We all know how important it is to protect our skin from sun damage, but it’s also important to protect your vehicle’s interior and exterior from the sun’s hazardous rays and heat. Especially here in Colorado where the sun is extremely strong, if a vehicle is exposed to the sun for a consistently long period of time, the car’s appearance will take a beating. Here are a few tips to protect your car from the sun.
Find Shade: Whenever possible, park your vehicle in the shade or in an indoor parking lot. This will prevent your vehicle’s finish from baking in the sun. At home, make room in the garage to keep your car covered. It’s amazing how many people have a garage and store everything but their car in it!
Install Seat and Steering Wheel Covers: Especially if you have a leather interior, you’ll want to cover your steering wheel and seats. Not only will they help prevent fading, but they’ll also be cooler to the touch when you get into your car on a hot, sunny day.
Wax On: Waxing your vehicle will help maintain a barrier between the exterior’s paint and the sun’s harsh UV rays. Make sure not to wax your car in direct sunlight. You don’t want the wax to bake on to your car’s finish.
Protect All the Outside Parts: Protecting your car’s exterior goes beyond the body’s paint. Use a polish to prevent hazing on plastic parts and a protectant specifically made to help rubber parts from weakening. There are films and spray-on products to also prevent plastic headlights from becoming dull.
Keep Interior Surfaces Clean: Use a soft, microfiber cloth to keep the dashboard, console and other flat surfaces clean. The sun can bake any dust and dirt into such surfaces and it’ll be nearly impossible to get a vibrant clean look again. Use a low-gloss product to avoid any glare off these surfaces, too.