In a world overflowing with digital marketing messages, outdoor advertising feels like a breath of fresh air, and vehicle wraps are about as creative as you can get with them. But everything has a kryptonite, even wraps! Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t play nice and any oversight vis-à-vis upkeep can result in a depreciating return on investment.
So, let’s take a look into some ideas on how you can look after your wraps.
Apart from good maintenance of your vehicle, regular cleaning of a wrap is of importance as it prolongs the life of the graphics. This would be of prime importance in areas of high urban congestion and industrial regions.
To derive the best out of your investment we suggest the following tips:
Washing
Hand washing the wrap is the simplest and the safest way to go ahead. Start off by rinsing the vehicle thoroughly with clean water, this would remove most solid particles and avoid scratching the graphics. Using a mild detergent mixed with water along with a soft sponge apply the solution all over the vehicle. Wash off the detergent from top down with running water.
Pressure washing is not suggested, as it may cause damage if not performed by an expert, but if you must then keep the following guidelines, water pressure must be kept below 1200 psi, water temperature must be kept below 180 degrees F (80 C), the nozzle must be kept perpendicular to the graphic (chipping damage can be avoided).
It is critically important to never put the nozzle directly on your wrap, due to extreme pressure in the pressure washer the vinyl could rip right off.
Film Maintenance
Clean as regularly as possible, especially when there is dirt on the wraps. Simply rinsing off the dirt as immediately as possible will do wonders. The longer dirt stays on your wrap, the harder it will be to get rid of.
If there are stubborn stains such as those caused by bird droppings, tar spots or bug splatters, then rinse the wrap vigorously with a hot, soapy solution. If the stains are too hard to remove then try using a citrus base cleaner, Isopropyl alcohol or denatured alcohol for better results.
Special care must be taken to make sure the cleaning products and wax you use is safe for the type of vinyl that your vehicle is wrapped with.
Protection from the Elements
Vinyl wrap films, very similar to Paint, will start deteriorating with prolonged exposure to the sun; atmospheric pollutants may adversely affect the quality of the vinyl as well. Therefore care must be taken to park your vehicles in a garage or under a shade of some sort whenever. Parking under trees for a prolonged period may end up ruining your investment as certain tree sap may be very damaging to Vinyl. It is recommended to use a cover on your vehicle during storage, where it has the lowest marketing impact.
Like any other marketing collateral, vinyl wraps need to be looked after so that the elements do not take a toll on them. The above mentioned processes should help you derive the best out of your investment for as long as possible.
