Menu
Congratulations, you’ve decided to get paint protection film for your car. It’s a wise investment and will protect your car like no other product on the market can. This durable clear coating is an invisible shield that will keep California pollution and weather from prematurely aging your car, keeping your car’s value stable. As with any other product, there are things that may negatively affect your new PPF and other things that will protect it and keep it newer longer.
At Jet Black Tint and Glass, we’ve proudly been the Bay Area’s top choice for paint protection film installation, repair, and maintenance, saving tens of thousands of California cars from damage. In today’s post, our PPF technicians offer some easy film maintenance tips that are sure to extend the lifespan of your paint protection film.
Before we jump into paint protection film basic care steps and routine maintenance, let’s briefly discuss a few things you should do immediately following successful PPF installation. First, do NOT pop any bubbles! It may be incredibly tempting to pop them like bubble wrap or attempt to smooth them out. While there won’t be many bubbles, there are bound to be a few and these will even out in the first 72 hours — if they don’t bring your car in for an inspection! But, popping these bubbles will cause a break in the film, allowing chemicals and debris to get between your car’s paint and the PPF. Resist the urge to pop the bubbles and just leave them be.
Secondly, behave as though your car is fragile for the first week after the PPF installation. Avoid harsh weather, touching, car washes, and general driving if at all possible. The week after your paint protection film installation is not the time to go on your road trip!
Paint protection film makes washing your car incredibly easy and required less frequently, however, to keep the PPF in good shape and your vehicle looking sharp, it is necessary to keep up with it. Developing a routine is the secret to success. You’ll want to completely avoid commercial car washes that use automatic scrubbers and brushes to clean cars. Instead, use a microfiber scrubbing mitt and non-abrasive soap. Rinse your vehicle using minimal pressure, and dry the surface with a microfiber cloth. How frequently you’ll need to wash your car depends on how you store your ride and how often you drive. For instance, the average driver who uses their vehicle to drive to and from work and social outings on the weekends, you’ll likely only need to wash their car once a month. For those with longer, or messier commutes, you’ll want to wash more frequently, and at a minimum remove dead bugs and debris from the front end as often as possible.
Global® PPF is incredibly durable and never really needs to be washed to continue to perform as a protective barrier for your car’s paint. However, a regular washing routine will ensure your car looks great and will significantly extend the lifespan of your paint protection film.
A few tips for washing your car once PPF is installed include:
One of the biggest benefits of paint protection film installation is the barrier it provides to your car’s paint from scratches, dings, and minor trauma. The polyurethane coating has self-healing properties that will fill in small scratch marks on its own. The material expands to fill gaps when exposed to heat. In warmer California months, you don’t really need to do anything, the sun will take care of the healing for you. In cooler months, you can help the process along by applying heat either with a hair dryer or some hot water. When assisting the process, there is no need to apply heat until the PPF heals itself, you can apply the heat and let it be. If you notice the scratch is not corrected the following day, try again. You don’t want to melt the PPF and it won’t immediately morph, so give it time to work its magic.
One simple way to keep your PPF in great shape is to schedule or perform car waxes every three to six months. You’ll want to avoid wax that contains kerosene or naphtha in concentrations greater than 5% to avoid breaking down your PPF. A nice coat of paint protection film- safe wax will keep your car at a high sheen and looking great. The wax will also help protect the film, extending its lifespan. Paint protection film is incredibly low maintenance, however, so waxing is not necessary to ensure that your film does its job, it just helps make it look pretty while it does.
Taking care of your paint protection film is relatively simple. Most casual drivers apply a “set it and forget it” mentality, and that works just fine. PPF is low maintenance and does not require much attention to continue protecting your car. Without any intervention or maintenance, your film may not last as long as if you meticulously attended to it, but you’ll still get a good 5-plus year out of it, which for most people is their lifetime of the vehicle. Car enthusiasts who get paint protection film installed for the protection and enhanced shine it offers will appreciate these helpful PPF maintenance tips. To get PPF installed on your car, connect with the Gilroy Jet Black Tint and Glass team to get your appointment scheduled today!