Important Tips
First of all, let's deal with the main issue. Know! It is highly undesirable to wash your car in the first 14 days after repainting. During this period, the final polymerization of the dye and varnish (if it has been applied) occurs. The washing process can disrupt the reaction and cause damage to the paintwork.
- After the specified period, the car must be washed with extreme caution the first 2-3 times. Do this only by hand so as not to damage the top layer of paintwork. Use a gentle stream of water and a soft-bristled brush. Car shampoos and polishes cannot be used.
- Do not wash your car immediately after a long trip, especially in the summer. Wait until the body cools down. Otherwise, overheating of the metal will negatively affect the paintwork during the washing process.
- It is not recommended to wash your car in direct sunlight. Water drops that accumulate on the body begin to act as lenses and allow the sun to burn through the coating. Windy weather conditions are also not very suitable for car washing. The cleaning agent may remain on the machine and there is a risk of deterioration of the paint. Optimal weather conditions in this case: slightly cloudy, cool and shade.
Types of drying devices
How long does the entire process of drying a car after painting take in total? It all depends on the chosen method of drying the surface. There are 3 types of drying, each of which differs in the way heat penetrates. All this directly affects the overall speed and quality of paint drying. After painting a car, the following types of drying devices are used:
Convection dryers
Drying chamber design diagram
Special convection drying chambers can make the paint drying process as quick and easy as possible. Drying occurs due to heat transferred directly from the source to the surface of the car through heated air. This process is comparable to using a simple home fireplace with a special fan, only in our case all air masses are evenly distributed over the surface of the machine. At the same time, the heating upper layer gradually transfers heat to the lower layers. After painting, the car dries in less time, and the paint material is securely fixed and subsequently holds up well. This drying option is considered the easiest.
The disadvantage of this method is that with intensive drying, the top layer dries faster than the lower ones, and the evaporation of the lower layer can destroy the upper one. From here, microcracks in the varnish may appear, which will reduce its protective properties.
Drying process using IR radiation
Thermoradiation method
This drying method is based on heating the car body using infrared radiation. Such rays pass freely through the top layers of varnish and paint and heat the body itself, so this method does not have the disadvantage that the first option has. These cameras are equipped with special infrared emitters, which can be of several types. Such means belong to the category of sources of infrared waves, the wavelength of which completely depends on the overall temperature of the emitter. After infrared radiation hits an already painted surface, molecules vibrate in the metal casing of the car and it gradually heats up. Since the painted surface dries from the inside, there is no dried crust and no microcracks form on the top layer.
Combined methods
How long will it take a car to dry after painting if you dry it in a mixed-type chamber? In this case, drying occurs fastest. These cameras contain not only IR emitters but also fans that drive warm air onto the surface of the car. This ensures that all layers of paint and varnish dry evenly.
Mobile infrared dryer, used in small car services
Car detergents
Now that we have figured out whether it is possible to wash a car after painting, let’s find out what means are recommended to do this after complete polymerization of the paintwork.
To wash cars in the autumn-winter season, cleaning products that contain silicone are used. They make it possible to remove dirt from the body, as well as decorative elements, without the use of water. In addition, such substances create a protective film on the paint, which protects the surface from negative atmospheric influences.
Many special car shampoos are also produced. They have different properties. For example, polishing shampoo removes any type of dirt from the body and forms a protective wax layer. An analogue that has an anti-corrosion effect prevents rust from appearing during and after washing the car.
Special cleaners are produced for washing decorative panels and plastic elements, as well as mirrors and glass. These products carefully remove dirt from these areas of the car and do not damage them.
Drying after painting in a small workshop
How to properly dry after painting? The process can be carried out right in the garage. Moreover, it can be done in parts: with the help of reflectors and similar equipment, you can easily dry the paint first on one area of the car, then on the next, etc. Of course, the distance between the heat source and the surface of the part should be strictly controlled.
Sometimes there is no time to wait for drying to be completed naturally. In this case, it is quite justified to use infrared lamps. This is a fairly compact equipment that can be used independently or as a drying chamber for a car. Compact manual drying allows you to dry paint on parts even in places that are inaccessible to drying chambers. These include interior panels or interior elements.
How to properly wash the body?
The body must be washed consistently, otherwise you will damage its paintwork, which may lead to repeated repainting. Remove wet dirt immediately with a soft cloth. If it has already dried, then first you need to soak it well and only then remove it. It is highly not recommended to scrape off dirt adhering to the car with a hard brush or other sharp device; you should also not scrub it off. Such actions will damage the paintwork.
You need to start washing your car from top to bottom, in other words, from the roof. Moisten it with warm water. Next, dilute car shampoo in a plastic bucket. Such chemicals perfectly wash away dirt from the body; in addition, they also remove acidic substances that can cause metal corrosion.
Never use alkaline cleaners, solvents or washing powders, as they will attack the paintwork.
To completely wash your car, it will be enough to dilute the shampoo in 6-8 liters of water. Soak a soft cloth or sponge well in the resulting solution, then begin to wash the car. The detergent must be removed under a gentle stream of water from any hose.
You can attach a soft brush to the working end of the hose, thereby creating the effect of a manual contact wash. After completing the procedure, you should dry the car with a dry soft cloth.
How can you not wash your car after painting?
Now let’s briefly look at what you should absolutely not do:
- Do not use brushes to wash the body.
- It is not recommended to use old sponges that you used before repainting the car.
- Do not use household cleaners.
- Do not use cheap car shampoos, especially those purchased in bulk, without a label with detailed instructions from the manufacturer.
- Do not wash your car on areas with grass, gravel, or sand.
- You should not wash a newly painted car in a strong wind, which picks up dust from the ground and throws it onto the body, right under your sponge.
- Do not wash under the scorching sun. Drops of water on the body will work like magnifying lenses, and concentrated sunlight will simply burn through the fragile paint.
- Avoid self-service car washes at first.
- Avoid visiting unprofessional car washes with a bad reputation.
- Do not remove traces of water from the body using silicone scrapers.
It is best not to do this during further operation of the car, however, the fresh paintwork will deteriorate from such actions literally in an instant.
Cleaning machine parts
To clean components, car thresholds, closed body cavities, as well as its underbody, special products are used: powders and liquid compositions. They are applied before anti-corrosion body treatment.
To remove bitumen, oil or grease stains, you must use the “Auto Cleaner for Bitumen Stains”. It will carefully clean the surface of the body and other elements of the car without causing harm to the paintwork.
Car cleaner should be applied with a soft cloth. Next, you need to wait a few minutes so that the dirt has time to soften. Afterwards, wipe the surface to be treated dry with a clean soft cloth.
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Infrared method
It takes a minute to remove consumables from the car surface to be painted. Compact infrared drying can treat an area of 20 by 40 centimeters. The power source of this device is the electrical network. The optimal distance between the lamp and the painted surface is 50 centimeters. The infrared dryer module has a cassette positioning system, which allows you to change the height and position of the device.
If your workshop is too small, you can use a more compact module. However, it should be taken into account that the surface area to be treated will also be smaller. Such models have a timer indicating the elapsed time. This allows you to find out how long the surface takes to dry after painting the car.
The convective method of drying paint is traditional. Its main advantage is its simplicity and low cost. In a small room this can be done using reflectors and heating panels. The disadvantage is the high rate of heating of the parts, so you should be careful, because in the case of rapid heating, the top layers of paint dry faster than the inner ones. With further heating of the metal and drying of the inner layers of paint, the surface may become covered with bubbles.
To avoid peeling of the paint layer, it is necessary to ensure very slow heating of the parts after painting. This is a disadvantage compared to an infrared lamp. That is why drying the car should be done in several ways in turn.
How exactly should you wash your car? Some useful tips for choosing a good detergent
Drivers often wonder what to wash their car with after painting. Indeed, it is very important to choose a suitable detergent for your car. We are happy to bring you the answer.
girl washes car
There are several types of products on sale that allow you to carry out high-quality car washing after several weeks after painting, as well as in the future. Depending on the season, you can choose:
- Cleaning products based on silicone. They allow you to create the thinnest film on the surface of the coating, which will subsequently protect it from all kinds of damage. Such products are often used during the autumn-winter period.
- Polishes and car shampoos. In this row you can see shampoos that can polish the surface of a car (they are based on wax). The result of their use will be an additional shine to the car. A good example of such a product is ZipWax shampoo. There are also car shampoos that prevent corrosion. They will help you protect your car from traces of rust.
