Will wiping car paint with alcohol cause it to lose its shine?
2 Answers
It will lose its shine. Alcohol can damage car paint because it is a strong solvent that makes the paint matte, thereby causing the car paint to lose its gloss. Car washing: 1. Regular washing: Car washing is divided into regular washing and detailed washing. Regular car washing refers to traditional hand washing and tunnel washing, which are favored by many car owners due to their low cost and simplicity. 2. Detailed washing technology: The other type is detailed car washing technology, which originated in Europe and is also known as "European-style detailed car washing." It was introduced to China at the end of 2010. Detailed car washing involves thorough cleaning of both the interior and exterior of the car, making it more meticulous and cleaner than traditional car washing. Car washing is a frequent task for every car owner or driver, and car wash shops have gradually become a hot investment project in many large and medium-sized cities.
Once I accidentally wiped my car paint with alcohol, and it did lose some gloss. The main reason is that alcohol contains solvent components like isopropanol, which can dissolve the clear coat on the surface of the car paint—that's the key part protecting the gloss. After the clear coat is dissolved, the paint surface may become blurry or matte, especially if the car paint is new or the coating is thin. I suggest using dedicated car cleaners next time, like the sprays available on the market, and avoid experimenting with alcohol. If you accidentally wipe it with alcohol, rinse off the residue with water immediately and try applying wax to restore the gloss, though the effect may be limited. For regular car paint maintenance, it's best to use soft cloths and neutral cleaning products, avoiding any strong solvents, to maintain that shiny new-car look for a long time. Also, different paint materials have different risks—metallic paint is more resistant, while regular paint is more vulnerable—so everyone should consider their car's paint type.
