Although some people spend a lot of time tending to their car’s needs, many others only do the bare minimal. They change their oil regularly, and they replace tires as needed, but keeping their car clean simply isn’t a priority. If you are one of those people, you should reconsider making it a priority. Here are five reasons you need to wash your car regularly.

It Keeps Your Car Looking New

Everyone loves new cars. They smell nice. They are shiny. They are attractive. So wouldn’t it be nice if your vehicle stayed looking new? It can. All you have to do is take care of it with regular washes. It doesn’t need to be a time-consuming ordeal; just wash, vacuum, and go. It’s amazing how a new car stays looking new when it is clean.

Dirt is Damaging

You might think dirt is only an annoyance, but in reality, dirt is very damaging. Dirt that is left unwashed off the surface of your car can scratch your paint. And if left uncared for, that scratch can turn into a chip, which then can rust. At the very least, dirt left to bake on your car wears the protective coat off and can fade your color.

For Safer Driving

Would you drive your car down the road with the windows covered with frost or snow? Of course not. Then why would you think it is safe to drive your car with dirt, bugs, and debris covering the windows? It isn’t. Anything that dirties your windows prevents you from seeing the roads clearly. For your safety as well as others, please keep your windows clean.

For Fuel Efficiency

Did you know that a clean car promotes better fuel efficiency? Although there have been earlier statements that dirt particles create an aerodynamic effect similar that of to a golf ball, this simply isn’t true. The dirt on your car creates drag, which causes your car to burn more fuel. Tests have proven that a clean car is 10% more fuel-efficient than the same dirty car.

It Prevents Illness

You likely make it a priority to keep your home clean. It might be messy sometimes, but you clean the bathroom, wipe down the kitchen, and keep areas that hands touch regularly clean. You do this to keep germs from spreading, which in turn prevents illness and keeps your household healthy. Now, why don’t you do the same for your car? Those same hands that spread germs in a house spread them just as quickly in a car. In fact, because you go from stores to schools to other public places in your vehicle, your hands likely bring more germs into your car than they do into your home.

As you can see, washing your car is almost as important as those routine oil changes that you prioritize. So, add washing your car to your to-do list, and start reaping the benefits.