Most car owners know they have to keep certain substances (such as coffee, soda, or brake fluid) away from their vehicle’s paint. But what about dust, the most common pollutant? In this post we explain why you should always clean dust off your car and the right way to do it.
Here’s Why You Should Always Clean Dust Off Your Car
What we call dust is actually a mixture of microscopic materials, ranging from pollen and sand to soil lifted by the wind.
Dust is everywhere and your car comes in contact with it on a daily basis. As you might have noticed when you leave your car parked a couple of days in the same place, you don’t even have to drive in order for dust to accumulate on your car.
Now, what you have to understand about dust is that it can be extremely abrasive. This means that rubbing or grinding dust against a surface will definitely cause damage to that surface.
In this case, the surface is your car’s paint. If you simply wipe off the dust accumulated on your car, you are abrading the surface. This happens at a microscopic level, but if you do it several times, you can end up dulling your clear coat, causing the paint to look faded and worn.
The Right Way To Clean Dust Off Your Car
To sum it up: you shouldn’t simply wipe dust off your car.
At a microscopic level, this is the equivalent of using sandpaper on the surface of your vehicle.
What we recommend instead is to carefully rinse the dust off your car. This way water will capture the abrasive particles, carrying them away without damaging the paint.
To do this, just hose your car to remove as much dust as possible. Even if the surface looks clean, there may still be tiny particles attached to the surface, so rinse once more to get rid of those too. Then use a microfiber towel to dry the surface and avoid water spots.
Inland Empire Autobody & Paint Windshield Repair & Auto Detailing in Southern California
Inland Empire Autobody & Paint Inc. is a family-owned business specialized in collision repair and custom paint.
We have locations in Riverside and Moreno Valley, California. Call us (951-465-7350), contact us through our website or through our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information about our full range of services.