Just like anything, the powder coating that was applied to your vehicle won’t last forever without the proper maintenance. You just got your wheels coated and they’re looking real good but how do you keep them looking that way months or years from now?
The following tips are extremely simple and they’re paramount to the longevity and quality of your powder coated metal.
Sponge Clean the Surface
Sponge Clean the Surface
You can begin your cleaning by wiping down your powder coated surface carefully with a wet sponge. Doing this will allow you to remove any loose dirt and dust that has built up on the surface.
Brush the Surface
Once the loose grime has been removed with the sponge cleaning, take a brush and brush the surface. To take it one step further you can use a household cleaning product such as dish detergent with some warm water. Make sure you dilute the dish detergent sufficiently. By brushing the powder coated surface you’ll loosen up and remove any built-up dirt.
Don’t Use Products That Contain Solvents
You might be tempted to use cleaning products that contain solvents to remove stubborn substances on the powder coat. Please avoid doing this. This type of cleaning product can damage the quality and integrity of the coating. You won’t notice any damage at first but if you continue to use solvents over a long period of time you’ll notice a difference in quality and need to get the surface powder coated again. Reread the tip above to learn what cleaning products you should use.
Don’t Be Rough
When you run into some stubborn grime on the coating, refrain from getting too rough. It’s important to remember to be gentle. This is even more important if you’re working on an area with a metallic finish.
Rinse
After following all of the above steps, gently rinse the powder coated surface with some clean water. This will wash away all of the dirt and debris that’s been loosened up in the prior steps and your powder coat will be looking new again.
Removing Any Paint
If your car has been repainted and you notice that some found it’s way to the powder coating, wipe it off immediately. Do not let it dry and then try to remove it. If it dries it will be a much trickier removal because if you get too rough on the powder coating it will damage the powder.
Avoid UV Protectant Products
Some of these products can have harmful effects on a powder coated surface. A powder coating already has some UV protectant properties so no need to overdo it. Avoid using these and causing damage.
Perform Maintenance On A Regular Basis
In a perfect world you should maintain any powder coated surfaces every three months or so. Every situation is different so be mindful of how hard you are on the surface. If you do a lot of off-roading and it’s exposed to significant amounts of debris then you’ll want to clean it a lot more often than that. Every three months is a good idea in most situations.
Get Some Help From Mod Finishes
If you’ve got any questions or concerns about a powder coating, please give us a call! We can answer the majority of questions over the phone. Whether our experts applied your powder coating or not we’re here to offer our expertise.