How to protect your car’s paint and keep it looking new

Your car's paintwork is exposed to environmental and physical elements that can easily cause damage if it's not protected. The elements that can damage your car's paint include bird's droppings, rock chips, UV rays, dust, acidic water, and mineral salts, among others.

Here are a few ways to protect, maintain, and restore your vehicle’s paintwork to ensure long-term shine and durability of the paint.

1.   Clean your car regularly; the right way

·         If you let dirt, droppings, and other contaminants stay on your vehicle's surface for long, the more damage they're likely to cause. It’s therefore advisable to clean your car regularly before the contaminants degrade your finish.

·         Remember to use soft washcloths (microfiber) and sponge since they're gentle on the paintwork. Also, avoid detergents and other cleaning chemicals as they deteriorate your car's finish and remove wax.

·         Before cleaning your car, rinse the exterior to eliminate loose gravels and dirt that would otherwise damage your paint during cleaning. Clean and rinse your car in sections to prevent the soap from drying on your paint.

·         Clean your car under a shed and make sure that the surface cools down first.

·         During winter, your car is more exposed to elements and road treatments (salts) that can cause critical damage to your car's exterior. This means that you should wash/rinse your car more often during winter (after each exposure to elements).

·         When cleaning your car, don’t forget to clean your tires and wheels. They tend to accumulate a lot of dirt and grime due to their proximity to the ground.

·         Dry your car using microfiber towels after cleaning to avoid water spots.

2.   Paint Cleaners

 If your finish has stubborn contaminants such as tree sap or bird's droppings, use paint cleaners to remove them. Paint cleaners/pre-cleaners/pre-wax cleaners contain light to strong abrasives. Use the right strength of paint cleaner depending on the contaminants on your car's surface.

3.   Claying

 This is the use of a clay bar to remove contaminants embedded in your car's paintwork. These contaminants make the finish rough and dull.

4.   Wax your car

 Applying wax on your vehicle as required protects your paint and maintains its shine. A car with a factory finish/coating requires waxing at least once every few months. This can get expensive and cumbersome, and it doesn't provide maximum protection against all elements. This is why detailing professionals recommend that you apply a ceramic coating on your paintwork. By using a ceramic coating, you protect the paint and keep the car lustrous for longer, and the application of wax is reduced to once per year.

5.   Keep your car away from elements

·         The more time your vehicle spends exposed to environmental and physical elements, the higher the risk of damaging your paint. It's, therefore, necessary to keep your car inside your garage or carport to reduce exposure to harmful elements.

·         If you don't have a garage/ carport, acquire a heavy-duty car cover to keep your car protected from elements.

6.   Choose your parking spots wisely

·         Do not park your car in a spot with high traffic, including vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Such places pose a higher risk of damage as cars/bikes can scratch the paintwork or smash into it by accident.

·         Do not park under trees or areas where substances or objects such as tree sap, rocks, screws, bird's droppings, nuts, and twigs can fall on your car's surface to cause damage.

7.   Repair damaged paintwork

Most people tend to ignore scratches or chips on their vehicle’s paintwork. Here’s the thing, these chips may seem inconsequential, but they expose your paint to degradation and can even lead to rust if they're not repaired. Therefore, make paint correction as soon as the damage occurs.

8.       Do not leave your car exposed to direct sunlight as the UV rays damage your paintwork through oxidation. If you're not using your vehicle, keep it in your garage or covered to prevent UV irradiation.

9.   Install a Paint Protection Film (PPF).

A PPF can be installed on the most vulnerable areas of your car's surface or the entire exterior surface. It's one of the most efficient ways to protect your car's paintwork as it’s capable of resisting almost all the environmental and physical elements, and it maintains your car’s shine.

Protecting your paintwork maintains your car’s radiance, which keeps it looking cool and new. It also restores and maintains the value of your vehicle. This means that if you're looking to sell your car, it will fetch a reasonable price in the market.

At Gleamworks Detailing Services, we offer you the best ways to protect, maintain, and restore your vehicle's factory paint. Contact us today for more information.