You don't need to wash your car that frequently if you use a car cover.
A good car cover will protect your car not only from pollution, rain, or sun but also from bird droppings, leaves, insects, scratches, and dirt and moisture in your garage. Some are even thick enough to handle mild hail storms. Protecting your car exterior not only makes it look nice but also prolongs the life of the paint and therefore the value of your car.
When Should I Use a Car Cover?
The most common use for a car cover is when you're not going to use your car for an extended period, or if you're going to park your vehicle in an area where it will be exposed to the elements, dirt, hail, and falling items like twigs or leaves.
One good thing to remember, though, is that you shouldn't leave a wet car cover on your car for several days. If you covered your car outdoors to protect it from rain, fine, but don't let it stand there with the cover on for days. You car may still trap some moisture even with the cover. In short, you need to uncover your car, wipe off any wet parts, and aerate to avoid rust or mildew.
What Is the Best Cover Material for My Car?
It depends on what you want to protect your car from. There are different types of car covers available.
Different Types of Car Covers
- Waterproof
- Water-Resistant
- Composite
- Cotton Car
Waterproof Car Cover
Waterproof car covers help prevent water from coming in close contact with your car. They are made with either a plastic coating or film to repel water and mostly useful for people living in tropical areas where it often rains. This kind of car cover stops rain from getting on the body of your car – roof, bonnet, doors and windscreen.
These covers are quite expensive. If you're operating on a low budget, this might not be the right choice for you.
Water Resistant Car Cover
Water-resistant car covers can also save your car against small dents and scratches by adding a layer of padding to protect your vehicle from anything dropping from trees or blown around in the wind. That shady spot under the tree outside your home may look like a welcome spot to park your vehicle. Unfortunately, sap, pollen, seeds and pods falling from the tree can damage the surface of your car.
Water-resistant car covers will also help against condensation as they facilitate the circulation of air around your vehicle. This is as an advantage over the waterproof car cover.
Composite Car Cover
This kind of car cover filters and drains water that may come into contact with your car. Though its primary function is to filter water, these covers also do a fantastic job in filtering dust away from your vehicle.
Cotton Car Cover
Cotton car covers are suitable if your main purpose is to avoid scratches on your car paint. These super cheap car covers are gentle to car paint and are budget-friendly. If protecting your vehicle against water or rain isn't your primary concern, then the cotton car cover is the right choice for you.
Now that you understand the different types of covers, it's time to learn how to use a car cover correctly.
How to Use a Car Cover Effectively
1. Use only on a clean, dry car. Don't place a car cover on a dirty or wet car. Covering dirty car can insulate surface dirt and contaminants. Also, if the cover rubs against the dirt particles on your vehicle, it can have an abrasive effect and inflict swirl marks or light scratches on your car paint. This goes against the very reason you used a car cover.
To ensure that the car cover protects rather than damages your car, you need to clean and dry your vehicle before covering it.
2. Don't keep your car covered for several days. Moisture and dirt can get trapped and cause damage to your car's body and paintwork. If your car is inside your garage, and you're covering it to protect it from dust, make it a point to regularly uncover your car, dry-clean it, and allow to breathe. If your car is outdoors and kept covered to protect it from rain, that's fine if it's only for a day or two. Car covers shouldn't be used as long-term protection for cars outdoors.
3. Use specially designed hail car covers if your area is prone to hailstorms. A supercheap car cover made of cotton or thin material will not be enough to protect your car from the mildest hailstorm. There are thickly padded covers which might prevent dents from small hails, but that's not an assurance. Better yet, invest in building a garage for your car and only use hail car covers in emergencies when you can't find a roof to duck your car underneath.
4. Keep the car cover clean. Don't ever store your cover on the ground as it will make it dirty. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines on how to clean or treat the cover appropriately to keep it in good condition, functioning well and doing its job to protect your car.
If you choose the right cover for your car and follow the manufacturer's instructions and your good sense, you will save your car from fading paint and expensive car washes. A high-quality car cover is an investment - something that will help keep your car in its best condition.
Follow CarpartAU's blogs for more tips and informative pieces like this!