Car wraps are an ideal, modernized method to market your business. Serving as an outdoor advertising avenue that really grabs the attention of your targeted customer. Like all marketing and advertising, it is an investment. However, unlike a billboard or a magazine ad, wrapping your business vehicle will require some maintenance on your part. Regular cleaning of your car wrap is required to maintain the overall appearance of the wrap as well as help prolong the life of the wrap.
Car Wrap Maintenance Tips
Below is a list of recommendations you should do when cleaning your car wrap.
Clean Your Wrapped Vehicle Every 2 Weeks
Vehicle graphics should be cleaned on a regular basis or whenever it appears dirty. However, ideally, a vehicle wrap should be cleaned every 2 weeks. This ensures that optimal visual appearance is maintained for the life of the wrap. Since PVC films behave similar to automotive paint, it will eventually degrade if left in constant contact with dirt, grime, and contaminants. This especially true if left unclean and exposed to UV light and/or heat.
Hand Wash
When hand washing, the first step is to pre-rinse the vehicle with clean water. This helps avoid scratching the surface. Start at the top of the vehicle and work down gently wash with a mild soapy water solution and a sponge. Avoid abrading the film surface with unnecessary scrubbing. When finished, rinse the wrap thoroughly with clean water. Allow the wrap to dry naturally or immediately use a silicone squeegee to remove water and then finish drying with a Chamois, microfiber towel or soft non-abrasive towel to avoid water spotting.
Automatic Car Wash
If you must use an automatic car wash, a brushless automatic car wash with just spray is acceptable. The automated brush wash is not recommended as the brushes may scratch the vinyl surface, catch and lift the edges of the vinyl wrap, and reduce the gloss finish. Also, skip the wax options at the car wash to avoid wax chemicals that which can damage the wrap like petroleum distillates. Once done, allow the wrap to dry naturally or dab dry with a microfiber towel.
Spot Cleaning & Difficult Stains
Spot cleaning surface contaminants like bugs, bird droppings, tree sap, and tar is required immediately after it appears, as it can stain and damage the PVC film. This is also true of gasoline and other fuels. Spot cleaning with Isopropyl Alcohol and a clean non-abrasive rag is ideal.
Always Spot-Test First
It is crucial to remember that chemicals can damage a car wrap. So, always test these solvents in an inconspicuous area prior to cleaning the wrap. You should also always rinse the surface with clean water following the use of any cleaning agent. Whatever chemicals you use, be sure they are free from abrasive components.
Be Mindful of Environmental Factors
In high elevations such as mountainous areas, the UV damage is increased versus exposure at sea level. Since the air is also thinner and there is less UV filtering, damage can be increased significantly.
If you live in a congested urban or industrial area, increased smog, pollutants and particulates in the atmosphere can also cause reduced durability on the horizontal areas of the wrap. The horizontal areas trap the chemicals on the surface of the material and the increased UV exposure results in shorter durability.
Vinyl films should also never be permanently submerged in water, fresh or salt.
Store Indoors or Under Cover Whenever Possible
Just like paint, vinyl car graphics become ruined by prolonged exposure to the sun and atmospheric pollutants, particularly on the horizontal surfaces such as the hood, trunk lid, and roof.
Whenever possible, it is best to store the vehicle in a garage or at least in a shaded area during the day. At night, the vehicle will need to be protected from dew or rain, which may contain acidic pollutants. When a garage is not available, consider using a cloth car cover at night.
Without properly maintaining your vehicle wrap, it can be a waste of money because if your graphics start to discolor or turn brown, you will need to remove the graphic from the vehicle to avoid staining the underlying paint.
Premier Car Wraps from SkinzWrap
SkinzWraps is the premier car wrap company. With many years experience, our award winning car wrap design team can wrap any vehicle to optimally advertise your business. To learn more about how we can help you build your brand recognition through vehicle wrapping, contact us 214-741-4529.