How to Remove Pollen While Preserving Your Car’s Paint Job
Pollen gets everywhere this time of year.
We all know that April showers bring May flowers. Unfortunately, those flowers often bring with them a big dose of spring pollen, bringing with it the unending need to clean the surfaces of your car. While it may seem more of an annoyance, not knowing how to wash pollen off cars properly can cause damage to your car.
If you looked at pollen in a microscope, you would see a tiny grain surrounded by prongs. The prongs are what allows the pollen to attach itself to the pores in your paint. If not properly removed, pollen can also begin to secrete an acidic substance that is exacerbated by the presence of moisture, such as rain.
Waxing provides an extra barrier.
Simply wiping away the pollen is less than adequate for two reasons. First, it will remove the grains on the surface, but will not remove the grains embedded in the surface. Second, wiping the pollen against a dry surface can create scratching, which gives the acidic substances an entry point to your car’s paint job. Hosing the surface will also fail to remove the grains closest to the surface, and will introduce the moisture needed to ramp up the pollen’s acidic effects.
Keeping your car safe from pollen’s damaging effects is a two-stage process. First, before the pollen starts to fly make sure your car has been washed and waxed. Waxing your car provides another barrier against pollen and its acidic secretions. To remove pollen safely and effectively, agitate your car’s affected surfaces with soap and water.
Knowing how to wash pollen off cars effectively will preserve your car’s exterior for years to come. For more tips on keeping your foreign car in like-new condition, consult the pros at Munich West. They have been caring for foreign cars and their owners since 1976.
Image Sources: danbruell & Elite Detailing
