Car exterior care and cleaning: be careful how you do it

Car maintenance is not only about mechanics. Bodywork maintenance is also important, because the effects of dirt and sunlight can cause the paint to deteriorate, and the car loses value if its exterior is damaged. That is why you should clean the bodywork regularly and prepare it to withstand bad weather. Although damage may seem to appear gradually, in the long run quite serious damage can occur to the bodywork.

One of the main enemies of body paint is the automatic car wash. The use of brushes that strike the bodywork with force not only affects its integrity, but also causes damage to the paint. Normally, the material used to make these brushes is quite soft so as not to damage the bodywork, but continued use is not good for it at all.

With regular use of this form of car wash, the paint loses its shine, becomes dull, and small marks can appear on the paint. Micro-scratches can appear and cause the paint to gradually degrade under the effect of the sun. This does not mean we must forget about this system entirely, but it is always better to clean the exterior by hand.

Pressure washers are another option. But remember that these devices use pressurised water. This can also damage the paint, especially if the car was painted recently. It is advisable to use the pressure washer at a distance where it does not cause problems for the paint. Of course, this is a general rule, and pressure can be used to remove the most stubborn dirt.

The headlights can also suffer damage from water pressure. The main cause of problems is that they lose the lacquer coating their surface. Nowadays they are usually made of plastics, which are less resistant than the glass used previously. For drying the car, the best option is to use a microfibre cloth, which removes moisture and surface dirt without damaging the paint.

Another thing to keep in mind is that in many parts of Spain it is not allowed to wash the car at home, due to restrictions imposed by the drought. So it is best to rule out this method, as it can lead to fines and other unpleasant surprises.

And above all, try to keep the car out of the sun for as little time as possible. If the car is usually kept in a car park, protected from the sun and other weather, such as hail, the exterior of the car will be protected and future problems will be avoided.