Whether you've had a shopping cart ding your car in the parking lot or you've gotten into a fender bender, your car's auto paint can become damaged over time. While auto body repairs can restore your car's look and function, there are a lot of substances that can damage your car's paint. Here's what you should know about auto paint damage.

What Damages Car Paint?

Auto paint has several natural enemies. Bird droppings and bugs are unavoidable and are more than just disgusting inconveniences. Their acids can eat away at the vehicle's paint and cause irreparable harm that only an auto body shop can repair with a fresh coat of paint. You should also avoid tree sap, another natural element that can surprisingly eat away at your car's finish. 

There are chemicals typically found in a garage where you work on equipment and vehicles that can remove auto paint unintentionally. Brake fluid, for example, can thin non-silicone-based paint and eat away at the coating that will cause your paint to peel. When filling up your tank, avoid any gas leaking onto your paint. While the gas will evaporate and you won't see any damage initially, it can leave behind tough stains to remove.

How Can You Prevent Damage?

The best way to prevent damage to your car's paint is to keep it covered and in a safe area of the garage. Outside elements like the sun's rays, tree sap, and bird droppings can't harm auto paint if they can't touch it. Washing your car every two weeks with a mild detergent and towel and drying it using microfiber towels will clean away any damaging elements. Always use clean towels when you wipe off any acidic substance. You can also use WD-40 to remove sap and other tricky substances.

You can also add an extra layer of protection to your car's finish by applying wax. A coat of wax should be added every three to six months to keep the paint shining.

If your car's paint is damaged, you can trust Mach 1 Body Shop to restore the finish so that no evidence of scratches or dents will be visible. Located in Hinesville, GA, their experts offer professional auto paint services using computerized painting and mixing equipment that allows them to match your vehicle's color perfectly. You can depend on this auto body repair shop to restore your car to factory condition, no matter what damage it experiences. Call (912) 876-5500 to schedule an appointment, or visit them online to view a complete list of their services.