Advice from the Auto Shop: How to Protect Your Paint from Pollen Damage
Our auto shop can help you avoid pollen damage this spring.
What am I?
I look innocent. To the naked eye, I’m soft. I’m a cheerful yellow color. I’m only around for half the year. For reasons unfathomable to me, I’m hated by many. I make your nose run and your eyes water.
Did you guess what I am? I’m pollen!
Pollen is known for causing headaches, but did you know it also causes car damage? That’s right. Those floating yellow specs can scratch and peel your paint in as fast as one allergy ridden season.
You see, pollen isn’t actually soft. Look at it under a microscope and it you’ll see something similar to a sticker weed. It’s full of points and hooks that will dig into your car’s paint and scratch it up.
That’s why the experts in the auto shop at Terry’s Auto Service and Towing are here to give you some advice on how to protect your paint from pollen damage.
Advice From Our Auto Shop
Wax your car.
Wax creates a protective layer for your paint. Instead of scratching your car, the pollen will be stuck in the wax. Don’t want to deal with it? Bring your car into our auto shop and we’ll wax it for you.
Keep your car parked in a garage when you can.
If the pollen can’t reach your car, it can’t ruin the paint.
Use a car cover.
If you don’t have a garage, a car cover is the next best option. The pollen can’t reach your paint through thick fabric. Need suggestions on where to find one? Ask our auto shop experts. We’re happy to help you out!
But what if I parked under a tree and my car got covered with sticky yellow dust?
Don’t wipe it off with a rag! It sounds crazy, but trust us. If you use a dry cloth to wipe the pollen off, you’re doing the equivalent of cleaning your car with a low-grade sandpaper. Just say no! Instead, encourage the pollen to float away by spraying your car down with water, and then wiping it clean with soap that is specially formulated for car washing.
When you wipe your car down, forget the circular wax on wax off motion made famous by the karate kid. Circles can create swirl marks. Instead, wipe the car down in long lines starting from the hood and ending at the tail pipe. Once you’ve finished washing, dry your car off with a soft towel and bring your car into our auto shop for a nice wax job to top it off.
Follow these simple tips and your car will keep its sheen all through summer, spring, and fall. Pollen may be mighty, but we’re smarter than it is, right? Our auto shop experts definitely think so!
