The clear coat of a car’s paint primarily serves two purposes: enhancing the car’s appearance and protecting the color coat from the harsh rays of the sun and other contaminants such as dust, dirt, grime, rainwater, etc. Hence, it is an important feature that should be protected and kept intact for as long as possible. However, due to car detailing mistakes and natural causes, car clear coat peeling can occur prematurely. A peeling clear coat will mar the appearance of your car, result in car body damage due to exposure, and ultimately cost you a large amount of money to repair it at an auto body shop. We know that prevention is better than cure, so we came up with 5 ways to prevent premature car clear coat peeling below.
5 Ways to Prevent Car Clear Coat Peeling
1. Stay Away from Automated Car Washes
Automated car washes are your car paint’s worst enemy. The abrasive nylon brushes that rotate at really high speeds can leave hundreds of scratches and swirl marks on the clear coat. Additionally, many DIY car washes use high pressure jets of water to easily clean the car exterior, but it can do significant damage to the clear coat. If the clear coat is not cured properly, such pressure washers can peel large sections of the clear coat in seconds!
Instead of using automated car washes, opt for an Eco car wash. They use car paint friendly detailing methods such as steam cleaning. It will give superior cleaning results without scratching the clear coat. If you are worried about the heat from the steam damaging the paint, then put your mind at rest because professional detailers know the exact duration and temperature limits.
2. Don’t Use Generic / Abrasive Car Wash Products
Don’t reach for detergents, harsh soaps or other household cleaning solutions if you run out of car cleaning products for the paint because they contain chemicals that are highly harmful to the clear coat. Also, another reason to refrain yourself from using automated car washes is that most of them use generic low quality products with harsh chemicals that will seemingly clean the car exterior well but will accelerate the rate of car clear coat peeling.
3. Wax Your Car Regularly
A popular car detailing myth is that the clear coat does not require waxing. Wrong! Regular waxing is ideal for preventing car clear coat peeling. Waxing creates a layer that prevents the trapping of airborne contaminants such as bugs and acid rain in the clear coat. It will also protect the paint during harsh weather conditions; constant exposure to sunlight will dry the clear coat, resulting in it peeling and flaking off. Using a wax that contains UV protection can, therefore, reduce the impact of the sun on the clear coat. Waxing your car before the winter hits will protect the clear coat from elements such as road salt and snow.
4. Wash Your Car Before It’s Too Late
The gathering of dust, dirt and grime on the clear coat is inevitable. So is its exposure to bird droppings, tree sap, etc. The best way to take care of these pollutants is by removing them as soon as possible. Leaving them on for too long will result in embedding. As a result, this will cause the car clear coat to peel when you try to clean them later.
5. Apply Paint Protection Film
Paint protection film will give your clear coat additional protection from elements such as stone and rock chips, sand, and bad weather, that heavily contribute to untimely car clear coat peeling. It will protect your car the same way a screen protector protects your cell phone screen. Applying paint protection film is a job for the professionals. If done wrongly, it can cause heavy damage to the paint.
Conclusion
Preventing premature car clear coat peeling is important not only for cosmetic reasons, but also for the car’s overall functionality. Adopting these measures will save you from spending a fortune on clear coat repairing at auto detailing shops. Schedule an appointment with us to have your car cleaned the organic way, using steam that will cause no damage to the car clear coat.
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