Regularly scheduled maintenance and cleaning of your vehicle graphics is very important for several reasons. First, it helps portray a positive image to your customers by having great looking advertisements on your vehicles. Secondly, it helps protect and prolong the life of the digitally printed graphic materials. While all of our vehicle graphics are protected with a UV inhibitor laminate, extended periods of neglect can create layers of hard to remove stains and grime. It is important to minimize excessive dirt build up since there are limitations to the type of chemicals that can be used for cleaning. By following a few basic maintenance and care recommendations, you can keep your vehicles new and fresh-looking for many years:

• Maintain a regular wash schedule for vehicles.
Power washing or pressure washing may be used. However, aggressive washing can damage the graphic. Hold nozzle at least 12 inches from surface when using high pressure washing. Soft brushes are recommended to help remove normal levels of dirt and grime. Soaps and cleaners should be mild and non-abrasive and should not contain any alcohol or solvent. These chemicals will breakdown the laminate and destroy the inks in the print.
• Automatic brush washes can be used as well. However, brushes should be soft as overtime brushes can dull the surface.
• For stubborn stains, try Fantastic or 409 using a soft cloth.
• For applied vinyl decals and car wraps make sure that there are no loose graphics that could tear away during the washing cycle. Double check edges of vinyl after washing to make sure that there are no loose materials. If bubbles in vinyl are present due to severe crevices and body lines, do not power wash these areas, as the material can be torn and cracked easily.
• For hard to remove stains such as tar, diesel, and other bituminous materials we recommend a rag dampened with mineral spirits, kerosene, or a 3M citrus based cleaner. Always be sure and test a small area first to make sure the solution is not harmful to the material.