10 Tips to Protect Car Paint and Keep it Shining

A new car paint job could be extremely costly and lower your vehicle’s value. Hence, a factory paint job is always preferred. However, if you want to maintain your sparkling new car paint job, follow a few tips and buy car care accessories to ensure your car’s paint stays fresh for a longer period.

Keep it Covered with Microfiber Covers

The most simple and efficient method to protect the paint of your car. After you park your car in a garage for the night, cover it with a microfiber cloth. 

Microfiber covers are recommended because they are softer and assist in removing the water quicker. Even if you park in a garage or not driving, the best thing to do is cover it with a car cover to ensure that dust doesn’t settle on the car, which can affect the paint.

Park your Car in a Shade or a Garage

The location where you park your car is crucial. Parking in certain areas significantly increases the risk that your paint will be damaged or even worse. In addition, direct sunlight for extended periods can be harmful, so it is better to always park it under a shade or in a garage.

Only use Proper Shampoo to Wash it

You must clean your car well since the accumulation of dirt could cause damage to the paint and lead to rust. In addition, washing your car with a proper car shampoo is a must at least once every week and will ensure that exterior elements don’t build up.

Never Skip the Drying Process

The most essential overlooked process when you wash your car is drying, an important part. Many people believe it will naturally air dry; however, that’s where you’ll damage the paint the most. Without drying, the car can leave water spots making your work inefficient. Use good microfiber cloths or a microfiber towel for drying because these cloths can soak up the moisture well.

Consider Polishing Your Car

If you don’t have a garage and like to shield your vehicle from sun damage, you should consider using car polish. Most contain a micro-fine abrasive that gently cleanses the paint without causing damage.

In addition, it protects the paint from free radicals and contaminants present in the air pollution in cities, which can harm the paint. However, don’t over-polishing; it can damage the paint as polishing uses aggressive chemicals. It can result in extremely dull-looking paint and corrosion.

Don’t Forget to Wax to Keep up the Shine

This is the most common, effective, and popular method of keeping your car sparkling. A well-done wax job lasts for 8 to 10 months. Therefore, you must put your time into the process. It will shield the paint of the car from elements such as dust, scratches, contaminants, and ultraviolet rays. 

To stay on the safer part, you should apply a car wax coating every six months to your vehicle to keep it smooth and clean. Furthermore, wax application can also provide additional benefits, such as a slight improvement in fuel efficiency due to lesser drag. Applying wax is a proven and tested method that is sure to work. 

Use Clay Bars

Clay bars for cars are very effective in getting rid of dust particles that might not be apparent by the naked eyes. In addition, you can use them to eliminate hidden contaminants trapped in your vehicle’s paint. However, after using clay bars, it must be followed by a car wax in order to keep the cleanness.

Ceramic Coating

Your car will require an exclusive coating to shield it from dust, debris, and the droppings of bugs and animals. An artificial protective coat is precisely what your car needs. The choice of ceramic car coating is an expensive option to protect your car’s paint. But they provide superior paint protection and much more.

Vinyl Wraps

The most common type of car wraps. Vinyl wraps act as protection; they are also sturdy enough to take care of minor scrapes and scratches on the vehicle. Even after a year, the paint will look fresh on your car.

In addition, they are strong enough to withstand minor issues with your car, such as scratches. The glue does not leave any trace on your vehicle’s paintwork; you can take it off whenever you’d like.

Don’t Write on the Car with Your Fingers

This is not something we often think about and may seem odd as a protective measure, but in reality, it’s something to avoid because your fingers have dirt that could create deep scratch marks on your car. This is because your finger acts as sandpaper that can cause the dirt to penetrate the paintwork. 

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to safeguard car paint is the best method to ensure that your vehicle has been in good shape throughout the years. Following the above actions makes it easy to prolong the lifespan of your car’s paint.