Protect a New Car

Protecting your new car is a great way to keep it looking its best while preventing it from getting damaged. There are lots of ways you can help protect your new car, and many of them are super easy and affordable. You'll need items like car shampoo, wash mitts, and car polish to clean and protect your car's new surface. By taking a couple hours to protect things like the car's paint job or interior seats, it'll stay looking brand new for a long time.

Steps

Preventing Damage to the Exterior

1. Opt for covered parking whenever possible. This will protect your new car from potential rain, sun, and wind damage. Park in a garage at home if you have one or look for other covered parking that will protect your car from unwanted weather.
   • Try not to park your car in harsh sunlight because this will fade the paint color over time.
2. Avoid parking under trees to stay away from sap and other potential damage. Whether you’re parking your car on the street or in a parking lot, try to steer clear of trees or other overhanging objects. Trees can leak sap onto your car and are a popular spot for birds to hang out, which can lead to unwanted bird droppings.
   • Parking your car under a tree during autumn or when it’s super windy can also lead to leaf or tree damage.
3. Clean off bird droppings or other stains as soon as you see them. Things like sap and bird droppings can quickly leave stains on a new car. As soon as you notice something on your car, wipe it off as quickly and thoroughly as possible using a clean cloth so it doesn’t leave a mark or damage the paint job.
   • Keep paper towels or a clean cloth in your car in case you need to wipe something off of the glass or paint.
4. Steer clear of semi trucks to avoid rock chips in your windshield. If you're driving behind a semi or other large truck with lots of tires, try to get into another lane or stay as far back as you can from them. Larger trucks tend to kick up rocks which can dent your windshield and cause cracks.
   • Avoid driving on gravel whenever possible to avoid potential rock chips.
5. Park uphill so runaway objects won't hit your car. Shopping carts tend to hit cars most often, though anything that's round or has wheels can potentially damage your car. To avoid this, park at the back of parking lots or on a slight slope so that if something like a shopping cart does start to roll, it won't roll towards your car.
   • Other objects like balls can hit or roll into your car as well, making it a good idea to park uphill.

Protecting the Paint When You Wash Your Car

1. Fill 3 buckets with water and car shampoo for easy cleaning. One bucket is for soapy water, the second is for plain rinsing water, and the third bucket is purely for washing the tires. Fill 2 of the buckets with water and car soap to create a soapy lather and leave the third bucket full of clean water only.
   • Using 3 separate buckets helps ensure you don’t accidentally rub dirt around on the car, ruining the paint job.
2. Remove any larger pieces of dirt by hosing down the car. Even if your car is new, it could still have pieces of dirt on it from being outside. Use a hose to spray down the entire car, paying closer attention to areas like the tires and hood to make sure they're well rinsed.
   • Make sure all of the doors and windows are fully shut before hosing down the car so water doesn't leak in.
   • Park your car in the shade so the sun doesn't cause the water and soap to dry before it's been properly cleaned.
3. Dip a wash mitt into the soapy water and wipe down the car carefully. Wash mitts, which go over your hands, make washing cars easy—just dip the mitt into the suds and use your hands to wipe down the exterior. Use separate buckets and mitts for the paint and the tires to prevent any scratches. Rinse your mitt out in the bucket of regular water to get rid of any dirt that’s accumulated on the mitt.
   • Many people like to wash the tires first before moving on to the rest of the car.
   • It’s best to use separate buckets of water and mitts for tires because they’re the dirtiest part of the car.
4. Rinse off the suds using the hose. Once you’ve wiped down the entire car using a soapy mitt, use the hose to rinse off all of the soap. Start at the top of the car as you rinse and work you way down, spraying the tires last to make the process easier.
   • Wash your car every 2 weeks or whenever it gets dirty.
5. Clay your car only if your car’s surface feels bumpy. Claying your car is when you rub a piece of auto detailing clay along the exterior of the wet car to remove any bumps or imperfections. Feel the exterior of your car with your fingers—if you feel bumps, unwrap a clay bar and rub it along the painted or metal parts of the car in quick back and forth motions, removing the contaminants from the surface. If your car’s exterior feels smooth, it’s not necessary to clay your car.
   • The bumps could be any sort of contaminant stuck on the surface of your paint.
   • Purchase auto detailing clay from an auto parts store or online.
   • Knead the clay once you notice bumps and pieces of dirt in it from the car’s surface so you don’t scratch the rest of the exterior.
   • Only clay your car when you feel bumps along its surface.
6. Dry the exterior using a clean towel or chamois. Instead of wiping down the car using the towel, blot the moisture up carefully. Spread the towel out across the surface of the car to soak up more moisture and wring out the towel if it becomes too wet.
   • Use a different towel for the wheels so you don't scratch the car.

Protecting the Exterior with Polish and Wax

1. Polish the car to give it a super glossy appearance, if desired. While it’s not required, polishing the exterior of your car is a good way to give it some extra shine. Purchase a car polish and cover a clean cloth or the pad of a dual-action polisher with the polish. Use circular motions to apply the polish, covering the entire area evenly in a thin coat.
   • If you’re not sure which type of car polish to use, ask the car dealer or company which polish they recommend for your specific car.
   • Follow the instructions on the polish container to be sure you're applying it correctly.
   • Polish your car 3-4 times a year, if you'd like.
2. Wax the car using a wax applicator pad to add a layer of protection. Apply car wax to a wax applicator pad and wipe it onto the car using circular motions. Overlap your circles as you apply the wax, using small arm movements to create tight circles that won’t leave streaks on the exterior. Wax the entire surface of the car, covering the painted, metal, and plastic parts (like the headlights).
   • Follow the instructions on the container of wax to ensure you're applying it correctly.
   • Look for car wax at your local auto parts store, hardware store, or big box store.
   • Wax your car 4 times a year to keep its surface protected.
3. Wipe off the wax using a microfiber towel. After the wax is covering the entire surface of the car, wipe it off using a clean microfiber towel. Use circular motions to wipe off the wax, revealing a clean, shiny surface.
   • Be sure to remove the excess wax from the nooks and crannies of the car so chunks of it don’t dry up and stay on the car.
   • Waxing your car every 3 months is a great way to protect the exterior.

Keeping the Interior Protected

1. Treat the seats and carpet with a fabric guard right for the car interior. Remove the mats and spray them with a fabric guard to help repel liquids and stains. Apply the fabric guard to the seats as well, reading the bottle of fabric guard to ensure it will work on the type of upholstery you have in your car.
   • For example, if your seats are made of leather, use a leather conditioner and protectant instead of a treatment designed for cloth interior.
2. Vacuum out the car regularly to get rid of dirt and dust. Use a handheld vacuum to clean out your car if you have one, or visit a local gas station to use a car vacuum that will reach the nooks and crannies of your car. Removing as much dirt as possible regularly will keep your new car clean and dust-free.
   • Plan to vacuum out your car once a week or twice a month, depending on how dirty it gets.
   • If you’re worried about lots of crumbs getting in the car, consider creating a no-food rule.
3. Wipe down the windows using an auto window cleaner. A regular window cleaner that you’d use in the house can actually damage your car’s tinted windows. Instead, purchase a window cleaner made specifically for cars. Spray each window with the spray before using a microfiber towel to wipe down the windows so you can see out of your windows clearly.
   • A car window cleaner is great for removing smudges or dirt on the glass.
   • Look for an auto window cleaner at your local auto parts store, big box store, or online.
4. Cover the floors and seats to protect the upholstery, if desired. If you’re worried about getting the seats of your new car dirty, purchase seat covers that slip onto the seats and protect them. Many of these seat covers are washable, making it easy to rinse out any spills or dirt when the seat does get dirty.
   • Seat covers are a good idea if you have children, or if you just want to protect the driver’s seat since it's the most used.
5. Use a windshield shade to prevent damage to the dashboard. Whenever you leave your car out in the sun, put a shade up in the windshield to help block out the light. Sunlight can damage the materials in your car like vinyl, plastic, or leather, so blocking out as much light as possible when you’re not driving is a good way to help preserve your new car.
   • Look for a windshield shade that's the right size for your specific type of car.
   • Not only will a car shade help protect the interior from sun damage, but it will also keep your car cooler during the hotter months.
   • Look for a car windshield shade at your local auto parts store or big box store.

Things You'll Need

Preventing Damage to the Exterior

• Towel or napkins
• Auto cleaner

Protecting the Paint When You Wash Your Car

• 3 buckets
• Car shampoo
• Hose
• 2 wash mitts
• Car clay (optional)
• Chamois or towel

Protecting the Exterior with Polish and Wax

• Car polish(optional)
• Clean cloth (optional)
• Dual-action polisher (optional)
• Car wax
• Wax applicator pad
• Microfiber towel

Keeping the Interior Clean

• Fabric guard
• Vacuum
• Auto window cleaner
• Microfiber towel
• Seat covers (optional)
• Windshield shade

Tips

• Wash the car regularly to maintain a clean, new look.
• Avoid commercial car washes because these can damage the paint job of your new car.

References

See also

• Lock Fishing Reels on Car Roof
• Block Vehicle GPS Tracking
• Winterize Your Car
• Block Wheels
• Install Wheel Locks
• Prevent Drunk Driving
• Prevent Auto Burglaries
• Join AAA
• Find Your Car in a Crowded Parking Lot
• Keep Someone from Breaking Into Your Car

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