Flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing and birds are chirping. Spring is here for most of the United States and with it, a whole host of things that can affect your vehicle’s paint.

First and foremost, if you have not already done so, washing your car now is a very good idea. Even though it was a mild winter for most this year, there may still be mineral contaminants from the colder season such as road salt. The second reason now is a great time to take care of your car, is to give it a refresh for spring and protect it from the upcoming attack of the spring elements.

Spring means pollen, increased bird activity (meaning more poop!), and increased rain. We don’t mean to sound like alarmists, but spring weather is hard on your car!

Pollen is a substance produced by seed bearing plants, consisting of fine grains that contain the male reproductive cells of said plant. Most people are aware of pollen as the fine yellow powdery substance that covers everything during flowering season. These fine yellow grains come in a variety of microscopic shapes and adhere to things in varying degrees. In addition to being the reproductive cells of plants, pollen is also a source of protein for many insects. In case you didn’t know, bug poop is called frass, and increased pollen, means more frass, which can be a challenge to remove if left too long.

Now that the science of pollen is over with, now the important part… Pollen, when mixed with water can become acidic, which can cause etching in your cars clear coat. Over time weakened clear coat can begin to fade and even chip off, leading to your vehicle needing to be repainted.

Bug guts, and bird poop are also acidic and have the same effect on your paint, so be sure to remove bird droppings and splattered bugs when they appear.

Removing damaging pollen, dead bugs, bird poop and any other dirt is an easy enough task that many people neglect, to the determent of their vehicle’s appearance and overall paint health.

All you need to keep your car in good shape is a source of water, a good car shampoo, a bucket, or two, and some microfiber towels.

Start by giving your car a thorough rinse to remove loose dirt. Then starting with your roof, wipe your vehicle with a clean, wet microfiber towel or mitt that has been dunked in a bucket of water containing the proper dilution of car soap.  

Working from the top down, wipe in straight lines, not a circular motion, to remove the dirt, pollen, bird droppings, etc. The microfiber towel with pick up everything from the surface, and the soapy water acts as a lubricant to avoid scratching your paint. Be sure to flip, or exchange your towel for a fresh one every so often so that anything that is picked up does not have a chance to leave tiny scratches to your clear coat.

Once wiped down, give it another good rinse to remove any excess soap, being sure not to let in dry on the surface, and then dry your car with another clean microfiber towel. We recommend using a good spray wax or detail spray to give your car a layer of protection and to act as a lubricant while you dry the surface, this helps prevent tiny scratches or micro-marring should there be anything still on the surface of the paint.

Youtube is an excellent source of videos that show proper technique. Some of our favorite channels are Ammo NYC and Chicago Auto Pros.