Window Tinting Care and Maintenance Tips for Car Owners

There are a few specific things to avoid when cleaning your car windows that have been tinted if you are trying to make your tint last longer:

• Cleaning in the shade. You should be cleaning your windows in the shade due to the drying time of the products. The sun makes the products dry faster which can cause streaks. If you are cleaning in the shade you have time to get the windows cleaned fully before they dry.
• Do not saturate the edges. This is a big one. Putting too much cleaner on the edges of tinted windows can cause the tint to lift which can make unsightly bubbles and tears.  You want to use just enough cleaner to get the job done.
• Clean with soft cloths. This is going to prevent scratches and imperfections in your tint. A rough cloth can cause scratches which can damage your tint completely.
• Make sure you wait. You should be waiting for the specified period of time before you wash your windows. Your tinter is going to be able to tell you how long to wait and is going to be able to give you the best advice on what products to use as well.

How to Care for Tinted Windows

The most important thing that you can do is listen to what the person that applies the tint tells you. They are going to know how long you should wait, they are going to know when to wash, what to wash with, how to wash and so on. It is always best to get your care instructions from your installer and to do what they tell you to do in terms of care.

If you are at all unsure about what you should be doing, it is always best to do a bit of research to ensure that you are not going to damage your tint. Tint, though durable when fully dried and cured, is rather touchy in the beginning and it can become damaged if you are not taking proper care of it.

Best Ways to Protect Your Car’s Paint During the Winter

The best way to protect the exterior of your car during the winter is to put it in a garage until spring. This is not something that most people can do. First, you do need to wash your car regularly. This is going to remove the salt and road dirt from your car. Road salt can damage not only the paint but also the underside of your vehicle, causing rust and erosion.

You also need to take care of chips and bodywork as they happen. Waiting until it is too big to ignore is going to leave you with a larger repair bill than if you just take care of issues as they appear. Brushing off snow as soon as it falls can also help to keep your car looking great. Wipe it off to prevent any damage from the extra water or the very cold temps.

If you can, park your car in a garage during the winter months. If you cannot, try to park it under a carport to help keep the ice and snow off. If that is not an option, you may want to look for a car cover to keep your car covered during the winter.

Winterizing Your Car’s Exterior

You can also do a few things to help make the exterior of your car a bit more weatherproof. You can add a coat of wax to the exterior of your car to help repel water and road salt, you can wash often, and you can even add wax that is meant to help protect your car from the winter weather.

One of the most important things that you need to do is make sure you are keeping the exterior of your car clean during the winter. When road salt comes up on the sides and bottom of your car it can eat through paint and it can rust through metal. Washing your car and keeping it waxed is going to help create a protective barrier between your car and the elements.  

How Can I Tell If MyVehicle Is in Need of Paint Correction Service?

These are all signs, often subtle, that your vehicle is in need of paint correction services. There are many reasons why your car can lose that new car shine, but there is also a solution. In the most subtle cases, the fade of paint or lack of luster isn’t avoidable, but it is correctable.

Signs That Your Car Needs Paint Correction

While most signs that your car needs paint correction aren’t quite that loud, they are noticeable. The sunlight or closer inspection (during a hand wax, for example) will often reveal the culprits and reasons why your car needs paint correction professionals.

Even in the most subtle situations, paint correction services can help. Here is a look at those more obvious signs that your car needs paint correction:

• Scratches – Superficial scratches can result from tree branches, animals, or virtually any exterior source.
• Swirls – Much like superficial scratches (often caused by the same problems), sunlight exposes these unsightly blemishes.
• Water spots – Ordinarily, rain and water aren’t an issue for most vehicles. When that water is dirty and or sits for a prolonged period, however, it can be an issue for any vehicle.
• Stains – While many people trust their garages to keep and protect their beloved cars, those garages can also be one of a few reasons vehicles get stained by paint, oils, grease, and more.
• Animal droppings – Raccoons, squirrels, and, more commonly, bird droppings are another concern and the reason your car needs professional paint correction services.
• Ingrained dirt – Storms, road construction, and other situations can leave vehicles with ingrained dirt, marring the paint job and appearance.

Restore Your Car With Professional Paint Correction Services

If your vehicle has lost its new car shine or has become dull and less attractive, then paint correction services can help. There are many reasons why your favorite ride doesn’t shine like it once did – but it can again.

Contact us at Crystal Clear Detail to learn more or to schedule your paint correction services and restore the shine and beauty of your car today.

That basically leaves car owners with one of two choices. They can either attempt to do it themselves or have it done professionally. Here is a look at the pros and cons of both options.

• Appearance – The most obvious pro of car paint correction is the improvement in the appearance of your vehicle. Good DIY kits are available today, but remember that mistakes and less-than-professional results equate to even more costly corrections.
• Longevity – Car paint correction doesn’t only improve the area of the car retouched but the longevity of the paint job of the entire vehicle. Both professional and non-professional paint correction applications will provide this valuable benefit if done properly.
• Resale value – Another hidden value and benefit of car paint correction services is the boost to your vehicle’s resale value. If you are considering selling your vehicle, an investment in professional paint correction services could pay dividends. Contracting professional car paint correction services will also provide car owners with a receipt of work done as a selling point too.
• Highlights – If there is one area that may be most advisable for do-it-yourself car paint correction jobs, it would be when addressing vehicle highlights. If the highlights, rims, or features of your vehicle need paint correction services, however, professional car paint correction services are available.
• Costs – One of the most significant differences between DIY paint correction and professional car paint correction services is price. While the cost of paints, sprayers, sanders, primers and more isn’t necessarily cheap, it will still be less expensive than professional car paint correction services.

Other Services

The choice is up to the vehicle owner in the end. And the pros, cons, and differences between professional paint correction services and doing it yourself are obvious. Paint protection film, professional or with DIY kits, is also available to help protect your car’s paint job.

You can ask a pro detailer blog advantages and disadvantages of paint protection film and car paint correction services, or contact us at Crystal Clear Detail for all your questions and painting services. From touch-up jobs to entire paint jobs and everything in between, let the professionals at Crystal Clear Detail restore your car’s life, beauty, and shine today.

Indicators of Bad Window Tint

There are many telltale signs of bad car window tinting that you should pay special attention to. Obviously, they won’t look too attractive, but here are some other indicators:

• Obvious gaps and bumpy lines. Pay attention to the distance between the window tint and the edge of the window. If you notice quite a bit of space between the two, your tint was installed incorrectly.
• Diverted bubbling. Window tint that is not high quality will have noticeable bubbles. This is due to the adhesive collapsing too soon. Tiny bubbles can cause you not to see out of your windows clearly. But you may even notice bigger bubbles which are even more unattractive.
• Tint that is purple. Tint that is not of high quality will be purple or will begin to turn purple as the dye starts to dissipate.
• Window tint doesn’t stay attached to the matrix. The majority of vehicles have uneven or bumpy dots that can keep the window tint from sticking the way it should. You will end up with a crooked line if your window tint is not installed correctly.
• Spaces or bubbling near defroster tabs. Defroster bars or tabs on the back windows are raised. Again, if your window tint is not installed properly, and the film is not smoothed down on top of the bars, you will notice bubbling, and spaces that begin to pop up.
• Allows more heat in the car. Cheap window film will let more heat seep into your car no matter the intensity of the tint.

Problems With Low-Quality Window Tints

Window tints that are cheaply made can cause problems. They certainly won’t last you a lifetime. You should avoid having an inexperienced person install your window tints even if you are trying to budget your finances. High-quality tints are not expensive and will last you a long time.

Additionally, cheap tints are prone to tearing, bubbling, and splitting over time. This will greatly diminish the look of your car. Tints that begin to bubble and wear down will reduce your ability to see while you are operating your vehicle. The best way to avoid the unattractive appearance of peeling and bubbling window tints is to purchase a high-quality film.