Undercoating & Rust Proofing

 What is the difference between Undercoating and Rust Proofing?

Simply put, undercoating protects the frame of your vehicle and rust proofing protects the body of your vehicle. Below we are going to walk you through each of the procedures so you can get a clear idea of what the purpose of each service is. Many people ask us which is the best protection for the potential corrosion due to winter road salt application, and we always recommend undercoating for this type of protection. It gives a solid protective barrier against any salt deposits and will greatly increase the life of your vehicle’s frame.

 Undercoating: WHY and HOW we do it.

Why: To have your car or truck undercoated means having a layer of protection sprayed onto the undercarriage of your vehicle, including the floorboards, wheel wells, and frame. Since the underside of your vehicle is not washed during regular maintenance and is not even rinsed by regular rainwater, it is important to protect the exposed parts from rust and corrosion.

How: Applying an undercoating the very first thing that we're going to do is clean the whole underside of your vehicle - remove all the road grime, road salt, mud, grease - anything that contributes corrosion. Then we'll put the vehicle on our four post drive on lift, put it up in the air and dry the underside of the vehicle with our high-pressure air system. Then we'll apply a thick coating of our abrasion-resistant undercoating to the underside of the vehicle, the floor pans, frame rails, rocker panels - everything on the underside of your vehicle that doesn't move or get hot (like your exhaust system, drive train or shocks).

 Rust Proofing: WHY and HOW we do it.

Why: Rust is a sneaky beast to deal with. We have all seen cars completely rusted out on the side of the road or abandoned in a ditch, and we can picture doors with huge holes rusted out with only a hint of original paint showing. The interesting thing is that rust actually starts to accumulate on a car very early in ownership, it is just hidden away inside the floor panels, inside the doors, and underneath the wheel wells so it is impossible to see. Once you start to see the first signs of rust, it has already been growing from the inside all along. When you realize where the rust starts, the solution is a no brainer.

How: To bake up a delicious batch of rust, you only three ingredients: Iron, water, and oxygen. Since we drive out in the elements all day in vehicles made of steel, we are creating the perfect environment for rust to form, grown, and eventually devour everything in its path.

Once you know how rust forms the solution is simple. The rust proofer we use is a type of extremely thick wax that can be sprayed onto surfaces or into tight spaces using a hose. By laying a thick durable wax coating inside the doors, the hood, and between the pinch welds of the frame we remove all three of the ingredients needed for rust to form. Oxygen can’t get to the iron ore in the steel and water and condensation are repelled away on contact.

We do not spray rust proofing on the underside of the vehicle. Since it is a waxy finish it makes an awful mess, dirt sticks to it, and your mechanic will be cursing your name if they need to get in there to repair something. Since the exposed areas of the vehicle are able to dry, unlike the inside of the panels, it is much less of a risk for rust.

If you'd like to protect your vehicle against corrosion - Undercoating and Rust Proofing are great options - reach out to Automotive Protection Services in Fairfax Virginia (703) 591 0900 

Winter Time Paint Finish Protection

winter is often a time of year that we hear folks saying the same thing - "I think I'll wait until the spring before I get my car detailed "- and sure we get that... But there is more to consider. The harsh conditions of the winter weather, combined with the strong chemicals that the road crews put down can cause some serious impacts to your vehicle, it's actually the time of year when the most vigilance must be employed to protect your cars finish. Here are a few strategies that will help you protect your pride and joy until the weather turns warm again.

Get a Quality Paint Sealant Designed to Withstand Winter Weather

Superior paint protection can withstand exposure to road salt and cold temperatures. Dirt, snow, salt, and grime are easier to clean off your car’s exterior when there is a synthetic paint sealant. The polymers in modern paint sealants create an effective shield from water, road salts, and chemicals. Paint sealant will also seal paint chips and scratches, thus reducing further damage caused by oxidation.

Talk to your auto detailer about the best paint sealant options for the winter condition

ions in your area.

Protect Your Vehicle’s Tires & Wheel Wells

Freezing temperatures can damage your tires. The rubber needs to stay hydrated to prevent cracking. Get your tires treated with a quality tire dressing that not only keeps them looking good but also acts as a barrier from the harsh elements of winter and the ozone that causes rubber to deteriorate. A protective wax for your wheels will repel snow and ice. It requires regular reapplications to provide maximum protection.

Treat your wheel wells with a silicone based dressings to prevent the buildup of snow, ice and road salt. Undercoating in your wheel well is the best way to protect your vehicle against the formation of rust.

While you are at your professional auto wash, make sure your tires are properly inflated. Colder temperatures make tires under-inflated, thus making it difficult to maneuver on icy roads.

Treat the Interior of Your Car

Winter can be troublesome to leather and cloth upholstery. Cold air removes moisture from leather. In order to restore moisture to the leather, treat it with a special conditioner before the temperature dips below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The leather is poorly receptive to conditioner if the temperature is below 50 degrees.

Cloth upholstery can easily get water stained from even the smallest amount of snow or freezing rain on your coat and gloves when you sit in your vehicle. Professional auto detailing services wash your car seats and treat it with special products that make cloth upholstery more stain resistant. Alternatively, you can have your detailer spot clean stains as well.

Detailing Tips: Winter Protection

Detailing Tips:  Winter Protection 
During the winter season, our vehicles are the most susceptible to harsh conditions. The dirt and road salt that comes during this season can wreak havoc on the car’s exterior. A damaged paint finish is not only unattractive, but it can reduce the car’s value when you want to sell it or trade it in. As experts, we recommend that vehicle owners implement strategies that can prevent tire damage, rim damage, exterior paint, and body damage and undercarriage decay.

1) Regular vehicle washing

It is important that we regularly wash our vehicles during the winter season more so than any other time of the year. This is because the snow, slush, and grit combined with road salt make vehicles rust. Salt will prematurely degrade and damage sealants applied to the exterior. Hand wash and rinse the car, use a high-pressure sprayer to ensure all the grit and snow is removed. Clean the undercarriage, bumpers, wheel wells and other hard-to-reach areas that are likely to rust.

2) Seal the Paint

It is important to provide the exterior of your car with a protective coating to withstand the extreme winter conditions. A paint sealant is equipped with polymers that can shield your car against water and road salts. Salt, dirt, grime, and snow are easier to clean when your car is coated with a paint sealant. Additionally, the sealant will protect your vehicle from scratches and chips and reduces the damage caused by oxidation.

3) Remove Salt Stain from the Car Carpets

Always care for the carpets, seats, and floor mats during winter. Use a solution of half-distilled vinegar and half water to remove salt stains on floor mats, carpets, and seats. Use stiff brushes to loosen the dirt from the carpets and upholstery. It can take several scrubbing sessions to remove some salt stains completely. Salt stains on leather seats can be eliminated by the use of a conditioner that contains aloe.

4) Care for the Wheels

Just like there are protective sealants for car paint, there are specialized sealants for vehicle wheels as well. Protective tire sealants prevent brake dust adhesion and repel ice and snow from adhering to the treads. There are also nano-based ceramic glass coatings that can keep wheels safe from salt buildup, which comes with long-term consequences. Also, use specially mixed acid solutions to remove dirt, brake dust, and residue from wheels. Alternatively, we can use a nonacid product instead of acid-based cleaners since they cause oxidation on bare alloy wheels and can damage wheels with clear coatings.

Final Thoughts

While many car owners prefer to stay warm by the fireplace during the winter season, it is also nice to care for the car. Winter detailing will help avoid costly repairs while maintaining a car that is in good condition.

YOUR CAR NEEDS A PROFESSIONALLY DETAIL AFTER THE WINTER SEASON

During the winter, pre-treatment brine, salt, and other chemicals that are used to keep the roads clear, sand, slush, mud and other grime, all get thrown into the tight crevices under the vehicle. Those same chemicals and dirt also get splashed up onto your vehicle's paint. Not only is the road grime detrimental to the paint, but it will also cause the vehicle's underbody and frame to rust. While you should wash the salt and other chemicals off your vehicle as soon as possible during the winter, it's important to fully detail your vehicle in early spring.

Clean the Underbody and Frame.

Use a good de-greasing solvent that will cut the grime and clean the undercarriage of your vehicle to keep it from rusting the brakes, axles, frame and other steel or cast-iron parts under the vehicle. Once the underbody is clean, you'll be able to work on the rest of the vehicle. While you could clean and detail it yourself, you should have a professional detail the vehicle to ensure that it is free of dirt, grime, and harmful chemicals. See this article for more information about how to protect the undercarriage of your vehicle.

Detail the Exterior

Hand-wash the entire vehicle using a PH balanced soap. Pressure wash and scrub the wheels and wells and tires, use an iron removing product to melt away brake dust and other ferrous metal on the wheels.  Spot free rinse with reverse osmosis water, compressed air to ensure zero water spotting. Clay bar the painted surfaces to remove road tar, bugs, and other contaminants that become embedded into the painted surface paint and over time will break down your vehicles clear coat.

Interior Detailing

Detailing the interior of your vehicle is just as important as detailing the exterior. Dirt, grime, and contaminants get ground into the carpeting, even if you have

floor mats. Over time, dust and other grime get ground into the seats. Our interior detailing will make your vehicle look, feel and smell new again.






Maintaining your vehicles appearance not only improves how it looks, but it also protects it against premature ageing. To continue learning more follow us online.