Although having the glossiest, shiniest car is the traditional way to stand out from the crowd, it’s no longer the only way. Recently, auto enthusiasts have gone in the opposite direction with matte-finish automotive paint that turns heads because of its non-reflective properties. Because matte finishes are the opposite of the standard, glossy type of automotive paint, it stands to reason that taking care of them is a bit different than washing and waxing a car with a standard finish.
If you’re considering getting a matte finish on your car, here are some important details to note.
Having the Right Tools
Half the battle when it comes to properly washing your car under any circumstances is having the right tools for the job. Because they aren’t smooth like traditional paint jobs, matte finishes will snag regular terrycloth towels, resulting in lint being left behind and looking ugly. You’ll need a high-quality towel such as CleanTools’ DipRagz™, which are made especially for dipped or other matte finishes. The sponge-like consistency of DipRagz™ means they won’t leave any lint on your matte finish.
When it comes to the detergent you use, any automotive-safe soap should work just fine on your matte surface. Be sure to soak any dead bugs, tree sap or bird droppings with detergent before gently wiping them away. Because scrubbing can damage the finish. This is also why you should wash your matte-finish car using two buckets — one with soapy water and another with clean water. That way, you can rinse your towel after each pass with soapy water to prevent any grit from being rubbed into the surface of your finish.
It’s also a good idea for this reason to use a separate towel for cleaning your wheels. Because you don’t want to use a towel that might be contaminated with brake dust and road grit on your car’s matte finish.
What Not to Do
Although you can buff out little scratches and swirl marks in a traditional glossy paint finish, matte surfaces are much less forgiving. Any scratches are likely permanent. What’s more, any attempts to remove them probably will result in a patch where the surface quality of the finish is significantly different. For that reason, it’s not a good idea to take your matte-finish car through an automatic car wash, where the brushes can damage the surface. Using waxes and polishes on your matte finish also isn’t recommended, because they will just get caked into the tiny imperfections on the surface and change the look of your finish.
A matte finish can give your car a unique appearance that will make it stand out from the rest of the pack. Yet without proper care, it won’t look good for long.
Keep Your Car Looking Its Best With Help From CleanTools
Knowing the right way to clean and care for a matte finish will help ensure that it looks good for a long time. Having the right tools is the best place to start, so take a look at everything CleanTools has to offer and make sure you have everything you need to properly care for your matte finish.