9 Ways to care for your car during and after an ashfall

The recent phreatic eruption of the Taal volcano had caused ash to spew as high as 14 kilometers reaching the Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and even some parts of Northern Luzon.

If you happen to be driving or living in the Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas area, your car probably would have taken the brunt of the ashfall. If you are living or driving on nearby areas like Metro Manila, the ashfall is not as worse but would still require you to properly wash and do precautionary care for your vehicle to avoid long term damage.

Here are some car care tips and things to remember during and after a volcanic eruption.

During an Ashfall:

1. If driving during an ashfall, don’t be afraid to use your wipers. Sure, this can scratch your windshield but safety over aesthetics. If the ashfall has precipitation, pour water over your windshield if your wiper could not handle the thickness of the mud. Pouring water will remove the smear created by the wipers. If you are not driving and your car is just sitting in your parking lot, err on the side of caution and put a car cover over it.

2. If the Ashfall is very heavy, which can result in zero visibility, find a safe spot to stop and sit it out till the ash fall subsides. If there isn’t any, stop on the side of the road and turn on your hazard light to warn other drivers.

3. During a heavy ash fall, no matter how uncomfortable it becomes, refrain from using your AC. The tiny ash particles can easily clog through your air filters and engine.

After an Ashfall:

It is highly advisable to take your vehicle to a car wash as soon as possible rather than washing it yourself as these people are more experienced in cleaning vehicles. But if you must do it yourself, below is a step-by-step guide.

4. Wash your car with pressurized water to remove ash from the exterior of your car starting from the top moving downwards. Repeat the process as much as necessary till all visible traces of the ash is removed. Avoid wiping your vehicle with a sponge or cloth to remove the ash while spraying water. The ash from a volcanic eruption are micro rock particles and are thus very abrasive and will likely stick to the fiber and scratch your paint.

5. After rinsing your car, proceed to soap the bottom part of your car including under the fenders and tires using a pH-neutral car wash solution. Make sure to reach through the crevices of your car. It is advisable to wash the bottom first because the under fenders and tires take most of the brunt of the dirt. Do an initial rinse.

6. Next is to wash the car’s body, starting from the roof going down to the sides, front, and rear using a different sponge. This will prevent the ash particles from the bottom of your vehicle that got stuck in the sponge from scratching the body. Then you can apply a second washing to the under fenders, step board, and rims to make sure that the bottom of your vehicle is thoroughly clean.

7. Using a third sponge and bucket of car shampoo, clean the car’s windshield, windows, and wipers. Then rinse off from top to bottom.

8. Dry your car with a fresh microfiber and then apply a thick layer of wax especially if your car is not glass-coated. If it is, then your vehicle would just be fine. Also, use a rubber treatment to clean and maintain rubber seals, wiper blades, and tires.

9. Take your car to the dealership or auto detailing shop for a thorough check-up. They would need to check for any possible damages under the hood. Specifically on your AC’s filter, engine air filter, and other parts of the vehicle that could have been compromised.

Final Word

The best way to care for your car is to bring it to the professionals after a volcanic eruption as soon as possible. Not just for cars that took the heavy brunt of the ash fall, but also those that have some ashfall covering their vehicles like the ones experienced in most part of Metro Manila. This is to both ensure thorough cleaning of your vehicle and so that professional car mechanics can check for possible damage and prevent long-term damage created by the ashfall.

Also Read: How to deep clean your car