North Texas springtime pollen drop is no joke, leaving a layer of microscopic particles across every surface, but did you know Fall in North Texas presents its own hazards to your vehicle’s appearance? From sap to drippy acorns, ragweed to mold spores, not to mention lingering insects, these elements don’t just make you miserable. They also can damage your paint job, clog air vents and follow you indoors.
Clean up your vehicle. Here’s why a professional car wash should be part of your fall routine.
Super-sized Allergens. Everything is bigger in Texas, including our allergy season. Thanks to our extra-long summer growing season, North Texas experiences significantly higher pollen counts than other regions, particularly tree, grass and weed pollen such as ragweed.
Those particles settle on your vehicle’s paint job, windshield, vents and interior surfaces. Over time, if not removed, pesky ragweed, mold and other allergens cause micro scratches in the clear coat of your paint job. That’s in addition to the havoc they wreak on your heatlh if you are an allergy-sufferer.
A regular, professional car wash removes these allergens.
Fa-la-la LEAVES Everywhere. Changing colors and falling leaves make for a picturesque scene on a crisp autumn day, but everything that comes down ultimately must be picked up.
The leaves are beautiful, until they accumulate in your windshield cowl, the panel located between the hood of the car and the windshield itself. When clean, this part of your vehicle helps shield components like the cabin air and electrical system and allows fresh air to enter the ventilation system. If that panel is covered with leaves and acorns, ultimately that junk is breaking down into more dust and mold, which worsen allergies.
Wet, moldy leaves also leave behind acidic staining on your paint job if not removed promptly. As fall rains contribute to their breakdown, they leave behind mold and dust, dulling your paint job. Remove them regularly (a leaf blower at the lowest setting is great for this job!), and follow up with a professional wash to protect your paint.
A sticky mess. Take a walk through your neighborhood, and you’re likely to crunch hundreds of acorns dropping from our abundant North Texas oak trees. Acorn drop can dent your car, and tree sap is incredibly difficult to remove, especially as our summer heat lingers and sticky sap essentially bakes on to the surface of your car. When not removed promptly, sap oxidizes, eventually etching the clear coat of your paint job.
An additional hazard – rodents love acorns and they’re eating all they can hold and leaving a mess in any tiny compartment they can access. Clean up acorns and leaves from your driveway to minimize the rodent buffet. As temperatures drop this fall, these critters will take up longer-term residence inside the engine compartment of vehicles parked outside. By minimizing their food source, you may encourage them to seek food elsewhere – like your neighbor’s driveway instead of yours.
Bugs … going, going, going. Most of us are waiting impatiently for the first truly chilly days of fall. Right now, mosquitos, beetles, crickets and myriad other insects are having their last hurrah, especially after early-autumn rains.
Bug splatter contains enzymes that eat away at your clear coat. If not removed promptly, the clear coat will eventually break down, leading to paint failure. The best way to protect your paint job for the long haul is to wash your vehicle regularly and apply a protective finishing wax.
Stop the signs of car aging. Think of your car’s exterior like the skin of your vehicle. With regular washing – especially after storms and during seasons where there’s a lot of junk falling – you can protect your car for the long term and stop the signs of aging.
Want to take your wash up a notch? Ask about our ceramic wax, included with our Platinum Wash Package, the ultimate in clean protection for your paint job.
