How to Stop Dust From Sticking to a Car

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as looking at the polished paint of your new car. Unfortunately, that shine is hard to reproduce later on, especially if you don’t know how to stop dust from sticking to a car. Between car washes, your vehicle collects lots of dust and other dirt. Pollen, soil particles, insect pieces — all of these things pile up on the car surface, dulling its color.

Now, dust is impossible to escape, but there are several ways to protect your car from it. In this guide, I’ll show you some of the most common and simplest methods!

Can Dust Scratch the Car Paint?

Dust on the surface of your car doesn’t look great, but typically, you don’t think of it as a threat. After all, it’s just a bunch of tiny particles that barely have any weight, right? Well, I have to disappoint you here — dust certainly isn’t as innocent as it seems.

Dust particles are, essentially, microscopic rocks. A few of these won’t do anything to your paint; however, a large buildup of them can embed into the surface and cause scratches when wet. So while you don’t need to frantically scrub your car whenever you see a bit of dust, make sure not to allow a lot of it to collect on the surface.

Admittedly, improper dust removal is what usually causes scratches on the paint, and not the dust itself. Remember — you have to be quite gentle when polishing your car and use appropriate tools and cleaning agents.

How to Prevent Dust From Sticking to Your Car

Wouldn’t it be nice to just spray your car with some magical product and repel dust forever? Then you’d never have to worry about any buildup or scratched paint ever again! Unfortunately, though, such a spray doesn’t exist yet, so instead, here are some other tried-and-true methods you can use.

Car Wax

Every car owner wishes to have a vehicle so shiny that they see their reflection on the surface. Usually, that dream comes true when you buy a brand new car. But over time, the vehicle slowly loses its shine due to dust.

However, if you wax your car regularly, you can bring back that mirror-like shine and keep the dust at bay for longer. Wax makes the surface of your car slick, so it’s harder for soil and pollen particles to cling to it. In fact, the dust that falls onto the car will stick to the protective wax layer, not the paint itself.

Of course, you can take your car to a professional, but you can also wax it yourself. Believe me — it’s not that hard!

You will need:

• A microfiber towel
• Paste or spray wax
• Car wash shampoo
• Clay bar kit (optional)

Before you start, make sure to carefully wash your car and remove any contaminants from its surface. That should be relatively easy — all you need to do is soap up the surface and rinse the residue off. If you want the wash to be a bit more detailed, go over the surface with a clay bar. It should help remove any loose dirt that remained after washing.

Once the car has dried, it’s time to apply the wax. How you’ll exactly go about this depends on the type of wax you choose. The spray one is used directly from the bottle, while the paste needs to be slathered on with an applicator. Whichever you pick, keep your car out of direct sunlight while you work for the best possible results.

Spray wax is pretty straightforward — you apply it on a small surface, buff it out with a towel, and then use its dry side (or a different dry towel) to go over the whole area once more. And that’s it; your car will be shiny and protected!

When it comes to paste wax, you need to carefully coat your car’s surface segment by segment. Don’t use too much wax, though — that makes it harder to buff the product around. Instead, it’s best to apply less, buff out with back-and-forth motions, and then add more if you need it.

After you’re done, your car should be slick and smooth, with no smudges, streaks, and, most importantly, no dust!

If you’re more of a visual type, though, here is a video that demonstrates exactly how to wax your car.

Paint Sealant

The problem with wax is that it lasts for only a few weeks before you need to reapply it. If you don’t really feel like waxing your car all the time, you should look into a more lasting option. And nothing works better than a paint sealant!

Paint sealants work in a similar way to car waxes — they create a layer on the car surface that reduces the attraction between the paint and the dust. The particles simply slide off the sealant, leaving your car shiny and dust-free.

And much like wax, paint sealant is incredibly easy to apply on your own!

You will need:

• Paint sealant
• A microfiber towel
• Car wash shampoo
• A foam applicator
• Clay bar kit (optional)
• Leaf blower (optional)

At the very beginning, you will need to thoroughly wash your car. Water and car wash shampoo will be sufficient for this task, but you can use a clay bar too if you feel that you need some extra cleaning power. The car must be dry before you start applying the sealant, so to speed up the process, use a leaf blower. Don’t worry — it’s safe to use on the paint and dries the car so much faster!

Now that the car is shiny and clean, it’s time to apply the sealant. The best way to do that is by using a foam applicator that can reach all the nooks and crannies. Make sure to apply only a thin layer — the thinner, the better. A thick layer of sealant will only mute the shine on your car, and you’ll struggle to buff it off.

The sealant needs around 30 minutes to dry before you can buff off the excess product. I recommend starting from one end of the car and slowly working your way to the other. That way, when you finish applying the sealant, it will already be dry on the side you started from and ready for the next phase.

Check whether the sealant has dried by swiping your finger across the area and looking at the mark. If the sealant is smeared, then it’s still not ready to be buffed. If there’s no mark left, feel free to start.

And remember — sealant needs some time to cure before getting wet again. I’d advise you not to drive the car in the rain for at least ten hours after applying it. That way, you’ll ensure it sticks for longer!

Car Cover

If you have a car that you’re not driving that often, but still want to keep dust away from it, use a car cover. Simply place it over your car, making sure that no parts are exposed. Though this method doesn’t guarantee that no dust will fall on your car, it does protect the surface quite well.

Keep in mind that you will have to remove the cover and wash it from time to time. It can’t sit on your car forever — it will get dirty eventually, and that can be detrimental to the car paint due to all the grime and debris it collects.

In Conclusion

You may never be able to avoid dust buildup on your car entirely, but that doesn’t mean you can’t at least reduce it. Try out some of these methods, or better yet, use a few at the same time. You’ll see the results right away — your car will look less dusty and more polished!