How to Protect Your Car on Halloween

Want to hear something spooky? Halloween tricks usually start before the holiday, and your car isn't immune.

Every October, goblins, ghouls, and even zombies prowl the night and "trick" cars. But the cars aren't tricked out; they're hit with broken eggs, Silly String, or smashed pumpkins. If left on the paint for a period of time, that nasty mess can cause permanent stains that are not only unsightly but can also lower your vehicle's resale value.

Egg whites, pumpkin, bird droppings, bug splatter, and other substances contain acids that can eat into your car's finish, says Jim Policare, body-shop director at Vinart Collision Center in Allentown, Pa.

But if you drive a newer car, you might not have to worry. In the past 10 years, automakers have developed clearcoat paint that's specifically designed to resist that type of acid, says Donald White, global technology manager at DuPont Performance Coatings.

If you drive an older car, however, there are steps you can take to protect it from Halloween pranks.

Three auto-finish experts we talked with offered these tips:

• Wax on. Your best defense is a protective coat of wax. The week before Halloween is a good time to apply it. Not only does a good waxing prepare your vehicle for the threats of All Hallows' Eve, but if you live in a snowy area, wax can also help protect the paint from the salt, sand, and road grime related to winter driving. For the best protection, we recommend having the wax applied by a detailer. Or do it yourself by following our experts' tips. Consumer Reports' tests of car waxes have shown that most begin to wear off after only a few weeks.

• Take cover. If you can, park the car in your garage on Halloween night or use a car cover. That might not be the bravest strategy, but surviving the zombie hordes and avoiding mischievous youth often demands prudence.

• Quick rinse. If your car is hit on Halloween night, rinse off solid residue that can scratch the paint, such as eggshells, as soon as possible. (The heat of the sun speeds up those chemical reactions.) Then give your vehicle a thorough washing to get rid of the other material. If you do it yourself, follow our experts' car-washing tips.

• Be prepared. To clean off any small mess quickly, Policare suggests keeping handy a small spray bottle of water mixed with a dedicated car-washing soap. A spray-on car wax will also work well. Then, whenever you find a contaminant on the paint—whether it's the morning after Halloween or after a bird dropping at the beach—you can just spray the solution on and wipe away the mess with a soft towel. Even if you can't remove it right away, just spraying on the solution will dilute the acid and minimize damage.

• Last resort. If a contaminant has had time to set in and cause paint damage but hasn't eaten completely through the clearcoat layer, wash the area thoroughly and try using a cleaner wax. It's a product formulated with abrasives, which can remove a thin layer of paint to expose the undamaged paint beneath. (Our car-wax ratings show which waxes provided the best cleaning and gloss improvement.) If the damage extends through the clearcoat and into the color paint or metal, however, that area will need to be repainted.
  

If you have a later-model car, you'll be reassured to learn that modern paint finishes have been engineered to resist common pranks. If your car gets hit with any Halloween debris, it's likely to resist damage better and be easier to clean than ever before.

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