Car wash
Sahara dust and blood rain: This is how you can properly clean your dirty car
Every year: If you don’t get your car to safety during a phase of Sahara dust, you get the dirty receipt. Off to the car wash.
© Rene Traut / Imago Images
When the Sahara dust settles over Europe, a car wash is often in order. But the ADAC warns: If you approach cleaning incorrectly, there is a risk of damage to the paintwork.
When the fine desert sand moves to Europe again, it not only pollutes the air, but also settles over large areas. If you have parked your vehicle in the open air, sooner or later you will have to drive to the Car wash. The sand not only looks unsightly, but also poses a danger to the paint.
Always start washing your car with lots of water
The ADAC gives tips on what to do if your car is dirty: Since the sand is not only visually disturbing, but can also impede your view, it has to be removed. If you can wash your car yourself in a suitable place, the motto is: lots of water. If you directly use the wet sponge, you rub the sand over the paint, which ultimately acts like sandpaper. The same applies to the brushes in self-service wash boxes: first the sand has to be completely removed with the high-pressure cleaner.
In general, the ADAC recommends driving to a car wash. But there are differences here: Since some car washes, especially those at gas stations, immediately roll the large roller over the car, you should definitely not neglect the pre-wash. At most large textile car washes, employees do this on site.
At these car washes, it may be worth arriving at less busy times. When things are particularly busy, employees have less time to focus intensively on the vehicles. As a rule, the car is still cleaned gently, but receives less attention.
The car club recommends doing some work after visiting the car wash. It is therefore worth washing out doors, flaps and hard-to-reach areas, such as the area behind the trunk lid, with a wet cloth. This prevents sand from collecting in places where friction often occurs in everyday life.
Check interior and pollen filter
In very serious cases, i.e. if the interior is also affected, experts say you should work with a damp cloth and cleaning products suitable for the interior, but wash the cleaning cloth as often as possible so that you don’t spread the dust.
The ADAC also advises checking the cabin filter after a dusty phase. If it is older anyway, a large amount of dust could cause it to become clogged and no longer work properly. In most vehicles you can change this filter yourself; instructions are usually provided in the user manual.