How to Protect Vehicle’s Interior from The Harsh Dubai Sun?
Fact: Extreme heat and auto interiors do not mix.
Extreme sunlight can damage your vehicle’s interior in several ways, including fading carpets and upholstery, frequent overheating, cracks in the dashboard, deterioration of components, and more.
These damages negatively impact your car’s desirability. According to our expert research, sun damage can decrease the resale value of a vehicle by 5% to 10%. But you can prevent your car from being damaged and boost its resale value by following our comprehensive guide.
Keeping Vehicles Safe Under Dubai Sun | Helpful Tips And Tricks
We have got you expert preventative tips to protect your car from the effects of the intense sun of Dubai.
1- Use Essential Car Accessories
Here are some essential gadgets/accessories and services to keep your car safe.
Window Tints
Getting a car tinting service in Dubai is a more adaptable choice. Window tints are usually made up of metalized and carbon films, dyed polyester, or ceramics. All tint materials have specific properties, such as blocking UV lights and/or absorbing heat.
For example, dyed polyester tints are great for reducing glare and absorbing heat. In contrast, ceramic tint films offer both; UV rays blockage and heat absorption. Using them will protect your whole car’s interior including dashboard, original seat upholstery, and more.
Window tints come in different shades and levels of darkness. You can opt for a 20%, a 35%, or a 50% one. You can get a darker tint level if you want maximum protection or opt for a lighter one if you need more visibility.
Sunshades
Being a car owner, you must know how effective sunshades are. They are typically made of aluminum foil, foam layers, or polyester fabrics that provide great heat insulation and reflect UV light rays, protecting a vehicle’s interior.
UV rays are mostly absorbed by darker surfaces, and the shiny metallic surfaces of the sunshades reflect them to the atmosphere, hence keeping your interior cooler and protected from fading and cracking.
There are two most popular types of sunshades which are foldable and retractable ones.
- Talking about the foldable ones, they can bounce sun rays back because they are made up of reflective materials and can be folded for storage.
- On the other hand, retractable sunshades are made up of mesh-like materials. They can be easily attached to a vehicle’s windows by down-pulling. They work like umbrellas, meaning you can see outside but sun rays cannot reach you out.
Seat Covers
Investing in leather, polyester, or PVC vinyl seat covers can also help you in maintaining a cool atmosphere in your vehicle. All of these cover materials have specialized temperature-resistant properties to protect the underlying upholstery from fading or damage.
They are also resistant to moisture, dirt, and stains. Meanwhile, they also extend the lifespan of your original car seats and keep them looking attractive for longer periods of time.
Dashboard & Steering Covers
Dashboard and steering covers act as a barrier and protect them from being cracked by prolonged exposure to sunlight. They are made up of silicone, faux leather, and velour. These materials are capable of reflecting even extreme UV rays.
Talking about some other benefits of steering and dashboard covers, they prevent stains and protect sensitive electronics embedded in the dashboard from damage. They also help preserve the original color of the dashboard.
Choose The Right Parking Spots
You have to find the perfect parking place for your vehicle.
Covered Parking
Parking your cars in covered spaces such as carports and garages is the best option to opt for. This is because covered areas don’t allow sun rays to directly reach your vehicle and warm up its interior.
This not only protects your car interior but also the exterior components such as wipers, paint, and tires from being affected by prolonged sunlight exposure.
Strategic Parking
If you are unable to find completely covered areas to park your car, then go for a strategic space. For instance, you can park your car under trees or buildings to minimize the exposure to sun rays.
Although this is something that cannot completely protect your car, it can significantly stop direct UV rays from damaging your car, therefore lowering the risks of damage.
Follow Maintenance Tips
Here are some maintenance tips for a more effective protection of your car’s interior from harsh sun rays.
Cleaning Interior Regularly
Cleaning your vehicle’s interior is the key to retaining its original shine for a longer period. You can use a microfiber towel or a soft piece of cloth to clean the dashboard, seats, and cup holders.
You can also use vacuum cleaners or mild cleaners for this purpose. But always use a mild cleaner and test it first on a small surface of your vehicle to see whether it shows compatibility with your car’s material or not.
Using High-Quality Protectants
There are several protectants available in the market for vinyl and plastic components of car interiors. You can get them and apply them evenly using a piece of cloth. But ensure every surface is properly cleaned and dust-free before applying a protectant.
When applying protectants, focus on surfaces that are mostly exposed to the sun, like the dashboard. We also recommend ensuring proper ventilation and not touching the areas where you’ve applied the protectant until they are completely dry.
Conditioning Leather Seats
If your car seat covers are made of leather, consider conditioning them for better protection and retaining of their attractiveness. Conditioning leather seats will preserve their natural look, protect against cracking and drying by sunlight exposure, and enhance the overall leather softness too.
Moreover, the leather conditioning also makes your car seats resistant to stains and spills by acting as a barrier. Conditioning is one of the most effective ways to prolong car upholstery.
Conclusion
In the above article, we have shared how you can protect your vehicle’s interior from getting damaged by the extreme sunlight rays of Dubai. We have talked about a number of tools and accessories such as sunshades, as well as services including car window tinting to reflect harmful UV rays.
By following all of our tips, you can enjoy a cooler car interior and improve the resale worth of your car as well.
