A good paint job is not only for good aesthetics but also for a decent vehicle resale value. As a vehicle owner, know what elements can damage your car's paint job. Knowing these harmful elements in advance can help you be proactive and avoid the hefty cost of a full repaint.
Aside from physical dings and scratches, some substances can also erode your car's paint job. Learn more with this rundown of four of the most common corrosive elements.
1. The Sun
Prolonged exposure to sunlight can permanently damage your car's paint job. Sunlight contains invisible yet powerful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
When you leave your car baking in the sun, the UV rays can oxidize the paint, resulting in the breakage of paint molecules. Over time, the sunshine will alter more paint molecules, changing how light interacts with the surface. As a result, your car's paint becomes dull and less reflective, which you will notice as the paint fades.
The molecular damage of paint is irreversible. Keeping your car in the shade and having a regular washing routine helps your vehicle retain its radiant colors.
2. Bird Droppings
Whenever you notice bird droppings on your car, act fast and remove them immediately. Bird droppings' pH levels are similar to acid rain, making them extremely harmful.
Bird droppings eat away into a vehicle's paint as soon as they come into contact with the car's surface. The bird droppings will create a semi-permanent stain if you don’t remove them quickly. The acidic nature of droppings burns through the hard and thin clear coat and can be difficult to remove once they stick.
One of the safest methods to remove bird droppings at home is using hot water mixed with baking soda.
3. Bugs
Bugs may not seem like much of a threat to a vehicle owner but can cause some serious damage to your car's paint.
Like bird droppings, a bug's guts form a highly acidic slime that etches down your vehicle's paint if you leave them on your car's body. Over time, the bugs change your vehicle's color, leaving grooves and marks on the surface.
The insect body fluid normally hardens into a cement-like substance by heat from the sun.
Fortunately, dry droppings are easy to remove from the surface. Soak the droppings with a cleaning solution for about two minutes. You can then easily wipe them off instead of scrubbing them to avoid further damage.
Bugs are unavoidable, so waxing your car three to four times a year can protect your paint job adequately.
4. Salt
Living by the ocean offers plenty of advantages to you but not so much for your vehicle's paint job. A salty atmosphere can cause serious damage to your car's appearance and functionality. Road salt is equally harmful to your car.
Salt eats away at your car's paint over time, exposing the metal underneath to rust elements. When coupled with sunshine, salt is capable of burrowing into the tiny pores on your car's exterior, causing more damage underneath.
Salt causes your car's paint to lose its luster and appear less shiny. Fortunately, regular waxing and parking inside a garage can help preserve your car's paint.
An auto painting job is expensive, and having it destroyed by bird poop can be annoying. While most of the causes above are out of your hands, good habits with parking location, washing, and waxing schedules can also help preserve your car's exterior. Taking good care of your vehicle goes a long way to keeping your car's paintwork in good condition for longer. Get in touch with us should you need a new paint job.
