Windshield protection film is a great investment for any vehicle owner. It can protect your windshield from chips, cracks, and other types of damage. However, like any other product, it requires proper care to ensure it lasts as long as possible. Here are 5 tips to help you make your windshield protection film last longer:

Tip #1: Clean Regularly

Adding a protective film to your windshield (or any other vehicle surface for that matter!) doesn’t mean you should neglect maintenance. Taking basic care to keep the film clean, especially from things like bug splatter, bird droppings, etc., will help keep your film in good condition. Leaving too much dirt and debris on the film can start to erode the layers of the film over long periods of time, or, be dragged across the film by your wiper blades and leave scuff marks.

And it’s not just the windshield - keep those wipers clean! Dirty wipers are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to scratching up the film, so giving them a quick wipe every once in a while will help that.

Tip #2: Avoid Harsh Chemicals

Your windshield film can be cleaned using any of your typical ammonia-safe glass cleaners. At ExoShield we like Invisible Glass, but anything you trust (so long as it’s ammonia free!) should be safe. Using particularly harsh cleaners and chemicals can wear out the topcoat of the film which protects it from scratching, so being gentle with your cleaning products can go a long way!

Tip #3: No Pressure Washers!

If you want to damage your windshield film, pressure wash it. This is one of the number one ways that the film can get damaged, and the extreme pressure of the water can actually cause the layers of the film to start to separate, leading to a faster replacement. We always recommend handwashing your car with soapy water, since it’s a lot gentler on all the various surfaces of the vehicle, but if you’re in a pinch, most touchless car washes are ok.

Tip #4: Avoid Using Wipers on Dry Film

If you have a habit of running your wiper blades across the film without any wiper fluid or rain, it’s a good time to stop. Especially if you haven’t kept them clean (see tip #1…) this will drag dirt and small particles across the surface of the film and leave tiny scratches in the film. Over time these scratches will make the film look hazy which means it’s probably time to replace the film!

Tip #5: Choose the Right Film

This one is a tip for before you’ve even purchased your film, but is probably your biggest chance at getting a long-lasting windshield protection film!

Not all windshield protection films are created equal, and choosing one that fits your needs is important. We won’t get into all the details here, but check out this post where we break down the different types of technology used for windshield protection films on the market today to help you make the best decision for you!

For example, looking for a film that is designed to be scratch resistant, and resistant to UV (like ExoShield) will help prevent the film from premature failure.

Bonus Tip: Consider Adding a Ceramic Coating

This one is by no means essential, but if you are especially concerned about microscratches or live in a particularly sandy or dirty environment, adding a ceramic coating to the windshield will help you get the most out of the film’s lifetime. Regularly re-applying can also help fill in small microscratches that occur over time, to keep the film looking better for longer!

Take care to watch for recommended coatings depending on the film you choose since not all coatings are compatible! For recommended coatings to use with ExoShield windshield protection film, check out this post.

There you have it! All the top tips from the experts on how to get the most out of your windshield protection film.