Protecting Your Car Paint During Winter
The British winters can be harsh on everyone but can also be hard on our cars too. Wind, rain, ice and snow all present their own challenges. Plus, the use of salt to de-ice our roads significantly increases the corrosive effect that winter moisture has on vehicles.
Here are some quick tips to protect your car paint during winter from the team at IPS Paint Supplies:
- Washing your car regularly,
- Applying wax after car washes,
- Parking off the street, preferably inside a garage,
- Using a car cover when parking outside,
- Applying a paint protection film,
- Using a soft brush or broom for removing snow,
- Patching up any rust spots on the car body,
- Cleaning your vehicle thoroughly at the end of the winter.
Protecting Your Car from Salt
As mentioned above, salt can wreak havoc on your car paint. Salt speeds up the rust process, which eats away at all the exposed surfaces including the car’s body and components. Grains of salt also cause damage to the paint by chipping away at it when they fly up and hit the vehicle as you drive.
The best way to protect your car from the corrosive effect of salt and water is to wash it often. When you do this, make sure that the car’s undercarriage gets a good wash as well as it is one of the hardest hit areas during this season. By washing off the salt regularly, you help prevent the development of rust.
You should also avoid parking on the street during winter. Ploughs and salt trucks will pass at all hours to keep the roads clear during the winter. You don’t want your vehicle to get salt dumped on it. Parking on the street also leaves the car vulnerable to damage caused by other cars driving on the icy road which has been sprayed with salt. To protect the paint, and the entire vehicle, it’s best to park in a garage or, at least, in the driveway.
During the winter, as cars drive through salty slush, rust aggressively attacks any unprotected metal. Chipped or scratched paint leaves the metal of the car body helpless to fight corrosion. If there are any visible chips or scratches on your car, be sure to touch up the paint or have it fixed by a professional auto body shop as soon as possible.
Additional Tips
It’s tempting to forget about looking after your car in winter when all you want to do is to get into the warmth of your home. But we would recommend that you don’t let a little cold weather put your car’s paint work at risk. If you have a garage, find a warmer day to pull your car in and throw on a quick wax.
By applying wax, you are essentially putting a protective layer over the paint. Wax creates a barrier between the body of the car and the snow, ice, salt, gravel and grime that is everywhere during the winter. Applying wax is always a good maintenance tip, but it’s especially important at the end of autumn, before the harsh weather arrives.
If your car will be sitting outside for a period of time during the winter, protect it from the elements with a cover. A car cover specially designed for cold weather protection will keep excess moisture, salt and ice off the car’s paint. Plus, it will decrease the wear caused by scraping ice and brushing snow off the vehicle. Car owners also love these types of covers because they save time getting the car ready to go in the morning.
When winter finally comes to an end, take advantage of the warm spring weather. Use this time to clean your car thoroughly and apply a fresh coat of wax.
IPS Paint Supplies
At IPS Paint Supplies, we supply all of the products you may need to protect your car in winter. These are available to purchase from our depot in Llansamlet or call a member of our team on the number below:
