How often to wash Bronco?

[Brian_B]

I did invest in an electric pressure washer that I just leave hooked up all the time. That is handy to have - just pull it out and turn it on.

I do have to dry mine or I get horrible spots, but just a basic hand wash takes me about 20 minutes. The first time I did Megulars ceramic it took me like 3 hours to get it to look right - after that first time though it’s like every 3 or 4 washes it just needs a quick touch up, and it makes the washes go much faster

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[brkdncr]

I power washed mine after the road turned to mud. I guess it’s better than being caked with mud?

I think this summer I’ll get it ceramic coated if it means it’s easier to spray down. Sorta wish my dealer had offered it as an option.

 

[MotoFish]

Doing a complete clean an detail on the Bronco from setup to everything back in the shop will take me right around one hour to do it right and have it like new. Same time it takes me to wash the superduty. For being a smaller rig the Bronco has a bunch of areas that really like to hold debris. I'm meticulous and out of all the vehicles I've ever washed I think the Bronco takes the most attention to detail of any of the vehicles. That being said, it gets washed when it's dirty and the forecast gives a few days of decent weather.

 

[Black Rob]

Might be a dumb suggestion, but maybe get some mud flaps. Probably keep most that off the sides.

 

[Brian_B]

Might be a dumb suggestion, but maybe get some mud flaps. Probably keep most that off the sides.

So... about that

They do very well for keeping mud off the doors.

But my tires sling it everywhere, and it gets all over the top of my Bronco and windows. Also up on the bumper between that little gap between the fender and the bumper. And the tailgate always ends up looking like I dropped it rear-end-first into a mud bath.

 

[Area51BS]

If it were me, move. I have OCD and couldn’t handle a vehicle that dirty all the time. I was weekly and only drive on my weekends. There is some good advice already given. Get it clean and Griots 3 in 1 ceramic spray wax the entire exterior. Everything. Makes cleaning easier. I reapply often on plastics/trim/glass when detailing and twice a yr on paint. I also use chassis spray as needed on visible components and fender wells. Little goes along way so don’t just spray away. Spray and wipe it around.

 

[JT58Bronc]

When I lived in the salt belt I would wash my vehicles after every 4 wheeling adventure. Rinse the mud out of the crannies in the undercarriage, rinse first then wash the body. It is so important to keep the mud out of the crannies underneath and once the winter road salt gets in there with the mud it will trap water and cause rust. In the winter I would high pressure rinse the undercarriage after every "salt" storm. The salt gets everywhere and unless it gets removed, every time it gets wet it will lead to rust. I kept my vehicles meticulous this way and they never had any rust. It was a lot of work though. If you don't have time to wash, at least rinse the mud/salt off. In the spring, summer or fall I would also get underneath and sand, prime, paint/undercoat any rust on the frame, suspension components, etc.

 

[BroncocnorB]

I’ve had mine two and a half years and I’ve never washed it.

 

[broncoms2023bdsas]

Twice a day, at least 3 minutes; small circles.

 

[huey]

interesting to see the broad range of wash habits on here. I just can't have a dirty vehicle, no matter if it's a beater or new and shiny. I will say the ceramic coating though expensive is really a great investment if you are into keeping the paint looking nice

 

[DBX2]

So I used to do all of my washing by hand, but the past 15+ years I've lived in places where doing it at home was difficult, and the self serve hand wash facilities were...not great.

Now I have a house and my own driveway and my own Bronco that I just recently purchased. I take it out every couple of days, and given the terrain nearby and the weather recently, I come back with my rails and doors covered in mud almost every time. I don't expect my vehicle to look perfect all of the time, but at the same time, I don't want to leave mud and dirt that could be harmful to the car's finish long term.

How often should I take the time to clean off the mud and grime? Every time? And if that's the case, does that mean I need to do a full hand wash (not necessarily deep detailing, but more than just blasting off the mud with a pressure washer), with car soap, a soft glove, and a wipe down with a chamois or water blade?

I'm not looking to overdo it, but the couple of rinses I've done are starting to leave water spots something fierce.

(I tried looking for answers to these specific questions before I posted BTW, so I apologize if I'm reposting here.)

This is really a personal thing. We tend to be anal about our vehicles; we enjoy clean vehicles (after living in the northeast for decades and on gravel roads) and we like to "bond" regularly. We never use car washes; NEVER. Always hand wash; always with new micofiber wash rags. Always keep a good wax on. Spot wash-off bird poop and bug splats are we see them. A filthy, mud encrusted Bronco always gets a thumbs-up for all the fun they must have had, but for us, we like glistening!!

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