Protect Your Car's Paint Job During the Winter 

Winter can be hard on your car's paint job. And if you want to make sure that your car looks as good as possible no matter what the weather is, you’ll need to take extra care during the winter months. You can do several things to keep your car looking as good during winter as it did when it rolled off the assembly line. 

Wash Often

You need to wash your car frequently, especially during the winter. Frequent washes keep the salt and grit off, which helps keep rust from forming. Ideally, you should take your car to get washed after every storm because that's when the worst of the salt and grit will be on the roads. Make sure that the weather is as warm as possible when you take the car in to prevent any freezing.

Cover It

Keeping your car covered will keep the worst of the weather off of it. The best option is to use a garage or carport, but if you don't have either of those choices, then you can get a cover that you can place over your car. The covers usually have an elasticized bottom so that they will stay put on a number of different kinds of cars. Using a cover will also make it easier to clear off snow and ice. 

Wax It

Wax is more than just a way to keep your car looking nice and shiny; it's also a protectant. If you wax your car after every wash, then the wax will help to keep the salt and grit off your car's paint. It will also make it easier for you to get it clean the next time you have to wash it because the added layer of protection makes it harder for dirt to stick to your car's paint. 

Fix It

If you noticed any patches of rust or damage on your car before the winter really got started or at any time during the winter, you want to make sure that you get those fixed as soon as possible. It doesn't take a lot of time for rust damage to get started or to expand. Nor does it take a lot of space for that little bit of damage to start. So, if you see any damage, you should get it fixed as soon as possible. 

Brush It Clean

When you clean snow or debris off your car, use something soft. A soft brush or a foam head will work to get the snow off your car. If you use something that has a hard edge or metal on it, you risk the implement scratching your car. That scratch can be the perfect way for salt to work its way under the paint and start to corrode your car. 

Apply a Film

If you can, find paint protection films that you can have applied to your car. The films are clear, so no one knows that they are on your car. The film will add another level of protection to your paint job and can be removed in spring. Make sure that your car is clean before you have the film applied so nothing gets stuck underneath to damage the car. 

If you are worried about your paint job, bring your car to us at  Olson's Auto Body. Whether you need a new paint or some touch-ups before spring, we are the right ones for the job. We can take care of any problems with your paint job, give you tips to protect your car, and get your car set up to survive the winter looking as good as possible.