How To Take Care of Your Car's Paint Job

Taking your to the best auto-body shop to get your paint done is not enough, the after paint care is of equally importance. Proper care of your car’s exterior finish is the one of the single most important lessons to learn about car ownership. Taking the time to learn which products to use and when to use them will absolutely increase years to the life of your car’s paint.

1. Wash your car always using the proper tools. A cotton or paint-safe microfiber washing mitt and good cleaning products specifically designed for automotive use. Make sure that the products you use are pH balanced, non-detergent formulas that won’t strip off wax form your painting, and combine them with lubrication to prevent scratching.

2. Don’t skip drying your car. Drying your vehicle after washing is absolutely necessary to prevent water spots. Auto detailing professionals advise using 100% cotton cloths to dry your car. Other materials like polyester and microfiber can scratch your paint surface.

3. In the case that a thorough wash wasn't enough you can use an Auto Detailing Clay Bar to get off all the road grime, bug residue, pollution or tree sap. It "pulls" contamination off the surface without abrasion or scratching. This detailing clay usually comes in a kit with a lubricating spray to protect your paint. It will grab anything that protrudes from the surface without removing any paint or leaving scratches.

4. What if the paint still looks dull? At this point, there are three solutions for this problem. The cause might old oxidized paint and the solution is either car polish, cleaner or rubbing compound. All three products will remove unwanted dull paint, but in varying degrees of aggressiveness. Polish removes the least amount of paint for a given application, while rubbing compounds remove the most and cleaners are somewhere in the middle. (Rubbing compound is a very aggressive abrasive and you should talk to a professional before giving that a try).

5. Do I need to wax my car? YES! Waxing is the most important thing you can do to protect your car’s paint and prevent damage to it. Also, it is an absolute “must” if you have just used a polish or cleaner.

If you are searching for experienced collision repair and paint center in the San Francisco Bay Area, our San Mateo body shop and San Bruno Body shop specialists are trained to repair with the latest in state-of-the-art equipment and technology to provide unparalleled quality work and the customer service you deserve.