Outdated and wish-it-was-still-on TV show aside, getting a new paint job turns any car into your car.
It’s not cheap, so how do you care for your investment? You can’t just treat your brand new paint job with generic products and expect everything to be OK.
So how do you take care of it to prolong the new paint’s life and keep it looking shiny? You have to replace everything you know about car cleaning with the tips below.
No more car washes
We’re not recommending you never clean your car again, quite the opposite. But your life of paying a quick $10 at a gas station car wash is over.
Those care washes are meant to be effective – not necessarily gentle. Some of them use things like saltwater to rinse with.
What are three things that don’t go well together? Salt, water, and metal. That’s rust city!
So, you’ll need to invest in cleaning products made for nice cars. We’re talking the kind they sell at auto shops, not whatever you find on the shelf at Walmart.
Look for wording on the packaging that says it won’t damage the paint. If you can find it, look for a product that specifically says it protects paint jobs. If you can’t find that specific cleaner, get the best one they’ve got.
Wax your car
Once you’ve read the directions on your specific brand of wax, make sure your car is fully dry. That means having a microfiber cloth to go over a section you’re about to wax first.
Once the spot is dry, apply the wax with whatever material the bottle suggests. We like a classic buff wax, but that’s just us.
Make sure you don’t forget about places where cars gather the most dirt, like around wheel terminals (still on the body) and the bumper.
Use the right tire cleaner
Tire cleaners are full of nasty chemicals. They have to be to get all that road gunk off, right? Well. . . yes, but try to find one that’s non-acidic.
When the tire gets wet and the product comes off, it can mist or splat particles of the tire cleaner onto your paint.
That’s like putting corrosive fluid right onto your brand new paint job, every time it rains or you hit a puddle.
Protect your clean vehicle
When you’re out on the road, your car is exposed to bugs, mud, dust, rain, grease – you name it. Don’t leave it exposed to bird droppings, plant residue or anything else while it’s at home!
Home is your sanctuary from the world- it should be your car’s too. If you have a garage, always park the car with the new paint job in it.
Your new paint job
In the interest of maintaining your car’s paint and not wasting your money by ruining your investment, make sure you protect your new paint job. It’s easier than you think and it makes a big difference!
EN 
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