How often should I wash my car?

When it comes to how often you should wash your car, opinions vary across the board.

We all see neighbors in the driveway every weekend with their buckets, sponges, and soaps (going down the storm drain, unfortunately, and into natural water sources).

At our wash locations, we often see the same smiling guests week after week, on their predictable wash schedule. We love a good clean routine!

Others believe that once a vehicle reaches a certain age, it’s not worthwhile to keep it clean. 

Car washing (or the lack thereof) doesn’t have to fall into these extremes. Depending on your lifestyle, habits, and even career, you should wash your way.  

Let’s chat about best practices for how often you should wash your car, and make sure you are staying on schedule with this often-overlooked preventative maintenance.  

Your region (and climate) matters 

Washing off everyday chemicals, pollen, and debris is important wherever you live. As a baseline, living in a moderate climate and parking in a garage, it’s best to keep your car washed every two weeks.  

Protecting the clearcoat and paint on your vehicle is not a responsibility you can “set and forget.” UV rays, leaves, and pollen all have the potential to damage your car’s exterior. Vehicles in snowy climates deal with road salts, too. Nature always has another reason to keep your car clean in any climate.  

A wash package including an underbody flush, like our WORKS package, is what makes washing most beneficial no matter where you live. 

Even if your windows and hood look great, you need to be mindful of keeping the underside your vehicle just as clean and protected. 

Corrosion is a big concern and one you don’t want to deal with in a body shop. 

Washing more than every two weeks keeps all areas of your car cleaner and more protected from the elements, wherever you are.  

And sometimes, what you do all day might require you to wash a little more often.

Work and lifestyle habits drive how often to wash. 

If your job requires a great first impression every time, you need a clean car to complete the look. Consultants, lawyers, salespeople, and real estate agents, might wash their car every day to nail the first impression, close the sale, and give clients confidence in their work. 

Construction workers, delivery drivers, and farmers face dirtier daily job sites than others.  

If grit and grime are part of your commute, you may want to find your way to a car wash more than once a week. 

Any vehicle that transports kids deserves to be washed more often. 

Taking kids anywhere generally involves getting your car dirty, inside and out. Tommy’s Express has free vacuums*, mat washers, and unlimited wash memberships to make frequent trips to the car wash quick, easy, and relaxing.  

From driveways to dirt roads and to and from school, a day’s errands can leave your ride’s exterior looking like the road it’s traveled on. Washing a few times a week might be what you need to keep your vehicle clean and protected.

Unlimited washing

How often should you wash your car? The every-two-week rule is a great place to start for protecting your car’s paint and lifespan.  

But if you wash more than twice a month, an Unlimited TommyClub membership is a great deal. Unlimited washing and access to the timesaving app lane are even better when you choose a WORKS plan.  

The WORKS comes with Ceramic Body Wax, which helps keep your car easier to clean and adds a protective layer of wax to your paint. It looks and feels cleaner and stays that way longer. The more often you wash with the WORKS, the better that protective layer gets.  

In the end, it’s up to your best judgement for how often you should wash your car. Everyone has a different lifestyle, environment, and standard of clean for their car. 

Find your local Tommy’s Express and start your clean routine today!

*At participating locations only.