Leaves in the Car? How Do They Affect Our Mount?

Autumn is strong all over the world, which means many trees are shedding their leaves if they haven't already . You already know that leaves on the road can be dangerous, but what if they are in your car? Should you remove them immediately or just leave them alone? Are they dangerous or do they damage the car in any way?


Well, if you had to bet on this and you had chosen to remove them, you would be right. Leaves can certainly damage your vehicle . It's not like bird droppings or having a cocktail thrown at you , but something that "works" (against you) over time. A few leaves, or the hypothetical situation involving a car completely covered in leaves in a few hours, will not bring guaranteed damage. Leaving one, two, or a handful for days or weeks, however, is an entirely different matter.


How do leaves affect the car?


Depending on the species of tree from which they come, the degree of damage varies . We haven't seen any studies yet looking at which blade will do the most damage to the vehicle, but that's not that big of a deal right now. All the leaves have pollen, sap (from the tree) and a certain degree of acidity. The last part has the potential to damage body paint or lacquer, but the first two are dangerous in their own right.


Wet leaves , which can get on the car after it has rained, for example, will leave dust marks as it dries after the rain has stopped. As it does so, these wet leaves also leave sap, pollen, and acid in the mix , and the latter in particular, can "chew" the car's paint, while the sap is sticky and helps to worsen the paint finish (with less oil). brightness).


Tree sap can be removed with isopropyl alcohol (rubbed with a cloth, then wiped off) or a specific tree sap cleaner . Test the latter on a smaller surface before using it on the body, just in case, to make sure there are no reactions between it and the paint.


What is the solution?


The best possible solution to this problem is to refrain from parking under a tree or, if you do park under a tree, find out what kind of tree it is and check your car's paint to see if it leaves any sap at the end of the day. During the summer or early fall , you'll recognize tree sap as a sticky residue that looks like wax.


If your car tends to take in a lot of leaves on a regular basis, the best thing to do is remove them as soon as possible . Avoid the situation where you leave it parked with leaves for days, as more rain will cause the leaves to rot, making it even more difficult to remove, not to mention the smell. Avoid removing the leaves with a broom , as it can cause scratches on the bodywork; scratches that would come from moving leaves or broom bristles, so use your hands.


While a leaf blower may be a first instinct, we refrain from recommending one, as it could push some leaves under the hood or into other crevices on the car, defeating the purpose of all the action you're taking. Another type of damage that leaves can cause is to air intakes, sunroof drain channels, or other drainage holes. Once you're done picking them up by hand, remove the ones in hard-to-reach areas with a vacuum cleaner .


Be sure to remove all leaves near the base of the windshield, because that is where the vehicle's heater intake system is located . You don't want leaves to get in. Simply remove as many as you can with your hands and vacuum up the rest. Do the same thing inside the engine compartment, as leaves will collect there and begin to decompose . The damage they cause in that area is minimal, but they will eventually leave behind a sticky residue that will be a magnet for dust and general dirt.


For proper paint protection, wash the car thoroughly at the end of each season and apply a coat of wax . Ceramic tiles work too, but this depends on your budget. Ask a local shop or professional what's best for your car before making an appointment. In fact, you can apply the wax yourself if you feel like it, have time and want to save a few bucks.