Keep your vehicle looking its best

To keep your paint looking its best, JMC AutoworX has the following recommendations.

1. Wash your car regularly using a car wash detergent. Do not use liquid dish washing detergent and avoid washing your car in direct sunlight if possible. Rinse your car well before washing to remove any loose dirt. Wash your car using a back and forth motion along the length of the car. Using a circular motion will increases visible swirl marks in the paint. Start at the top of the car and work your way down and around the car. Use plenty of soapy water and turn the wash mitt frequently. Wash only one section at a time. Do not allow soapy water to dry on your car. Dry well with soft terrycloth or micro fiber towels.
2. Remove any bird droppings, tree sap, or other like contaminants promptly. Use a damp soft cloth to remove small areas, but avoid scrubbing as this could scratch the finish. Leaving items such as these on the paint for extended periods of time can permanently damage the paint and mar the finish.
3. Use a clay bar to remove surface contamination before waxing. Using a clay bar is fast, easy and using a clay bar before waxing produces better results than waxing alone. The clay bar removes not only surface contamination from the paint; it also removes wax, so wax your car immediately after using a clay bar. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using the clay bar. JMC AutoworX recommends using a clay bar in place of polish or cleaners for most applications. Clay bars are available at most auto parts stores.
4. Wax your car with a high quality, non-abrasive wax at least twice a year. Avoid products with words like cleaner or polish in their names or descriptions. Waxing will help protect your paint from environmental contaminants such as acid rain, bird droppings and road grime. Wax your car with the same back and forth motion used for washing because, again, using a circular motion increases visible swirl marks in the paint. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for applying and removing the wax.

You can download a copy of this guide here.