How often should you get a car wash? A person said that it’s a good idea to get one every two weeks. That may be more frequent than many Americans choose for their vehicles.
The video with the tip comes from the Fmcontent account (@fmcontent). It has drawn more than 99,500 views since Saturday. The entirety of the short video is filmed inside a car wash. The on-screen caption conveys most of the message.
That read, “Did you know you’re supposed to get a car wash every 2 weeks so your car doesn’t get rusty in the long run?” The video is soundtracked to a snippet of *NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” which is getting a new lease on life for its use in the recently-released box office smash, Deadpool &. Wolverine.
@fmcontent #foryou #foryoupage #featureme #featurethis #f #zyxcba #fy #viral #foruyou ♬ Bye Bye Bye – From Deadpool and Wolverine Soundtrack – *NSYNC
The advice is mirrored by an article appearing on the Progressive Insurance website. That reads, “In general, it’s a good idea to wash your car every other week or so. Regularly washing your car removes everyday contaminants like tar, road debris, and bird droppings that can ruin your car’s paint job over time. But there’s no one right answer to this question — it depends on factors like your lifestyle, the climate where you live, and how you store your vehicle when you’re not driving it.”
That article adds, “The less you wash your car, the more opportunity there is for long-term damage. Not only does your vehicle endure all kinds of weather, but it also gets splattered with dirt, mud, tar, bugs, bird poop, and anything else you might encounter on the road (or in your parking spot). All these contaminants can eat away at your car’s finish, affecting the paint, damaging the seals and rusting the metal. Keeping your ride clean helps keep it in good condition.”
However, the article adds that waxing the car afterward can buy a driver more time between washes.
How often do people get a car wash?
According to a blog from San Diego’s Fresh Layer, about 30% of car owners get car washes less than once every three months. Car interiors are even more neglected than that. Forty percent of car owners admitted to only vacuuming their cars out once a year.
Conversely, about 20% opt for weekly car washes.
A September 2023 article from Car Wash Magazine, adding a different perspective, asserted, 96% “of U.S. car owners and lessees washed their vehicle at least once in the past year. But it’s where consumers wash most often that’s most telling. Eighty-nine percent washed at a professional car wash, an all-time record high.”
Two times a week? Every two months?
Commenters had thoughts.
“My car is lucky if it gets a car wash every two months,” one observed.
Another said, “I wash my cars like twice a week because I have OCD and hate driving a dirty car,” adding, “I have a car wash subscription so it basically pays for itself.”
Similarly, someone else added, “I’m there 2-3x a week and more in the winter! That monthly membership is getting its full use!”
Several recommended brushless car washes, with one advising, “I also use touchless cause seeing brushes touch a car makes me have a literal meltdown.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via email and TikTok comment.
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