Why Fleet Washing In Winter Is a Must
Wintertime in Ontario is marked by heavy, snowy weather, bitter cold, and frozen roads that must be de-iced - all of which can take a toll on any vehicle regularly driving through those conditions. The more you drive out on the roads during winter weather, the dirtier your vehicle gets, and the more it's exposed to corrosive substances like road salt and de-icing chemicals, potentially jeopardizing the health of its undercarriage.
Nevertheless, work doesn't stop just because it's winter, and if anything, winter can be a very busy season for emergency contractors and shipping companies. Since you can't afford for your company's fleet to take a sabbatical until the roads have thawed out in the spring, the other option is to be extra diligent about your fleet's maintenance, and that's where fleet washing comes into play. Let's break down exactly why fleet washing in winter is so important for protecting your business assets:
Promoting a Positive Brand Image
Keeping your fleet clean throughout the winter can feel like fighting an uphill battle, and some companies decide not to even bother with regular fleet washing until the weather's improved. However, letting your fleet's appearance slide can potentially reflect poorly on your business. Your vehicles are just as much your company's property as the building that houses your business, so when people see them out on the road, their condition can inform potential customers' opinions about your business!
Dirty, grimy vehicles can give the impression of neglect, which is why a little goes a long way when it comes to fleet pressure washing. By keeping your vehicles on a regular cleaning regimen, even in the wintertime, you can maintain their stellar appearance and promote a positive brand image all season long.
Preventing Corrosion
This is perhaps one of the most tangibly important reasons to keep up with fleet washing during the wintertime. Vehicles can collect grimy, corrosive buildup from the roadways all year long, but this mess can become extra corrosive in the winter. While road salt and other de-icing chemicals are necessary evils for keeping the roads safe, they're also highly corrosive, and the longer they sit on your vehicles' undercarriages, the more likely they are to eat into the metal and cause rust to form, as well as potentially causing cosmetic damage by eating through paint.
A rusted undercarriage is a weak and unsafe undercarriage, so its seriousness shouldn't be underestimated. However, if you can regularly pressure wash away these corrosive contaminants, you can protect your vehicles from rust and save yourself a lot of money on repairs down the line! Year-round fleet washing is ideal, but it's doubly important to stay consistent with it while there's snow and ice on the road.
Improving Driver Safety
Corrosive buildup is only one of the many safety hazards winter drivers can encounter out on the road. Regular cleaning helps ensure that your vehicles' headlights, tail lights, mirrors, and windshields are clean and unobscured, so your drivers can feel safer taking to the road on dark, blustery nights. Keeping those undercarriages clean can help to preserve the importance of brakes and suspension for better performance and driver safety. It also gives cleaners a chance to remove any dangerous snow or ice dams that may potentially build up on your vehicles.
Year-Round Fleet Washing Solutions in Barrie
Investing in regular fleet washing is one of the best things you can do to maintain your fleet at any time of the year, but especially during the winter months. Since 2014, Simcoe Mobile Wash has been Barrie's trusted provider of pressure washing services for local homes and businesses, and fleet washing is one of our core services. By using eco-friendly cleaners and a powerful two-step cleaning method that neutralizes a wide range of road messes (including salt, grime, and grease), we can keep your company's fleet clean, safe, and road-worthy all season long.
Want to learn more about Simcoe Mobile Wash's fleet washing service? If so, reach out to us to request a free estimate at 705-431-6653.
