If your entire car has just been repainted, or you ordered pre painted auto body parts, you might be wondering if you should take any precautions with the fresh new paint job. As you probably suspect, your new paint job or pre painted auto body parts need some TLC in the first few weeks after. Let's take a look at some dos and don'ts for babying a new paint job on your car.

Things to Do with Fresh Painted Auto Parts

	DO - Wait two weeks before you wash your car for the first time. After two weeks, you can safely wash your car, but you shouldn't use an automatic car wash. Instead, wash it by hand with mild car soap and a soft towel or sponge. Microfiber towels and sponges are preferable. Don't use dish soap or anything abrasive. Don't wash it in the sun and don't use hot water. After a month, it's generally ok to take it through an automatic car wash without any worry. This will help maintain the gleam of your newly prepainted auto parts.
	DO - Store your car in the garage if possible. If you can store your car under cover, or preferably in a garage, definitely do so. Even though you probably can't avoid the abrasive things you might encounter while driving, you can limit how much of it ends up on your car by storing it inside. Heavy rain, tree debris, and bird droppings can all cause small abrasions to your newly painted auto body parts. If you do get any of this on your car in the two weeks before washing is safe, use a microfiber towel and cold water to gently wipe them away.
	DO - Make sure to dry your car thoroughly. Another reason why your newly painted car should be stored in the garage is that water drying on the surface can mar the finish. When you wash your car for the first time, make sure to wipe it completely dry with a microfiber towel. If you return to your garage after being out in the rain, dry your car off with a microfiber towel. These steps may seem tedious but after the money spent on your new car paint, you want to protect the curing process for the best results.
	DO - Be aware of where you park. In the first few weeks up to a month after the new paint job, it's important to be aware of where you park your car. Try to park in shady areas and avoid letting it sit in the hot sun for hours. Avoid parking under trees or power lines as you risk tree debris and bird droppings.
	DO - Be careful when adding fluid to your car. During the first month or so, you'll need to be extra cautious with what you do around your car. You might not normally think anything of adding some engine oil, coolant, or windshield wiper fluid, but these chemicals can cause damage to your paint if allowed to remain on the surface for long. Even dribbles of gas from fueling up can cause damage. Use a soft, wet cloth to quickly absorb and wipe away the spill.

Things Not to Do with Fresh Painted Auto Parts

	DON'T - Wax your car for at least three months. The new paint needs ample time to cure before you can safely wax or polish it. Some ingredients in wax can be harmful and abrasive to the new paint. As long as you gently wash your car fairly often during this time, it should be easy to keep it clean. When you do wax for the first time, make sure to use a carnauba wax.
	DON'T - Wipe your car with a dry towel. If you need to spot clean your car, make sure to rinse the area first, and then use the towel. Even with a very soft towel, dry-wiping could still scratch your new paint.
	DON'T - Scrape ice, snow, or mud off your car. If you have ice, snow, or mud buildup on your car, definitely do not use a hard scraper to remove it. It's best to avoid these conditions altogether if you can, but if you do encounter them, use water to rinse, and then a soft cloth to remove them.
	DON'T - Drive on roads with loose material like gravel or dirt. You might have a hard time with this if you live in a rural area, but it's very important to avoid roads where your tires might kick up loose material. New paint is very susceptible to chipping during the hardening stage.
	DON'T - Take your car through an automatic car wash for at least a month. Although this was mentioned above, it bears repeating. The harsh chemicals and stiff brushes in automatic car washes can damage your paint and cause it to lose shine. In general, these types of car washes should be avoided as they often cause microabrasions to car paint that will eventually multiply.

Receive Painted Auto Parts On Your Door Step

If you've been in a minor accident that damaged any of your car's body parts, you may not need to visit an auto body shop. Paint A Part will ship freshly painted parts directly to your door. If your vehicle is made after 1990, we probably have your part.

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