Your custom vinyl vehicle wrap is an investment and a powerful representation of your brand in the world. For that reason, you want to do everything you can to take care of it, make sure it lasts, and keep it looking as clean and immaculate as the day you got it.
Fortunately, vehicle wraps are hardy and durable, as long as they have been installed correctly. However, they do require steady, diligent care to be kept in the best of shape — just like anything you’re proud of. At EQUIPT Graphics Solutions, we provide expert design and installation of vehicle wraps that will boost your business, and we work with our clients to help them make their wraps endure through the regular, daily challenges of life on the road.
Here are some basic keys to maintaining your wrap.
Routine cleaning
It’s crucial to keep your vehicle clean after it has been wrapped. Dirt and grime can get under the seams of wraps and cause deterioration. A routinely cleaned vehicle, on the other hand, will provide longevity to your wrap and keep it looking pristine out on the road, ensuring you will continue to be proud of the way it shows off your brand. Fortunately, vehicle wraps are very resilient to a variety of cleaning methods when they have been installed correctly. Your installer can provide guidance on specific cleaning methods that are the best fit for your wrap and vehicle, but keeping to a regular schedule is key, no matter the wrap.
Watch the sun
The sun can cause damage over time to a wrap. In particular, the wrap on the roof, trunk and hood of the vehicle inevitably will be on the receiving end of direct sunlight for long stretches. Still, the point of a wrap is to be seen, and that requires regular exposure to the sun in most climates. If you are mindful of the sun’s potential impact, then you can take opportunities to limit the exposure when that’s possible. For instance, park in the shade when you have a chance. And try to avoid leaving a vehicle parked in the same spot in direct sunlight every day. Move it around. That will prevent exposing the vehicle to the same sunlight in the same places day after day.
Other hazards
Your wrap is built to withstand the elements. However, it could experience gradual deterioration if it faces steady exposure to inclement weather, such as rain, snow and hail, over the long term. As with the sun, the best response is to try to remove your vehicles from the elements when possible. Similarly, try to avoid parking and driving too close to bushes and trees whose limbs could scratch and cause blemishes.
Prompt cleaning situations
The daily accumulation of dirt requires regular comprehensive cleaning of your vehicle, but you also want to attend more directly and promptly to special types of residue that can attach themselves to your wraps when you’re on the road every day. For instance, you should not wait to remove bugs and bird droppings when they appear — the longer they’re stuck, the more difficult it is to remove them. The same is true of other common road residues such as gasoline, road tar, paint and tree sap. Resist the urge to use harsh chemicals when cleaning those tougher, more clingy attachments and stick to warm, soapy water and a soft cloth to pry them loose.
EQUIPT Graphics Solutions specializes in creating vinyl wraps and decals that help small businesses get their message into the public eye in the most effective way possible. To find out more about the power of custom vinyl wraps to attract customers and support your brand, visit us at www.equiptgraphics.com or on Facebook or contact the EQUIPT Graphics Solutions showroom nearest you in Toledo, Ohio; Orlando, Florida; or Austin, Texas. We hope to see you soon!