Welcome back to the Proje’ blog and man, it’s a hot one here – as we’re sure it is for many of you! When the weather really cranks it up, there aren’t many things we want to do, other than get our shades on and find a sunny spot, but it’s also a great time to get inthe car and go for a cruise – especially if you’re rocking a soft top.
Of course, with extreme weather of any kind comes issues, and the issues for your car manifest themselves on the exterior as well as the interior. Paintwork can warp, interior plastics and materials can crack – sure, these are kinda’ obvious – but there are numerous other things that can happen. Let’s take a look at a few tips to protect your car in the heat.
- Choose wisely
When it gets really hot, it’s always best to get detailing inside. This is generally to do with how quickly the heat dries up the liquids you use on your vehicle. This is only dangerous to your vehicle if the liquid you’re using is acidic, so always check that the detailing product you’ve chosen to use is pH neutral before using. The good news is that at Proje’, we’ve invested a lot of time in making as many of our products pH neutral as possible, so you shouldn’t have any problems.
The secondary issue with liquid drying quickly is that it can cause swirls and stains. You’re either going to need to work a bit more quickly when using a lot of water, like you would with our Vital Car Wash Soap, but you could always do a scaled down job with our Surge Quick Detail Spray instead, as that way you’re spraying and wiping as you go.
- Lube, lube, lube
The other consideration with quicker drying liquids is that this also applies to lubricants. Now most lubes are pretty affordable so you can just apply more, but you have to be careful. If you are claying and your lube dries up, your paintwork is exposed, and you could do some damage. The good news with our Throwback Clay Lube is that it’s been designed with lubricity in mind – it won’t dry out as quickly as other lubricants on the market. But still make sure you pay special attention – you don’t want to make a mistake.
- Get protected
Now’s the time to protect your car from the damage that can be done by the sun. So, get your car inside or in the shade as soon as you can and get serious with our professional-grade Ceramic Spray Coating. Now, the active ingredient in ceramic coating is Silicon Dioxide – that’s SiO2. SiO2 forms an extremely effective layer of protection from the elements, and our Ceramic Spray Coating is the best SiO2 spray out there. UVA and UVB rays won’t penetrate it, pollen can’t touch it, and dirt and dust just fall away like water. But don’t cut corners here – make sure you give our Prep Spray some love first. This helps you to put on a pristine, uniform protective coat by removing all old polish, wax and sealant from the surface of your car. Often, these spent leftovers can clog up the pores of your surface, which reduces the effectiveness of a new ceramic coat. In addition, small amounts of old polish or sealant can hide imperfections in your paintwork, such as small scratches or swirls which need addressing in order to get the maximum amount of protection. Use these two together and you’ll send the sun packing soon enough!
But don’t forget your interior! UV rays are extremely harmful to dashboards, vinyl and moldings, causing them to crack and fade over time. This can then lead to warping, further cracks and eventually the need for replacement. This is easy to avoid though, as our Interior Satin Finish Protectant seals and finishes these surfaces, allowing for long-lasting protection from harmful rays at the same time as an attractive, natural-looking finish.
- Manage your tires
Believe it or not, hot weather does more than just cause problems to paintwork and plastics. Hot weather also increases tire pressure, so think about adjusting a little bit if you’re worried. You don’t want to deal with the extra damage that happens to tire grooves as a result of over-inflation. And while you’re at it, give Fusion Tire Dressing a look. It’ll help protect your tires from dry rot while also increasing shine. And like so many of our products, it’s pH neutral!
- Cover up
It isn’t just detailing that will help you protect your car though. Cover your car up and you’ll do all sorts of good. The simplest and cheapest way to do this is to get a windscreen protector – this will shield your interior plastics and leathers from the main heat. Of course, full covers for your paintwork are also effective, as are tire covers. Giving your car a bed for the night can save you a lot of sleepless ones down the line!
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this week’s blog – stay tuned for more tips and tricks next week.
If you have any questions about any of the techniques or products that I’ve mentioned in this post, just add a comment below and we’ll post a reply! Remember that we stock only the best auto detailing supplies, so why not click some of the links in this blog post, or visit our products page to find out more? From all of us at Proje’, Enjoy the Process!
