Summer Car Care – Revive!’s Top Tips for Paint care in the summer sun

The summer months are the optimum time to enjoy your car, with the windows down the wind in your hair and the open road ahead of you there’s no better experience for a car enthusiast. However, the warm weather and extra usage can come at a cost for your vehicle’s paintwork. With the increased heat, and reduced rainfall all the dirt and dust can be left to attack your paintwork with nothing to wash it off without human intervention. So Revive! have put together a few top tips to save your car from a summer sun burn.

Thorough Pre-Wash

In recent years it has become common for sand and dirt from the Saharan Desert to be picked up by strong winds and blown all the way to the UK. This sand then falls and sits on vehicles which is why it’s common to find an orange film over your car during the summer.

Without a thorough pre-wash with a hose or pressure washer to remove any of this surface dirt and dust you could be actively scratching your car when you come to wash it. If you run your finger over the vehicle paint and it comes up orange give the vehicle another wash over, just to be safe and to avoid driving that sand into the paint with a soapy sponge.

Consistent washing & car care schedule

Maintaining a consistent washing schedule is a great way to ensure you are keeping up to date with the condition of your car’s bodywork. We aren’t saying you need to be washing your car every day but the more you stay up to date with it the easier and quicker it will be.

Realistically you should only need two buckets to clean your car, one for your clean soapy water, and another to rinse your sponge in, preferably with a grit guard to prevent excess dirt sticking to your sponge, if you have the option, it is reasonable to use a third bucket just for your wheels. When it comes to car shampoos, any regular off the shelf option will do the job, it will just depend on your paintwork and the results you expect. But you must never use regular dish soap to clean your car, the chemicals in the detergent are too powerful and will inevitably cause more damage to your paint rather than cleaning it.

Use a car cover

You would mostly expect people to use car covers in the winter to protect their pride and joy from the elements the colder months bring. However usage of a car cover in the summer months can prevent increased damage from the suns powerful UV rays. When left unprotected your paintwork could see a dramatic deterioration over a number of years, including bleaching, fading and lacquer peel. Brightly coloured cars in Red or Blue are quite common for suffering UV damage with older Vauxhalls, Hondas and Ford known for their faded colours.

There are a variety of options available on the market in a range of prices. Many car covers are waterproof and UV resistant, minimising the damage the Sun’s UV rays can cause to your paint. Covering a car when not in use can not only prevent damage but can also retain the quality of the paint for many years to come.

If you are interested in using our car care services, please get in touch with our team now!

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