Cleaning and Care of Car Paint

It must shine – ideally, so much that you can see your reflection in it. We’re talking about car paint. To achieve this, some care and regular polishing are required. A shiny car paint doesn’t just look good; it also protects the body from corrosion and helps maintain the car’s value. Here, we provide step-by-step instructions and other helpful tips to increase the longevity of your car paint and what to consider when cleaning.

How Can Car Paint be Cleaned and Maintained?

Car paint not only gives the car its appearance but primarily protects it from environmental factors, such as bird droppings or UV radiation. It is, therefore, imperative to care for the car paint at regular intervals. Dirt on car paint can often be easily removed using conventional home remedies or special paint cleaners – either in a self-service car wash box or at a car wash.

10 Reasons For Paint Aging :

Whether it’s road salt, UV radiation, or stones thrown up on the road – there are many different factors that can damage car paint. We’ll tell you ten reasons that can accelerate paint aging:

• Cold and heat
• UV radiation
• Car wash
• Rock falls
• Dust and wind
• Bird droppings
• Insect remains
• Tar or tree resin
• Hedges and bushes
• Worn car wash brushes

Helpful Utensils for Vehicle Paint Care :

You will need the following utensils and products for optimal cleaning and care of the painted surfaces:

• High-pressure cleaner
• At least two soft sponges
• Car shampoo or household products
• Leather cloth
• Optional: gloves
• Optional: microfiber cloth
• Optional: insect, tar, and/or resin remover

Clean and Care for Car Paint Properly – This is How it Works!

Before starting to clean and care for the car paint, ensure that the surfaces are not too hot, especially in summer. Ideally, park the vehicle in the shade and start cleaning once the car paint has cooled down.

Step: Prewash For optimal paint cleaning, first remove any coarse dirt and dust from the paint surfaces. It is best to use a high-pressure cleaner to remove dirt particles that can cause scratches when cleaning and caring for the car paint.

Step: Paint cleaning Next, treat the car paint with an appropriate cleaner or household product. Mix the cleaner or car shampoo with water in a clean bucket, following the specified ratio. Take a clean sponge, soak it in the shampoo-water mixture, and clean the car paint with the wet sponge using light, circular motions. While cleaning, rinse the sponge frequently with clean water before moving on to the next area. Repeat this process until all the car paint has been cleaned. For especially dirty components, use a separate sponge to prevent scratches on the car paint. This is particularly important for tree resin, tar, rust film, or insect remains.

Step: Rinse After cleaning all the car paint, rinse the surfaces with clean water until the shampoo is completely removed, working from top to bottom. Alternatively, you can use a high-pressure cleaner for this step, keeping a minimum distance of 25 centimeters from the paint to avoid excessive pressure.

Step: Dry leather As the final step, use a slightly damp leather cloth to remove any remaining water from the car paint and prevent uneven drying. Here too, wipe from top to bottom.

Home Remedies for The Proper Care of Car Paint :

From special car shampoos to polishing machines, the market is flooded with professional cleaning products and utensils for car paint. However, for a cost-effective alternative, tried-and-tested household products can also clean the paint.

Neutral dishwashing liquid is suitable for cleaning paintwork with a home remedy. Just add a small amount of dish soap to warm or hot water and apply the mixture with a soft, clean sponge. Next, remove the dissolved dirt with clear water and then dry the car paint with a clean and slightly damp leather cloth. Repeat the procedure once or twice for stubborn dirt.

Another home remedy for removing tar stains or resin drops is margarine. Apply a small amount to the affected areas, leave for a few minutes, then wipe off with a clean microfiber cloth and continue the washing process. Conventional cooking oil is also effective against resin and tar.

How Many Times a Year Should Car Paint be Polished?

Depending on the paint’s condition, polish the car paint after about six to eight vehicle washes and at least twice a year. This revitalizes the car paint color and maintains its deep shine. To avoid stubborn streaks on the vehicle paint, we recommend having the paint polished by an experienced professional.

Tip: For minor paint damages that cannot be completely polished away, spot painting, known as the smart repair method, is often used. This is a more cost-effective alternative to classic painting of entire components.

When Should Car Paint be Waxed?

A wax treatment, also known as nano-sealing, sustainably protects the vehicle paint from factors such as UV radiation and insects regular treatment is crucial for maintaining the car’s value. You can tell when the car needs a wax treatment by how water rolls off the vehicle paint. If water beads up on the paint surface (lotus effect), waxing isn’t necessary. However, if the water spreads out over a large area, it’s time to renew the seal.

You can perform nano-sealing yourself, but achieving the desired effect requires specialist knowledge. Though not cost-effective, professional sealing saves labor and ensures the long-term shine of the car paint.

Checklist and Helpful Tips for Car Paint Care 

Optimal and regular cleaning is paramount for the longevity of car paint. Without proper care, wear on the painted surfaces accelerates. Here are useful tips to simplify paint cleaning and maintenance for you:

• A thorough pre-wash is crucial to completely remove dirt particles before the main cleaning.
• Regularly inspect the vehicle for paint damage.
• Avoid caustic cleaning products when caring for car paint.
• Promptly remove any coarse dirt.
• Always use clean and soft sponges to prevent surface damage.
• Rinse the sponge frequently during the paintwork cleaning process.
• Avoid cleaning car paint under direct sunlight.
• Handwashing the car paint is ideal for protecting the finish.
• Steer clear of cleaning products that contain wax.
• Have scratches professionally removed.

Tip: Consider professional car detailing to get your vehicle professionally polished, bringing out a brand-new shine.

How to Prevent Micro-Scratches on Car Paint

Micro-scratches are fine scratches on the car paint that primarily occur during cleaning, leaving unsightly marks. These so-called wash scratches, particularly resulting from cleaning with pressure or using worn washing utensils, cannot always be avoided. Regardless of whether the car is handwashed or goes through a car wash, the more thorough the prewash with a high-pressure cleaner, the fewer micro-scratches will be caused by dirt particles.

Car Matte Paint: Care Instructions, Tips, etc.

According to manufacturers, matte paints are as resistant to environmental factors as their high-gloss counterparts. The structure of the paint layers is almost identical, except the final layer consists of a matte clear coat. However, repairing matte paint is significantly more complex, as partial repairs within the painted area are often not feasible.

To enjoy the matte finish for as long as possible, regularly wash and care for the vehicle by hand. Always adhere to the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions and conduct a preliminary test in an inconspicuous area to ensure the chosen cleaning agent does not damage the matte paint. Caution is key! Using the wrong care product or a paint cleaner with abrasive effects can make the paint surface smoother and thus shinier. However, there is a wide range of cleaners and care products available specifically designed for matte paintwork.