WASHINGTON – You might be too old for trick-or-treating, but look out: This Thursday night, someone could target your sweet ride.
They might be demons, or just dopes, but some think it’s funny to coat cars in broken eggs, silly string or smashed pumpkin on All Hallow’s Eve.
Cars with modern paint finishes don’t have to worry as much about long-term damage — just the annoyance of a trip to the car wash. But for those with older cars, Consumer Reports advises taking defensive action.
If eggs and other messes are left on the paint of an older vehicle for a period of time, they can cause permanent stains and even lower your vehicle’s resale value.
Obviously, the best place for a car is in the garage. But if that’s not an option, here are some tips:
- Slap on a protective coat of fresh wax.
- Keep a small spray bottle with soapy water handy to tackle small messes right away.
- If damage has been done to the paint, but hasn’t eaten completely through, wash the car thoroughly and try using a cleaner wax that’s formulated with some abrasives. This can remove a top layer of paint and, hopefully, reveal the undamaged layer underneath.
WTOP’s Brennan Haselton contributed to this report. Follow @bhaseltonWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.
