Having a car with an impeccable coating that lasts through years of use is an irresistible idea. In this post, we’ll tackle the idea of having your car washed with or without paint protection.
Do Automatic Car Washes Damage Paint?
Since nothing is better than caring human hands in handling anything, automatic car wash systems do damage paint. Though these damages might just be at very small degrees, they could grow noticeably large over the course of time.
This is because unlike manual washes done by human hands, automatic washers exert maintained physical pressures and are not wary of what they might do to the smooth surfaces of car coatings.
How To Wash A Car With Paint Protection Film?
Here Are The Tools You Need:
- microfiber mitt or any soft cloth
- bucket
- water hose
- soft cloth for drying the car
Here are the steps and tips on doing the task properly.
Step 1: Cool down before washing
The hotter your car’s outer layers are, the higher the likelihood of it being damaged if anything is applied to it.
Another thing to remember is that it can make water evaporate quickly, which makes your car paint prone to spotting and undesirable after-wash residues. As water evaporates from your car’s paint, so will the chemicals that protect it.
Step 2: Don’t use rough fabrics
One of the most recommended stuff for this is the microfiber mitt. If it’s not available, there are a lot of other options available on the market today. Typically, any clean cloth will do as long as the fibers on it are not rough enough that they will damage the car’s exterior.
Step 3: Use appropriate wash products
Instead of using typical household cleaning agents like soap or detergents, a dedicated car wash lathering product is highly recommended. You wouldn’t want to risk that, considering that you spent a lot in having that film protection or ceramic coating, just for the sake of making your car as shiny as it can be.
Step 4: Wash the wheels first
The wheels are typically the dirtiest part of your car and you should rid of the dirt on them before cleaning the upper parts of the vehicle. This would avoid the heavy dirt from landing on to the already-cleaned parts.
If you prefer washing with a hose, just don’t make the squirt too strong that the rough debris that might have accumulated from the tires might spatter during the process.
Step 5: Wipe in circular motions
This is the most obvious part, one that you must never overlook. While lathering your car’s exterior, do it slowly and carefully, doing circular motions each time. Afterwards, make sure you rinse thoroughly from the car’s roof, slowly rinsing properly downwards.
Step 6: Dry properly
There are those who just let their cars get air-dried, while there are also those who wipe them clean after. If you prefer the latter, make sure to use a soft cloth or another microfiber mitt dedicated to the task.
Tips On Washing Your Car With Paint Protection:
- Start with the wheels
- Use a premium wash media.
- Use a dedicated car wash product.
Tips On How To Care For A Paint Protection Film:
- Make sure your car’s paint is cool enough.
- Lather the exterior of your car, and rinse thoroughly.
- Use a soft cloth as you apply your chosen after-wash substance.
Final Verdict
The above tips should be enough to wash your car with or without paint protection. If you have some tips of your own, leave them in the comment section below. If you have more questions pertaining to this, put them in the comments as well.
