longer protection than classic waxes and sealants, with Graphene Ceramic Coating. It makes your car easier to clean and protects it from harsh UV rays and other elements that degrade your clear coat over time.

Cut-Max Cutting Compound Car Paint Compound Car Scratch Remover

Storing a Car for the Winter

HOW TO KEEP YOUR CAR CLEAN IN WINTER

Your hard detailing work won’t last all winter season without a proper car cover. In this instance, MaxShine specializes in wheel protection. Wheels can be the dirtiest part of the car and take the most effort to keep clean. Whether you want to keep compound and polish splatter off your freshly detailed rims or keep them immaculately clean all winter long, you’ll want to utilize durable Wheel Covers.

So now you know, these are the preparation steps for storing a car for the winter and to keep it protected during tough climates.