With any car, you’ll want to keep it looking like the day you drove it off the lot. One way to do that is by maintaining the paint job. Here are six tips to keeping your vehicle’s paint in tip-top shape.
Know How to Wash Your Car
The most important thing you can do to maintain your car’s paint job is to properly wash your car and do so regularly. When washing your car, maintain a safe distance between the water nozzle and your vehicle because water pressure that is too strong may damage the paint itself. Wash your car from the top down, apply soapy water in sections, scrub with a non-abrasive mitt, then gently rinse. Repeat this process until your car is clean, then dry with a microfiber towel.
Wax Your Car
As part of your car washing process, make sure to wax your vehicle at the end. Waxing both protects your car and allows it to shine after a quality wash job. You may be tempted to use a polish instead, but many polishing products actually contain abrasives that can cause harm to your paint.
Protect Your Car From the Sun
The sun’s rays can fade your vehicle’s paint, making it less likely to shine. You probably won’t be able to correct fading by washing or waxing either. Of course, driving in the sun generally cannot be avoided, but you can be strategic when parking your vehicle either at home or when you’re out for the day. Try to park in your home garage if you have one, or at least under some shade, like a carport. When out on the town, use parking garages instead of open lot or street parking.
Safely Remove Bird Droppings
Unless you always keep your car in the garage or under a tarp, it’s inevitable that it will eventually be the recipient of bird droppings or bug splatterings. Some bugs are rampant in the spring and summer months and slowly chip away at your paint if you don’t wash them off regularly. It’s the same with tree sap — if you don’t take the time to remove it soon, you may end up with paint damage.
To take care of these environmental obstacles to a clean paint job, consider using a waterless wash or purchasing a quick detail spray. To use, spray over the covered spot and then wipe clean with a microfiber towel. React fast and wipe gently, and your paint will be none the wiser.
Immediately Fix Scratches
To maintain your car’s paint job, you should also fix scratches as soon as you notice them. You can fix a superficial scratch with touch up paint or a scratch repair pen. Deeper scratches can either be addressed at a professional paint shop or you may be able to take care of this yourself by sanding around the scratch, using a primer, and then repainting.
Following the tips on this list should keep your car looking brand new so you can enjoy the look of it for many years to come.