How to restore the shine of a car body?

Glossy paintwork is the pride of every car. To keep it in excellent condition for a long time, unfortunately, is very difficult. Over time, as a result of washing the brushes and changing weather conditions, scratches appear on the car, which are increasingly difficult to remove.

At the moment, most car manufacturers use a three-layer paintwork as standard. A layer of primer is applied directly to the sheet, which is then painted with the so-called "Base" for the correct color. After drying, the body is covered with a layer of varnish, which performs a dual function: it gives the body a shine and additionally protects it from damage. It is the last layer that wears out the fastest, and after a few years, numerous scratches and holograms can usually be seen in the light.

Only soft brush.

To keep the varnish in good condition, it must be properly looked after. Experts recommend washing your car at least twice a month, regardless of the season. – This is very important, as street dirt containing dirt will damage the paintwork and quickly dull the colorless finish. Glitter is also hostile to bird droppings, salt, sand and tar, which must be removed from the car immediately. Sometimes it takes several tens of minutes for the bird droppings to completely ruin the paintwork, says Paweł Brzyski, owner of a car wash in Rzeszow.

Experts do not advise washing the car in automatic car washes. Cause? The brushes here tend to be rough and full of grime, which removes dirt when wringing out, but also contributes to the formation of micro-scratches. Popular touchless car washes are also not the best solution. Stubborn dirt on paintwork cannot be removed by simply spraying it with shampoo and water.

– It is best to clean with natural bristle brushes and special microfiber sponges. The brush handle is best protected with a rubber coating so as not to damage the paintwork when maneuvering, says Paweł Brzyski.

Washing the car should begin with a thorough rinsing of the car body with clean water. Then mix the right amount of shampoo with warm water. We clean the car body starting from the roof, which is usually the cleanest. Then we go down, leaving the thresholds, wheels and the lower parts of the bumpers and doors for last.

- The most important thing is to regularly rinse the brush in clean water and change the water in the bucket if it is already very dirty. After washing, the car must be thoroughly rinsed with clean water. Residues in the form of drops and stains from the car body are most safely removed with a rubber grip. Dry the car body with streak-free genuine leather suede. Prices for natural horsehair brushes start at around PLN 60. For natural suede with a size of 40 × 40 cm, you need to pay PLN 40. They are made, for example, from roe deer skin. Microfiber cloths are an interesting alternative. Hairy, for wiping the paint dry, cost about 10-15 zlotys apiece. Smooth, polished - about PLN 10 apiece.

Pasting or polishing

The condition of the paintwork can only be assessed after the car has been thoroughly washed and wiped down. Only then can you decide how to take care of him. If the body is in good condition, waxing is recommended, preferably hard wax, which creates an invisible coating on the body that prevents scratches. The biggest disadvantage of such preparations is the complexity of application. To avoid streaks and distribute properly, the car must be clean and completely dry, and the garage must be warm. A compromise solution is a lotion with wax, which is much easier to apply to the body. However, after drying, polishing is also required, which requires a lot of time and effort.

In an old car, where micro-scratches are visible on the body, a light abrasive paste can be used. Such a preparation helps to mask imperfections by removing the minimum damaged layer of varnish. Good grade pasta costs about PLN 30-40 per pack. Most often, a layer of such a preparation is applied to the washed car body, which, after drying, forms a layer that requires polishing, for example, with a flannel diaper. You can also use wax after polishing. A compromise solution is a wax lotion that has polishing and preservative properties, which is easier to apply.

If polishing does not help to hide defects, you can think about mechanical polishing of the body by a painter. Depending on the size of the car, the service costs PLN 300-700. It consists in the mechanical removal of the damaged layer of varnish with fine sandpaper.

- Special discs are placed on the polishing machine. The procedure should be performed very carefully so as not to erase too thick a layer of varnish. Most often, such defects appear on the edges of elements that are most difficult to polish. In addition, the specialist knows how to polish this element for a long time in order to erase the thinnest layer of varnish from it. Thanks to this, processing can be repeated after a while, says Artur Ledniewski, an artist from Rzeszow.

The disadvantages of mechanical lacquer polishing are, first of all, the opening of deep upholstery and scratches that are not so noticeable on a matte surface. Most often they can be seen after "polishing" on the hood and front bumper, which are most susceptible to falling asleep with small pebbles, which are full of roads.

Better to maintain than repair

According to the painters, regular cosmetics and paint care is a much better solution than body repair. Cause? Despite the increasingly sophisticated devices responsible for the selection of varnish, it is still very difficult to recreate the color so that there are no traces after varnishing. Moreover, more and more automakers use factory complex varnishes, consisting of even 6-8 different layers. In this way, for example, the Rosso 8C Tristato metallic color offered by Alfa Romeo is achieved. – Three coats on top of the substrate are also used for some colors in the Infiniti range. Thanks to this, the varnish looks different depending on the angle from which we look at it. In the case of everyday car care, this method of painting is not a problem. But when the car needs to be fixed, the stairs begin. A good effect requires experience and skills from the painter, says Roman Pasko, an experienced painter from Rzeszow.