One of the best ways to keep your car looking like new is by taking care of its paint. Nothing looks worse on a car than blotches of oxidized paint and rust, which is not only aesthetically unpleasing, but can also severely hurt its overall value. Below we’ve listed out a few ways that drivers may be unknowingly hurting their car’s paint job, so you can be aware the next time a little bird decides to pay your car’s roof a visit.
1) Not wiping off spilled gas.
We’ve all done it. Overfilled the gas tank a little too much or taken out the nozzle a little too soon, which leaves splashes of gasoline dripping down the side of your car. Most people don’t think much of it, but gasoline can be very hazardous to paint, creating a stain that is not easy to get off. The simplest fix is to keep a bottle of detailer in the trunk of your car and simply spray that on to ensure all the gas is cleaned off.
2) Not cleaning up spilled coffee or soda.
Both coffee and soda are highly acidic, which can eat into your car’s paint if not cleaned off immediately. It may be tempting to simply wait until the end of the day to clean off that spilled cup of coffee from earlier, but the longer it sits on your paint, the worse it will get. Plus, any sugar in the drink can cause a sticky residue to form as well.
3) Not immediately washing away bugs and bird droppings.
Again, this may not rank as an important thing right as it happens, but most experts agree that it’s best to clean up any bug splatter and bird droppings as soon as you can. Like coffee and soda, these guys are also highly acidic and can eat through paint. This will only get worse if you wait a week - or more - to take your car for a wash.
4) Parking your car next to sprinklers.
This one might be hard to avoid at times, but if possible, always try to keep your car far away from sprinklers. The hard water that comes out of sprinklers can leave hard water spots on your car’s paint that are notoriously difficult to remove. If you do find yourself on the wrong end of a sprinkler nozzle, then simply head over to your local car wash for a nice rinse.
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