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11 Aug 2026

How Often Should You Wash Your Car?

Every two weeks is the honest answer for most drivers - but harmattan dust, bird droppings and short school runs all change the maths.

Ask ten people how often a car should be washed and you will get ten answers. Here is ours, based on what we actually see roll into the bay.

The short answer

Every two weeks for a daily driver. That is frequent enough to stop contamination bonding to the clear coat, and infrequent enough that you are not wasting money.

When to wash sooner

  • After rain. Rain is not a wash. It leaves dissolved dust and acidic residue behind as it dries.
  • Bird droppings and tree sap. These etch paint within days in direct sun. Remove them the same day.
  • Harmattan season. Fine dust is abrasive. Wiping a dusty car with a dry cloth is how most swirl marks are born.
  • After a long highway run. Bug splatter is acidic and bakes onto the front end.
  • When you can stretch it

    If the car lives in a garage and only comes out at weekends, three to four weeks is fine. A protected surface - waxed or sealed - also buys you time, because dirt sits on the protection layer rather than the paint.

    What actually damages paint

    Not washing too often. Washing badly. A single bucket, a dirty sponge and dish soap will do more damage in one wash than a month of dust. Two-bucket method, clean microfibre, and a proper pH-balanced shampoo.

    Book a wash with us and it comes with grit-guarded buckets, fresh microfibre and a spray sealant finish as standard.

    Ready for a proper clean?

    Book a slot online and pay in person when the work is done.

    Book a slot