Five Things You Didn’t Know Were Damaging Your Car’s Paint
In Vermont, we deal with all sorts of environmental factors that can damage your vehicle throughout the year. You already know that salt can damage your car, but there are several other environmental hazards we face here in Vermont that can cause damage to your vehicle’s exterior services. Here are five issues that affect the lifespan and looks of your Vermont car, and how a professional detailing service can help avoid them.
How Bugs Damage Your Car
It’s a gross topic, but when you hit bugs with your car, they often get stuck to your paint. This leftover bug residue is acidic, and if left untouched can cause permanent etching in your vehicle’s clear coat. If you’ve ever wondered why, even after a car wash, when the sun hits your car still looks like it’s stained, it is likely that bugs left behind were baked in the sun and have damaged your paint.
Can Bird Droppings Etch Your Paint
Much like bug residue, bird droppings are also acidic and can burn your car’s clear coat if left for too long. This process is accelerated by sunlight and heat, so leaving bird droppings on your car in the summer will leave a permanent mark that won’t simply wash away.
Even Rain Can Cause Damage to Your Car
It’s easy to joke that rain is like a free car wash, but the truth is that rain and water from nearby sprinkler systems often contains dissolved solids that can be left behind on your paint. That’s why you can often see water spots on your vehicle after a rain, and these can actually be baked into your clear coat if your vehicle paint isn’t properly protected.
Avoid Damaging Your Car at a Car Wash
Whether you go through a carwash or hand wash your vehicle yourself, not knowing the right procedures can often lead to more damage rather than a clean car. When using an automatic car wash, be sure to opt for touch-free washes, as the brushes and rollers in contact autowashes often contain dirt and contaminants from other vehicles that will leave swirls in your paint. And when washing your vehicle yourself, be sure to keep your water free of dirt and debris, and work from the least dirty to dirtiest areas of your vehicle to avoid scrubbing sand and dirt particles across your paint.
Fallout and Road Grime
When you drive, tar from the road, exhaust particles from other vehicles, and even iron deposits from brake dust can get onto your vehicle and leave grime behind. In the case of iron and exhaust particles, these can cause tiny red rust spots and dull the shine of your vehicle. Even a high-pressure wash can’t remove these spots, and the process of getting your car clean will involve both chemical decontamination and a clay bar and polish treatment to get your car looking like new.
Protect Your Paint with a Ceramic Coating
If you want to keep your ride looking its best, a Ceramic Coating is the best way to go. We’ll start with chemical decontamination and a claybar treatment to remove any physical defects in your paint. Then we’ll perform a two-step paint correction process to remove water spots, swirls and scratches, and other clear coat defects. Finally, we’ll top it all with a ceramic coating to give your vehicle a lasting shine and better protection against the elements, including salt spray during the winter.
