There is no doubting the many benefits of using a car cover for your car, however, many car owners are not aware of the possible harms that could come from using a car cover. The possible harms that may arise from car covers are usually due to inappropriate usage such as covering the car up with a cover while it is still wet.
So, can I put the car cover on when the car is wet? No, you shouldn’t. covering your car up with a car cover while it is still wet is one of the wrong ways of using a car cover which could bring harm to your car’s paint and sometimes some of the metallic parts.
Similarly, covering a car with a wet car cover brings about the same side effect as the first instance where the wet car is covered with a cover.
So, why is any of these not advisable? The primary reason is both instances bring about the growth of molds which could damage the car’s paint. Aside from molds, your car may also develop water spots and scratches amongst other side effects.
Why you should not put the cover on when the car is wet
Car covers play the essential role of keeping the car’s paint and interior protected from the direct effect of the harsh sun’s rays.
Continuous exposure to the sun can cause fading of the car’s paint and in severe cases cause it to develop cracks. Also, the sun dries up the car’s interior and causes cracks in the car’s dashboard, seats, and other aspects of the car’s interior. It is for these reasons that car covers are considered relevant for all car owners.
Even when the car is parked in the garage or under a canopy or carport or umbrella, car covers are still relevant in this situation to protect the car from dust, dirt, and minor scratches.
When a car is wet, it is not encouraged to cover it up with a car cover, this is because the cover may trap water and stop the water from ever drying up.
The car cover is designed in such a way that the outer aspect of the cover is usually waterproof, which is impervious to water. Therefore, when a car is covered up, it does not get wet even while standing in the rain.
The inner aspect of the cover is however not waterproof, this aspect is designed to absorb water. When a wet car is covered up with a car cover, the outer waterproof aspect of the cover traps the water, cuts it off from air, and prevents the evaporation of such water.
The trapped water becomes a culture ground for the growth of moulds which can affect the car’s finish and reduce its resale value.
The protection offered by car covers is not absolute, when the car is parked outside for a long-time duration, continuous exposure to rain or snow may cause the development of molds as well. this comes on as a result of the activity of anaerobic bacteria.
Aside from molds, your car’s paint may also suffer from scratches when the car is covered while wet. This will be the car when the wetness is from dirty water that contains debris and dirt.
When you drive through rain, the car is usually covered up with dirt as you run through mud or water collection on the road.
Covering such a car up immediately as you arrive home with a car cover will cause the paint to get scratched when the cover is been pulled off.
One other adverse effect of covering a car up while it is still wet is the appearance of water sports on the car. Irrespective of the type of water that caused the wetness, be it rain or distilled water when a wet car is not allowed to dry up before being covered with a car cover, this could lead to the formation of wet spots on the car’s paint. While this may not be a major consequence, it affects the looks of the car.
More serious consequences of this action are rusting some of the metallic components of the car’s exterior. When a wet car is covered up with a car cover, the trapped water may react with whatever amount of air is available and lead to rusting of exposed metallic components of the car.
When a car cover is drawn over a wet car, after some time, the inner aspect of the cover may become stuck with the car and prove difficult to remove.
Trending Searches
How to put the car cover on when the car is wet
Remember that the sole aim of covering a car with a car cover is to protect the car from the sun’s rays which could cause fading of the car’s paint and cracks in its interior components.
To protect the car from scratches which could result from a passerby, protection from harsh environmental conditions such as snow, and hail when the car is parked outside, protection from falling nuts such as acorns or wall-nuts when parked under a tree and protection from bird droppings amongst others.
The cover is not designed to be used to dry the car up, it is designed to keep water out in the first place. Without learning the proper way of using a car cover, you may end up doing more harm to your car than good. One of the commonest ways car covers are used inappropriately is by covering a wet car with them.
Ideally, when a car is wet, allow the car to dry up first before covering it. Also, ensure the car is covered using a wet cover, the cover should be allowed to dry up first before covering the car with it.
Without doing this, water can settle underneath the cover and lead to the formation of molds as a result of the growth of microorganisms using water as a growth medium.
Why you should be worried about molds growing on your car- they can potentially ruin the looks of your car by causing permanent damage to the car’s paint. Repainting your car as a result of an avoidable situation is a painful way to spend money.
So, when a car is wet, what should you do, wait for it to dry up before covering it up? No matter how long that may take?
After driving through the rain, on getting home, if the rain is still falling, then drive straight into the garage or carport if you have one. Allow the car to dry up before covering it up.
However, if the car is parked outside while it is about to start raining, then quickly cover it up with a waterproof car cover.
Do not fall for the car myth of rain being good for the car as it washes away dirt and debris. The truth is, cars parked in the rain mostly become dirty from the raindrops splashing dirt on them.
So, covering the car before the rain starts will protect the car from such dirt and also protect the engine from getting wet. With continuous heavy rain, water may get into the engine bay and cause damage to the water susceptible parts of the engine.
After washing your car, if you are unable to wait for the car to dry up, use a microfiber towel to dry it before covering the car up, if not, the car may develop water spots all over it, ruining all the efforts put into washing it.
Reasons why every car owner needs a car cover
Car covers can be said to be essential for all car owners irrespective of the type of car or whether the car is parked outside, in a garage, under a canopy, or somewhere else.
Irrespective of where the car is parked, there is always a need to keep the car covered with a cover especially for cars parked for a long time either as a result of being faulty or for other reasons.
Car covers are needed for protecting the car from the sun, snow, hail, scratches, rain, and other factors that can affect the car’s paint as well as its interior.
Without a shade in the form of a garage, tree, canopy, or carports, the car is left at the mercy of the sun, this causes its paint to fade quicker than expected and for the car’s inside to develop cracks.
The car’s finish is protected by car covers, and its resales value is maintained. Fortunately, car covers are affordable and can be stored easily when removed from the car. One can decide to have more than one car cover for a car.
Conclusion
learn the proper way to use car covers, note that it is not ideal to cover the car with a car cover while it is still wet. This puts the car at risk of forming moulds, water spots, or rust.
