Paint protection
Perhaps it’s worth starting with the preparation and protection of one of the most important parts of the car - the body paintwork. In winter, a large number of anti-icing chemicals are applied to the roads, which adversely affect the paintwork. Negatively affect the safety of both the appearance of the car, and the body itself and contacts with road gravel, sand and ice. The paintwork of the car begins to fade, is covered with a chemical coating, a large number of chips and scratches are formed. But the worst thing is that corrosion foci appear on the body.
To protect the paintwork from chemicals and loss of appearance, there are special protective compounds. They, as a rule, are applied in the thinnest layer on the entire surface of the car and prevent contact of the paintwork with the environment. These products differ both in the complexity of applying to the car body, and in the duration of the action. The easiest way to apply is protective wax, but it is also the shortest in terms of service life. Any car enthusiast can apply wax without special preparation after washing the car in a warm and clean room. But you need to remember that the service life of the protective wax is from one to several sinks, and the application procedure will need to be repeated.
The second type of product is “ceramic” protective coatings containing silicon compounds, which allows these products to provide a very high degree of body protection. These compounds will last much longer than protective waxes. Their service life can be from several months to six months. But to apply these compounds must be specially trained master in a room equipped for these purposes.
Body protection
Frequently encountered damage to the paintwork in the winter season is mechanical. They can occur in the process of cleaning the car body from snow and ice and from a large amount of gravel and sand on the roads, which flies out from under the wheels of cars.
The front elements of the car - the bumper, hood, fenders, as well as parts near the door handles, front and center pillars are most susceptible to such defects. To prevent the formation of mechanical damage on the paintwork, there is a special polyurethane anti-gravel film. It prevents contact of the paintwork with the brush during the cleaning of the body from snow and icing, and also saves from the formation of chips of paint while driving on the road from flying gravel and sand, taking the whole blow upon itself.
The installation of anti-gravel films is carried out by trained craftsmen, since this product requires special skills and without special preparation and tools it will be difficult to perform work qualitatively.
Also, do not forget about the lighting elements of the car, since road safety directly depends on the cleanliness and transparency of the headlights, especially in winter, when the dark comes early enough.
Headlight protection
In order to keep the lighting from the head light of the car as new, it is necessary to monitor the external condition of the headlights. If turbidity forms on the headlamp, it loses transparency and, as a result, lighting deteriorates during movement. To restore the transparency of the optics and give it the original appearance, its body can be polished. Modern headlights are made of polycarbonate, which is perfectly polished and has the ability to restore its transparency. To do this, abrasive polishing pastes are used, as a rule, the same as for polishing the paintwork, together with foam polishing wheels. This operation can be performed independently, but you must have a special tool - a polishing machine with an adjustable speed. Recommended speed for this operation is up to 2000 rpm.
After the headlights are polished and rebuilt, they can also be protected with a polyurethane anti-gravel film. This will save their appearance as much as possible, as well as prevent repeated wear while cleaning the headlights from snow and ice.
Glass protection
Another element that affects the safe operation of the car is the windshield. As in the case of headlights, in the conditions of a short day in the winter, ensuring its purity and transparency is the most important task of a motorist. To solve it, as well as to reduce icing and simplify cleaning, it is recommended to treat the front hemisphere (windshield and front side windows) with a special anti-rain compound. It creates a hydrophobic film on the surface, which can greatly facilitate the cleaning of glass while driving, as well as reduce the time required to clean it after icing.
Trim protection
After the car body is protected, it is worth thinking about protecting the leather and textile interior of the car. In winter, outerwear and shoes often get wet and collect a large amount of snow on themselves, which is brought into the car and begins to melt in its cabin, soaking in seats and rugs. Over time, spots and stains form on the textile upholstery, and the skin dries and cracks from constant contact with moisture. All this may result in the need to carry out dry cleaning and skin repair. To prevent and minimize such situations, it is recommended to treat the leather interior with skin conditioner - a water-repellent cream composition that moisturizes the skin and protects it from drying out, and treat the textiles with hydrophobic compounds that prevent the absorption of large amounts of water into the fabric.
Let your car bring you only positive emotions! Safe winter roads and vivid impressions!
