How To Protect Car From Sun In Open Parking [17 Ways 2023] | Flawless Car Guide

You probably already know that prolonged exposure to the sun may be harmful to our skin, but what about the effects it might have on our car’s paint?

There has been a significant rise in the number of people who leave their cars parked outdoors on regular basis. Though it’s tempting to save time and effort in this way, you should know that doing so can severely damage your car.

Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays can do significant damage to your car. The extreme heat can eat away the vehicle paint, waxes, and sealants, and the plastic parts can melt.

The extreme heat can also cause high temperatures in the interior that will have damaging effects on the car’s dashboard and upholstery.

So how to protect your car from the sun in open parking? In this article, we will discuss 17 simple tips to prevent sun damage. 

For your convenience, we have divided the simple tips into:

• Exterior
• Interior

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How To Protect Car From Sun In Open Parking?

Prolonged exposure leaves cars vulnerable to the sun’s harsh rays. The sun can damage a car’s paint job and make the interior hotter than usual. There are a few things drivers can do to prevent UV damage on cars.

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To Protect Car Exterior:

• Park in a shadow
• Use car cover
• Wash the car more often
• Use UV car protection spray
• Use Wax to protect the paint
• Paint protection film (ceramic coatings)
• Check for underinflated tires
• Use the car umbrella

To Protect Car Interior:

• Clean the interior more often
• Car’s dashboard protection from the sun
• Keep the windows a little down
• Close the panoramic sunroof
• Use window shades
• Install Seat covers
• Install tint for windows
• Install windshield shade
• Use leather conditioner

Let’s get a detailed perspective of each point:

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Exterior:

Sunlight damage the exterior in several ways. It is difficult to anticipate this type of damage because it happens so gradually. The most common way is through the oxidation of the paint on the surface area. 

The hazardous UV rays will break down the car’s finish over time, resulting in fading, flaking, cracking, and blistering. 

Although there is no way to undo the damaging effects on your vehicle, it is possible to avoid it.

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Park In a Shadow:

A great way to reduce the risk of sunlight damage is to park your car in a shadow.

Parking in the shade can help keep the car cooler during the summer months. When you park in the shade, you save your car from the summer heat and protect the car interior from the sun. 

Parking under direct sunlight for too long can lead to paint fading, plastic and rubber cracking, and even glass windshields shattering. 

If you have to pay to park, it’s still worth it because the cost of sunlight damage to your car would be far higher.

To prevent sun damage, park your vehicle in a shaded area between 10 am and 4 pm when the sun is strongest.

Use Car Cover:

Cars covers will act as a protective layer and protect your car from weather damage, leaves and debris, bird droppings, and dust. It will prevent sun rays from fading and cracking car paint.

Additionally, it will protect the car’s dashboard from the sun. A car cover is a useful security feature since it prevents would-be thieves from breaking into your vehicle and taking your belongings.

Car covers are a budget-friendly option if you are looking for the best way to protect cars parked outside. Each vehicle has its measures, and you can get one for your vehicle online or from any auto store. 

Wash The Car More Often:

Car washes not only makes your car look better but also protect the car paint from the sun.

Car wash helps get rid of bugs, dirt, and grime. It also protects from corrosion that might otherwise be caused by exposure to direct sunlight. 

Dead bugs left in extreme heat can decompose in the cracks if left untreated for too long. This could cause paint to fade because of the acid it releases.

Experts advise cleaning your car once a month at the very least, but you can do it more frequently if you choose.

Use UV Car Protection Spray:

As its name suggests, UV car protection spray is made to protect the car paint from the sun. Applying a coat of UV protection spray will shield the exterior from direct sunlight, so preventing it from fading and giving it a like-new appearance.

This spray is a must to protect ceramic coatings and the car’s finish. This will create a thin layer, which will act as a barrier to stop bugs and other debris from scratching your paintwork.

Use Wax To Protect Paint:

Wax can be used as a substitute for UV protection spray if it is unavailable. Wax will create a new layer over a clear coat hence reducing the risk of UV rays on paintwork.

Car wax prevents oxidation by acting as a sunscreen and hence protects the car paint from the sun.

This product protects by filling in small scratches and imperfections on the car’s paint. This prevents them from getting worse, which can happen when exposed to UV rays for extended periods.

It also:

• Restores color to faded areas
• Adds depth and shine
• Creates a barrier against dirt and grime particles

Paint Protection Film:

PPF, or paint protection film, is a transparent polyurethane film used to shield vehicle paint from damaging UV rays.

The paint protection film is a clear coat that shields the original automotive paint from damage caused by ultraviolet rays and oxidation. It acts as a shield between the paint and the sun, protecting it from fading.

The PPF shields the vehicle from debris such as dust, dirt, tiny scratches, and grime.

It can be used on both brand-new and used cars to maintain their pristine appearance for the long term. It protects the object from the normal damage that occurs during use.

For those with no garage or those who cannot keep their car inside, this is the perfect solution to protect the car from the sun.

Check Tire Pressure More Often:

Tire pressure is one of the vital elements of your driving. 

If you don’t check your tire pressure as often as you should, you’re not aware of the damage that might be done. Not only can it cause a blowout, but if your tires are underinflated, it will accelerate the abrasion on them. 

Checking your tire pressure more often than just once a month can significantly increase fuel efficiency and prevent uneven wear of tires.

New and old cars have their recommended pressure listed on a sticker inside the driver’s door. The pressure of the tire can depend on many factors, such as high-speed driving and the weight of passengers. If you have no idea about recommended tire pressure, check your owner’s manual.

Use The Car Umbrella:

There hasn’t been much time since the introduction of the car umbrella on the market. These umbrellas can shield you from the risk of UV rays as well as rain, and they fold up compactly for easy transport and storage. These umbrellas are great since they can be opened and closed with minimal effort.

Just like we use umbrellas to protect ourselves from rain and sun, these umbrellas are made to protect cars parked outside. 

Protect Car Interior From Sun:

The summer heat effects on the car interior can be quite severe. This is because constant sunlight coming through the windows will increase heat and damage upholstery and other surfaces.

However, the following are the ways that can help you to protect the car interior from the sun. 

Clean The Interior More Often:

You want to protect the car interior from the sun. And one of the best ways to do that is by cleaning the interior more often. People often forget to clean the inside of their cars, focusing mainly on the exterior. This is where extreme heat can harm the interior.

Sunlight heat can cause a lot of degradation leading to decrease shine and cracks all over the interior.

Harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun can penetrate the car’s interior, and dust and filth can accumulate on the dashboard and seats. These impurities, if not removed, can wear down a car’s upholstery and other components.

Hence, cleaning protects the interior from degradation and maintains the originality of the interior. 

Car Dashboard Protection From The Sun:

Sunlight can have a huge effect on your car’s dashboard. The dashboard in vehicles is the main source of visibility for drivers, so it is important to know how sunlight affects this area. 

The dash can become extremely hot due to sunlight exposure, leading to the dash becoming dry, discolored, dull, and possibly cracking.

Likewise, dust and debris can result in scratches if they remain untreated for a long time. 

To ensure car dashboard protection from the sun, make sure you clean it more often. Using dash polish is another great option. You can also opt for a dash cover to add an extra layer of protection for the car dashboard protection from the sun. 

Keep The Windows a Little Down:

As discussed earlier, UV rays cause extreme heat and are a real enemy of the car interior and upholstery. To protect the car interior from the sun, it is critical to keep the temperature at a normal level. 

Keeping the windows a little down is a good idea to decrease the heat from the interior. This will allow air to circulate through your car’s interior and prevent high temperatures. 

But before doing so, keep the crime rate in your mind. We don’t want you to lose your car while maintaining its temperature normal.

Close the Panoramic Sunroof:

Due to their aesthetically pleasing design and practical utility, panoramic sunroofs have become a standard on many modern vehicles.

These sunroofs are great for the appearance of the car, but the added heat from the sun could cause the interior to fade.

If the panoramic sunroof is open, it will let the sunlight directly into the interior and unexpectedly increase the temperature. 

Closing the sunroof is a good way to prevent extreme heat in the interior. This can protect the car interior from the sun by preventing UV rays from getting into other areas. This is also the best way to protect cars parked outside.

Use Window Shades:

Doing a few simple things like installing window shades is a good way to protect the car interior from the sun. Window shades can help to reduce the amount of sunlight that enters your car interior. This will keep the interior cool, thus protecting the internal plastic components from extreme heat. 

Window shades are useful in blocking out UV rays. This is because they are made of a thin fabric that blocks out UV rays. 

You can also install rear sunshades. But I would not recommend it while driving because it will affect your rearview. 

These products come in different shapes and sizes for different cars. You can grab a pair of these budget-friendly products for as low as 10$. Isn’t it amazing?

Install Seat Covers:

If you reside in a region where the sun is particularly strong, investing in seat coverings is a wonderful idea to keep the interior of your car looking like new. Long exposure to sunlight, while your ride is parked, will cause the upholstery to get dull and damaged faster.

Car seat covers are a great way to protect the car interior from the direct sun UV rays, gradually damaging the upholstery. 

As a result of exposure to UV rays, colors get dim and the substance deteriorates. However, contemporary car seat covers are fabricated from materials that are resistant to these impacts, so drivers need not worry about their vehicle’s interior deteriorating quickly.

Install Tint For Windows:

Over the past few years, more and more people have installed tint for windows on their cars. While some people do it for aesthetic purposes, others do it to protect the car interior from the sun damage. 

The sun can cause your interior to fade and even damage leather seats, which is an expensive fix. Installing window tint is a relatively inexpensive way to protect your car’s interior from direct sunlight.

Installing tint on windows prevents extreme heat by blocking ultraviolet rays, especially in summer months hence safeguarding upholstery and leather seats. 

Tinting your windows also offers privacy for those inside the vehicle, as it blocks out some outside light and keeps the interior cool. Tinting is a popular option for those who live in warmer climates or spend a lot of time in their car.

However, each state has its own tinted windows laws. Before tinting your car windows, learn how much intensity of tint is legal in your state. 

Install Windshield Shade:

There are many ways to protect your car from the sun. One of the cheapest is to install a windshield shade. These shades protect your car’s interior from sun damage on the seats and steering wheel. It can be placed over the front windshield and will provide protection all day long.

Covers for the windshield protect the interior from damaging sunlight. It blocks the sun’s rays, so the inside stays cool. One way to achieve this effect is to adopt a light-blocking substance or a light-reflecting film.

Depending on the model, certain covers are designed to fit flush against your window while others can be stuck to your console or windows These inexpensive products are truly the best way to protect cars parked outside. 

Use Leather Conditioner:

To shield your car from the sun’s rays, you can also use a leather conditioner. Leather conditioner is a chemical treatment used to recondition and safeguard leather.

Leather typically uses animal skin, which is very photosensitive. The conditioner creates a barrier on the leather’s surface, blocking harmful UV rays from reaching the material below.

Protecting the leather with a conditioner before it’s exposed to the elements will keep it looking like new for a longer period of time.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, it is important to take preventative measures against damage from UV rays. The best way to protect your car from the sun is to park it in a garage. However, if you must park in an open parking lot, there are other methods you can use. 

To protect the car paint from the sun, you must try car covers or car umbrellas. However, UV car protection spray and Wax are also ideal options for UV car protection. 

Likewise, you can use window and windshield shades, seat covers, tint, and leather conditioner to protect the car interior from the sun. Using dash polish is another great option for car dashboard protection from the sun.

Thanks.