To take care of your car's exterior, you should always take care of any dents and dings as soon as you can. If you're particular about how your car looks, you can also wax your vehicle so that the paint stays smooth and vibrant.
To take even better care of the paint on your vehicle, you will want to avoid getting certain substances on it. Here are five substances that can ruin your vehicle's paint.
1. Shaving Cream
When someone puts shaving cream on a vehicle, they usually do it as a prank, especially at weddings. Oftentimes, the prank involves messages written on the vehicle with shaving cream. Even though it might seem like a fun idea at the time, shaving cream can cause the paint to become discolored.
If someone put shaving cream on your vehicle, the paint won't become discolored if the shaving cream is still foamy. Dried shaving cream causes the discoloration, so be sure to rinse it away before it dries.
2. Vehicle Fluid
Your car requires different types of fluids to keep it running smoothly. However, the fluid should always go inside your car and never be spilled on the outside of it. Most vehicle fluids will damage your paint.
These fluids include brake fluid and coolant. Fluids like these soften the paint on your vehicle, which causes the paint to become damaged more easily. If you accidentally spill vehicle fluid on your vehicle exterior, remove it as quickly as possible.
3. Bird Droppings
One familiar annoyance for vehicle owners is to come outside and find your vehicle covered with bird poop. Not only do bird droppings look gross but also they can ruin your vehicle's paint. This is especially true if the bird droppings are not removed right away.
It takesover 3 minutesfor the bird droppings to affect your vehicle's paint. Bird droppings have a pH level of up to 4.5 because they have a high amount of uric acid. This acid is corrosive and will eat through wax coatings and paint on your vehicle. To avoid this scenario, always park your vehicle indoors and never under a tree.
4. Eggs
Another acidic substance that can ruin your vehicle's paint is an egg yolk. Unfortunately, throwing eggs at vehicles is also a common prank. These pranksters may or may not realize the damage they could cause to your vehicle's paint.
The yolk is not the only part of the egg that can damage your vehicle's paint. The egg's cracked shell can scratch the paint clean down to the base coat. If your car has been hit with eggs, you need to remove them right away. Like bird poop and shaving cream, the longer egg yolks sit on your vehicle, the more damage they cause.
5. Salt
Many states use salt to help melt ice on the roadways. This makes it safer to drive when there is ice on the road. Thankfully, Florida is not in the salt belt, which is the name for the states that use the most salt on the roadways.
However, if you travel to the northeastern part of the country or the Midwest, you should be aware they might use salt on the road in the winter. Since salt is corrosive, it will eat through your paint. If you do travel where salt is used, you should wash your vehicle as soon as you can.
If the paint on your vehicle has been substantially damaged by any of the above substances, contact Automotive Super Sports. We offer free inspections and all auto body repairs come with a no-hassle lifetime guarantee.
