As winter approaches, you may be concerned about the effects of the upcoming snowy and icy weather, as well as the damage road salt could have on your car's paint and body. If so, use the following four tips for protecting your car's paint during the winter months.
Give Your Car a Thick Coat of Wax Before Winter
One thing you can do to protect your car's paint can be done before the wintry weather arrives. Late in the fall, wash and give your car a thick coat of wax to shield it from the snow, ice, and salt.
Make sure you pick a day when the temperatures are above freezing so that the water does not freeze on your car's body. If possible, wax your car when the forecast also calls for warmer temperatures at night to give the wax time to fully set up.
However, if you have no choice but to wax your car when the night time temperatures will fall below the freezing point, let your car sit in the sun to help speed up the process.
While you may not normally do this in the spring and summer because of the possibility of streaking, the wax you are applying is not just about looks. You are doing it to protect your car's paint so that it will still look shiny once winter is over.
Brush off the Snow and Salt
Once winter weather hits, you can help minimize the damage caused by the snow and salt by brushing your car after driving it on slushy, treated roads. However, you should be careful about what you use to perform this task, as some methods could scratch your paint and leave the underlying metal bare and vulnerable to rust.
Never use a scraper or a broom to clean off your car. A scraper could gouge the paint, while a broom's rough texture could make a multitude of scratches.
Instead, use a brush specifically designed for your car's body. Or, if you do not have access to one, use a rag mop on your car. This type of mop can remove the salty, snowy residue without damaging your car's paint or body.
Pressure Wash Your Car on Warmer Days
While manually removing the salt and dirt from your car's paint can help get rid of the excess buildup, it does not rid the surface of all of the corrosive residue. To take care of the thin layer of salt, pressure wash your car as often as possible with clean water.
The pressure from the washer should be enough to remove the salt without leaving a filmy residue of cleaning solution. If you do use a cleaner, make sure you completely rinse off the paint. Any leftover cleaner can make the paint sticky, causing it to attract dirt and salt and leaving your car in worse shape than it was before you washed it.
However, you need to be careful about when you wash your car off. Never pressure wash your car on freezing cold days that are overcast. Wait until the temperatures rise above freezing to keep the water from solidifying on your car. Also, wash your car in the sun so it will dry before the thermometer takes a downward turn.
Using the above tips can help minimize the corrosion and damage to your car's paint and body when wintry weather sets in. However, if you discover that your paint has chipped away and exposed the bare metal, take your vehicle to an auto body repair service like Custom Kar Tops so they can repair the damage and restore your car's paint to its pre-winter luster.