Car paint has come a long way since the early 1900’s when the coatings were a varnish that were a carry-over from the horse and buggy days. It was not uncommon for the process of painting, sanding, and refinishing to take over a month to complete. And as far as options, well Henry Ford said it best, “You can have a car any color you like as long as it is black.”
Advancements in automobile paint continued through the years. By the late 80’s and early 90’s major changes were taking place. New laws were enacted and painting processes were changed. The government mandated lower amounts of volatile organic compounds and urethane and polyurethane blends were put to use. This presented challenges for car owners, auto body shops, and detailers. The car paint industry worked hard; quickly car paint became better than ever. Many of us who love cars enjoy the wide range of extraordinary colors that are glossy and extremely durable if they are properly maintained.
This leads us to the question, how do we properly maintain our car so it’s paint stays like new for as long as possible? A yearly detail does wonders, but in between these details there are some things every car owner can do.
Make sure that when you wash your car that you use automobile detergent. Dishwashing detergent from your kitchen is good at getting the bugs off but is also really good at removing all the wax that you want to keep on your car. When you dry your car use a chamois towel to prevent hard water spots.
When waxing, have your car parked in the shade. Do not wax your car if it’s hot. Wax the trunk, roof and hood first. Spread the wax in a circular motion to small sections at a time, if you attempt too large an area it may dry too fast and buffing will be very difficult. After five minutes, dry and buff the remainder of the wax off using a soft towel. When completed with the entire car, apply one more coat to the top surfaces since these areas are prone to the most fading.
Depending on the climate your wax job should last about three to four months. Test the wax by spraying water on the car. If the water beads up and runs off, then there is enough wax on your car. If it doesn’t bead up, it’s time for another wax job.
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