Spring is here, and it’s time to start thinking about how to get all that pollen off your Mustang. In places like Florida, where it rains nearly every afternoon, it’s tempting to skip the car wash and just let Mother Nature do all the hard work for you, but that’s not always the best option — mostly because Mother Nature doesn’t wax. Forum user ZMoneY has found himself in a pickle — living in Florida in the spring, should he still wash his car once a week, or just let the rain do his work for him?

ZMoneY asked the All Ford Mustangs Forum for thoughts, and got some great information in return.

Hand Wash or Car Wash?

Taking the time to wash and wax your car once a week might seem like a hassle, but it can be one of the best ways to protect your investment — especially if you live in a rainy environment like our original poster. Sure, wax will protect your car for a while, but if you just let your car get rained on and then dried in the sun, you end up with a thin layer of pollution, carried by the rainwater, that can damage your wax and eventually your clear coat.

Forum user adampiecubed3 said, “Every few weeks I wash my car by hand regardless of the weather. It rains a few days a week where I am. The dirt buildup looks bad on the white body so it needs it. Even if it rains right after, it still looks great after giving it a cleaning.”

Taking your car to the neighborhood car wash can be a great alternative, especially if you’re stuck in one of those weeks where it’s raining every single day, but your ‘Stang desperately needs a bath. Car washes are especially popular in the springtime because their high-pressure water hoses are just perfect for blasting away all that springtime pollen that likes to accumulate in the nooks and crannies of the car.

You can also use a regular garden hose, but it will take some extra elbow grease to get all the accumulated pollen off your car.

Don’t Skip the Wax

If you’re washing your car every week, it’s important to put a good wax coat on it a few times a year. Wax helps protect your clear coat from everyday wear and tear, and from the acid rain that is coming down more frequently in the spring and summer. Plus, a good wax coat makes your car easier to clean — debris is more likely to rinse off, so you can spend less time washing your car and more time enjoying it.

User joe7280 says he used to wash his Mustang twice a week, but since taking it to a “good clay bar wax at a local shop” he washes it much less and the water just beads right off.

When to Wash?

When it comes down to it, how often should you be washing your car?  The AFM Forum was a little split on that, with some saying twice a week and others saying far less. illestdomer2005 had a good sense of humor, saying that “If we need the rain, I just wash mine because it virtually guarantees a downpour…”

ZMoneY’s final decision was simple: Despite Florida’s incessant rains, he’s going to keep washing his car every week. It isn’t a bad decision, especially during Florida’s spring season, where every car looks a little more yellow thanks to a thick coat of pollen. He just needs to make sure to take care to wax the car a few times a year, and his Mustang will stay good as new for years to come.

Let us know how often you wash your Mustang in the comments below.

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