Resources · Paint Protection
The best way to protect car paint in the Pacific Northwest is to wash it regularly, remove sap and droppings promptly, park under cover when you can, and put a long-lasting layer on top, such as a ceramic coating or film. Rain itself isn’t the problem. What it carries is.
Rain on dirty roads splashes a gray film onto paint that dries and bonds. It dulls the finish and traps grit. Regular washing removes it before it sets, and a coating makes it release more easily.
Evergreens drop sap and needles, and spring pollen coats everything. Left on paint, sap can etch the clear coat. Rinse it off promptly, and avoid parking under the same tree for days on end.
Damp, shaded cars grow a green film on seals, trim and paint. It holds moisture against the surface. Washing, drying and parking in sunlight help.
They're acidic and can etch clear coat within days. Remove them promptly with plenty of water, never by dry wiping.
Brake dust embeds in wheels and lower panels, and winter road treatments leave residue. Rinsing the undercarriage and wheels helps.
Wax gives a few weeks of protection. A ceramic coating bonds to paint, sheds water and road film and lasts years. Film absorbs rock chips. Many owners combine film and coating. See ceramic coating vs. wax and paint protection film vs. ceramic coating.
Our DuraSlic DS 1500 is rated for 5-year scrub test performance and DS 1500 Xtreme for 10 years, and FlightShield carries a 3-year warranty. See how long ceramic coating lasts and ceramic coating cost.
When the weather breaks, a thirty-minute reset does a lot: rinse the car thoroughly, wash with a clean mitt, rinse again, dry with clean towels, and check the paint for sap or droppings you missed. It keeps small problems from becoming big ones, and a protected car makes it faster still.
If you’ve been neglecting the paint, a hand wash and clay bar reset it. See our hand car wash and how often to detail your car. For a proper restart, an Exterior Detail with one-step correction and wax starts at $325 for small vehicles, as listed on our pricing page.
Signature Auto Detail has protected vehicles in Renton since 2006. Call (425) 687-2700.