Imagine you take your one and only car to your usual Orlando Carwash and after lots of dusting, scrubbing and rinsing, you notice the paint is starting to chip. Sucks huh? Car paint chipping is very normal these days and this can be blamed on the fact that water based paint are now being used more than lead based paint as they are environmentally friendly. It is also cost effective. Before finding out how to prevent your car paint from chipping, it would only make sense if you first knew what causes it.
The weather
The weather is the number one cause of car paint chipping. The weather is constantly changing. One day it’s hot, next day it’s cold. As your car gets exposed to these frequent weather changes, the paint expands and contracts and over time, the paint just starts peeling off.
Nature
Whenever you leave your car parked outside, it gets exposed to things like bird droppings, dust and moisture. Over exposure to these also causes the paint on your car to appear flaky and then over time it starts to peel off.
Accidents
It is very rare for a car involved in an accident to get out of it without a scratch. When a vehicle is involved in an accident and the paint is chipped in a certain area, the chipped paint are will most likely spread to other parts of the vehicle.
Low quality paints
Sometimes it is just the type of paint used that is unable to withstand these conditions. Water based paints used on vehicles just aren’t strong enough to withstand certain weather conditions for a long period of time.
Harsh chemicals
Taking your car for a wash is unavoidable. However, most of those cleaners used on your car also contribute to paint chipping because they are made from harsh chemicals.
Good news though, there is always a solution to everything. There are things you can do to prevent the paint on your car from wearing off. They include:
Clean your car thoroughly
Sometimes you want to save some money by washing your car yourself instead of taking it to a professional Orlando Carwash or any other car wash in your area. There is no problem with this as long as you have the best cleaning equipment and cleaners in your home. Never use a home detergent or scrub pads on your car as they only damage the paint.
Protect it from harsh weather conditions
This can be a little tricky especially if you do not have a garage for your car. However, you could always look into paying for a parking spot at your apartment or building a shed for your car if you own a piece of land. If you can’t do either of those things consider buying a vehicle cover.
Avoid bird droppings at all cost
While you cannot completely avoid bird droppings on your car, you can always minimize this by parking your car in an open place, far from tall trees. In case you do find some on your car, wipe it off with a clean soft cloth and some soap immediately to prevent any reaction from taking place. If you are unfortunate to have many droppings on your car take it to your local Orlando Carwash.
Avoid dusty/rocky roads if possible
Let’s say you are going upcountry to visit your old folks and the road there is rocky; it doesn’t mean that nothing can be done to protect the paint on your car. As you drive through those rocky paths, do so carefully until you reach your destination. After it gets dirty, a clean cloth should be used to clean it off.
Brake fluid and gas damage
You must be thinking there is no way brake fluid and gasoline can damage your car. However, as you refill you car, some of it may spill on the car surface which can also cause chipping.
If in any case your car’s paint starts chipping, you can always apply some touch-up paint to cover it up. You should be able to find any color you need in any body store. Finally, your car needs a monthly waxing to maintain that shine and the wax used varies from car to car. Make sure that it is high quality and don’t forget a buffing cloth too.
If your car was in an accident, you will need to hire a professional local body mechanic to have the issue fixed as required. Don’t forget about us, Magic Suds Carwash, your local Orlando Carwash!
