Just got your car wrapped? Here's everything you need to know about car wrap maintenance. Think of it as your ultimate guide to washing and caring for your vehicle wrap.
Experience the modern and imaginative way of customizing your car with a sleek car wrap. For decades, car wrapping was reserved for commercial purposes, but thanks to advancing technology, it's become more accessible to car lovers everywhere.
Since car wraps' unique material differs from traditional paint, proper maintenance is essential. Our ultimate vehicle wrap maintenance guide equips you with the know-how to wash and maintain your car wrap to keep it looking as fresh as the day it was installed.
Follow our expert advice and keep your car wrap looking brand new for years to come.
What's the Purpose of a Car Wrap? Key Point: It's Temporary
While a vinyl car wrap can still look great even after years of use with proper maintenance, it is important to know that the vinyl is not as durable as paint. This means that a car wrap is intended to be temporary, no matter how well it's preserved. Nonetheless, a well-designed and taken care of car wrap can stand the test of time.
Ensure Your Vinyl Car Wrap Lasts Longer
Proper care is the cornerstone of extending the life of your vinyl car wrap. But did you know that basic care is not enough? With a little bit of extra attention and precautions, you can give your vehicle wrap a few more years of a pristine appearance.
Did you know that a car wrap's vinyl surface is similar to plastic? In fact, many modern paints use a urethane base that makes them technically also a type of plastic paint. Learn why your car wrap deserves special care, and how simple changes in your maintenance routine can take it a long way.
While paint might scratch more easily than glass, vinyl reveals the qualities that make it more susceptible. Being mindful of such distinctions can help you preserve the longevity of your painting projects while enjoying the versatility that vinyl offers.
Tips for Washing a Your Car Wrap
When it comes to taking care of your car wrap, cleaning is key. Although washing a car with a wrap requires a modified approach compared to traditional paint jobs, it's simple to master. To ensure your wrap looks great for miles down the road, here are some crucial cleaning tips to keep in mind:
Never take your car to automated car washes.
Don’t wash with isopropyl alcohol.
Don’t use a spray nozzle that is designed for removing paint on a house or stains from concrete.
If pressure washing, always use the lowest setting.
Always use mild detergent automotive specific shampoos.
Always use a clean microfiber cloth to detail small areas.
Take your time removing stubborn contaminants. Rushing can damage the vehicle wrapping material.
This information is crucial if you're not already using a proper professional detailing technique when washing your vehicle's vinyl surfaces. With our tips, you can keep that vinyl looking fresh and clean for the long haul.
Why Car Wraps Shouldn't Go Through Automatic Car Washes
Car wraps are a great way to advertise your business or protect your vehicle's paint job from scratches and dings. However, it's important to avoid using automatic car washes. Despite top layer protection, the wrap remains vulnerable as it's just a layer of adhesive holding it in place.
Trust us, a little extra care goes a long way in keeping your wrap looking fresh and vibrant for years to come.
The high-pressure water jets and fast-moving mechanical brushes in an automatic car wash can damage your car wrap. Even the best surface coatings can't help! If you want to keep your car wrap looking brand new, it's highly recommended to give it a hand wash.
However, if you do prefer to use a pressure washer, be sure to keep it at a safe distance from the vinyl material. Getting too close can easily lift a corner or cause the vinyl to break. Keep your car looking great for longer with proper care!
The Best Way To Wash A Car Wrap: The Two Bucket Method
Maintaining a flawless finish on your car wrap for years is every car enthusiast's dream. To achieve this, follow the same paint maintenance methods by using two buckets, one for clean suds and the other for rinsing off the wash mitt or sponge.
This technique prevents abrasive contaminants, like dirt particles, from scratching your car. Even ceramic coatings are susceptible to scratches, but the right washing method can mitigate that risk. Keep your car's wrap scratch-free and in tip-top shape with these superstar tips.
To keep a wrapped vehicle in pristine condition, washing or quick detailing it more often than a painted car is ideal. This ensures any contaminants don't remain on the surface for long. Plus, vinyl surfaces are much more prone to staining than painted ones, so keep them clean and glossy with regular washes.
Why It’s Important to Protect Vinyl Wraps
Car wraps started in the commercial industry. If your business has around 20 daily-driven vehicles wrapped, you want them to look impressive for a few years, without going through another re-wrap anytime soon. These cars often face the elements outside, so a protective coating that extends the life of those 20 wraps by a few years is a game-changer.
Think about the amount of money your business could save with something like this! It would recuperate the cost of getting the Ceramic Pro coating and still conserve your finances in the long run. Get ready to sit back and enjoy a much longer-lasting, shinier fleet.
To keep your vinyl wrap looking its best, it's important to know the do's and don'ts of maintenance. Are you aware that solid color cast vinyl wraps can be polished with certain automotive compounds?
However, while they may work wonders for the former, calendared vinyl and printed wraps are certainly not recommended. If you don't know what these different types of vinyl are, it's best to steer clear of trying to polish your wrap on your own. You wouldn't want to risk causing lasting damage to your prized vehicle!
Taking proper care of your car wrap film ultimately comes down to how it's coated and cleaned. Investing in high-quality coating methods like Ceramic Pro and sticking to a committed cleaning schedule can help your wraps last for years to come. Not only does this save you or your company money, but it'll also save you time and keep your vehicle looking fresh and vibrant.
If you have any questions, or are interested in getting a vehicle wrapped in Bradenton Florida, come by Wraphx today or just give us a call to get your free quote. We have a full design team that can help create a vehicle wrap that is sure to turn heads. Whether you want this wrap for your personal vehicle or a business, we got you covered.
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