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Have you recently given your vehicle a new paint job? If so, you’re probably wanting to maintain that beautiful shine. Whether your vehicle is new, or only the paint is, you want to keep that colour looking great.

Chances are, you take the time to clean the interior of your vehicle, and you maintain the mechanics of it too. Keep your entire car clean by working on the exterior as well.

A fresh paint job always looks gorgeous, but how do you keep it looking that way? Between school, work, vacation, shopping, and every other trip you make, you’re likely to experience some wear.

Luckily, there are ways to keep that new paint looking shiny and beautiful. Read on for six tips to help maintain that shine.

1. Do It Yourself

If you want to keep your car shiny and beautiful, stay away from car washes. While this may seem ridiculous, hear us out.

Car washes are convenient and quick, but they can also be damaging, especially to your car’s paint. The brushes used during cleaning can be too rough for your vehicle’s paint. The harsh chemicals used can be harmful too.

Car washes may also use salt water in the cleaning process. Salt is harmful to your vehicle, so you definitely want to avoid that.

Instead, clean the car yourself so you can monitor exactly what cleaning tools and products are used.

Once finished, protect your car’s paint with a good carnauba wax.

2. Conditioner, Wax, and Clay

Each of the substances can help to maintain your car’s beautiful paint job. Just make sure you’re applying them to the right paint and doing it correctly.

Waxing protects both your car’s paint and clear coat, and it helps the vehicle look great while it does so.

Clay helps you dig deeper as you clean, getting that extra grime off that you can’t reach with regular cleaning.

Waxes, polishes, and clays should not be used on cars coated in acrylic paint. Instead, use a paint conditioner to keep that exterior looking its best. Paint conditioner should be non-abrasive and will help protect the paint.

3. Provide Physical Protection

Vehicles get beat up enough when they’re on the road, they don’t need it at home too! So when your vehicle is parked, protect your vehicle. Protect it even if you’ll only be parking for a short time.

Vehicles are constantly exposed to dirt, rocks, salt, and other substances. Storing your vehicle incorrectly can increase your vehicle’s exposure to all those nasty things that will wear away at your paint job.

Parking beneath trees brings the risk of damage from sap or other tree residues, bird droppings, insects, leaves, twigs, and even branches.

If you park in direct sunlight you risk damage to your car’s paint as well. Instead, keep your vehicle in the shade, preferably under a physical structure, like a carport or garage.

4. Stay on Top of Scratches

Small dings and scratches are common, but they don’t have to be an issue. Just make sure you properly take care of them when they show upon your vehicle.

Fix any scratches as soon as you find them to prevent further damage. Depending on the type and depth of scratches, touch-up paint, a rubbing compound, and sanding may be needed.

While you can work to eliminate scratches your vehicle, you may want to consult a professional for any serious scratches. If you’re worried about ruining the paint, it’s always best to ask for help.

5. Keep Your Vehicle Clean

One of the best ways to keep your paint job looking fantastic is to simply clean your car. It may sound too simple, but cleaning really is key. The substances your vehicle is constantly exposed to can eat away at the paint your car, so keep that gunk off as well as you can.

Dirt, salt, bird droppings, insect guts, and gasoline or other chemicals that may be thrown up onto your vehicle need to be cleaned off regularly.

Keeping your vehicle clean will help maintain a beautiful paint job, and keep you feeling great since your car will look great.

6. Be Careful How You Clean

As you clean your car, be careful how you do it. Avoid scrubbing or wiping in circular motions. Doing so can leave swirl marks on your car if any particles are stuck in the thing you are cleaning with.

Choosing the right cleaning tools is important, too. Cheap sponges can damage your paint in and of themselves, so stay away from them! Microfibre cloths are a much better option.

Apart from choosing the right cleaning tools, you also need to use the right cleaning substances. Simple vehicle specific soap and water is the best way to wash!

Use cleaning products that are made for cars and the type of paint your car has. Dish soap and other detergents not specifically for cars can be harmful to your car’s paint, due to the chemicals involved.

A good car washing product will both clean and protect your car’s paint.

The Fresh Paint Job that Lasts

No paint will last forever, but you can keep that fresh paint job looking great for longer periods of time if you take care of it properly.

Whether you want to keep up your vehicle’s resale value, or you simply want to keep the car looking great for visual appeal alone, focusing on paint protection is a good thing.

Don’t just maintain the inner workings of your car! Take care of the exterior too. Keep these simple tips in mind and you’ll be well on your way to maintaining a great paint job.

Are you looking to repaint your car? We’d love to help. Visit our site to learn more about our services, including custom paint jobs.