Keep your car’s paint the first day

Your car’s paintwork is a pretty tough element, especially on today’s cars, but it’s not without its cares…

The environmental conditions, the daily use and some habits that we have the users of automobiles harm, of progressive form, the good state and appearance of the painting.

Park the car in the garage whenever possible.

It sounds like a cliché but it’s obviously the best way to protect not only the outside but also the inside of your car.

When under cover, your car’s paintwork is protected from the weather, from the sun’s ultraviolet rays and, if the garage is private, from acts of vandalism…

However, there are some things to watch out for if you park in a garage:

• In some public car parks the spaces are too narrow and other users can damage the paintwork of your car when entering and leaving their vehicles. Try to avoid them or look for the best places even if they are further away.
• Garages located in the basement of buildings often have pipes and conduits on the roof that sometimes leak; this leak, if it falls on the paint of your car, can cause stains that are very difficult to remove. Check for puddles on the floor before you park.

Washes the car every 4/6 weeks.

Washing the car often is vital to keep your car’s paintwork looking like the first day.

Washing the car not only makes our car look clean and beautiful, and, by the way, prevents people from thinking we are a bit “dirty” (sorry for the expression), but also fulfils the essential task of removing harmful substances that are deposited on the paintwork of your car during daily use.

These substances can be bird droppings, insect remains, tar from the asphalt, petrol and oils, and even salt from some roads in winter. Prolonged exposure of your car’s paintwork to these substances can seriously damage it.

It is best to wash your car by hand using the right products, such as specific shampoos for bodywork and microfibre cloths and towels that do not damage the paintwork.

After long trips it is highly recommended to wash the car to eliminate the multitude of insects that impact on the front or the salt of the road that is projected on the underside of the vehicle in winter.

Protects paint from the sun in long parking lots.

The intense rays of the sun can be very harmful to your car’s paintwork. The colours that suffer most are those that are very bright, for example reds, yellows or solid blues. It is quite common to see red cars eaten by the sun that have acquired a pinkish and matte color…

In other colours, sun wear is not so evident, at least in terms of pigmentation, but UV rays also affect the shine of the paintwork, so prolonged exposure causes progressive shading of your car’s paintwork.

If your car is going to be parked on the street for a longer or shorter period of time, make sure it is protected from the intense sun.

Choose places without crowds for parking.

In big cities it is not easy to find a place to park a car. Besides, people are often in a hurry and park in the first place they find, whether it is suitable for their car or not.

On top of that, we have to accept the fact that most car users are not too concerned about the exterior appearance of their own car, so they will be even less concerned about the exterior appearance of someone else’s car…

In short, lack of space, hurry and lack of care from other users can cause minor damage to your car’s paintwork.

Avoid car washes.

Although car washes are very fast and comfortable, the truth is that they are not very delicate with your car’s paintwork.

The action of the rollers, hitting and dragging the bristles of the brush through the paint generates an abrasion on it in the form of micro-scratches.

If the car wash is old and neglected, the rollers are dirty, the sprinklers are clogged with lime, they lack soap…, the abrasion of the paint will be much greater.

These micro-scratches, when very numerous, are very visible in the sun, especially on dark cars. They cause reflections on the paintwork that look as if it is covered by a spider’s web…

In short, avoid car washes whenever possible, especially if they are old and neglected. But if you don’t have time, and have no choice but to use one, try to find a reliable one that is fairly new and well cared for.

Do not use inappropriate car wash products.

One of the first tips we gave was to wash the car frequently and preferably by hand. But we must make it clear that washing by hand with unsuitable products can be just as harmful, if not more so, than washing the car in an old car wash for your car’s paintwork.

To give some examples, it is common to see an old sweeping brush, or a sponge, or even a scouring pad used to soap the car… These elements are not at all delicate with the paintwork of your car and can scratch it, especially the scouring pads.

It is also not advisable to use dishwasher, ammonia or bleach to wash the bodywork. These products can leave stains on the paintwork and other parts of the bodywork…

The best option is to use special bodywork shampoos, as they have the right Ph and are designed to eliminate the most frequent substances found in a car, and to soap and dry the car with microfiber cloths and towels.