Keeping Pollen Off Your Car (and Other Spring Car Care Tips)

By John Funk, April 9, 2021

Winter is finally over! Say goodbye to snow and ice and get ready to welcome spring and all the good things that come with it. However, while spring may arguably be the loveliest season of the year, there is one thing many people hate about it: pollen.

Should you be concerned about car care? Yes. As pollen sets on your car, it will look dusty and unsightly, but that’s the least of your worries. Later, you’ll see why you’d want to learn how to keep pollen off your car.

Pollen and Your Car Just Don’t Mix!

During springtime, plants and trees release lots of pollen into the atmosphere, which ultimately settles anywhere the wind takes it: your roofs, your sidewalks, and even your car.

Is pollen bad for car paint? Harmless as it may look, pollen can actually be harmful to your car’s paint. If you look closely, you'll see that the pollen has jagged spikes which help it attach to surfaces. Not only that, they are also quite acidic by nature. Put those two together, and it’s easy to see why these tiny particles can cause swirls and hairline scratches on your car's finish.

How to Keep Pollen Off Your Car: A Step-by-Step Guide

There are a couple of things you need to keep in mind when you want to get dried pollen off your car. The first thing you need to remember is to never wipe pollen off your car while it’s dry. Doing this will just damage your car’s paint.

If that’s the case, then how do you remove the pollen from your car? The solution? Wash it! Here’s how you do it.

Get a water hose and connect a nozzle to it.
Spray water on the car’s body. Remember to target one body panel at a time. Start from the top to the bottom.
Proceed to clean other areas like windshields, rear windows, windows, etc.
Dry your car when you’re done. Use soft cotton towels or allow the car to dry naturally.
After drying, use a detailer spray to remove spots or remnants of dust.
Spray quick detailer fluid on a microfiber cloth and wipe the car’s body panel clean. Avoid wiping forcefully. Wipe gently.

People living in rural areas with a lot of conifer trees should ideally wash their cars at least twice a week. If you live in a city with much lower pollen levels, you can get by washing your car once a week in peak pollen season.

If washing your car manually is too much of a hassle, you can always take it to the car wash. However, if you don’t want to spend money to get your car washed for you and don’t have the time and energy to do it yourself, you have one last resort: making sure pollen doesn’t get on your car in the first place.

How do you achieve this? One way is to park your car in an indoor garage, away from all the pollen. Having said this, not everyone has a garage. In situations like this, the best viable option is to use a high-quality car cover.

Other Spring Car Care Tips

Apply wax. Adding a protective layer to your car’s exterior finish can help prevent pollen and dirt from sticking to the surface.
Avoid using harsh detergent. Use a mild detergent when washing your car to avoid damaging its finish.
Don’t let pollen settle too long. Leaving pollen on your car for too long will cause damage over time.
Replace your filters. Change the air filters to ensure that airflow to the engine isn’t obstructed. Also, change the cabin filters to ensure sufficient airflow to the inside of your car.
Keep windows up. Keep your windows rolled up so that pollen doesn’t end up inside your car.
Recirculate air. Instead of taking in pollen-infested air from the outside environment, use the re-circulation option in your AC to cycle the air inside your car.
Vacuum your car’s interior. Vacuum every nook and cranny of your car’s interior to eliminate any chance of dust and pollen build-up.

Spring Car Maintenance Checklist

Change your oil and oil filter to keep your engine in top condition.
Check your fluids (e.g., power steering, brake, transmission, windshield washer, and coolant fluids) and top them up or flush/replace them when they’re low. Tip: power steering, break, and coolant systems are sealed, so low levels may indicate a leak!
Replace wiper blades.
Check the charging system. Make sure your battery is securely mounted and the connections are secure.
Fix your windshield and replace it if it has a slight crack.
Check your lighting since faulty lighting can be quite dangerous for you and other motorists.
Check belts and hoses. The cold weather from the past winter could have damaged the rubber, so you need to check these as well.
Check the pressure of all your tires. If they are worn or damaged, have them replaced.
Wash off the salt that may have accumulated on the underside of your car from the past winter. To wash the salt off from the undercarriage, spray it with soap and water. Avoid using too much pressure, as this could push the road salt further into nooks and crannies, allowing corrosion to continue. If this is too much trouble or if you don’t have the means to reach the underside of your car, consider having it done professionally.

Keep Pollen Off Your Car with Seal Skin Covers!

At Seal Skin Covers, you’ll find affordably-priced yet high-quality Seal-Fit covers for your car. With pollen season just around the corner, you’ll naturally want to give your precious ride the best protection it can get. We totally get that so we only use the best materials and enforce strict manufacturing standards to give you exactly what you need – for less!

Are you ready to make a purchase or would you like to know more about our products, and exchange and refund policies? We’d love to hear from you so call us at 800-915-0038 during our office hours (Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST) and we’ll gladly answer all your questions. We will help you find the right cover that can keep your car pollen- and dust-free without going over your budget. Hey, we also offer a full 30-day return and exchange warranty with every purchase so you can experience the Seal Skin Cover difference without worrying about your investment!