Maintenance Tips to Keep Car Wraps and Decals Looking Great

Vehicle wraps and decals can add a whole lot of personality and uniqueness to your four-wheeler. However, if you neglect proper maintenance, then the car wrap might get subjected to wear, tear, bleaching, and peeling, which can ruin the entire aesthetics.

But the thing is, vinyl is by no means similar to paint, however many people still wash it and clean it as if it was. Furthermore, car wraps need more protection compared to your regular paint as the molecules can easily break down and cause the colors to fade out and bleach away.

This is why we have put together this short read going over some of the important tips - the DOs and DON’Ts of maintaining the vinyl wrap, so they keep looking great for years to come.

How to Maintain Car Wraps?

• While parked, keep your car under a shade, to protect it from sunlight or rain. UV rays of the sun break down the molecules in the vinyl causing the car wraps colors to fade out. Whereas rain mixed with the pollutants in the air might create an acid solution that can start to feed away from the car wrap.
• Before washing your car, make sure to test the cleaner solution on a small area first, to see if it is causing any bleaching or smearing of the car wrap’s colors.
• Wash the decal and vinyl wrap on a regular basis to keep them clean. Take a sponge and soapy water (make sure the soap is of good quality) and start washing away the dirt and debris with your hand. Once done, wash the soap off with clean water and dry it with a clean microfiber cloth.
• Wash off any fuel spills, tree sap, and even bird droppings as soon as possible. To do so, use hot water along with citrus based cleaner. Alternatively, you can also use detail spray, but make sure to test it out on a smaller area first.
• Protect the vehicle wraps using silicone-based or Teflon-based polish.

Things You Should Avoid Doing To Your Car Wraps?

• Avoid visiting automatic car washes too often. Their brushes can contain particles that can chip and scratch your car wrap. However, if you have to go, then consider brushless car washes.
• Don’t use any random soap or detergent to clean the vinyl wrap. The PH level of these products might damage it and cause bleaching. As we said before, make sure to test it before applying. If you find a brand that works, stick with it.
• Trying to protect your wraps using abrasive polishes or cutting compounds, including carnauba-based wax, is an awful idea.
• While washing your car with a hose, don’t angle the nozzle at the edge of the car wrap. The water pressure can cause the wrap to start peeling. Stand one foot away, use low pressure, and make sure the water stream is targeted perpendicularly at the wrap. The best option would be to hand wash, as mentioned earlier.

Troubleshooting Some Tricky Situations

• If the car wrap’s colors are beginning to fade, then you should quickly apply a Teflon or Silicone based polish to help restore the original finish, and most importantly, protect it from future damage.
• If the vehicle wraps start to take on a brownish color, then it means it has been exposed to some acidic contaminants. Get the wrap removed as quickly as possible by a professional. Otherwise, the damage can spread to the underlying paint.