Sahara dust not only in Munich: tips for car washing after the "blood rain"
Created: 03/18/2022, 09:26
By: Franziska Kaindl
In the past few days, the sky has turned reddish-yellow in many places due to the Sahara dust.
But that should soon be over.
Time for a car wash?
If you take a look at the sky these days, you will be surprised by yellow-red clouds, among other things.
Warm air from North Africa has brought the Sahara dust with it to Central Europe and, depending on the weather conditions, leads to the so-called "
blood rain
".
This is the name given to the phenomenon in which
Saharan dust
rains down
.
The phenomenon could already be admired in the Alps and in Munich on Tuesday – and also spread to many other parts of Bavaria* on Wednesday.
On Thursday, for example, the sky in Munich was reddish-yellow again.
But even that should soon be over: the sun should be shining again by the weekend – and the dust should be a thing of the past.
It can look so ugly depending on the weather.
(Archive image) © Rene Ruprecht/dpa
For motorists, this means: Your car can
soon be freed from the light layer of dust.
However, you should not simply wipe them off with a dry cloth - due to the roughly 0.1 to 10 micron large grains of sand, it acts more like sandpaper and causes scratches in the car paint.
Sahara dust in Germany: How to wash your car
In general, it makes sense to rid the car of Sahara dust.
Otherwise, when the sun is shining, there is a risk that
the dust will burn into the car paint
.
However, the ADAC points out that washing cars by hand and hosing down the car with a hose is not permitted everywhere.
Therefore, a trip to the nearest car wash is recommended.
It is important that you first use enough water to actually get rid of the dust and not accidentally work it further into the paint.
You should first wash off the dust thoroughly, especially if you want to use bristles or a cloth to finish the job afterwards.
In contrast to washing with a garden hose, the car wash has the advantage that the water is re-treated.
After washing, get a
damp cloth and wipe off any hidden areas
- for example in the gaps in the car door or on the fuel cap.
Also check if the Sahara dust has gotten into the interior of the car and gently clean the surfaces with a damp cloth.
Be sure to wash your rag as you go so you don't just push the Sahara dust back and forth.
You
should be careful when
working on the car windows: To avoid scratches, it is best to use a special chamois leather.
Washing the car in Sahara dust: Check the pollen filter afterwards
The ADAC also points out that drivers
should check their cabin filters, also known as
pollen filters , after the Sahara dust.
When this is full, it must be replaced so that the charge does not eventually spread throughout the car.
You can either replace the pollen filter yourself or – if help is needed – take it to the workshop.
If you have a garage, you can of course avoid this whole odyssey and park the car in a protected place.
(fk)
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