Commercial vehicle wraps (usually made of vinyl) can cover your car to mask the appearance of scratches and dings. Owning a wrapped car can limit the number of touch-ups you need to do on a dented hood or door. Still, for the best vehicle wrap results, be prepared to look after your car before and after the wrapping. Below, youโll find Roadrunner Wrapsโ advice on what you should know to prep your vehicle for car wraps.
Roadrunner Wraps has over 20 years of experience curating car wraps in Virginia Beach and Baltimore. Are you in our service area? Contact us to send a work request. Weโll help you design a car wrap Baltimore and Virginia Beach residents canโt help but notice.
Vehicle Inspection
Before your vehicle is wrapped, a professional must review it for signs of dents, rust, or other damage. Remember to budget the time to have a professional inspect your vehicle. If you know you want to purchase fleet wraps for your companyโs work vehicles, remember that each car needs to be individually inspected. Be sure you are starting the inspection process early so you will have your fleet vehicles finished when you need them.
Washing Your Vehicle
Before you arrive for your car wrap Baltimore appointment, wash your car to remove wax, mud, and bird droppings. Your vehicleโs surface needs to be clean to allow the vinyl to wrap the car properly. When hand washing your vehicle, pay special attention to:
- Fog lights
- Grills
- Hub Caps
- Wheel Wells
- Hood
- Trunk
Grit from the road can quickly accumulate on these surfaces. While cleaning the exterior of your car, this is a great time to vacuum any stray rocks or dirt that may have collected in your vehicleโs trunk, too. Always open doors while cleaning, especially when prepping for a full print vehicle wrap. Wipe around the edges of the doorโs interior. This will prevent dirt specks from falling out and dirtying your new wrap.
Should I Take My Vehicle Through a Car Wash?
Handwashing is the most effective way to ensure that your entire vehicle has been properly washed before it is wrapped. We recommend using a gentle soap, a bucket of water, a sponge, and a soft cloth. You donโt need expensive supplies to wipe down your car, and although the work may take more time out of your morning than visiting a drive-through car wash, the results speak for themselves.
- Make washing easy by mixing soap and water in a spray bottle. Spray the entire surface of your car, then use a cloth or sponge to wash the car.
- Fold and rotate your hand towel to ensure you always touch a clean surface against the side of your vehicle.
Handwashing is a more reliable way to clean every part of your carโs surface. If you donโt wipe down your vehicle thoroughly enough, small dirt smudges or bird droppings could be overlooked by the cleaning team and end up trapped beneath the wrap. If you want to experience the best vehicle wrap results, take the time to give your car a complete hand wash before itโs wrapped.
You should expect to handwash your vehicle frequently once itโs wrapped. (Preferably at least once a month). Car washes use heavily bristled brushes that can reduce the life of your vehicle wrap. Itโs always a good idea to get into the habit of hand washing your car early because if you hope for the best commercial vehicle wrap results, you should avoid car washes at all costs once the wrap is applied.
Your work vehicle represents your brand image. When you set aside the time to care for it, youโll see a more positive reception from potential clients. Your customers are much more likely to treat you as a professional if you and your work vehicle both dress for success.
Roadrunner Wraps also provides fleet wrap services for commercial vehicles so your whole team can feel unified.
Should I Wax My Vehicle Before Wrapping It?
No! Wax and commercial vehicle wraps donโt play nicely together. You should avoid waxing your car before or after applying a vehicle wrap. Using wax can prevent your vehicle wrap from adhering correctly to your carโs surface. This can significantly decrease the appearance and lifespan of your wrap.
Other Vehicle Prep Tips
While the wrap installers work on your vehicle, they will be holding tools, including knives. The workers need to cut shapes in the vinyl to ensure the wrap fits your car perfectly. If you want to protect certain areas of your vehicle from the risk of accidental scratches, you can apply a bit of masking tape to those areas.
Trust that your car wrap installers are doing their best to take excellent care of your work vehicle so youโll have a result you love when the work is done. If you have questions about the wrapping process or what you can do to prepare your vehicle for a visit to their location, it helps to speak directly with the company that will be providing the wrapping job. Chances are, theyโve seen many clean (and many dirty) cars arrive for a wrapping job, and the team can give you additional tips on how to prep your vehicle for your wrapping appointment.
Roadrunner Wraps offers commercial vehicle wraps to Virginia, D.C., and Maryland. Weโre proud of our work and always happy to show it off. Please browse our gallery to check out some of our favorite commercial vehicle wraps. Roadrunner Wraps provides van, food truck, bus, RV, fleet, trailer wraps, and car wraps in Virginia Beach and Baltimore. We serve these areas but also ship products to installers nationwide. Contact us to discuss details for your next wrapping job.
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