You walk outside to get in your car . . . and there it is: a glaringly obvious scratch. You’re not sure how it got there but it’s undoubtedly there. And now you’re wondering: is there anything you could have done to prevent this?
That’s hard to say. However, there are things you can do to help protect the paint on your automobile. There are also numerous mistakes that you need to avoid.
Wondering what these mistakes might be? Then read on. Here are 7 auto paint protection mistakes you should avoid.
Table of Contents
1. Failing to Wash Your Car on a Regular Basis
Perhaps the biggest mistake that people make when it comes to protecting car paint is failing to wash their cars on a regular basis. Now, dirt and dust might not seem like problems. However, over time, they can wear away the surface of auto paint, causing it to weaken and fade.
Therefore, it’s imperative that you wash your car every other week or so. If the wintertime, when salt clings to your vehicle, you should consider washing it every single week. Road salt is corrosive, after all, and can do quite a bit of damage over time if left unattended.
When washing your car, make sure to use soap. Water alone won’t remove the dirt and grime that cling to your vehicle’s surface.
2. Never Protecting Your Vehicle from the Sun
Obviously, you’re going to have to park your vehicle in the sunlight from time to time. After all, there aren’t garages and awnings in every parking lot you arrive at.
However, this doesn’t mean that you should always leave your vehicle out in the sun. Simply put, the sun can cause damage to a vehicle’s paint job over time.
UV rays wear away at the surface of vehicle paint, making it more prone to fading and scratching. In some cases, it might even start to chip or bubble.
Therefore, when possible, you should park your vehicle in a garage or under a tree. This shade can add years of life to your vehicle’s paint job.
3. Getting Waxing Wrong
If you want your vehicle paint to thrive, you should wax it. However, you shouldn’t just wax it willy-nilly. You need to wax it correctly.
This means not only using the right technique but waxing it at the correct frequency as well. Ideally, you’ll wax your vehicle once every 3 months.
Doing it more frequently than this will cause the wax to strip away the surface of the auto paint. Doing it less frequently will allow your auto paint to weaken, making it more susceptible to scratching and other forms of damage.
When waxing, be sure to use the proper equipment. For tips on how to properly wax a car, check out this link.
4. Washing Your Vehicle With Jewelry On Your Hands
Another mistake that people make when it comes to protecting the paint on their automobiles is washing their vehicles with jewelry on their hands. Rings, bracelets, and the like possess great hardness. All that it takes is a slight rub from one of these pieces of jewelry, and a tiny (or maybe even large) scratch can appear.
As such, when washing your vehicle, it’s imperative that you have nothing on your hands. Note that long or fake fingernails could also result in this issue.
5. Allowing Sticky Substances to Sit
Let’s say that tree sap falls onto your vehicle. Or, maybe, a bird poops on your vehicle. You might just think of these as temporary aesthetic blights. However, in reality, they can cause paint damage over time.
This is why the second you come across them, you should wash them off. If you wait too long, they could adhere to the surface of the paint, causing portions of it to come with them when they’re finally removed.
To wash them off properly, first cover them in water. Then, after letting it sit for a few minutes, rub the residue off with a soft towel.
6. Washing Your Vehicle With a Pressure Washer
Pressure washers serve a number of different uses. They can be great for cleaning siding, roofs, fences, and the like. However, they should never be used on automobiles.
Put simply, pressure washers apply too much pressure for auto paint to withstand. No, they won’t immediately rip the paint off of your vehicle. However, they will remove surface-level coatings, causing your vehicle to lose its bright sheen.
Plus, once the coatings have been removed, the paint will become more prone to scratching. So, in other words, this is a lose-lose.
Wash your vehicle by hand with a wet, soapy towel and it should be good to go. You don’t need to use anything more than that.
7. Not Using Paint Protection Film
The last mistake you can make when it comes to the protection of your vehicle’s paint is failing to use paint protection film. This is a film that’s applied to the surface of a vehicle. It’s transparent so that it allows the color of the vehicle to shine.
However, it also provides protection from small nicks and dings throughout the day. It can even negate the effects of moisture and ultraviolet rays.
Obviously, this isn’t a necessity. However, if you’re looking for all the paint protection solutions in the book, you shouldn’t overlook this one. Applying paint protection films can make a world of difference.
Interested? Get started with this paint protection film service.
Be Ever-vigilant of These Auto Paint Protection Mistakes
Repairing damaged auto paint isn’t cheap. As such, you need to be ever-vigilant of these auto paint protection mistakes. Put paint protection solutions into place and the paint on your vehicle should remain intact.
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