Rain in the UAE: Tips to keep your car in top shape after showers

The UAE has been experiencing unstable weather over the past couple of weeks. The forecast for coming days is equally uncertain with a day of sunshine likely to be followed by another day of rain. It is natural in these circumstances to think that keeping a car clean when you know it will get dirty again next day is pointless. However, the fact is rain or shine, it is always a good idea to get your car washed.

Rain brings down with it pollutants built up in the atmosphere, and if the shower is caused by cloud seeding as it has been in many recent occasions in the UAE, there is more chance of the water containing salts and other impurities that could accelerate paint damage and corrosion in a car.

It is important that you get your car washed as frequently as possible after a rain to ensure that its exterior coat is kept from potential damage and premature failure. However, it is better still to do a little bit of preparation ahead of the next bout or rain to make sure the mineral deposits from rain does minimal harm to the paint or hamper visibility. If you haven’t already done that, give your car a good coat of wax.

It is good practice to do this at least twice a year, ahead of the transition from summer to winter and vice versa. As much a protective layer of wax helps your car’s paint and clear coat resist the harmful rays of the summer sun, it can help keep water spots from forming, by making raindrops bead up and roll off the surface. This will also make it easier to clean the car after the rain.

Keeping your car’s windshield clean is imperative to safe driving. Unfortunately, a large number of car owners never bother to check the water level in the windshield washer tank between services or even check the condition of the wiper blades.

Mineral deposits from rain and road grime sprayed by other vehicles smear the windscreen, increasing the importance of having the washer tank full and wiper blades in good shape. It is also sensible to use a water-repellant product on the windshield to help raindrops bead up and roll off.

You might think washer fluid isn’t necessary during rainy season, but that is a wrong assumption. Light rain often makes the windshield dirty, hampering visibility. So it’s essential to wash and wipe the windshield before you start driving.  Also inspect the little nozzles that spray your windshield with water to make sure they are not clogged up.