5 Steps to Protect Your Car’s Clear Coat
The clear coat on a car’s exterior body panels protects the colorful paint underneath. If this transparent, protective layer dissolves, the base paint coat will be exposed to the elements and corrosive influences, causing it to fade, chip, and lose its luster.
So, to protect your car’s shiny look, you need to preserve the clear coat. Here are 5 important steps to protect your car’s clear coat.
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1. Shield from the sun
UV rays from the sun cause the clear coat to fade and deteriorate, so hide your car from the sun as often as possible. Park it in shaded areas during the day and park it in the garage overnight. If you have to park on the driveway, consider an awning or fitted car cover.
2. Remove or avoid corrosive elements
Bird droppings are corrosive and can quickly eat through a clear coat. If you see droppings on the car, rinse the area with hot water and soap. The same goes for tree sap and road salt. All of these can destroy a clear coat rapidly.
3. Wash your car regularly by hand
Don’t wait for your car to be caked in mud to clean it. The longer any dirt sits on your car, the more it will disintegrate the clear coat. When it’s time to clean, avoid automated car washes, which use coarse brushes and aggressive scrubbing. Instead, give your car the perfect wash by following our step-by-step guide.
4. Use detailing clay
A wet sponge doesn’t remove embedded dirt that’s weaseled into the clear coat; you need detailing clay to wipe away remaining contaminants and prepare the surface for a wax coat.
5. Use a heavy-duty wax
A drive through an automated car wash isn’t enough to protect the clear coat, nor is a basic wash-and-wax solution going to be enough. You need a real car wax that requires buffing. This will shield the clear coat for a season before it needs to be reapplied.
The best solution to fixing a peeling, fading clear coat is to make sure it never gets that way in the first place. Follow these tips and your car will continue shining like it’s brand-new.
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Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.