Exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun can damage your skin, but they can also damage your car, making it look old and worn out before its time.
Here are some of our top tips that could help protect you and your car against the harmful UV rays, especially in the summer.
Protection for you
15 minutes is all it takes before your skin starts to burn. Below are some simple tips to help protect you from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Wear sunscreen
Sunscreen is one of the best ways to protect your skin from sun damage. We recommend applying SPF30 or higher before getting in the car. Check out the SunSmart calculator, which can help determine the right amount of sunscreen based on your gender, height, weight and clothing choices.
You can also consider wearing a long-sleeved shirt to keep your arms protected while you’re at the wheel.
Tinted windows or window film
Ensuring your car has tinted windows can help protect you and your passengers from damaging UV rays.
At SG Fleet, we offer an affordable range of accessories designed to protect you and your new car. The Darkest Legal Window Film blocks up to 99% of UV entering through the windows and rejects as much as 60% of uncomfortable solar heat and glare entering the cabin, protecting you, your passengers and your car’s interior.
Wear sunglasses
Don’t forget to protect your eyes from the sun. In addition to minimising the risk of temporary or permanent damage to your eye area, sunglasses could help slow down the formation of those crow’s feet!
Window shades
Window shades can be placed on the back passenger windows, which could protect your car’s interior and passengers from the sun.
Protection for your car
Your vehicle is not designed to be heat proof and requires protection from the heat of the sun. Below are some simple tips which could help protect your car from sun damage.
Use windshield protectors
Using a windshield protector can help protect the front interior of the car, such as the dashboard and steering wheel, from high heat and the sun’s harmful rays.
Wash and dry
Minerals from mud, dirt, rain and salt, and even dead bugs could react with the high heat from the sun and cause damage to your vehicle’s paint job. Washing your car regularly will ensure your vehicle’s paint remains in tip-top condition.
When washing your car, use mild cleaning agents with a low pH value, as well as soft, clean sponges, brushes or cloths. Dry your car with a clean and dry cotton rag or chamois leather. If you leave your car to air dry, it could become vulnerable to some spot damage, which is caused by minerals that naturally occur in the water you use for cleaning the car.
Wax it
Regularly waxing your car will add an extra protective layer. It can help to maintain the colour of the paint job and protect it against UV rays and other corrosive elements such as snow, salt, rain and bird droppings.
The easiest way to tell if you need to wax your car is the bead test. Simply pour a small amount of water over the hood and if the water beads up into individual and visible droplets, there’s no need to wax your car. If it flattens or spreads out into sheets, it’s probably time to consider a new application.
Get paint protection
An invisible film which acts as a shield for your car, it can help to maintain the external surface of your car for an extended period of time. Speak to the team at SG Fleet about our affordable range of vehicle protection options.
Protect leather seats with a conditioner
Leather seats can crack and tear due to exposure to the sun, so apply conditioner regularly to help maintain it in good condition.
