Is Washing the Car at Noon Harmful to the Paint?
2 Answers
Washing the car at noon can damage the paint. After being exposed to the midday sun, the car's paint surface becomes very hot. When cold water comes into contact with the hot paint surface, the temperature difference can make the paint brittle and prone to cracking. Precautions for car washing: 1. Avoid using hard water: Do not use anything other than soft water for washing, including hot water, alkaline water, or water with high hardness. These substances can damage the paint. Washing with hard water can leave marks and a film on the car's surface after drying. 2. Avoid using high-pressure water streams: Excessive water pressure can harm the car's paint. If there is stubborn dirt or mud on the car, soak it with water first before rinsing. Use a dispersed water stream for spraying.
I've been driving for over a decade and have washed my car countless times. A few times during summer noons, I rushed to wash my car, only to find tiny cracks appearing on the surface as soon as the cold water hit it. This later required expensive paint repairs. The reason is that at noon, the car's paint gets scorching hot under the sun, and the sudden temperature drop from cold water causes thermal expansion and contraction, making the paint layer prone to cracking. Even worse, water droplets left on the paint act like magnifying glasses, focusing sunlight and burning small pits or spots, completely ruining the appearance. Now, I only wash my car in the morning or evening, adjusting the water temperature to be close to body temperature and avoiding direct sunlight. After washing, it's best to dry it with a soft cloth and apply some car wax to protect the paint, which makes the paint last much longer.
