mercedes-car-wrap

If there is one thing owners of wrapped vehicles should know, it should be the proper care and maintenance of vehicle graphics to keep them looking great for years. As you may know well by now, vehicle wraps should last for at least five years, but of course, you must also do your part to ensure that your vehicle graphics don’t give out well before their time. To help you out, here are some tips and tricks from industry experts that would help keep your wrapped vehicle looking its best for a long period of time.

Wash your wrapped vehicle regularly.

According to 3M’s Caring for Your Vehicle Graphics release, you should always make it a point to wash your car (or any other vehicle for that matter) when it appears dirty. This is to avoid contaminants (e.g. bird droppings, tar, etc.) from permanently sticking to the graphic. To wash your wrapped vehicle, use a spray of water to rinse off as much dirt and grit possible and follow with a non-abrasive detergent on a soft, clean cloth or sponge. Afterwards, rinse with clean water again then dry with a microfiber cloth.

Skip the car wash when you can.

Though experts recommend washing your wrapped vehicle regularly, you must also take care to avoid car washes, especially those that use abrasive brushes, jet sprays, and powerful solvents that may degrade the quality of your vehicle graphics. You want to make sure that the vinyl would not lift in crevices, molding or seams prematurely and prevent the graphics from looking like they’ve been sanded down. If you can, opt for those coin-operated spray car washes that allow you to control the pressure of the spray hitting your vehicle. Keep in mind that your wrapped vehicle has some sensitive areas such as door handle moldings, mirrors, and glass, so be sure that you do not scrub too hard or get overzealous when it comes to wiping these parts.

Use high quality car polish and store your wrapped vehicle indoors.

Wrapped vehicles can be waxed and polished just like their unwrapped counterparts. BUT you should remember not to use abrasive polishes to avoid damaging the vehicle graphics. Also, you need to take note that sun exposure plus atmospheric pollutants can hasten the expiration (if there is such a thing) of your vehicle wraps. If you are not using your wrapped car or van or truck, better store it in a shaded area or under a cloth cover to prolong the life of your vehicle graphics.

*For more information on cleaning and maintaining vehicle graphics, don’t forget to check out aretedi.com.