A vehicle wrap is one of the most effective ways to put your business on the road. Every trip turns your car or van into a moving billboard, catching the eye of thousands of people. But wraps don’t just take care of themselves. The same vinyl that makes your brand shine can also fade, peel, or crack if you don’t look after it.

The good news? Proper care isn’t complicated. You just need a consistent routine and a few smart habits. Here’s a step-by-step approach to vehicle wrap care that will keep your branding looking professional for years.

Step 1: Wash regularly, and do so by hand.

Grime is the enemy of any vehicle wrap, so the first principle of vehicle wrap care is to wash, wash, wash. But your standard car wash stands to do more harm than good.

Dust, dirt, and road film build up quickly, and if left too long, those things will dull your brand’s colours while wearing down the vinyl of the wrap itself. In this case, it’s important to choose hand washing over drive-through car washes. The brushes in automatic washers are too rough and can scratch or lift the vinyl.

While you’re washing, use a soft sponge or cloth with a mild car cleaner. Strong detergents or solvents can eat into the material. This is also why it’s important to rinse with plenty of clean water, then dry off with a clean microfiber towel.

We recommend a quick weekly wash if you take your vehicle out daily, or every two weeks for lighter use.

Step 2: Protect your wrap against the weather.

Aotearoa is world-renowned for having a particularly tough sun. Thanks to that thinning ozone layer, UV rays are one of the fastest ways to fade your vehicle wrap. Rain, wind, and salt sprays also take their unique toll.

It might seem impossible to protect against, there are ways to defeat those UV rays that you can incorporate into your vehicle wrap care. Think of the 3 Cs:

•         Cover: Whenever possible, park in a garage or under cover. Shade will dramatically slow the fading.
•         Coat: If you can’t avoid parking outdoors, consider adding a protective coating to your vinyl wrap every so often. We can recommend a matching product for your particular wrap that can help it resist UV rays and pollutants.
•         Cleanse: If you’re near the coast or other areas with a lot of pollutants in the air, rinse your vehicle down more often. Salt, in particular, speeds up wear.

In essence, you’re doing what you can to put sunscreen over your vehicle wrap. All of these are general best practices for owning any kind of vehicle, but in the case of vehicle wrap care, a little prevention will save you a lot of trouble later on.

Step 3: Spot clean any issues quickly.

As part of your vinyl wrap care, there are certain contaminants you need to watch out for. Bird droppings, tree sap, tar, or fuel spills can damage your wrap if they’re left sitting for too long.

As soon as you notice any of these contaminants, act to spot clean them. The longer they stay, the harder they are to remove. Use a damp microfiber cloth with warm water to gently lift the mark. In some cases, you might need to break out the specific wrap cleaner.

The golden rule here is to never scrape at the surface. This will lift the wrap prematurely, so avoid any tools that could compromise it.

Step 4: Build some light maintenance into your routine.

The occasional wash will do a lot to protect your car’s wrap, but there are also a few good habits you can build into your routine that will help keep it pristine.

Your vinyl car wrap is designed to endure quite a lot, so there’s not much to look out for. But out of an abundance of caution, it pays to do a visual check of the edges and seams every so often. If you catch a small lift early – perhaps from a nick or scrape – then it’s much easier to sort it in the early stages rather than repairing the full peel.

If you’ve wrapped more than one vehicle, the stakes are higher. Customers often see multiple vehicles on the road, and one poorly maintained wrap can bring down the professional image of the entire fleet.

Try using these guidelines to set a maintenance schedule for all the vehicles in your fleet. Consistent washes and professional touch-ups on the rare occasion they’re needed will help maintain a professional image across your entire fleet.

At the end of the day, vehicle wrap care comes down to some common-sense additions to your monthly routine. Wash gently and often, shield it from harsh conditions, deal with contaminants quickly, and keep an eye on wear. Add in the occasional professional repair, and your wrap will serve you (and your brand) for years.

It’s a simple routine, but it makes the difference between a wrap that looks tired after 18 months and one that keeps turning heads five years down the track.

Get a professional vinyl wrap that will go the distance.

We’re The Sign Studio, your one-stop shop for all things signage. Our team of expert designers and signwriters in Auckland are here to help you equip your vehicle or fleet with top-notch branding.

Explore our sign-wrapping services or get in touch to discuss the finer points of vehicle wrap care.