Pollen piling up on cars across West Tennessee can etch paint, experts say
JACKSON, Tenn. — Spring allergy season isn’t just bad for humans, it could be damaging to your vehicle too. Pollen levels are increasing across West Tennessee and it is piling up on windshields, hoods, and roofs.
“Usually it will take somewhere in between about four days and a week, but it happens at a micro level and a level you don’t even see,” said Ken Huening, CEO and founder of Coverseal Outdoor Protective Cover.
That yellow-green dust coating on your vehicle isn’t just an eyesore. Pollen is acidic and when moisture mixes with it, it can etch into your car’s clear coat and it could possibly be tough to reverse damage.
“If a little bit of moisture is combined with the pollen then that acid starts etching into not only just your paint or clear coat but worse it can actually attack your metals so if you have nice chrome bumpers or chrome wheels or any chrome on your car those actually will start showing a little more damage,” said Huening.
So how do you fight back? Washing regularly during peak pollen season is a must.
“Washing a car. I usually go through a car wash 2 to 3 times a week. There are various different methods, but really once you wash your car what you should do in the spring is wax your car,” said Huening.
Huening recommends waxing your car with a ceramic hybrid or teflon-based wax. These waxes create a barrier that makes it harder for pollen to stick and pollen isn’t the only thing threatening your car this spring. Tree sap is also a major culprit.
“It can also be very damaging to the paint because when you get it off you can actually lift some of the paint with it because it is sticky and adheres to things,” said Huening.
For tree sap issues, Huening recommends parking away from trees and he also says to try to park under covered spaced to avoid bird dropping damage.
It is also recommended to check air filters and to keep up with your maintenance to have a longer lasting vehicle.
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