Ways to Care for Your Lexus' Paint
Take a look at the ways you can keep your car's paint looking new. Follow these steps and make sure your Lexus always looks its best.
1. Wash Regularly
Washing your Lexus regularly—weekly or biweekly—will keep the paint protected from the dirt, debris and other gritty residue that can accumulate. Always remember, when buying your car care products, to avoid abrasives and harsh scrubbing tools. Abrasive products will strip away the protective clear coat from your Lexus, making the paint look dull and it will be more susceptible to nature's harsh components.
2. Remember to Detail
Don't just call it a day after soaping and rinsing, as you need to finish off the job with a good detailing. Really put the effort into cleaning every tiny spot before waxing. Using products such as clay bars, glaze and polish, will help remove those smaller pesky problems. Once you are done with that, polish your Lexus with a quality wax. Waxing adds an extra layer of protection, and it will help protect your paint from water spots, U.V. rays, bird poop or other annoying, damaging elements. Here is a helpful how-to video on creating your own secret formula wax at home.
3. Know the Damaging Elements
You will need to remove them once you see them, so knowing which elements will damage your paint is a great start to caring for your Lexus. Naturally occurring dangers like the sun, salt air, rain, bird poop and tree sap can be a problem for your paint. The sun's rays will cause your car's paint to expand and contract, which will ultimately trap any dirt, dust or other debris in it. Salt air is corrosive and can dull the gloss of the paint. Then, of course, there are the acidic properties of bird poop and dead bugs. These are elements that will need to be cleaned off as soon as possible once you spot them. For more on these damaging elements, click here.
4. Keep Certain Items in Car
In order to catch those nasty, damaging elements that can attack at any time, there are certain items you should keep in your car. Always keep microfiber towels in your trunk along with a spray bottle of product to remove all kinds of dirt. Meguiar's Quick Detailer, a bug removing spray, or even a spray bottle filled with just water can help remove those troubling messes before they has time to do damage. A car duster is also not a bad idea to have handy.
5. Park in the Shade Whenever Possible
Don't be afraid of bird poop, after all in the long run it is better then sun damage, and you know what to keep in your car in case birds decide to target your Lexus anyway. With all that in mind, park your car in shade if possible, even if that means parking it under a tree. The sun's ability to expand and contract the paint is more problematic than bird droppings. You can easily remove bird poop when your Lexus is cool in the shade, but if it was under the sun, then that bird mess can get trapped in the paint. Also, the sun will contribute to fading the paint, especially if you park with the same side to the sun often.
Our How-To section is filled with helpful articles on cleaning and detailing your Lexus, along with information on maintenance and repairs, so head on over here in ClubLexus.com!