PROTECTION SQUAD

New or pre-owned, your motorhome is a major purchase, and a paint protectant is a great way to conserve its value

- John Sootheran

Whether your motorhome is new off the production line or has a few miles under its belt, it makes sense to protect such a valuable asset the best way you can against the constant attack of road film, tree sap, dead bugs, acid rain, road salt and exhaust particulates.

An effective way to do this is to apply a ceramic paint-protectant solution on the exterior panels. You can also guard interior furnishings against spills and stains with a spray-on protector.

These safeguarding solutions provide an invisible shield for your vehicle’s surfaces, resisting dirt, grime and stains, and protecting against discoloration.

Protectants have been around for a long time. Originally, they were wax based, then super-slippery PTFE (often branded as Teflon); but these days, the best are ceramic, an indiscernible layer of liquid glass, which contaminants sit on, making them easier to rinse off.

How they work

The theory is that while your ’van’s exterior might look perfectly smooth, at a microscopic level, it’s actually about as uneven as the Himalayas.

Minute particles of pollution and dirt, anything from diesel exhaust particulates to road muck, become lodged in this coarse micro-surface, eventually leading to a loss of shine, discoloration and deterioration of the surface material.

The protectants aim to fill those indentations and undulations, so a surface that was all peaks and troughs is afterwards much smoother, shinier and level. This makes it far harder for dirt to become ingrained in it, so it’s easier to keep clean.