How your car looks has a lot to do with the state of its paint. While some car paints require special attention, others are easy to maintain. Regularly washing your car, waxing and polishing it with the right ingredients is a sure way of keeping it looking as good as new.
It’s important to protect your car paint against damages such as bird droppings, insect remains, scratches, the elements, and the effects of frequent car cleaning. At some point, the paint may be so damaged that a touch-job may be necessary. Should this apply to your car, let a professional painter handle it for you.
Protecting your car paint is no small feat. Numerous tiny mishaps can make a car lose its lustre. Arguably, the most delicate aspect of a car is its paint. Here are ten best ways to protect car paint from deteriorating:
1. Apply Car Paint Sealant
To preserve car paint, apply paint sealant once or twice every year. This simple solution adds a protective covering that keeps your car paint in pristine condition. To do so, mix half-a-cup of sealant with a tablespoon of a bonding agent. The volumes you may need of this mixture vary depending on the size of your car and its structure.
Once the mixture is ready, apply it to the car in circular motions, moving from one section to another. After the texture changes, wipe it clean using similar circular motions.
2. Wax the Car to Maintain Its Lustre
It’s important to wax your car a day after applying the paint sealant. Oxidizing agents like tree sap, road grime, and bird droppings tend to get stuck on the paint and can easily cut through it. Wax ensures that this does not happen.
As a rule of thumb, wax should be reapplied whenever rainwater stops dripping off the car paint. Further, having your car in the garage ensures the wax coat lasts longer. At the very least, wax your car once just before winter and again in spring.
We recommend liquid and spray versions. While paste wax only requires a few applications and lasts longer, it’s harder to apply than other types of wax.
3. Apply Ceramic Coating
This is a fairly new method of protecting car paint. It works by applying a coat of polymer or ceramic to the car. Ceramic coating keeps your car paint looking great for a long time. The synthetic coating stays intact for at least six months. Compared to car wax, it does a more thorough job.
4. Hand Dry the Car’s Exterior
A vehicle exposed to the elements is in danger of having its paint wear out. It’s therefore important to protect its exterior. Hand dry it after every wash to keep chemicals from mixing with the sun rays, which could damage the car paint. This is important, especially for areas exposed to the sun. While this may take time, it’s surely worth the effort.
5. Use Insect Remover
Insect remains tend to stick to car paint. You can, however, wipe them off using a special insect removing agent when washing the car.
6. Hand Washing Is Best
Hand washing is kind to the car’s exterior. Besides, it gives you a chance to closely inspect the car paint for signs of wear, tear, fading, or scratching. Apply mild, low-pH cleaning detergents using clean cloths, soft sponges, and brushes.
If you must use a pressure washer, spray from a distance to ease off water pressure on the car so the paint doesn’t sustain damage. Test the water jet on your thumb to determine the pressure intensity. If it is painful to you, it will likely harm your car paint.
7. Keep It Shiny. Polish It!
After some time, car paint starts to lose its shine. Then, scratches become more visible. Don’t worry; just give it a new polish. The micro-fine abrasive in car polish cleans the paint surface gently without harming it. It also preserves and protects the fresh paint against the elements.
8. Touch It Up!
If, after polishing the car, there are still visible scratches, use a spray or paint pen to do some paint touch-up. To make sure the right colour codes are used, let a professional car painter do the job to guarantee a perfect finish.
9. Don’t Allow Anyone to Write on Your Car with Their Finger
Avoid scratching or tracing your fingers on a dusty car. Doing this leaves marks on it as the fingers act like sandpaper on the surface of your vehicle. As you grind your fingers in its surface, dirt residues penetrate the paintwork, which can damage the exterior of your car.
10. Have Your Car Cleaned and Washed Often (With the Right Cleaners)
The best way to protect car paint is to clean and wash it often. While washing your vehicle, avoid dish detergents, which can leave your car paint badly scarred. Always go for quality car cleaning chemicals, which you should apply using a foam applicator. This is critical so it doesn’t damage the car paint. Washing your car regularly reduces the effect the sun has on it.
