Michigan Winter Car Care for PPF, Coated and Wrapped Cars

The basic rule: wash regularly

Road salt sitting on any surface isn't good for it. Salt residue on paint, film or vinyl dulls the finish and gets ground in by every wipe. On the underside and in wheel wells, it speeds up corrosion.

Even if you can't do a full wash, a rinse of the lower panels, wheel wells and underside after a stretch of salted roads helps.

Paint protection film in winter

• Rinse before you touch. Grit on the surface scratches when you wipe it. Rinse or foam first, then wash.
• Keep pressure washers away from edges. Point the nozzle at the panel, not into film edges.
• Don't scrape ice off film. Use a soft brush for snow and let the defroster or warm water handle ice. An ice scraper can scratch film.
• Self-healing works better in warmth. Light marks may not disappear until the car warms up in a garage or on a sunny day.

Ceramic coatings in winter

• Use pH neutral soap. Strong alkaline cleaners and some touchless wash chemicals wear coatings faster.
• A coated car rinses cleaner. Salt film and slush don't stick as well, so a simple rinse removes more.
• Top up if needed. Some coatings have a maintenance spray that refreshes the slickness. Late fall and early spring are good times to use it.

Vinyl wraps in winter

• Avoid brush car washes. They scratch vinyl and can catch edges.
• Clear snow gently. Use a soft brush, not a hard scraper.
• Be careful with ice on edges. Don't chip ice off wrap seams.
• Matte and satin wraps need matte-safe products. No wax, no gloss enhancers.

Window tint in winter

• Scrape outside only. Film is on the inside of the glass.
• Defrosters are fine. Rear defroster lines work normally with film.
• Clean inside glass gently. Ammonia-free cleaner and a soft cloth.

Touchless vs brush car washes

If you use automatic washes in winter, touchless is the safer choice for PPF, coatings and wraps. Brush and soft-cloth washes are the main source of swirl marks and vinyl scratches. Touchless washes use stronger chemicals, which can wear coatings down faster over many washes, so hand washing when the weather allows is still best.

Spring check

When the salt season ends, give the car a thorough wash, including the underside. Look over:

• Film and wrap edges for lifting
• Any chips that got through
• How well the coating is still beading water

If something needs attention, spring is the time to fix it, before summer sun and heat.

See our paint protection film, ceramic coating and car wraps pages for more.