Once the film is on, the questions change. How do I wash it? Can it go through the car wash? What’s that little bubble on the hood? The good news is that paint protection film asks very little of you. The catch is that the few mistakes people do make tend to happen at the edges, and the edges are where film fails.
Here’s how to look after XPEL paint protection film so it keeps doing its job for years.
The first few days
Film goes on wet. Installers use a slip solution so each piece can be positioned, then squeegee the water out. A little moisture always stays behind and works its way out over the following days, sometimes longer when it’s cold. You might see small water pockets or a slight haze in spots. That’s normal, and it usually clears on its own.
What to do in the meantime is mostly nothing. Don’t press on the bubbles, don’t pick at the edges, and don’t wash the car until your installer says it’s ready. If a bubble is still there after a few weeks, or it looks like a speck of dirt or a pocket of air rather than water, give us a call.
A washing routine that works
Treat the film the way you’d treat good paint:
- Rinse first to knock off grit before anything touches the surface.
- Use two buckets: one with pH-neutral car shampoo, one with clean water for rinsing the mitt.
- Wash with a soft microfiber mitt, top down, and save the lower panels for last because they’re the dirtiest.
- Rinse well, then dry with a clean microfiber towel or a blower.
Every week or two is plenty for most cars. In salt season, rinse more often and don’t wait for the car to look dirty.
Pressure washers
They’re fine if you’re sensible about it. Use a wide fan tip, keep the nozzle back from the surface, and never aim it straight at an edge of the film. A tight stream at close range is one of the easiest ways to lift an edge.
Automatic car washes
Skip the ones with spinning brushes or cloth strips. They can catch an edge, and they drag grit from the last fifty cars across your film. Touchless washes are gentler, although their soaps can be harsh. A hand wash is best. In the middle of a Michigan winter, though, a touchless rinse still beats leaving salt on the car.
What to keep off the film
- Rubbing compounds and heavy polishes, unless the product is made for film. They can dull the top coat.
- Harsh solvents such as lacquer thinner, acetone or strong tar removers. If you need a bug or tar remover, pick one labeled safe for PPF.
- Waxes with dyes or heavy solvents. Wax also builds up along film edges and turns into a dark line over time.
- Abrasive tools, including scrub pads, stiff brushes and melamine foam sponges.
- Ice scrapers and fingernails. Neither belongs anywhere near a film edge.
Bugs, bird droppings and tree sap
Film handles these far better than bare paint, but don’t let them bake on. In summer heat, a bird dropping or a coat of bugs left for days can stain the top layer. Soak the spot with warm water or a film-safe bug remover, give it a minute and wipe gently. If it doesn’t come off, don’t scrub harder. Soak it again.
What wears out over time
Good film lasts for years, but it isn’t permanent. It helps to know what normal aging looks like.
- The top coat. Heat from the sun, a heated garage or a warm-water rinse makes light swirls fade. After many years of sun and washing, though, the surface doesn’t bounce back quite the way it did when it was new.
- The impact zones. The front edge of the hood and the bumper take hit after hit. The paint underneath stays safe, but the film there can start to show small marks of its own.
- Edges. Exposed edges collect dirt and wax. Wrapped edges, where the film tucks around the panel, hold up better.
- Yellowing. Older-generation and cheaper films can yellow in the sun. Modern premium films are made to resist it.
XPEL backs its Ultimate Plus film with its own 10-year manufacturer warranty. That’s XPEL’s warranty on the film, under XPEL’s terms, so keep your install paperwork somewhere you can find it.
When to have it checked
Give us a call if you notice any of these:
- An edge that’s lifting or holding a dark line of dirt
- A tear, puncture or deep scratch that doesn’t fade with heat
- A stain that won’t wash out
- Bubbles that show up long after the install
- Yellowing, cloudiness or patches that have lost their gloss
- Any collision or body repair on a covered panel
That last one deserves a note. If a body shop repaints a panel that had film on it, the panel will need new film, and fresh paint has to cure before film can go on. Tell the body shop about the film up front, and ask them when the new paint will be ready for it.
Fixing a damaged piece
Kit film goes on panel by panel, so one damaged piece can usually be replaced without redoing the whole front of the car.
It’s tempting to try a DIY patch with a pre-cut piece ordered online. On a small, flat spot, a patient owner can sometimes pull it off. More often the result disappoints. The old piece has to come off without leaving adhesive behind, the panel has to be spotless, and the new film has to go down without dust, fingerprints or stretch marks. A bad patch is usually easier to spot than the damage it was meant to cover.
Want it even easier to wash?
A ceramic coating on top of the film makes water bead and run off, and dirt has a harder time sticking. It doesn’t add chip protection. That’s still the film’s job. What it does is cut down on washing effort. If that sounds good, read about our FeynLab ceramic coating and ask whether it’s a good match for your film.
Questions about your film?
If something on your film doesn’t look right, or you want a second opinion on a product before you use it, call us at (810) 529-0019. Thinking about film for another vehicle? Ask for a free quote. Midwest Paint Protection is in Otisville, near Flint, and we’re open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, by appointment.
